The fascination with foreign products touches virtually every aspect of consumers’ lives, including eating, drinking, entertainment, transportation, healthcare and shopping. For example, eating and drinking habits have changed considerably, as consumers now show a strong preference for international cuisine. The long queues at Starbucks or McDonald’s on their opening days are one example. Imported goods, especially hand-carried ones, are greatly preferred over goods by the same international brand produced domestically. For example, Pantene shampoo made in Thailand is considered to be better than Pantene made in Vietnam. This has led to a thriving business, with people selling hand-carried products via social networking sites.
The preference for foreign products also affects educational services. Overseas experience and education are highly valued. Possessing overseas experience, especially from the United States, Europe and other developed nations, is considered desirable for any job hunter. Overseas degrees are looked upon favourably by employers, who believe that they imply a good command of foreign languages, maturity, and adaptability. Speaking a second language is extremely necessary in today’s workplaces because the vast majority of companies are subsidiaries of multinational firms or joint ventures or they have foreign business ties. Therefore, Vietnamese parents enrol their children in language centres at a young age in order for them to develop their second-language skills early. Children from better-off families usually go overseas to study or go to summer school to gain an advantage in the current tough job market.