Home/ Accommodation
1. What kind of housing/accommodation do you live in?
I am now living in a 3-storey house with my family in the suburb of Hanoi. My
house is quite large because all members have their own bedrooms. My mom
really loves a cozy atmosphere so she decorates our home with beige painting
walls and wood furniture.
2. How long have you lived there?
I have been living there since I was born. which is about 20 years. My house
has changed a lot after some renovation. I remember that when I was a little
girl, it was still a small house that was painted yellow with a red roof.
3. Are the transport facilities to your home very good?
Well, from my perspective, it is pretty easy to go to my home. The surrounding
roads are large enough for two cars. Besides, I can take a bus and then walk
for about 2 minutes to go home. In the future, I hope that there will be a subway
station near my home so that i can easily go out without concerning about
traffic jams.
4. Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?
Actually, I would rather live in a house because I don’t want to use facilities
with a lot of strange people. On the other hand, I think love living in a house
with a large garden, which is impossible when living in a flat. That watering
flowers and trees makes me relaxed after a busy day.
5. What part of your home do you like the most?
I really love the living room in my home where my family can spend quality
time with each other. All members are so busy that we can not be usually
together in a day except in the evening. Therefore, at that time we always try
to watch TV or chat together in the living room.
Names
1. Does your name have a special meaning?
Well, my name is quite meaningful that my parents hope for my character. My
full name is Nguyen Phuong Trang in which Trang is for decency and Phuong
means the scent of flowers. I really love this name because it includes my
parents’ expectations.
2. How do you choose names for your next generation?
Actually, i like to go for my children’s names that include my name for my
daughter and my husband’s name for my son. For instance, my name is Trang
so that i will name my child Trang Anh or Trang Nhung. It maybe change in
the future but now I find it very lovely.
3. Are there any differences between how Vietnamese name their children
now and in the past?
From my perspective, it is very different between Vietnamese generations
when it comes to naming their children. In the past, there was a must-have for
a boy to have “Van” in his name and for a girl to have “Thi” in hers. However,
Vietnamese now replace them by more meaningful and special names.
4. Does anyone in your family have the same name as you?
No, there is nobody in my family whom I have the same name with. In
Vietnam, it is irrespective when naming children similarly to older relatives.
However, my little sister’s name sounds so similar to mine that i sometimes
mishear when my mom call her.
Travelling on public transport
1. What kind of public transportation do you usually take?
I usually take a bus because the bus stop is near my house. It is also very
convenient and safe when the weather is bad like raining. But in peak hours,
going by bus takes me a lot of time to go home, which is one of the main
disadvantages of this public transportation.
2. Do most people prefer public transportation in your country?
From my perspective, public transportation is not preferred by a lot of people
in Vietnam. In comparison with private transportation, public ones take us a
lot of time to arrive somewhere, especially in peak hours. Besides, the most
common public transportation in Vietnam is buses which are drived quite
uncarefully.
3. Did you take public transportation when you were a kid?
Well, when I was a high schooler, my house is very far from school so that I
have to take a bus for my safety. I remember that I had waked up at 6 a.m every
day if I didn’t want to go to school late. However, taking a bus to school is still
very interesting because I can go with my friends.
4. When do you usually take public transportation, in your everyday life
or when you are travelling?
I only usually take public transportation in my daily life because I would rather
drive my own vehicle when travelling. In our country, I am able to take a bus
and train as well but it is quite far from my house. I think in the future i will
rarely take public transportation because I have my own motorbike now.