THINGS VIETNAMESE PEOPLE LIKE

[FINAL Part C—-IT’S JUST A NAME]

I realize that the job opportunity at Mike’s Cafe is minimal in comparison to the career opportunities later on in my life. Also, discrimination, although very unethical, will persist whether society likes it or not. It is just a mindset that is hard to alter. It is semi-understandable and I do not think there is much that can be done to counter or eliminate the problem.

After realizing the customers that dine at Mike’s Cafe, I realized that it would be out of the norm for them to see a Vietnamese waitress. It is almost as weird as seeing a Caucasian person being a waitress at a Chinese restaurant, I suppose.

Oh well.

I hope that future employers, the ones that really matter, will look past my “foreign” name and see all that I have to offer. I know that with career opportunities, I will have to list all my credentials and that will set me apart from others.

[FINAL Part A—-WHAT’S IN A NAME?]

I remember reading this article awhile back—”Can your name keep you from getting hired?” http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/08/28/can-your-name-keep-you-from-getting-hired/ The title interested me because, precisely at that time, I was looking for a job. I had actually applied to Mike’s Café, thinking there was a good likelihood that I might get hired. There were tons of flyers all around campus saying that the café was hiring and looking for waiters or waitresses. Thinking that it would not hurt anything, I applied. A friend and I both went in to fill out the applications and our interview times were back-to-back the following day.

Two days later, the hiring girl from Mike’s Café calls my blonde-haired, blue-eyed friend back and tells her she got the job.

Now, they are hiring again. But I know I wouldn’t get the job anyway,…why? Partly because of my name…but really….who knows..?

This article says “that very first line on your résumé can influence potential employers.” Does that mean the first line of my application had some sort of negative effect on the employer also? Possibly. It’s a cafe, and they are looking for a waitress. So what if I can be personable and have lots of energy?

I don’t exactly have the “all-American” outward appearance.

Customer: What’s your name?

Me: Well, it’s spelled Thuy-Dung, but call me Yome.

Customer: ….what?

How awkward is that? All my life, I’ve had a name that no one can pronounce. It sucks really, and after 10 years of people butchering my name, I finally started spelling it phonetically. It’s been a lot better after that. I realize this job opportunity is not as significant as the other opportunities I will apply for later in my life. But what if my name prevents me from getting a job?

Is that even right? Am I at a disadvantage just because I have a “weird” name every non-Vietnamese person cannot pronounce?

“While hiring managers may not intend to discriminate a candidate based on a name or ethnicity, the name could still signal something about the applicant’s skills or background that is relevant to the job.” So I’m guessing my name suggests that I am not capable of waiting tables.

The reason I suggest this…is because my friend’s application was pretty much the same thing as mine. And, our personalities are pretty similar,…not too different. I don’t think that my “interview” lost me the chance of getting the job. And I’m really thinking it’s because I am Vietnamese.

They would rather prefer the all-American waitress than a Vietnamese waitress at a cafe located in Marshall, MN.

My position on this topic…whether a name can help or prevent someone from getting a job…is that it is wrong and though employers “try” to avoid it,….a name can subconsciously contribute to the employer’s decision making.

I don’t mean to necessarily say that the employers at Mike’s Cafe are racist. I’m just saying,…they may have made a bad judgment call based on my name (and ethnicity.) I feel that due to my dark hair and dark eyes, I didn’t get the job.

[B=Bad]

Asians are notoriously associated with “being smart.” Vietnamese people are included in this stereotype.

For as long as I can remember, my parents have made it clear that they would like for me to excel in my schoolwork….and get A’s. Sure, I know parents want their kids to do their best,…but geez, my parents were really adamant when teaching me to prioritize and put school near the top of my list.

In elementary school, my grades were not a HUGE deal. I had the occasional G’s and S’s     (equivalent to B’s and C’s, respectively.) It was towards middle school, but really high school,……..       ………when the pressure came.

Getting a B on a test…oh,…was NOT good. And in middle school, when I had the occasional B on my report card,…it was the only thing that caught my mom’s attention. “What’s this B? Is this class really hard or something? Did you not try hard enough?” Oh gosh, mom…….

And in high school,…my mom ALWAYS found something to point out on my report card… “What is this A-?” OMG MOM! She HAD to point out the A-…so the next semester, I tried REALLY hard…and I got ALL A+’s and ONE A. Of course,…she points out the A. Really mom? Is it really possible to get an A+ in ART!? And she also points out all the absences I have. Sorry, I have out-of-town meets, mom.

Vietnamese parents are SO CRITICAL of grades. It is almost ridiculous. I had so much pressure when I was in high school. I realize…it is “good” to a certain extent. Up until the point where I felt that nothing I did was ever good enough.

Now in college, it’s harder to get all A’s like in high school…and I’m learning how it feels like to get a B…or be borderline..

Sorry mom! :)

[IT’S MIRACLE OIL]

It’s green medicated oil. And it works wonders.

The main ingredient in this oil is menthol. The aroma has beneficial effects, so does the thermal effect is has when you put it on your aching areas.

When I was younger, every time I had a stomach ache, my mom would tell me to put this oil on my stomach,…right about my belly button. I would do it, and within minutes, I would start feeling better.

Also, if I had a stuffy nose, I could just dab a little underneath my nose,…and immediately, I’d feel its effects.

I’m not sure how it works, but Vietnamese people love this stuff and it can be purchased at almost any Vietnamese store! Every Vietnamese person knows of it and probably owns a few bottles. A little bit goes a long way!

* This oil also works with cramps! *

A trick I realized (mischievous me)….is that if I dab a little bit of the oil on my cheeks (not too close to my eyes or else it would BURN!)….it perks my up and keeps my eyes wide open! That was my little trick to keep me awake in church :)

[DYED HAIR]

I’ve always wondered about the stereotype between Vietnamese people and dyed hair. I see it in places widely populated with Vietnamese people — California, Texas, New Jersey…Girls and guys with dyed hair.

Why? Most times, it just looks unnatural! (Not to mention, it looks like they are just TRYING to KILL their hair!)

Okay, I suppose it does look “okay” sometimes,….but bleach blonde on an Asian person???…Weird. I realize sometimes I get sick of having such dark hair,…but I’ve learned to embrace it. I think when Vietnamese people dye their hair shades of brown, it’s fine. But outrageous blonde is…well, a bit outrageous.

I guess working in nail (and maybe hair) salons doesn’t help the matter. Easier access to getting their hair done!

If I ever do dye my hair,….I WILL NOT dye it blonde or anything so light as that. If I do, I might look like these people…

[A-G-E]

As the youngest member, and daughter, in my family,….you’d think I was spoiled rotten. In reality, it was quite the contrary. As the youngest, I was often looked down upon…and my opinion rarely ever mattered. Respect wasn’t something that could be earned as time went by, as I had naively thought. All my life, I kept thinking that when I got older,…I would get more respect. I thought,…when I get to high school, then my parents will listen to the things I say.

I was wrong.

No matter how much time went by, I was always the youngest. That was something I could not change. It made me angry at times that there was nothing I could do.

I’ve come to realize that if you are a male, and you are “old,”….you have LOTS OF RESPECT. It doesn’t even matter if you’re right. Vietnamese people allot most of their respect towards the eldest males. Then there’s me…the youngest female.

No wonder no one listens to me, right?

It upsets me how Vietnamese people can be so “traditional” to this day.

[Nail Salon]

Walking into a nail salon, it is only expected to see Vietnamese people working there. So many comedy shoes on television make fun of this fact. It’s weird. I’ve noticed it as well…mainly because I, personally, know a lot of Vietnamese people that own or work at nail salons. I think it is because coming from another country, Vietnamese people are not as educated of qualified for a lot of jobs. This limits them to occupations that do not require a lot of textbook-knowledge.  Working at a nail salon is fairly easy to learn and pays pretty well. It just so happens that Vietnamese people take advantage of this easy-well-paying job!

Funny story, one day I went to a nail salon. Yes, the people there were Vietnamese. And if you have ever wondered if the nail artist talks in another language and says bad things about you——you are right. THEY DO! “This person’s feet smells!” or “This person looks blah, blah, blah.” The lady was doing my nails, and then I didn’t like how she painted my tips, so I asked her to redo it. She starts complaining…and saying how I didn’t appreciate anything…that looked good….IN VIETNAMESE. I sat there, listening, looking at her like….You’re kidding me, right!!?? Then she says, in Vietnamese, “I wonder if this little brat even knows what I’m saying?” ….I answered her back in Vietnamese, “Um…yes, yes I do.”

She didn’t say any more after that.

Next time I go to get my nails done (which I hope is soon because I really want a pedicure!!),….there are high chances, a Vietnamese person will do my nails. And…I hope they aren’t stupid enough to say bad things right in front of my face!

[Drink of Choice]

There’s a little Vietnamese-Chinese Restaurant, Da Kao, in Sioux City, IA, my hometown. It has really good food actually. I was talking to a friend the other day and she told me about her experience at Da Kao. She’s been there often but something a little different happened that day.

Her dad ordered a different dish than normal (they have been at Da Kao often) and he asked what kind of drink he should get. The waiter suggested Heineken and said that it complements Vietnamese foods very well.

I laughed when my friend told me this…because my dad loves Heineken. If you were to open the refrigerator in my house, you would see a flash of green because the top rack is half full of Heineken.

I’ve always thought my dad liked Heineken because it’s green and his favorite color is green. But I’ve found out that many other people prefer Heineken over other beers.

Also, if you were to go to a modern-traditional Vietnamese wedding….expect lots and lots and LOTS of Heineken supplied.

Would you like some Heineken with that fried rice?

[Video Games]

Oh, the joy of video games! I’m not talking about Halo or Call of Duty…I’m talking about RPGs (role-playing games) like Final Fantasy and Maple Story! Yess…I totally said it…Vietnamese people like to play single-player games in which you spend tons and tons of hours….leveling up to get stronger!

The first games that come to my mind are Final Fantasy and Maple Story, which I’ve already listed. Yes, I am a victim of these games. I’ve played them before! (Not so much recently though because I have been pretty busy!)

1. The Final Fantasy series have earned the “Greatest Hit” distinction, which means that it reached a certain sales quota within two years after its release. The reason for the popularity behind FF lies behind the graphics, gameplay, and music and story. People are interested in these games because the graphics look real, the gameplay is intriguing, the music is a plus, and the story ties everything together.

* This games has sold over 10 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE and is the best-selling Final Fantasy title! I personally liked this one a lot because it had the best chocobo racing sidequest. The storyline was also phenomenal. The graphics, on the other hand, when compared to the later Final Fantasy titles….is not as great. Over time, the graphics get better with each addition.

2. Maple Story is a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game). In comparison with Final Fantasy… Maple Story is very cutesy. You just go around killing little monsters, like snails and mushrooms in the beginning, to get stronger! To get cooler equipments and clothing, you have to be at a certain level…which means the longer you play to level up, the cooler you look! It’s a double edged sword, sometimes..

Something interesting I’d like to point out while on the topic of games…Vietnamese people are naturally super competitive! It’s just an inherent characteristic! I’m not trying to say that Vietnamese people are just awesome at all games…(maybe I am though…). Our competitiveness does not just go with games….it is vital in other areas of our life such as school and work…

Go get your game on! And never try to compete with a Vietnamese person in video games…trust me, it’s not likely to go well.

[Bye Bye Puppy]

Today is “National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Class Day.” So for all three of my classes today, I brought my chef teddy bear…

The “teddy bear” of preference for Vietnamese people, especially young girls, is HELLO KITTY. I’m not even sure what all the hype is about o_O

Apparently, Hello Kitty was a fictitious character on a Japanese television series, but is mainly a logo. There are tons and TONS of Hello Kitty merchandise (22,000 different products) such as bags, cards, stickers, school supplies and even home appliances!

Some of Hello Kitty’s not-quite-as-popular friends include Jodie, Tiny Chum, Cathy, Joey, Tim & Tammy, Rory, Tracy, Mory, and Fifi. Most of Sanrio sales, the Japanese company founders of Hello Kitty, come from the Hello Kitty line.

Hello Kitty sales makes over $1 billion each year!

It is crazy to think that Sanrio could create a cartoon that Vietnamese girls go crazy for. Maybe Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters are just so cute? One of my friends actually has Hello Kitty merchandise ALL OVER her room! And on her bucket list is ‘going to Hello Kitty World in Japan.’ Crazy.

One theory why Hello Kitty has become so popular is that maybe Hello Kitty serves as a personification of the best qualities that every girl wants: purity, cuteness and innocence. What girl doesn’t want to be those three characteristics?

Even though I am Vietnamese, I still do not completely understand (if at all!) the Hello Kitty craze! But it’s there, and has been around for several decades.

Now go and make friends, because as Hello Kitty always says…”You can never have too many friends!”