Assignment 8

Intro
The process of finding someone which was willing to talk to me was incredibly
hard. I hadnt realised that many of the students which are abroad right now are
doing their bachelor test. This made it very hard to find someone willing to help.
Eventually I found someone who was willing to help me, I made very clear that I
needed a student which had some experience with other cultures and especially
the Belgian and Vietnamese culture. I scheduled an interview and all went as
planned. Only 5 minutes before having the interview the person in question told
me he has never been to Europe or even outside Vietnam. He told me he didnt
want to disappoint me. Since my interview is mainly about the culture shock and
return culture shock this was unfortunate.
Having a limited time to find someone from Vietnam I came across an old friend
who added me on Facebook because she wanted to make quick friends. I
remember thinking this was odd but when conducting the interview I realised
why she did it, more about this in the interview. Thu Pham is a Vietnamese
student that wanted something else for herself. She watched many American
movies and cartoons making her familiar with the English language. Having this
advantage she decided to study in Europe to create opportunities.

Interviewing a student from

Vietnam
Expectation
Since I will be leaving to Vietnam in September I am wondering what is about to
happen. Im very interested on their first experiences with Vietnamese people or
in this case Belgian people I would like to know how this developed over the past
months of living here. It would be interesting for me to see how people can
change in a short time and if that is a positive thing or not.
Interview
First of. My name is Matthijs Monteyne I am a student at Artevelde
University College and Im leaving next year to study in Vietnam. The
goal for me is to learn how this will aff ect me and therefore I am
interested in hearing from your experiences. Lets start.

General information

What is your name and how did you end up in Belgium/Vietnam?

How would you describe yourself before going abroad?
Has anything changed after returning to your own country?
Leading up to living abroad what did you fear the most and what were you
excited for?

The experience itself

How would you describe your first week in Belgium?

Describe how this changed as weeks passed?

How would you compare Belgian people to the Vietnamese?

Looking at Belgium and not the people what is most notable? (Outdoors, indoors.
cleaning habits,...)

How did Belgian people perceive you? Did this vary?

What was the biggest shock living in Belgium/Vietnam?

Could you name something that is very similar to Vietnamese culture?

Reverse culture shock (if already back)

How would you describe your first week back in home?

What did you gain from your experience?

Is there something about you that has changed?

Closing
What would you tell people going to Vietnam?

What is a good mind-set when visiting Vietnam?

Part 2 : critical analysis

Ali Montazerihza analysis

The cultural image that is projected of each setting

The interviewee perceived the foreign country as very different and

exciting. The people in the USA are more daring, there are a wide variety
of kinds of people which is something that isnt as clear as Belgium.

The attitude the interviewee

The interviewee had a good attitude towards all questions. Its obvious
that he had a good time going abroad and was eager to answer a lot of
questions.

Cultural identity

In the USA people can coexists whatever their personal style. The people
in America are extremely friendly and open. They have more opportunities
to be themselves compared to Belgian people. A lot more involved in
everything.

(non-)essentialist viewpoint

He has a non-essentialist viewpoint on America. The culture shock was

very low because the people there are very similar to them. Same sort of
humour, same interests,...

Diversity
The people in America are very optimistic and greet you a lot. After a while he
concluded that this is not always genuine and its mostly a facade. He didnt
avoid it afterwards but accepted it.
Self analysis
Attitude

The interviewee was very welcoming and was more than happy to answer
all questions with a smile. Ive talked to Thu after the interview and she
absolutely loves to talk about Vietnam as she finds her own culture very
rich and enjoyable. This was clearly visible in the interview. She answered
every question and managed to answer them very extensively.
Cultural diff erence opinion

4:38 How would you compare Belgian people to Vietnamese people? I

havent noticed many differences From this it is clear that Thu doesnt
think that there are obvious cultural differences. She thinks Belgian people
are more expressive but overall both cultures are broadly the same. The
differences are across cultures as she is Asian and I am European for
instance kissing on the cheek. Thu thought that there are more notable
similarities than difference giving the example of the family bound we
have.
(non-)essentialist

As mentioned before. There are not a lot of differences between Belgians

and the Vietnamese. So I think its safe to say that we both had an non-
essentialist viewpoint as there was not kind of misunderstanding within
the interview. She also said that she can be stereotyped as eating rice
every day, 3 times a day which is an essentialist viewpoint.

Diversity
Thu is very open minded and accepts everyone she meets. She doesnt like it
when she gets stereotyped but never takes it personal. She is open to new
experiences and doesnt go out of the way for a lot so it seems. This is
something she already realised when back in Vietnam but only now she could put
it to the test.
Self assessment
Creating an overview of what Ive learned whilst conducting the
interview and how this will help me over the course of the semester
abroad.
Outcomes after I have learnt I still have to learn
watching the videos
I have learnt it thanks
and analysing them
to
1. Recognise and I have learned that there
explain the variety are a lot of human
and complexity that factors which are
exist among universal. Nowadays a lot
individuals in social of people are adapting
groups. and having less of an
issue with change.
From what Ive learned is
that a lot of people have
the same humour making
everyone somewhat
similar. (This could be
because both persons
had been brought up
with the English
language from birth or TV
shows)
3. Describe ways in Its clear because of the I would like to know if I
which people interviews that going
(re)construct and/or abroad changes the ways
(re)negotiate their you think. It is inevitable
own and others that you become more myself.
multiple identities involved in the real life.
depending on You have the chance to
experiences, be another person going
encounters, abroad and from what
contexts, and Ive heard thats always
interlocutors. positive.
4. Recognize and People are universal on
explain the many aspects creating a
problematic nature non-essentialist
of using certain viewpoint. The problem
terms (e.g. ethnicity, with this is that some
people think that other
because
I still have to see this for
myself since I havent
gone abroad yet. But I
want to learn if i can talk
to everyone across the
world with my current
knowledge about
cultures. I would like to
see how people in
Vietnam vary as this was
just a sample size.
I want to learn this
because I want to
improve my
management skills later
on.
am prone for change and
if Im going to come back
with the same idea about
I would like to know
because I have a strong
personality as it is. I
sometimes get critique
because Im easily
triggered or mad and
some say this
international experience
will help with that.
I hope that i will learn
from experience what to
say and what not to say
to a Vietnamese person.
I dont want to
stereotype but I have
race, nation) to cultures are incredibly heard that some things
frame identity. different. Many factors are not-done which is
remain the same and exciting to find out. I
often people are want to find out because
stereotyped because of I think it will help
this misconception. improve my overall
experience
6. Interpret what I think that in my I would like to believe
people say about interview with Thu she Thu if she says that the
their culture as a wanted to show that the Vietnamese culture is not
personal two of us are not that that different after all.
observation, and different after all. She Only experience will
possibly as evidence wants to get rid of the show me this.
of what they wish prejudgements people
others to see about often have about
themselves. Vietnamese people.

7. Recognise when In the example of Allis I think that

misunderstandings video you could hear the misunderstandings in
may be the result of interviewee of America other cultures are bound
stereotyping, talk about the fact that to be frequent. They
ethnocentrism, Americans have some dont have to be because
essentialising and kind of facet of being of stereotyping but it
prejudice. overfriendly. Not might be good to keep in
understanding that mind a culture of
culture meant that he someone else whilst in a
started talking to the misunderstanding.
people who are being Somehow you can offend
friendly which isnt people by being you.
normally the case. Its
kind of an opposite of
stereotyping.