Ho Chi Minh

1. Greetings and Key phrases

What are the most common greetings in your culture?

Greeting: Xin chào/ Hi
Meaning: Hello / Hi
Pronunciation: sin ciao

What is a typical local phrase?

Phrase/ Sentence: Em ơi
Meaning: Excuse me
Pronunciation: m–oi

Phrase/ Sentence: U là trời
Meaning: OMG
Pronunciation: u-la-troi

Phrase/ Sentence: Cảm ơn
Meaning: Thank you
Pronunciation: Kam on

2. A day in your city

What are the most famous landmarks?

Opera House
HCMC People’s Committee Building
Cathedral Church (Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon)
War Remnants Museum
Bitexco tower
Landmark 81 tower

Which are your personal favourite places in the city (insider tip)?

Nguyen Hue walking street
  • Jade Emperor Pagoda
  • Vietnam Quoc Tu Pagoda
  • Chinatown (Cho Lon)

Is there any interesting way to get around in your city/country?

  • Get on a scooter
  • Book a Vespa tour

What items should I not forget to bring when traveling to your country?

  • Cell phone
  • Hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses

What should I avoid when travelling to your country?

Travelling during the rainy & stormy season.

3. Culture

What is the traditional and the modern costume/dress in your country?

Ao dai
Ao tu than

Do schools require uniforms in your country? If yes, what do they look like?

Yes, each school has their own uniform.

What music (and dances) represent your local culture?

One fun fact about your country

  • Nguyen is the most common family name
  • Significant number of coffee shops
  • Many street restaurants with mini plastic chairs, which can be difficult to squeeze onto!

What famous invention or something interesting is originally from your country?

  • Taking a nap after lunch
  • 2nd largest coffee exporter
  • Beautiful landscape, beautiful beaches

What are the special colours in your country/culture?

We’re versatile with other colors but similar to China, red is a special color in Vietnam, not only because it represents good fortune, but it also represents our flag, our pride.

What are the lucky and unlucky numbers in your culture?

  • Quite similar to China, 1, 6 and 8 are good numbers because 1 has the meaning of being No. 1and 6 & 8 sound like the Chinese word for fortune. 4 is considered unlucky as it sounds like the Chinese word for death.
  • Sometimes, the number 3 is considered negative as we have an idiom which implies 3 means drowning.
  • Another unlucky number is 13, similar to the meaning of Friday the 13th in Western culture.

4. Food and key dishes

What are your favourite local dishes that I should try in your country?

Pho
Bun bo hue
Banh xeo
Bun rieu
Com suon

Where do local people usually buy food ingredients?

At the market or super market, sometimes convenience store.

5. Souvenirs

What gift should I bring back to friends and family?

  • Palm-leaf conical hat
  • Ao dai
  • Lacquerware, bamboo products
  • Silk
  • Sand-paintings
  • Rice-paintings (Ben Thanh market)

6. Contributors

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