Hi everyone,
Recently I met a French girl from this forum. We ate and talked happily for about two hours. Then I asked her to go (she on her bike, me on my bike) around there to take a look at two resorts. She worked in tourism, so I thought it was good for her. She agreed eagerly. We shared the bill. It cost 186,000 VND, and I asked her to share 100,000 VND. Then when the waiter brought back the change, I gave it all to her.
(Of course, when we become friends, I can pay all for her just like what we always do for our friends.)
The first resort is 1 km from the restaurant. While we were coming there, she asked me embarassingly where I was taking her to...Then we came to the first resort, and I pointed it to her. Then we continued to the second, just about 100 metres more. She tried to stop me and asked me again where I was taking her to next, looking more nervously.
I felt that she was worried that I was about to cheat her, deprived her of the motorbike and mobile phone and little money she brought for the lunch. A feeling of being offended overwhelmed me, and sadness too. My heart was broken. I was hurt. We had just had a two-hour talk, hadn't we?
I agree that there are stories about foreigners ripped off in my country, just like what's happening in Thailand, Cambodia, China, anywhere with tourism. I also watched a clip in which a group of young men took away belongings of another young man on a street in London in the daylight, and read another story about a soldier cut into parts in the street in London, but no one cared. Cheating, ripping off, killing...are happening every where, not only in Vietnam.
But these stories cannot represent Vietnam and our people. It's just a small part of the population. But why do some foreigners always ask: "Is it true that Vietnamese people usually try to get our money?" I don't know what they mean by 'get our money'. If it means that we usually let you pay our meals or drinks, then it may be true, just because you often choose restaurants or cafes where bills are calculated by dollars. A bill may equal our one month salary, then we cannot afford. However, if it means that we always try to cheat you for money and steal your belongings, then firstly,think about who you are making friends with - an uneducated person,a girl with heavily make-ups working in bars or massage?
I work in education. I believe that my students and colleagues and millions of other Vietnamese people are kind and...clean. I have my English classes at home, and sometimes some students pay me more than the real tuition fee (just because they are afraid that their calculation may be wrong). Then I always call them to give back the money. But I'm not the only one living up to the values.
Vietnam is still a poor country, but our living standards get higher and higher, and our self-respect always stays strong. What we lack now is not money. We only lack chances to see the world. We need more time to be international citizens.
Just a few frank words late at night. Still sad and hurt about the rendez-vous, and asking myself if I should find more friends.
Thuy in HCMC.