I’m in Hanoi Vietnam (for another 5 weeks), and love looking at our own culture through the lens of another — like that of Vietnam.
Mark Twain said that
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts”.
Never has this been more true than today.
I don’t think I came into this country with any of those negative perspectives (I don’t THINK so anyway), but it did show me an entirely different cultural stance toward work ethic, and everyday life (and coffee!)
With my CEO hat on, I’m inspired to see how business runs here, how the city streets absolutely writhe with entrepreneurial activity.
Everyone hustles for their own business, making use of what tiny resources and landscape they have. Others carry their wares on poles, on their backs, and piled high on their bikes and the ubiquitous mosquito swarm of mopeds — all, in what appears to be a sustained sprint of activity.
With my family / dad hat on, I love how casually routine it is to include kids and relations into the process of everyday life. It seems like, from their perspective, it would be weird not to.
And another aspect of this place that I enjoy is that despite the busy business of their lives, they’re completely friendly. It’s never an imposition to say hello, thank you, have a nice day, and actually seems quite genuine, rather than “working the customer.”
Another interesting observation about their economy is that, unlike other destinations I’ve seen, here in the Old Quarter the target of the commerce is internal – not created for, targeted to, and propped up by tourist dollars.
I guess I didn’t know what to expect from Hanoi before we arrived, but am pleasantly surprised by the authenticity of their attitudes and work ethic. And am also grateful, a la Mark Twain, for the gift of seeing a broader perspective.
Oh, and the coffee is amazing, along with the Pho 😉
