Vietnamese Society
Family & Confucianism
The family (Gia Đình) is the foundation of Vietnamese society — more important than the individual, more important than the state. Three, four generations under one roof are not uncommon. Decisions are made together, income is shared, the elderly and sick are cared for at home.
Confucianism — imported during the 1,000-year Chinese rule — determines social hierarchies: respect for age, obedience to parents, education as the highest value. Vietnamese often ask about age upon first meeting — not out of curiosity, but to choose the correct form of address (the Vietnamese language has dozens of them).
Ancestral Worship
The ancestral worship (Thờ Cúng Tổ Tiên) is Vietnam's deepest spiritual practice — older than Buddhism and Confucianism. Almost every Vietnamese home has an ancestral altar: photos of the deceased, incense sticks, fruit, and flowers. Elaborate rituals are held on death anniversaries and during Tết — the deceased are considered present, their goodwill is crucial for family happiness.
Traffic Chaos — A System in Madness
Traffic in Vietnam — especially in Hanoi and HCMC — is initially shocking for Europeans. Millions of motorcycles flow through the streets without visible rules, traffic lights are considered suggestions, and sidewalks serve as parking lots, restaurants, and storage areas. And yet: It works.
The Rules in Chaos
What looks like anarchy has its own logic:
- Seamless Merging: No one stops — instead, everyone merges into the flow. The system is based on predictability: Drive steadily, signal your intention by moving slowly, and others will adjust.
- The Horn: Not meant aggressively! The horn is a friendly "I'm here" — an acoustic signal instead of a turn signal.
- Right of Way? Forget the German right-of-way rules. In Vietnam, the bigger one has the right of way (Bus > Car > Motorcycle > Bicycle > Pedestrian).
Crossing Streets — The Art of Trust
The most famous challenge for newcomers to Vietnam: crossing a street with an endless stream of motorcycles. The solution is counterintuitive: Just start walking. Steadily, slowly, without stopping or suddenly changing direction. The motorcycles will flow around you like water around a stone. Don't run, don't stop — that disrupts the system.
Tipp
At first, attach yourself to a Vietnamese person and cross the street together. After the second or third time, you'll get the hang of it. In HCMC, it's wilder than in Hanoi — and Hanoi is wilder than anything you know.
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