As the first person to open an etiquette training academy in Vietnam, what led you to this decision?
From my own experiences in life, combined with observations through work, I see many Vietnamese people who are successful and talented, but when they come to professional environments or high-class events, their behavior is not up to par.
What is the ritual for you?
These are cultural-based behaviors. Even though rituals change over time, they still have their own standards that we are required to know.
So what are the necessary rules of common rituals such as shaking hands and giving gifts?
Most women often shake hands lightly and loosely without knowing that – a loose handshake shows superficiality and lack of concentration.
About gift-giving culture: One of the important points of gift-giving is to show respect.
For example, when coming to a party, many people like to give flowers to the host but forget that if they receive a bouquet of fresh flowers, the host must take the time to arrange it while they are busy. If they do not arrange it right away, they will feel guilty.
Giving gifts is a ritual that shows a transaction of a close relationship.
The French are considered masters in the art of gift giving, do you agree with that?
Yes!
The sweetness of dessert is always the perfect ending to meals.
Thank you for your sharing!
Small notes when giving gifts:
Always bring a gift for the homeowner when visiting the house, or being invited to a party.
Gifts are always wrapped in beautiful, delicate boxes, and should be accompanied by a handwritten thank you card sent to the homeowner.
Do not choose gifts with too high material value to avoid making the recipient feel `in debt`.
You should not give fresh food as it will easily upset the homeowner when you have to prepare it immediately.
You should choose desserts as gifts, suitable for many ages, that can be used immediately, but can also be saved such as cookies and dried fruit.
If you give fresh flowers, give them pre-arranged in a beautiful vase.
Do not give items that cause inconvenience to people leaving the country, causing them to have difficulty at the airport security checkpoint.
Information about Ms. Tran Yen Ly – International Etiquette Expert
Founder/CEO of International Etiquette Academy – Etík Academy
Born and raised in a family with a diplomatic tradition, Yen Ly has spent more than 23 years living and experiencing many diverse cultures in more than 20 countries.
After graduating with a major in Business Administration from the University of Nottingham, Yen Ly continued to study and successfully completed the International Etiquette training program in Europe, then returned to Vietnam to found and run the program.