Ranked #1 in the World
By Ben Balden ‘10, MBA in Global Management
Culture is an interesting thing. People can see the world through many different viewpoints and all see the same thing. What we have seen by being here in and amongst the culture has been a discovery of a completely new world and way of life. Specifically for me because of my language abilities and contacts in the area, being here has been enriching. Learning about people, about what makes them tick, what motivates them, and what they look forward to in life has been an invaluable experience. I have had the opportunity to visit many people in many homes, to see how they live, to see how they celebrate their customs and traditions. We have conversed with locals about some of the deeper questions in life. My work on the project has allowed me to speak to a wide variety of people both foreign and national, both rich and poor.
Looking at the world through the eyes of another has an ironic way of making you see your own life in a different way. This is always a valuable exercise of self-reflection. I have had this opportunity for self-reflection as I have observed the cultural beliefs, the local cuisine, the modes of transport, and the methods and customs of celebration. These have all given me a rich vantage point of for self-reflection—to which I am very grateful.
I understand a little more clearly my own cultural beliefs regarding my individual responsibility to those around me as I have observed this dimension in a different setting through the eyes of someone who lives in this other world of Vietnam. I spoke to four or five nationals who told me their duty in life was to live where their ancestors have lived and to pray for them as they have gone before. I have witnessed through the stories of others the stresses of living this cultural belief and not having sons who will stay and pray for you when you go on. I have witnessed the blessings of this practice, as a rich purpose and sense of security are valued above material possessions or social status. Looking inward, as an individual who easily moves from continent to continent and who is content to live anywhere and associate with anyone, I see where my individual responsibility lies. Perhaps it too has root in the religious beliefs I have adopted from my family. My sense of individual responsibility to those around me, I have realized, is forward thinking as everything I do seeks to add value to others into the future of others.
Traditional Vietnamese Meal
My understanding of myself has been refined as I discover the wonders and delights of Vietnamese cuisine. In many societies, you can learn a lot about a people through the food they eat. Vietnam is no exception. Time spent in preparation, the types of food selected and savored, and the social activities surrounding what and where people eat tell stories about the beliefs and values of the Vietnamese people. A wife and mother expresses her affection for her family by putting in hours of time preparing the families meals. In contrast, mother in America tries to get by with ten-minute preparation, and expresses affection through other means. Leisure time is higher on the list of values for a local Vietnamese individual than what was imprinted on me by the society I grew up in. Evidence of this is the groups of people sitting in the evening or the afternoon eating, drinking, with family and friends. Groups of men sit to drink, nhau, as the women and children sit separately. The food itself tells a story about local life from beef noodle soup, pho, for breakfast, to exotic dragon fruit for lunch, to the extreme embryonic duck egg, hot vit lon, for appetizers. I have had the pleasure of sampling all of these the last of which, hot vit lon, is perhaps the most frightening to people outside the culture (an embryonic duck egg with a partially formed duck in it which is boiled and seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh basil). It tastes like chicken soup! I have learned how wide and varied a simple thing like food can be and I have learned more about who I am and am not. I have also learned what my limits are with food.
Embryonic Duck Egg
I learned my limits when it comes to local transportation. It amazes me the way the local society has adopted the motorcycle as an ideal mode of transport. The United States never went through a stage where motorcycles could fill the needs of the population. Cars came first, and before that horses where ideal. Both the timing of Vietnam’s development and the specific resources available to the public make motorcycles ideal. They are affordable, available, practical, and they can go anywhere. What I discovered about myself was the risk factor. Anyone who has been in a motorcycle economy can tell you that driving can be hectic if you are not used to it. While I am somewhat comfortable as a passenger, I do not know if I am ready for that part of cultural immersion yet. That and blood-pudding are some of my limits. It is good to learn where my level of risk tolerance will allow me to go.
Observing the locals celebrate the most important holiday of the year has caused me to think about how I value traditions, holidays, and celebrations. Methods of celebration are rich and run deep in Vietnamese society. Tet Nguyen Dan, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is rich with tradition and culture. From the rice cakes to the dragon dances, the local people really value their native culture. However, in everything they do, they treasure their relationships with family and friends. As I have traveled the world, I have adapted to the local cultures and traditions trying to learn more about the people around me. This time in Vietnam, I have looked inward at my own traditions around the celebrations I observe. I have learned there is much more I can learn from the Vietnamese people when it comes to enjoying the holidays with family and friends.
Dragon Dance
Hoping to learn about Vietnam and the people, I have learned about myself. This is, I suppose, one of the benefits of cultural exchange. I love this kind of learning. The ability to apply the knowledge I have picked up at Thunderbird and before Thunderbird in a real setting has been wonderfully practical. The ability to do so at an international destination has been inspirational. For me, this experience has been a cultural learning experience both of the culture of Vietnam and my own individual culture. In the brief short time I have been here I have reassessed my individual responsibility toward those around me, my affinity to an assortment of foods, my low appetite for risks on the road, and the importance of family in celebrations. Seeing life lived in a different way has presented me with a new vantage point to view the way I live my life. Learning about the local culture has not only taught me who the Vietnamese are, but also who I am. This is what makes this experience so rewarding.
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