VIETNAM

WHERE VETNAM IS LOCATED

• In Asia
• Vietnam is located on the eastern edge of the Indochina peninsula

FLAG

• Red stands for communism. It’s also the color of luck and happiness
• Each point on the star represents a group of people: farmers, workers, intellectuals, youth, and soldiers.

What they eat, Most families eat rice with fermented fish sauce. This sauce is the trademark of Vietnamese cooking and is served as a dressing on almost all foods, including pork, fish, and vegetables. Noodles are almost as popular. One favorite noodle soup, called pho, is often eaten for breakfast. Usually, a heaping bowl of rice or noodles is served with many side dishes made of all kinds of vegetables, meats, and sauces. Because Vietnam borders the sea, dishes often include shrimp, eel, fish, and octopus.

HOLIDAYS

• New year day
• Tet eve
• Tet holiday
• Hung kings temple festival
• Hung kings temple festival holiday
• Reunification day
• International labor day
• Reunification day holiday
• National day

There are 11 major holidays in Vietnam, but the most important one is the Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year). Before the holiday, people clean their houses, pay off debts, visit their ancestors’ graves, and buy flowers. During the holiday, they feast and visit with each other. Homes are decorated with peach blossoms, which are thought to scare off evil spirits. Streets are decorated with colored lights and red banners. Children receive presents and their favorite treats. Friends and family give children red envelopes with money inside. Traditionally, the first visitor of the new year brings either good or bad luck to the household. In order to ensure good luck, Vietnamese families invite a close friend or respected family member to be the first visitor that day.

RELIGION

SCHOOL

Kids go to school six days a week. Many also go to private tutoring sessions on Sundays. Schools are crowded, so many have morning and afternoon shifts. The school day is only about four hours long, while the school year lasts from September to May. Some kids drop out early because they can’t afford the fees or they are needed to help on the farm.

SPORTS

• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Badminton
• Table tennis
• Kid in the rural play dodgeball

WEATHER

Winters in the north are short, but they can be chilly. However, southern temperatures rarely change. They are often hotter than 84°F

INTERESTING FACTS

• It is bad for a non member of your family to touch your head
• It is rude to summon some one with your index finger
• Crossing your fingers is impolite
• As a sign of respect people use two hands to pass object
• Relatives gather for death anniversary

FUN FACTS

• Slightly larger than Malaysia or the state of New Mexico
• The Communist Party is the only legal political party in the country
• $1=22,052.4 dongs