Kudret from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam shares with us his visit to the local barber. Just a wrong tone can make a big difference!
Dear Charlotte,
Thanks for your articles in the Today’s Zaman newspaper. I have been living here in Vietnam for four years. We have discovered it is so easy to be misunderstood. The Vietnamese language has six tones! (By the way, Chinese has only four) When you say ma, it might mean ghost, mother or but.
Kudret informed me that when he goes to the barber it is best to say nothing. He says that he just prefers to sit down and let the barber cut. Sounds brave to me!
Kudret writes: “When one of my friends went to have his hair cut, he told the barber ‘truc truc,’ which apparently could mean a number of things in Vietnamese. When the barber was finished my friend was shocked. But it was too late to complain or argue. He just had to accept it. As they say, ‘Let bygones be bygones.’ We find Vietnamese almost impossible to learn, but body language comes in handy.”
In another letter from a Today’s Zaman reader, Katharine M. from the US said she was delighted to discover that others have had similar experiences to hers. She shares that she lived in Rome for nearly two years and writes: “I could well relate to your story! I had many similar experiences, the most embarrassing of which was going to get my legs waxed and getting a full Brazilian wax before I knew what was happening. My difficulty with speaking Italian certainly played a part, as did my lack of Italian vocabulary necessary to discuss waxing just the legs or more!” She adds, “Thanks for bringing a smile to my day through a similar experience dealing with embarrassment and passing the point of no return when you are too late to speak up in a different culture.”
I wrote Katharine back, as I do every person who takes the time to drop me a note, and asked her if she had ever visited Turkey and, if so, what her impressions were. Katharine’s reply reveals how Turkey is changing. Turkey used to be known as the place to go for a great, cheap holiday, but sadly, those times are changing!
Hi Charlotte,
I did visit İstanbul in late 2007, but just for a weekend. Mostly I was shocked by how expensive everything was and how good looking and well dressed the women were (men also, but not to the same extent). And that’s compared to Rome, which I already considered very expensive and where everyone seems to be dressed up with full makeup from the second they wake up in the morning until they go to bed (including walking in stilettos on cobblestones!). I thought it was a beautiful city full of contrasts -- deeply religious with gorgeous mosques and parties all night with people having a seemingly endless amount of money to spend on $20 cocktails. I was in heaven with the diversity of food. While I love (and deeply miss) Italian food, in Rome there simply weren’t a lot of options other than Italian, whereas in Turkey I could eat whatever kind of food I could think of. I was overwhelmed in the markets by the sheer number of people and “things” but that is to be expected. I loved the city and would love to go back someday, but not until I make a bit more money so I don’t feel sticker-shock all weekend long.
Cheers,
Katharine
Katherine your observations are right on! A few foreign women will chuckle when they read your thoughts on the importance of appearance where you wrote that everyone seems to be dressed up with full makeup from the second they wake up in the morning until they go to bed (including walking in stilettos on cobblestones!).
I think Maria Fontaine, in her Oasiscreation calendar full of quotes, sums it in just a few words: “Want a face lift? Wear a smile.”
In regard to my article “Rent a week,” some readers have commented that they agree and others have shared about their negative experiences.
Today’s Zaman readers Frank and June, from Arizona, share about their holiday and give us a tip about cheap vacations in America: “My wife and I have had two vacations overseas. We stayed in a villa in Greece and in Turkey and thoroughly enjoyed them both. There are many Web sites you can explore to find the one for you. If you plan to have a vacation in America renting a time-share may be the way to go. We have done this a number of times and found that it can cost less than hotels. Ours has always had two or more bedrooms, kitchen, pool access and other extras. There are lots of places to discover. We look forward to another vacation in Turkey soon!”
Everyone, and every place, has potential; it just needs to be discovered.
Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart: Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com
