Love and married with foreigner in VietNam. Good or bad.

Introduction

Historically, Vietnam has been greatly affected by foreign influences, mostly through invasion and colonialism, and the Vietnamese people themselves repeatedly fought for their national independence. Because of this history, Vietnamese people, including those living in the United States, have incorporated this sense of collective independence and perseverance as part of their Vietnamese culture and identity (Hung, 35).

Discussion

Nonetheless, it must be recognized that Vietnamese culture is significantly influenced by the Chinese, who invaded Vietnam in 111 BCE and ruled it for more than 1,000 years. Thus, certain aspects of Vietnamese culture can be traced back to Chinese culture, especially those pertaining to Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Together, they emphasize concepts such as reincarnation, harmony among people and nature, filial piety, the idea that life is suffering, and patience. These three religions or philosophies underlie Vietnamese culture and influence the structure of the family and the behavior of the individual (Uba, 49).

Advantages of Marrying a Foreigner in Vietnam

One of the main advantage of living and marrying in Vietnam is that the family is the centerpiece of Vietnamese culture. The traditional Vietnamese family follows the extended multigenerational pattern, which commonly includes the father and mother, the father's parents, sons, the sons' wives and children, and any unmarried daughters. Other extended-family members who share the same family name or ancestors are also an important part of family life. The structure of the traditional family is patriarchal and patrilineal, such that age and sex determine one's role and authority within the family (Rutledge, 25).

Furthermore, the Vietnamese have an extensive language system of addressing one another according to their status, both within and outside the family. Individual behavior is much more driven by familialism than by the generic notion of collectivism. Within the traditional Vietnamese family, more emphasis is placed on family roles and obligations than on individual needs and desires. Individuals' social and public behaviors, positive or negative, reflect on the whole family. The concept loss of face refers to shame and embarrassment brought not only to the individual, but also to the family. Therefore, family members must do everything possible to preserve the family's face, or reputation (Montero, 74).

The prospect for marriage is greater for Vietnamese women than for their foreign counterparts elsewhere in America, as a result of the high concentration of Vietnamese women in the West, with Orange County having the largest population outside of Vietnam. In Joann Lee's work, Alicia Diem (pseudonym, 40 years old), a New York resident, relates her concern in finding a marriage partner:

A Vietnamese or a non-Vietnamese man is okay. But in my mind, I like Asians, not European or American. In Vietnam, when I was in school, I had some boyfriends. But I didn't want to get married right after college. I wanted to enjoy my life. I played tennis and enjoyed sports. I had a good job. But after a year, the communists took over South Vietnam and it finished my future (Kibria, ...