Going for a study program or an internship abroad is all about immersing yourself in the destination’s culture and lifestyle. For many students doing an internship in Vietnam, there are new experiences and revelations about the country every day that either shock them or please them. Some just shrug it off, some get used to it and feel proud of doing things the ‘Vietnamese way’ upon returning home. Want to learn how to live the Vietnamese lifestyle during your internship in Vietnam? We have got your back and here are some of our tips on how to go about your days like a real Vietnamese.
Một: Having a Big Breakfast
A big bowl of soup with greens like this is a very common breakfast meal for Vietnamese. Photo source: Van’s kitchen
What do you usually have for breakfast back home? An apple? A quick home-made peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a takeaway burger from McDonalds? If you want to live the Vietnamese lifestyle while doing an internship in Vietnam, you shouldn’t be having those for breakfast, why? In Vietnam, we enjoy eating big breakfast which is usually a bowl of noodle soup like Pho, or a dish of broken rice. Sometimes we do eat takeaway but that means enjoying a delicious banh mi (baguette with meat filling) or sticky rice of different flavors. These are fast to take away but they are no short of deliciousness. In general, whatever it is that Vietnamese people choose for their breakfast, it should not be less than a small feast – diverse in ingredients and flavors.
Banh mi is another quick choice for breakfast. Photo source: bbanhmi.com
Hai: Having Pho for every meal
Pho – Vietnam’s national food, can be eaten almost every meal of the day. Photo source: Vietnam online.
Getting headaches over deciding what to eat for each meal of the day? Have Pho! Now you may know that Pho is considered the Vietnamese national soul food, what you don’t know is that we can eat Pho for every meal in the day, whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is one of those yummy and easy to eat type of soul food that just keeps Vietnamese people and even foreigners coming back for more.
Ba: Sipping a cup of (super affordable) coffee before you start working
Vietnam’s caphe sua da (milk coffee). Photo source: Zing news
One of the things that might surprise you as a foreign tourist coming to Vietnam is how much time people spend on sitting in a coffee shop. Stylish Starbucks takeaway is a thing in your country? Not here. A majority of Vietnamese people like to sit down in a nicely decorated coffee shop or an open café on the street watching the busy weaving street outside sipping their delicious, aromatic cup of iced/hot coffee. Even in the early mornings, Vietnamese people like to take it chill sitting out on the patio with their coffee having conversations with friends.
Bốn: Travel by Motorbike
Photo source: tinhhoa.net
Vietnam is a country with a large population and you will notice that when you visit its major cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Hanoi. Once you are here, it is clear that the country’s primary means of transportation is motorbike and the sheer number of motorbikes used here will surprise you. As the public transportations are not the most reliable, convenient and fast means to travel, the majority of Vietnamese use motorbikes to commute. During your internship in Vietnam, you might have a hard time choosing between the public transportation and using the motorbikes. Public transport is a safer and cheaper way to communicate (You can travel as far as 30 kilometers with only 25 – 50 cents (6.000-9.000 VND) in fee) but bus stops are not readily available and buses are often not on schedule so this might not be an ideal option if you are running late for work. Another option for convenient and fast way to travel is using motorbike taxi mobile apps. Grab and Uber are the two most popular motorbike taxis mobile apps with affordable price and good service. They have an extensive network of drivers so it should be no fuss finding a motorbike taxi with them.
Sometimes, the best way to immerse in a culture and learn about their styles is to observe the locals, the more you spend time paying attention to what’s going on around, the more accustomed you will become to the Vietnamese culture. In case you are still looking to prepare the best prior to your internship in Vietnam, we have more even tips in store for you on how to truly live the Vietnamese lifestyle, so stay tuned. internship in Vietnam
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