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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They rub my belly and tell ask me when baby come 😂😂😂
If they call you “fat” then you know that you have good friends. Strangers wouldnt say anything.
I’m a big unit with a bald head- I get “happy Buddha “ quite a bit. Plus people trying to rub my tummy ( for I think luck). Chu Beo also which means chubby uncle. All good natured. To be fair I do have access to mirrors so know the facts. Food is a big thing in Viet Nam – they even greet people with “an com chua” have you eaten yet ( actually rice).
Stating facts isn’t seen as rude in Veitnam in the.same way it is in Western Culture. It is normal to comment on body shape, they will even nick name their own kids the Veitnamese name for “Piggy” or the like if they are chunby babies & then carry that name for life haha.
It’s good luck to rub the belly of the happy Buddha. It happened to a couple of my pals who had beer bellies.
Do you speak Vietnamese?
goes to a communist country and worries about being fat shamed
Vietnam has changed from 15 years ago. It’s a tourist country now so the vibe is much calmer and nicer than before. If you go to a small town though, you’ll still get it but depends on if you speak the language. If you don’t look viet, don’t have much to worry about
Body shaming, in general, is not a nice thing to say. However, it’s common in Vietnam. Don’t take it personally. Their comments are usually made out of surprise when they see someone who looks different, since most people in Vietnam are fit or thin and only a small percentage are overweight. So they often say these things without malicious intent. Just laugh it off and respond with a joke, like, “Hell Yeah, I just drink water and still gain weight,” and move on. 😂
When my husband buys a Tshirt in Thailand they never have big enough sizes. They say to him….wait wait Pappa, we go get you elephant size Lucky he has a sense of humour