I
am not a tourist of Vietnam. I have been in Vietnam since Thursday, the
29th of November, 2012, that is the last 5 months. Why do foreign
travelers come and tour Vietnam? What are they expecting to see that I
do not see. What do they see that I do not see?
I am not a tourist. I am a local Vietnamese American in Vietnam. I am not really Vietnamese but I kind of reject my United States citizenship. I do not hate the USA. At the same time, I do not see Vietnam as a different country. I am so serious. Why do people spend so money to go to other countries? They spend so much money to stay in really nice hotels. They waste their money just to travel the world.
I lived in Hawaii for 9 months. People dream of living in Hawaii. I was not a tourist. I was a missionary there. I made friends with the children, the poor, the homeless. That is who I am. I am not just a tourist with a camera. Because I do not see other places as different than anywhere else. It is different in a way, but not in the same exact way. I am trying to say that while people go half way around the world to see new places, in doing so, they neglect and forget about their own home town and the people and places and things from where they are from. Being a tourist is fine as long as it does not corrupt your spirit like money does.
I have wanted to travel the world since I was 8 years old, but I never wanted to travel the world as a tourist. When I go around Saigon, Vietnam, I look at the foreign tourists like I look at animals at the zoo. I look at them and I contemplate what they are doing in Vietnam.
Because what does Vietnam have that other countries do not have? Is Vietnam the only country in the world with trees and bikes and streets and people and beaches and animals and rivers and bridges and hotels and people with brown skin and rice and flowers and tall buildings and clouds and rain and love and pain and crime and music and food and excitement and danger and families and grass and sports and boats and children? Joey Arnold. Marilyn Mitchell. Maria Arnold. Jen-jen Pableo. Rob Ngo
What do the tourists see that I am not seeing?
I am not a tourist. I am a local Vietnamese American in Vietnam. I am not really Vietnamese but I kind of reject my United States citizenship. I do not hate the USA. At the same time, I do not see Vietnam as a different country. I am so serious. Why do people spend so money to go to other countries? They spend so much money to stay in really nice hotels. They waste their money just to travel the world.
I lived in Hawaii for 9 months. People dream of living in Hawaii. I was not a tourist. I was a missionary there. I made friends with the children, the poor, the homeless. That is who I am. I am not just a tourist with a camera. Because I do not see other places as different than anywhere else. It is different in a way, but not in the same exact way. I am trying to say that while people go half way around the world to see new places, in doing so, they neglect and forget about their own home town and the people and places and things from where they are from. Being a tourist is fine as long as it does not corrupt your spirit like money does.
I have wanted to travel the world since I was 8 years old, but I never wanted to travel the world as a tourist. When I go around Saigon, Vietnam, I look at the foreign tourists like I look at animals at the zoo. I look at them and I contemplate what they are doing in Vietnam.
Because what does Vietnam have that other countries do not have? Is Vietnam the only country in the world with trees and bikes and streets and people and beaches and animals and rivers and bridges and hotels and people with brown skin and rice and flowers and tall buildings and clouds and rain and love and pain and crime and music and food and excitement and danger and families and grass and sports and boats and children? Joey Arnold. Marilyn Mitchell. Maria Arnold. Jen-jen Pableo. Rob Ngo
What do the tourists see that I am not seeing?
- Naomi Naomi Nguyen, Lê Văn Đại, Phoebe McGuiness and 3 others like this.
Marilyn Mitchell the culture is different, though, and that is important. I don't have a desire to stay in nice hotels and travel everywhere. I would like to see my relatives in Ireland and Scotland.
Original Oatmeal The cultures are exactly the same in Vietnam as it is in the United States and the rest of the world. I do not see any differences. Can you tell me the differences? I dare you to tell me the differences between the cultures. I double dog dare you.- Jen-jen Pableo I don't really know much Joey but for me,I'm not in my own country the Philippines because I am here in Malaysia for work and seeing this place at the same time though I'm not a tourist here. I still loved to go to another country to find higher salary than what I got here. I ain't really that sarcastic to take a tour in other countries but because I am aftering for work that has higher salary as I've mentioned. It doesn't mean that I'm rejecting my own hometown but just wanna see my life staying in other places and see what I can really get after all. But I'm still hoping for you to able to get the best thing you wanted to do for yourself and continue making things get better. I'm looking forward to read a book titled "joey arnold's journey ",one day. Wish you all the best joey and remember life isn't easy all the time. If you remember what I've said to you few months ago and don't lose faith joey. I believe you can make it through ...
Ngan Nguyen You just lived in Vietnam for 5 months. Original Oatmeal .Many different points about culture ex: In relationship family: You'll live alone when you're an adult in US. But you still live with my parent until you marry. About Freedom : Vietnam is less popular than US. You can do every thing for your self when adult But The adults in Vietnam still need their parent's agreement to do something.... Of course, It's used for 100% Vietnamese, only 70% or more . You can see the same same because you live in HCMC which is the most developing city in Vietnam.- Original Oatmeal Ngan Nguyen, I have been through the villages in Vietnam. I have been in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hoa Binh, Saigon, and in smaller villages around these cities. I have seen many different things in Vietnam. In Saigon, there are many different districts. In a way, the different districts are almost like different countries from each other. The different Vietnamese people in Vietnam are sometimes like totally and severely different from each other like as if they are from different countries. They are sometimes so different from their own Vietnamese brothers and sisters and relatives and friends and father and mother.
It really depends on how you look at things in life. I see things both ways. I see the differences and similarities in everything.
I would do my best to discover the differences between 2 identical snow flakes or 2 identical twin babies or 2 identical water drops.
At the same time, I would do my best to find the similarities between 2 totally opposite things that share nothing in common with each other, like the similarities between a car and a pen.
Vietnam and the USA both have the same ingredients.
Vietnam and the USA are contaminated with many cultures.
That is what I see. I see a mix of cultures.
Asian culture influences the USA. We have China Town in some of the larger cities in the USA. We have Chinese restaurants in the USA. I have met Asians growing up. I have learned about taking off my shoes, about kung fu, about bowing, about respect, honor, and the ways of Asian culture from when I was very young.
I have always been aware of the differences that the world has to offer, which stems from the 3 sons of Noah, after the International Flood. Europeans stem from Noah's oldest son, Japeth. Asians stem from the middle son, Shem. Africans are the descendants of the youngest son, Ham.
We are all related to each other.
That is why we should overlook the differences.
We use the so-called "Differences" as excuses for certain things.
In the USA, every family is different.
Every state and country and place and house is different.
Every child is different.
Each situation is different, as in not predictable.
Some will live with their parents until they get married in their late 30's. Not everybody moves out of their parents house when they turn 18 years old in the USA or other countries.
Some families in the USA are exactly the same as the families in Vietnam and other Asian countries, and never mind that some of those families that are the same in the USA are in fact Asians from Asia, but still, they are in the USA and that is part of why Asia and the USA are the same, because Asians live in the USA.
The USA are losing their freedoms and rights.
Vietnam are losing their freedoms and rights as well.
The government in Vietnam is becoming more communistic and socialistic.
The government in the USA is becoming more communistic and socialistic.
Parts of Vietnam are developing.
Parts of the USA are developing.
Vietnam is becoming more poor each year.
The USA is becoming more poor each year.
People die in Vietnam.
People die in the USA.
People murder and steal and lie in Vietnam.
People murder and steal and lie in the USA.
I see the same in Saigon and in the villages as well. 
Thien An · Friends with Heyde LinShould we talk much about the Difference if it is not important for you? I just wonder what you will do for VN, for poor street children, for my country in case that you want to do some things here, not just talk about your seeing. I dont see you as American if you can enjoy yourself as Vietnamese, We can go outside, eat Vietnamese street food, talk about how beautiful the countries are, how kind people is and what should we do for our life.- Original Oatmeal Improvement matters to me. It depends on the differences. But differences and similarities both mean the world to me because they both tip scales and balances in this universe. How we balance them determines the tides of the waves and the tides of our ...See More
- Marilyn Mitchell SUMMARY IS: think for yourself, discover the truth, traditions can be good OR stifling, ALSO, we have basically the same needs and wants because we have the same creator.
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