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VIETNAMESE TABLE MANNERS
My parents raised us with a moderately-high level of formality. Whenever there were guests in the house, we were paraded in front of them, made to stand in a row and bow. If we visited other people’s homes, we were expected to be quiet and polite, no matter how bored we got. When I misbehaved at the table, my mother would put a very very firm grip on my leg to convey her disapproval. With five children in our family, there was plenty of horsing around. However, we had to don our public faces when appropriate.
The photo above is of the grandson of a friend of my mother's. He enjoys his food with gusto and around his age (I venture that he was around 8 when I snapped the shot in Saigon), he eats with one hand on his hip!
Having lived in America for most of my life, the manners from my childhood have relaxed over the years. Nevertheless, certain behaviors endure at the table because we relive all the eating experiences of the past whenever we sit down to a meal. Here are some Vietnamese table manners and etiquette that I can’t quite shake:
Polishing chopsticks at a restaurant – When eating out at a Vietnamese restaurant, one of the first things I do is grab some chopsticks and rub them with a paper napkin to make sure that they’re clean. Then I set the chopsticks down on a clean paper napkin in front of each person. I do the same thing with a soup spoon. On the rare occasion that I’ve not polished the plastic utensils out of a sense of embarrassment, I found junk on the utensils.
The man is first – It’s not THE MAN but the man. My father always sits at the prominent spot at the table and served first. He still does this, but he also seats my husband and other males around him at one end of the table. Actually, Dad is in charge of the seating arrangement and when we’re dining with my parents, we always wait for him to inform us where to sit; there’s a fluctuating number of family members at the table since we all don’t live at home.
When eating at home, I often find myself serving my husband first and he’ll inevitably thank me and tell me, “Hey, you didn’t need to do that.” But I did and it’s hard to stop.
Both hands on the table – Western table etiquette says that you are not supposed to put both hands and elbows on the table. I learned that in elementary school and from watching lots of American television shows. So it was that I started eating with only one hand on the table. When my mother caught me, she told me that you have to have both hands on the table during a Vietnamese meal because otherwise, (1) you cannot pick up your rice bowl and use chopsticks at the same time, (2) you cannot use all your fingers to wrap up food in banh trang rice paper and lettuce, and (3) other people won’t know what your other hand is up to under the table.
Trying to remember to keep one or two hands on the table depending on the cultural situation and its rules of etiquette has been akin to learning to be ambidextrous. I’m not great at it. Forgive me if you see both of my hands on your table.
Setting a ‘proper’ Vietnamese table – Years ago, I was astounded to find out that other Vietnamese people ate their meals with just a rice bowl and chopsticks set out for each person. At my mother’s table, each place setting included a salad plate with a rice bowl centered on top. To the right, there was a perfectly aligned set of matching chopsticks and a soup spoon. That was proper Vietnamese table manners, even though our rice bowls were the cheap free ones we got from the Asian market and the chopsticks were plastic made to look like ivory. My mom’s practical argument is that you have to put the unwanted bits of food (bones, skin, etc.) somewhere – preferable not the table surface and the floor. She also wanted to maintain a certain dignity in the midst of our rather modest immigrant living con***ions.
In Vietnam, food trash is often directly put on the table or dropped onto the floor and someone comes along to clean it up later. At casual eateries, you’re mostly given a rice bowl and chopsticks to eat with. I’ve never tried to throw or spit my bits out, but I have tried to set our table with just rice bowls and chopsticks. Rory, my non-Vietnamese husband, always complains that it doesn’t feel right and slides a salad plate underneath each bowl.
Personalize food before eating – Vietnamese cuisine is a highly personal one in that “you CAN have it your way,” as the Burger King motto goes. Before diving into a bowl of pho, I go through the ritual of adding bean sprouts, torn herb leaves, and chile slices. I love to mix up a little dipping sauce at the table or tweak one that’s been set out. With western foods such as a hamburger, I often take a good 5 minutes to arrange all the garnishes to get them just the way I like it. I love buffets because you can freely make your own food and flavors. It’s fun to personalize and tinker with your food, even if other people are nearly halfway done with theirs before you take your first bite.
When it comes to eating Vietnamese food, I don’t know if there are general rules as much as parameters. On the other hand, we each set up a little personal set of rules based upon childhood experiences and personal preferences. They’re hard ******nge but then, why?

[r32)]
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A collective & informative post for foreigners visiting Vietnam for the first time... (ad***ional source for all my friends in case any of you wants to introduce Vietnam's culture to your foreign friends..) [r32)]

General Advice About Travelling in Vietnam

Vietnamese people are very gracious, polite and generous and will make every effort to make guests feel comfortable. Do not be surprised if somebody you have just met invites you home to meet the family and friends. These are the experiences that will enrich your visit to Vietnam.

From the worker's simple outfits in the rice fields to western style business suits in the city, the Vietnamese are conservative in their dress. Visitors wearing shorts are tolerated, even though you may see many shirtless Vietnamese men in shorts.

Wear conservative clothing if you visit a culturally sensitive area such as a temple or pagoda -- the less bare skin the better.

Keep in mind that, although tolerant, people may be judgmental. Unfortunately you cannot expect hospitality at every turn and you may experience problems with petty theft and pick pockets. This is more prevalent in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Nha Trang. In other areas, especially in the north, reports of these activities are extremely minimal. It is not something to be paranoid about but be aware of your surroundings.

Below is a list of do's and don'ts to help you avoid some of the social taboos during your visit. Take heed of these pointers and you will be rewarded with a culturally and socially enriching experience.

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What You Should Do :

Store your cash, cre*** cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place. Most 4-star hotels have in-room safes, otherwise ask the reception to keep your valuable things in their deposit facility.

Take a hotel business card from the reception desk before venturing out from your hotel. This will make your return to the hotel in a taxi or cyclo much easier.

Carry a roll of toilet paper in your daypack on long excursions from your base hotel. You never know when you might need it!

Dress appropriately. Not only for the prevailing weather, but also not to cause offence to the local people. Vietnamese have conservative dress codes, and it is only in larger cities that these codes are a little more relaxed. Do not wear revealing clothing.

If invited into a Vietnamese home, always remove your shoes at the front door when entering.

Ask for permission when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that they do not want you to, then abide by their wishes.

Drink plenty of bottled water. During the summer months you should be drinking a minimum of 2 litres per day. If you drink tea, coffee and alcohol you should increase your water intake accordingly as these will help to dehydrate you.

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Things Not To Do in Vietnam :

Offer money or push the issue.

Never carry more money than you need when walking around the streets.

Do not wear large amounts of jewellery. There are two reasons for not doing this
(1) It is considered impolite to flaunt wealth in public
(2) It is more likely that you may become a victim of a pickpocket or drive-by bag snatcher.

Don't be paranoid about your security, just be aware of your surroundings.

Don't wear singlets, shorts, dresses or skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to Temples and Pagodas. To do this is considered extremely rude and offensive.

Avoid giving empty water bottles, sweets and candies or pens to the local people when trekking through ethnic minority villages. You cannot guarantee that the empty bottles will be disposed of in a correct manner, and the people have no access to dental health. If you want to give pens, ask your guide to introduce you to the local teacher and donate them to the whole community.

Never sleep or sit with the soles of your feet pointing towards the family altar when in someone’s house.

Never lose your temper in public or when bargaining for a purchase. This is considered a serious loss of face for both parties. Always maintain a cool and happy demeanour and you will be reciprocated with the same.

Do not try to take photographs of military installations or anything to do with the military. This can be seen as a breach of national security.

Never take video cameras into the ethnic minority villages. They are considered to be too intrusive by the local people.

The above advice is meant to help you have a perfect trip to Vietnam.

Do not be overly paranoid though. Generally, Vietnamese people are very appreciative if they see you trying to abide by their customs, and very forgiving if you get it wrong or forget. If you make the effort, you will be rewarded.

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Vietnamese Table Manners

Should you have the rare privilege of dining as a guest in a Vietnamese home, you will enter into an environment where manners and etiquette are far more important (or at least more detailed) than in most western countries.

A few hints...

Generally, rice will be served at a meal and then the host will give a signal to begin eating. Wait until that happens before tasting anything.

You will likely be considered the guest of honor. As such, the first and the best will go to you. Sample it. Then share.

Using Chopsticks

When holding chopsticks, the further your hand is from the food end of your chopsticks, the more accomplished you are considered to be. Young children move their hands far down toward the food end of the chopsticks. Adults usually don't.

In Vietnamese, chopsticks are doi dua. Saying the English word is considered crude.

Try not to let your chopsticks touch your mouth. Only the food should touch your mouth.

Only pick up one piece of food at a time. Chopsticks are not shovels.

Always place the food on your plate or in your rice bowl first; then pick it back up and eat it. Never eat directly from the serving plate.

Do not use your chopsticks as spears.

If you find yourself in danger of death by either starvation or embarrassment, it is perfectly acceptable to confess your inadequacy and ask for a fork. But confess your inadequacy; don't just ask for a fork...

You will likely be considered the guest of honor. As such, the first and the best will go to you. Sample it. Then share.

Vietnamese dining is a social occasion. Be prepared for constant interaction. If the meal is particularly formal, you are unlikely to be allowed to serve yourself. Your host will make sure you have ample food.

Don't take a second helping of anything until you have tried a helping of each dish. In the southern areas of the country, a "helping" is about one tablespoon.

Compliment the cook on each dish after you have tasted it.

The meat is the most important (and the most costly) ingredient in any meal. Leave some of it for others.

It is polite to use both hands when offering something or passing something. The same is true for accepting something. The Vietnamese will nod at each other as the pass a dish.

Do NOT hunt and peck to find the "good stuff" on a serving plate. Doing so will leave your guests with a low opinion of you.

Never return a piece of food from your plate to the serving dish.

Unlike most Western countries, it is NOT okay to turn down a second or third helping. To do so might be considered an insult. Begin early to talk about how FULL you are and then reluctantly agree to the seconds (and thirds) your host offers you.

If you don't know what to do, say so.

Finally, if you have been invited in advance to a meal in a Vietnamese home, bring a present. Sweets are common. So is tea or coffee. Flowers will also do; but be aware that white is the color of death in Vietnam.

Mọi người đi chơi hết cả roài

Cả nhà ngủ ngoan, hị hị Mọi việc cứ...ĐỂ MAI TÍNH
http://mp3.zing.vn/mp3/nghe-bai-hat/Lang-Tham-Mot-Tinh-Yeu-Thanh-Bui-ft-Ho-Ngoc-Ha.IW6AFZEC.html

Ai lai kịt

Thank ku
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You are such a great MC. Job well done

Also a big MC with so many "Ok"sssss
@batman chị chờ em mãi mà chuyện chị nhờ vả tới đâu òy

Men get and foget
Women give and forgive


Chị HA nhờ em cái gì ý nhỉ

chú batman nhiều câu hay phết

HỊ hị, ngại quá

Mấy bác bên này con ong chăm chỉ quá Khâm phục khâm phục