I wish some Vietnamese travelers knew how we look abroad

VnExpress readers shared stories where they felt embarassed about the behaviors of their compatriots overseas.

"They pretended to look for the toilet, then cut the line"

Le Thi Thuy Hoa, reader

"I've witnessed behavior from fellow Vietnamese travelers that left me deeply embarrassed. Once, at Incheon Airport in South Korea, I was queuing for the restroom. A few Vietnamese people pretended they were just looking for the toilet, then blatantly cut in at the front of the line. Several international passengers immediately reacted, pulling them to the back of the line with amused and disapproving looks.

Another time in Italy, while waiting in line for a tax refund, I saw a Vietnamese man push ahead. He was shouted at by a Western traveler in front of everyone. And in Japan, where it's common etiquette not to speak on the phone in the subway, I saw a Vietnamese woman talking loudly as if she were in her living room, completely ignoring the annoyed stares around her."

"Even educated Vietnamese steal in Japan"

Dinh, engineer and overseas worker

"Vietnamese workers in Japan have developed a bad reputation for petty theft. I was part of a group of engineers sent to Japan for technical training, yet even among us, some people stole things, especially bicycles.

Japanese commuters often ride bikes to the station and leave them there while they take the train to work. Some Vietnamese would go and steal those bikes, taking them back to our dormitory. Our Japanese boss once asked, ‘Why do so many Vietnamese, even well-educated ones, steal things?’ It made us feel incredibly ashamed."

"We still talk loudly, skip lines, and gossip in public"

Hoang Chi, reader

"A major issue when Vietnamese go abroad is the lack of public etiquette: talking loudly in public, ignoring queues and constantly whispering or gossiping about people nearby. It’s become a stereotype.

Have we ever launched proper public awareness campaigns to promote respectful behavior for citizens traveling abroad?

Even in Ho Chi Minh City, where I live, you can see poor queuing behavior on the metro every day. People still shove and push to get on first. When these habits are taken into international settings, they reinforce negative views of Vietnamese people globally."

"Cultural codes exist, but awareness is still lacking"

Tri, reader

"Vietnam isn't short of cultural codes of conduct. From offices to neighborhoods, there are rules meant to guide respectful behavior. But at the end of the day, everything comes down to personal awareness.

As long as some people still think, ‘There’s good and bad everywhere, so why change?’ or ‘As long as I’m not breaking the law, I’ll do what I want,’ then basic decency and civility will continue to be distant goals.

We need a mindset shift."

In the end, every traveler, whether tourist, student, or overseas worker, is a representative of their homeland.

"The way each of us behaves abroad shapes how the world sees Vietnam," Le Thi Thuy Hoa wrote. "I sincerely hope more Vietnamese will become conscious of this responsibility. A little more awareness could go a long way in building a more respected image for our people and our country."