New Zealand journalist deeply impressed by the people and country of Vietnam

Last weekend, The New Zealand Herald published an article by author Cath Johnsen, affirming that Vietnam has one of the friendliest cultures in the world .

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Oceania, author Johnsen was very impressed with Bui Vien walking street after sunset in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This "backpacker tourist area" has existed for a long time, and is often extremely vibrant at night with street food vendors, souvenir shops, nightclubs, locals cutting through traffic on the street, and pet dogs dressed up with fun accessories...

When talking to a local young man, author Johnsen expressed her emotion and joy when receiving sincere compliments for herself. Just the sentence "Your smile is beautiful!" was enough to make her feel the friendliness and warmth of the people here because, according to her, the fact that a young man paid attention to small details in such a bustling surrounding scene was one of the kindest things anyone had ever said to her.

Even street vendors are always smiling, notes author Johnsen. Friendly culture and manners are deeply rooted in Vietnam, shining through in everyday actions across the country.

When visiting many towns in Vietnam, author Johnsen often pays attention to people and their kindness, rather than ancient sights or natural wonders.

She said Vietnamese people place a strong cultural value on supporting each other, known as the spirit of “mutual love.” This principle is deeply ingrained in Vietnamese society, where people often go out of their way to help strangers, whether it’s giving directions or providing assistance after a natural disaster.

The author cites the crowded Chau Doc area as one of the highlights of this virtue. There, many food and beverage shops offer “hanging rice” and “hanging coffee.” This model is quite popular, meaning that any customer who comes to eat can pay extra for one or more additional meals to be sent back to the shop. The shop will then use that amount of rice to give to other workers in difficult circumstances.

Author Cath Johnsen added that even when enjoying a cup of iced coffee in Vietnam, she not only felt the flavor of Espresso mixed with sweet condensed milk but also felt the warmth, the spirit of mutual support and care of the Vietnamese people and culture.

Not only impressed by the Vietnamese people, author Johnsen was also fascinated by the amazing natural beauty of the "S-shaped strip of land." When she arrived in the center of the Mekong Delta, deep in Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, she climbed the observation tower to see the whole view of the 850-hectare forest, which is home to 70 species of birds.

Meticulous reforestation projects by the Vietnamese government and local communities over the past 40 years have successfully breathed new life into this ancient wetland ecosystem, which suffered significant damage during the Vietnam War. Tourists can glide around the water hyacinth-dotted streams in small boats or hike through its depths.

When she reached the top of the observation deck, drenched in monsoon sweat, author Cath Johnsen saw a young Vietnamese couple on their honeymoon. They were taking pictures against the backdrop of lush melaleuca trees. Although she tried to observe the scene discreetly, not wanting to intrude on their special moment, she was still attracted to the couple as they enthusiastically took pictures of her and her friends. They gave her a photo with the message, “so you can remember your time in our country.”

Author Johnsen concluded that although Vietnam is not a completely ideal country as there are still difficult lives, she believes that the spirit of love and mutual support of the Vietnamese people is broad enough to cover and help more people in difficult circumstances./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nha-bao-new-zealand-an-tuong-sau-sac-ve-con-nguoi-va-dat-nuoc-viet-nam-post1036641.vnp