A Case of “When in Vietnam, Don’t Do as Vietnamese Men Do”

I’ve never been a big drinker even in my younger days. I never acquired a taste for hard liquor but will occasionally drink expensive vodka or Scotch in small amounts, especially when it magically appears in the form of a gift. Confession: I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been really drunk.

Like most of Asia and much of the rest of the world, drinking large quantities of alcohol has been synonymous with being a man, along with smoking, having girlfriends while married, and engaging the services of prostitutes. (Fortunately, this is changing with the last three.)

In addition, there’s the usual gender segregation at social events with most men cracking open a bottle of the liquor du jour and quickly getting shit-faced, a custom I abhor. This is a case of “When in Vietnam, don’t do what Vietnamese men do” in a social setting.

At a recent event, the host invited me to one of the men-only tables. I acquiesced out of a sense of obligation. I drank a few shots, usually bottoms up, shook a few hands, smiled a few smiles, and then promptly returned to my original refuge, my face a little redder and my mood a tad lighter.

Being heavier than most Vietnamese men is one of my advantages. They get drunk faster. In my early days here, I learned to embrace the local custom of adding ice to my beer. This has the effect of diluting the beverage. The reason for the ice is that most places didn’t refrigerate the beer. Some still don’t. (Drinking warm beer reminds me of the summers I spent in the former German Democratic Republic. It was better than nothing but didn’t exactly hit the spot on sultry days.)

Knowing the effects of alcohol on the body and not enjoying drinking for the sake of getting drunk, I avoid these situations whenever I can. I get it – the comradery, the sense of belonging and acceptance; everyone’s happy, it’s just not my idea of fun. Besides, life is already short enough.

Shalom (שלום), MAA