Honest question: my wife and I are overweight and not thick-skinned. Are comments or jokes about body weight common in Vietnam? Just want to know what to expect and how to react.Thanks.Honest question: my wife and I are overweight and not thick-skinned. Are comments or jokes about body weight common in Vietnam? Just want to know what to expect and how to react.Thanks.
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Currently working in Vietnam. I do get comments on my weight a lot (and I’m not even that big) but as many others have said here, it never comes off as malicious. Finding clothes here is another challenge for tall or bigger people. I’m 6′ 3″ and 215lbs, I usually wear an XL shirt but I seem to only fit 3X- 4X shirts here 😵💫 and they’re short so if I raise my arms it looks like a crop top😅
It’s just a part of our culture to consider “fatter is more healthy”. It’s an old mentality from the poor era which gets carried on as a “Hello, how are you!” Although we no longer are in the food deprivation period.
Do not come to Asia if you don’t have thick skin lol… growing up Asian we are used to being bullied by family and community constantly
No they are just direct and very funny it’s a lovely place to visit the people are so friendly.
Weight is wealth!
I was vacationing in Vietnam 2 Weeks ago & I can assure you that Vietnamese are the finest and most courteous people. Further I am amazed as to why you care as to what others comment about your body? Just enjoy your vacation, you will have the best experience visiting Vietnam!
Lol im a size 14 and when I asked for a bigger dress to fit on the lady said…you’re too fat, no bigger sizes🤣🤣🤣 ……but she was not malicious at all and we had a good laugh! They are the sweetest people🥰
My husband has his belly rubbed and gets called Buddha all the time in Vietnam, but it’s all done in good humour and not malicious at all. If I go to buy clothes I sometimes get told ‘oh you big lady!’ but, compared to a lot of people I am larger. I’m size 16 at home but can be a 3XL here but I go swimming at the pool, without stressing what people think – Nobody knows my story or why I’m the size I am. We have found the Vietnamese people have friendly, beautiful natures. You just need to be realistic and prepare to not be offended if it is mentioned as it is generally just in relation to purchasing clothes and certainly not meant to be cruel or hurtful.
They’re not going to tease you. They can’t speak English anyway. The ones who can are the ones who probadly provide customer service. They’ll talk about you though. But you won’t know.
We just finished a Vietnam and Cambodia Mekong River cruise and land tour. We visited rural fish pond in Vietnam and the fish pond owner asked for volunteers to feed the fishes… after 2 volunteers, he pointed to one of our tour mates, who is quite portly, and said, while laughing and rubbing his own tummy – “let’s have the Buddha feed the fishes!” Luckily our tour mate was game – he just laughed, and just went with the flow and took the feeding bowl and fed the fishes happily.