First day I stood in the elevator, and silence surrounded me. This was going to be my first job. First time in a corporate setting. Was I overdressed, maybe under? Strings of insecure thoughts circulated in my head. I saw my reflection in the elevator, and I looked foreign to myself. More corporate than I…Continue Reading Work Work Work!
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Happy New Year! Did you know that this year is the year of the Cat in Vietnam? While China and many other places in the world may be seen celebrating the Year of the Rabbit, Vietnam switches out the Rabbit for the Cat in the Zodiac. And thus, walking around the…Continue Reading Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!
What the Vietnamese call Tet is the celebration of the lunar new year & with Tet began our travels around Northern and Central Vietnam. Our first stop was Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, which was quite the contrast to the humid, hustle-bustle nature of Ho Chi Minh. The city was relatively cold, with more…Continue Reading Vietnamese New Year
Week two in Vietnam was certainly very different to week one, and it brought with it a whole new set of challenges and experiences! While week one felt like a constant blur of changes, week two was a lot slower, and it was nice to have some consistency and stability again. I am so grateful…Continue Reading Life in Saigon – Week 2
Happy New Year! Vietnam celebrated its Lunar New Year, otherwise known as Tết, on January 22 2023, and we were lucky enough to be here to experience it. Tết is the most important celebration of the year in Vietnam, and in our first weeks here saw the city come alive in preparation. For Vietnamese people,…Continue Reading Chúc mừng năm mới!
Sensory Overload I can starkly remember the moment I walked out of the airport. It was a sensory overload. The heat of Vietnam hit me like a concrete wall. I felt like a rotisserie chicken under the heat lamp, and sweat poured from my body like never before. *Honk* “Water, Madam” *Honk* “Sim card” *Honk* …Continue Reading Sensational Saigon
What a beautiful country! After a 16-hour flight from New Zealand to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, stepping foot out of the airport felt surreal. Feeling the warm wave of heat on my cheeks, observing the colorful scooters racing by, and the overwhelmingly rich smell of street food, I stare in awe. The first 48…Continue Reading Chúc mừng năm mới (Happy New Years)
It has been three weeks in Vietnam & I can wholeheartedly say that I wake up eager to explore every single day. I am working as an Intern at NFQ, a global tech company, and the humbleness, hospitality, and genuine kindness amongst all employees have made it a breeze to settle in. In the first…Continue Reading Vietnam, you are already un”Phở”gettable
The human mind is incredible in its ability to adapt. In the last two weeks I’ve made daily routines, discovered new definitions of normal, and somehow found myself feeling comfortable living life in a foreign country. That doesn’t mean everything is easy (I’m definitely still faced with challenges on a daily basis), I’ve just already…Continue Reading Life in Saigon