• Breaking a promise can be a serious violation of social expectation. It is very difficult to re-establish a lost confidence.
• When inviting a friend on an outing, the bill is paid for by the person offering the invitation.
• Vietnamese may not take appointment times literally, and will often arrive late so as not to appear overly enthusiastic.
• Speaking in a loud tone with excessive gestures is considered rude, especially when done by women.
• Summoning a person with a hand or finger in the upright position is reserved only for animals or inferior people. Between two equal people it is a provocation. To summon a person, the entire hand with the fingers facing down is the only appropriate hand signal.
• The elderly grandparents and parents are taken care of until they die.
• Only a few urban people, influenced by Western customs, celebrate birthdays, since that occasion is not a Vietnamese customs Nor do Vietnamese send Christmas cards. Wedding and funeral ceremonies are important events and are usually performed with solemn and traditional rituals.
• Modesty and humility are emphasized in the culture of the Vietnamese and deeply ingrained into their natural behavior. Therefore, bragging is often criticized and avoided. When be- ing praised for something, a Vietnamese often declines to accept praise by humbly claiming that he does not warrant such esteem. The Vietnamese do not customarily demonstrate their knowledge, skills, or possessions without being asked to do so.
• The majority of Vietnamese women never sip alcohol and usually shy away when alcoholic beverages are offered to them. Drinking women are despised in our society. Drinking problems are rare and practically nonexistent among women.
• While smoking has gained wide acceptance among men, very few Vietnamese women smoke; those who do are generally older women. Women's smoking, in public has been traditionally considered something "unusual."