American Things Vietnamese Don't Understand 

Your smile and personality are uplifting.

Some years ago, while talking to an American woman, I asked her how old she was . She looked embarrassed and didn't answer my question. Later on, I found out that we should not ask American people ,especially elderly ones , their age. I wonder if it is impolite to do so. On the contrary, in VN asking about someone's age is very common in daily conversation,and in many cases old people are even happy and proud to tell you their age.

Almost all of these issues are familiar to me. Friends visiting from Germany reacted in the exact same way. The ice in restaurant drinks was always an issue. They believed it was unhealthy, and would fish out the ice with their forks. The “hello, how are you” greeting was really perplexing. They imagined a long, in depth narrative was required. When interrupted, they concluded that Americans are both rude and superficial. Understanding a culture is difficult. Judging is easy.

Hello, I`m Brazilian living in Japan. In Brazil, as America, not open gifts in front of the giver means that the person was not interested. Congrats, nice channel !

I'm Vietnamese and I really enjoy your video. I can see your enthusiasm in your video. Keep up the good work.

In America, gift giving is taught at the young age the "joy and reward". Your reaction to someone's thoughtful gift is their reward for giving. They don't need your thank you or "returning gift", just the reaction is the gift itself. That's why people open gifts in front of the giver, so they can see your reaction to it and that's their reward. Soccer vs football, it's because we have our own game call Football. We are obsessed with teeth. The first thing we notice on anyone is their smile and crooked teeth. Their jokes to this day on the Britains and their crooked they teeth. Hope that helps!

I love this video. You talk about many American things I don't know. Well-done! 👏👏👏

This was such a helpful video today. Thank you and great job. They keep getting better.

Hi Van I watch all your videos! I like it very much! Thanks for sharing it!

Whenever i see you, you give me energy. Thanks!

Wow that was a great perspective on the comparisons very good I liked it very much

Thanks for the heads-up about the gifts 🎁 Awesome job.

If I have learned anything from your RU-vid channel, it is, I will never get bored. I love the way you conduct yourself and express yourself. Thank you for such great content and wonderful work. 👍❤🙏

In America small talk is considered polite. In the north we're considered snobs because we aren't as friendly towards strangers and we're less likely to strike up a conversation with people we don't know. The baby shower thing is traditionally for someone's first child. It's to help out young couples who most likely can't afford a lot of new baby stuff, like a crib, car seat, or stroller. Baby showers are typically thrown towards the end of the pregnancy when it's less likely something bad will happen to the baby. However there is a new trend to have "sprinkles" which is supposed to be a smaller version of a baby shower for people who aren't first time parents but maybe don't have their baby stuff anymore.

Wish you good health and make more videos about Vietnam

Interesting and informational. Thank you.

Nice & interesting, your videos, amazing topics, keep going 👍

Really like the list and how you present them, Van! Stay awesome! (PS: I lived in Vietnam til I was 11 so the culture diffs between American vs Viet are pretty fun topics for me also)

The *Soccer* thing is actually *British.* The game of Association Football was nicknamed as "Assoccer" and then Soccer. And the U.S. adopted that name since we had a separate game that we call Football.

I do like your videos both tiktok and youtube! Thank you for giving a lot of things from America to us! I wanna watch your videos more and more

Your videos are very funny. You have a very good sense of humor.

great video. i love it. thanks you.

Mình thường xuyên cày video của bạn để luyện nghe, những video kiểu như này bạn có thể thêm nhiều hình minh họa để mình và mọi người có thể nhanh chóng nắm dc nội dung mà ko cần nhìn sub. Chúc bạn thật nhiều sức khỏe để ra nhiều nội dung hay, chúc kênh ngày càng thành công.

When soccer emerged in the 1800s in England it was called association football, and soccer is a contraction of that. American football emerged at the same time so the word soccer was needed to distinguish them. Outside the US soccer became dominant so they used the generic word football for it. The opposite happened with corn, which in the US is maize, and outside the US is the dominant grain of the country.

her comment is always well-organized and,i'd been so impressed about her English.hope she could keep doing it.

During the recent lockdown in Hanoi I saw plenty of women who would wear their pajamas when they would go to the convenience stores to get some grocery items.

I live in the US & 7/10 of these are still culture shock. What the Pho!!

Thx for sharing🙂

Thanks for this valuable information for a guy who plans to visit Vietnam and other countries in retirement.

That How are you was funny!!!! We really don't expect a answer most times... lol

In Australia when we can't finish food & want to take it home for a snack later, we call it a " doggy bag" it never goes to the dog, trust me lol.

I love your videos & you crack me up. ✅👍🆒️

wow very well said especially the baby showers, the open gift i front of others, and the soccer

Have a nice day c nha ❤️❤️

Van, I am American and loved this video. I laughed at all of the points that you made ,and I agree with them. You are so beautiful and sweet . Love your videos !!!!!!!!!!!

This is so funny to watch, but sometimes some it is true (haha) good video.

Đôi mắt và nụ cười mỉm của e thật đặc biệt, vừa á đông vừa 1 chút tây

You are beautiful , smart, talented and speak English very well, good luck your bright future. Love your channel. ❤️🇺🇸

As someone from Czechia, I can tell you I would have a cultural shock in the US as well. The pajama thing is really weird. The customs in Czechia match Vietnamese in almost all of the points you mentioned. Apart from the gifts. Czechs like to open gifts in front of everyone. The thinking is that it is the thought that counts (and not the monetary value of the gift). But I understand the Vietnamese way - it is more cautious.

Hay quá Em.

In the southern of Vietnam people like ice too!

Great video, Van! Very relatable. One question.. I remember going to VN and ice being very much a thing. They would serve me sugarcane juice in a cup or plastic bag with 90% ice, the ca phe sua da would also be full of ice, and people would drink their beer in a mug filled with ice (ice in your beer isn't an American thing). So I thought Vietnamese people were used to ice in drinks! By the way - one culture shock thing that some Vietnamese elders have mentioned to me about the US, is the quality of "free breakfast" in US hotels vs VN hotels. They are so used to even small hotels in VN serving delicious traditional food as part of the free hotel breakfast, like banh mi & pho. But in the US?? The free hotel breakfast is cereal, oatmeal, bagels, muffins - so blah for people from VN and likely even for Americans. I wonder if you've noticed this culture shock moment too?

Great video

trời ơi, chị thể hiện biểu cảm gì mà cute quá dậy. xem băng hình của chị mà não của em được giải trí vô cùng tận

California here. I love 💘 ice. I am an ice eater! During this summer I found myself going through 16 trays of ice PER DAY!!!

I remember one time, I went to Thailand with a friend. He ordered the food while I went to the bathroom, when I came back, I saw everything seemed to be half gone. I asked him why he didn't wait for me, he told me he only sampled a little bit, then I saw the portions, I knew why.

very informative vedio...

Restaurants serve lots of ice in drinks because the ice costs less than the liquid part of the drink (more profit for each drink). But you can ask for no ice or minimal ice if you want

Van, really appreciate your videos. You should start a tour company for tours in Vietnam. Here's a couple thoughts on the items you describe here. First off I really appreciate the Asian custom of saving face and presentation in public. I practice that myself here in USA. For the gifts thing, we open gifts in front of all so that we may show our joy and appreciation to the giver and in front of all. It is kind of an "in the moment" kind of thing. Can things get awkward should the receiver not like the gift? Yes, then you see a pretty good acting job by the receiver. If it is something that really needs attention, the receiver may get together with the giver of that unwanted gift and ask if they can exchange it for something. In fact, most stores will issue a gift receipt to buyers of gifts for that very reason. It is a receipt without a price on it you may know. While this may sound a little cold, all are usually happy in the end with this scenario because then ultimately the receiver is satisfied, which is the original goal I suppose. Sometimes a gift may be something the person just recently acquired in some other way, or it reminds them of a previous relationship, there could be many reasons. But the ultimate satisfaction of the receiver is the happy ending. For the ice thing you mention, this really originates from places that serve drinks with alcohol. The more ice they put in a glass, the less alcohol and / or soda or mixer they need to add as well. So it really originates from restaurants and bars / pubs. When left to us, like at a McDonald's self serve with all the refills you want (nice to see you enjoy that!) most will go about half way or less in a cup with ice and then fill it with their beverage of choice. Final thought, to circumvent the ice "rip off" described above at bars andd restaurants we will say at times "light on the ice". Hope this brings a little insight to those things for you. Thanks again for the vids. !!

I like a lot of ice in my sweet tea because I like cold drinks. I’m in Florida so I don’t like hot tea. I football & soccer are two different sports. I played 🏈 football.

😂 love your culture contents

I just Love your channel and you are so Pretty that I can listen to you all day long!!!

The ice in water 💧 is the practice of Thailand Lao also. And dental bracelets too is everywhere in Thailand and Lao.

Love your video great content, I get confuse on the order of the date when I go back to Vietnam sometime. But it makes sense that d-m-y in that order. American on the other hand is write it like you say it April 1 - m-d-y…😂

Van still have perfect english & northern voice, true i often buy double-double burger + fries + large drink @ In-N-Out burger when i need a 15 min. meal

Ice was the biggest thing I missed in Russia; I decided if I go again I'll bring an ice cube tray. You have to boil the water there but I found a workaround: the ubiquidous Russian tea, and I could get hot water refills for that.

The ice thing is just a business strategy. The more ice they give you the less soda they have to give you.

My Vietnamese wife thinks it’s so funny I like so much also, we like our drinks super cold.

Hi Van Vu..., Excellent video and informative about America and Vietnamese culture and differences... Teeth are very important in America because you have them for life and of course to eat food and physical appearance toward other people you meet... Van..., You have beautiful teeth too... I really enjoyed the video and the friendly conversation, and thank you for sharing the video... Van..., you are a beautiful young lady and articulate in English and Vietnamese... I always learn something ( new ) from every video you do..., including America and Vietnam and our cultures... One day..., I hope to meet you and say... "Hello." Your friend always.., Mike in Montana P.S.: I am glad that I "Subscribe" to your RU-vid Channel... Mike :)

I love to watch your video, you express your views very well. I have my college education in MI, What university you went to?

In New York State, Department of Transportation specifically, we tried to convert from imperial to metric (SI - système internationale), and even spent millions of USD doing it, but we gave up, and imperial is still the prevalent measurement system.

We write the date the same way we would say it - today is Oct. 1, 2021 (10/01/21)

Very similar in China 🇨🇳. I hope to go to Vietnam. I didn’t know you have Mid-Autumn Festival same in China.

Loved this one, Van. Not opening gifts in front of the giver is a thing in India, too. And I've noticed that some ao dai models have crooked teeth. It surprised me a little when I first saw them, but I got used to it after a while. And you made me LOL when you said shopping being "a relaxing activity, not a math class." 😁 Also, I'm not sure why we Americans are so obsessed with ice, but where I come from in the South, where it is very hot & humid like in Vietnam, ice is a precious commodity that keeps our drinks cold and it melts very fast.

As an American, regular portions are big everywhere, even in fast food joints. I usually request for a kids meal these days when I go to Red Robins, Denny's,e.t.c. due to the fact that I don't eat big portion and I'm slim/athletic. BTW, I do plan on visiting Vietnam next year and can't wait to try their traditional cuisine. Since moving to the west coast (California), I've been eating Asian food in general, especially Vietnamese food and enjoy It as Its healthy and keeps me in good shape. Love you video contents and will look into it.

About the ice thing, you kind of answer your own question @3:55 on why we, American, like ice so much. Its free refills at most places LoL

I made my niece open my gift that I got for her in front of everyone and she cried and cried and cried. Not like a happy cry but a really tough this is fucked up kind of cry. I was really confused about it at first and it was because of the cultural difference you described. Even though I bought a really good considerate gift (exactly what she wanted, some Frozen Barbie thing) my expectation of her opening and appreciating it flew in the face of everything that poor little girl had learned in her life up to this point. She is such a sweetheart and I love her and my in-laws to death though for breaking that cultural norm for my sake. I wish I could pay them back for the moment but I don't think they can ever break my tradition in a way that they really love like that... I'll try maybe but I'm not sure they'd ever appreciate it the same way. I will still try though one day.

You make good videos

In the US, people also tell distance with time, "It's ten minutes away."

It’s called a “doggie bag” for taking food to go or left overs.

I hate the restroom stall gaps too. I try to go to Starbucks if I need to use the restroom. Usually it's single-occupancy.

I remember McDonalds having free refills when I were a child.. my mom were asked if she wanted us to have a small, medium or large size of drink to our meal... my mom looked at them and said "But it's free refill right?" ..answer: "Yes".. My mom said that then we would just have one small cup to our meals and we shared. Not that long after -no more free refills in Sweden, and I still to this day think my mom is one of the reasons for it to end. :'D Also, when visiting Vietnam as someone from Sweden with my girlfriend that is from Vietnam we met up with her uncle. I tried to be as open as possible (if you know anything about Sweden we are reserved but polite -and I often struggle with comming up with topics to talk about.. but I tried and asked her uncle about how it's living in Hanoi and shared some info about food from home as we ate all from chicken feet, goat, chó, and duckblood soup.. he were apperantly so chocked that he told me in front of my girlfriend that HOPEFULLY she would come visit with me again -but if not he would still help me around the city if needed. I really feel and hope that he said it with a glimpt in his eye to make me feel more at peace -but if not... he took the cake in our three weeks visit in how EVERYBODY treated us so good in every city we visited. I'm a 185cm tall wite man with long hair and beard and I never felt that anybode stared at me or treated me bad. Everytime we ate dinner they didn't stand around as in "Lets see if this white man can handle this food" ..they were more glad that I were there and yeah, sometimes at the tourist area we were sat at the front tables to promote that "even the tourists eat here so you should too if you are a tourist" -but it didn't feel -bad-.

in rome new york the station for soft drinks in some gas stations says this about the ice machine that dispenses ice for you cup..." Diet ice".."Low Carb Ice", lol

😎👍 🇺🇸 We have a recently hired Vietnamese guy on our crew. A really smiley friendly dude. He's only been here a few years and his English is rough. I personally do my best to accommodate him and help him feel welcomed. He was clearly concerned about his fitting in. One day I greeted him in his language. His jaw dropped and with a huge smile he clapped and was so surprised. Of course I only learned the one greeting. Xin Chao. That sealed it for him. He was a friend.👍 Now is totally comfortable asking questions, learning new slang and speaking his best English with all of us. Vin is a cool dude.👍

Also too much ice comes from inadequate waitstaff that there's no shortage of. They just dump as much ice into a cup as they can because they're either Scoopy the ice usually one of those scoopers or using a dispenser all options give too much ice

You forgot to mention about the tipping culture in america as i think most asian countries do not have that in their country.. It is just a way of thanking the service staff for their way hospitality and service. I found that most shocking when i was on holiday in the States.. haha..

Sales taxes are determined by local municipalities, which is why they vary when you go from one city to the next. Sales taxes are not applicable to meat, fruits, vegetables. Everything else have sales taxes. Americans say there are two things that are certain, death and taxes.

You can ask the waiter or waitress for a soda but without ice. I do that sometimes.

You are a very good representative for your country

In South Texas ice is necessary.....nearly all year around

Interesting all!! Years ago like today one of my favorite Vietnamese singers in Vietnam is Hong Nhung, she had crooked teeth, like in the song Do 't cry for me Argintina. Today they are pearly white and straight. Personally for me like all the rest it makes no difference to me. I just love them all!! Sorry soccer, international, the kick the ball in the goal net game, and American FOOTBALL, in the endzone and over the goal post!! Van you are Co Dep Lam in many ways!! Yes I'm the man who has spent many wonderful times with Toc Tien!!

never been in USA, but in Vietnam(can say about the South) adds a lot of ice. adds to everything coffe, tea, juice, beer etc.

In Australia the biggest game here is Australian rules football. I fact it has the fourth highest crowd attendance of any domestic sport in the world. Then rugby second then soccer our national team is called the Socceroos. We played Vietnam in Hanoi last month

I love your views...

As an American, I find some things, we do here strange. I'm not surprised by your reaction. A lot of the things, we do in this country, are not things we have always done. Being competitive is big in the USA, especially in business. So big gulp cups, large portions, and large slices is a way for businesses to bring in more customers. Businesses think, if their customers are getting more for their money, they will be repeat customers. Americans like their leftovers, if you ask for Togo box, we think that you really enjoyed your food.

you're so cute and funny, love it

Funny to watch😊😊😊

Hi Van. Restaurant serves a cup full of ice with little content because the the ice is cheap and good filler. Just look at the popular Vietnamese ice coffee with condensed milk in America. It's horrible with 3/4 ice and 1/4 coffee. But it tastes good. I miss side walk coffee in Vietnam. Have a good day, Van.

Americans do not use dental floss at the table but it is true that occasionally I see Vietnamese in Hanoi hiding a toothpick with the other hand. Turkish people also do this in restaurants. Also I get at least 10 daily smiles and friendly waves from total strangers in Hanoi. It is not just in the US.

Hi em, I would love to meet you in Vietnam.

In South Africa, baby showers are also really common. Also, it may be an adopted Americanism but most people tend to call the sport "soccer" (e.g. the national club league is called the PSL - Premier Soccer League).

I've been in US for 40 years and I still have trouble answering "How are you?" ...

Nice points although in Japan people open gift right after receiving it too. This is mostly because in any party that involves gift exchanging we set a range of budget (usually low) in advance to prevent people from misreading the situation and accidentally adding a materialistic nuance to the atmosphere. Due to low budget, people choose to spend more time on the thoughts in the gift than on the gift itself. When opening it, they would explain why they choose it and the receiver would express how they like it. Very enjoyable experience for both the giver and the receiver, no?

Different countries have different cultures and believes. Just respect the people when visiting their country.

Sugarcane water in VN also has lots of ice, though LOL!

Hawaii is so expensive. $15-20 for soup. You have to swim for noodles. Have one or two shrimp. Very thin meat. Can’t wait to go back to Vietnam tomorrow!

Thats interesting to know because when we get his mom gifst she sometimes does not open them, and we have to like her ask her to open them! But she has been here she was like 19 so she has been here a long time!

American football is a cousin of "football", as it's known around the world. The both came from the same common game which developed in Britain in the middle of the 19th century. That game also evolved into rugby, which is what American Football is based on, with rugby being the variant of football that was popularised by Rugby School, in England. Due to certain rule changes in the 1870s, football (the worldwide game) changed beyond recognition, with the other variants being closer to the original game.

The best place to go is the Electric Fetus music store in Minneapolis minneasota famous place thats were prince favorite place to go.

2:30 .. A lot of ice so they don't have to fill up your glass with as much of the drink so it saves the restaurant some money....lol....