An Overview of the Lifestyle and Culture of the Vietnamese

I come from a very traditional Vietnamese family, where culture is greatly stressed in the household. Growing up, I was taught to follow this culture, I followed it because it was the first thing I learned. Respect, morality, and maintaining a good reputation for the family are some of the most important practices of my culture.

Vietnamese culture surrounds me every day. Responsibilities at home from everyday chores to family obligations. I’m one of the caretakers for my grandmother who is unable to be selfreliant.

She was my caretaker when I was young and my mother had to work, and now it’s my turn to do the same. Taking care of the elderly is first priority in my family.

And so everything else must fall behind this obligation. In following my traditional values, I put everything aside to ensure that my grandmother’s needs are met. My friends must come after my family.

Morality is also stressed in my family. I am to judge whether something is right or wrong in conjunction with what is good for the family. For example, I am to always side with my family first no matter what circumstance are involved. They can never be wrong, and if they are, it is not spoken of.

Maintaining a good reputation for the family is one of the most crucial aspects. How others see the family means a great deal. There must never be a tarnish on the family name. And from that, high grades from children and good jobs with worthy compensation by adults are highly looked upon.

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This is one of the more difficult practices to accomplish. A great deal of my time is devoted to studying and achieving good grades, which is an expected requirement. However, I am still striving to fulfill this wish.

My culture has been the basic block from which my own identity has grown. And from which I can never separate. However, I am not an automation who only follows the constructs of my culture and family. I have two sides to my personal identity, the traditional and the modern. I could not describe myself separate from either side; it would be an impossible task.

The modern side of me is derived from having lived all my life in the city. I love noise, buildings, hip-hop and the streets filled with people. At times, my father would become disgusted with me, saying, you’re a banana; yellow on the outside, but white inside. I am torn between two cultures. But that is when my own personal identity helps me to decide what is right for me, using both my experiences from my family and outside influences to determine the best outcome.