[jackbl]

Favoring foreigners
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Last month, I went to a food court in Diamond Plaza and ordered some roll dishes. When I returned to my seat, a group of Korean tourists entered. Waiting for 20 minutes, I still hadn’t got served. However, when I looked at the Korean guests’ table, dishes continued to be laid out in front of them.

I angrily took a receipt and went to the counter, showing a staff there the time I ordered. The staff asked for my sympathy because it was crowded.

“I came when there was no guest. Why didn’t you serve me first?” I asked.

“But they are foreigners,” replied a staff.

“Foreigners?” I raised my voice. “So what? First come, first served. Now you either bring me my dishes or pay me back.”

Five minutes later, my dishes were served.

Another time, I took my child to a water park where guests were asked not to wear shoes or slippers due to hygienic reasons.

When we arrived at a water slide, we saw a foreigner wearing sandals and he was allowed to take the ride.

When I reacted, a staff explained, “Because he is foreigner.”

I guess the staff was too “friendly” to tourists or didn’t know enough English to explain to him the rule.

This kind of “discrimination” even takes place in resorts or upscale restaurants.

Recently, our family stayed in a hotel in Nha Trang. In the morning, we went to the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast and no one greeted or guided us. Behind us, there were two foreigners coming inside the restaurant. Immediately, a manager and a staff said, “Good morning! May I help you sir?”

As Vietnam has opened up to the world, more and more foreigners are coming here to work. Not all of them are bosses, as Vietnamese often think. When I accompany foreign colleagues, some of whom are my subordinates, I am often asked, “Can you explain to your boss that…”

Nguyen Pham (Vietnamese)

*This piece was translated from a Vietnamese article written by Nguyen Pham on Saigon Tiep Thi newspaper