How to trai nghiem at home🏠
#28 Son of a Viet Kieu | Expanding Horizons: Finding Cultural Richness at Home
Hey! I am so grateful to have you back at my blog. Your subscription means the world to me. ❤️ In order to get to know you better, here is a question for you: “Do you like traveling? (why?)” 😊
Now jumping into today’s blog:
“I want to study abroad to learn more about different cultures and traditions. I want to expand my horizon and get inspired. But I can’t go because I don’t have [+ reason]” 🌏✈️
I often hear this during my coaching sessions. Even though the reasons for not being able to go abroad might be different, the main message is the same.
My clients often crave something that seems to be only attainable somewhere far away, which leaves them feeling disappointed. 😔
But is it true that you can only trai nghiem (experience something new), if you go abroad? 🤔
A couple of years ago, I asked this question to one of my coaching clients. She is a lecturer at the university in Hanoi and was dreaming of going abroad.
“Of course, I have to be abroad to learn more about life and expand my horizon. Similar to you, Thomas, I want to travel, meet others, and learn from them.” 🌍👥
I acknowledged her feelings, concerns, and worries. I continued by asking her:
“What do you think? How did I learn more about the world? What was important when I went abroad?”
After thinking for a minute, she guessed that it was because of the new environment and the different cultures that I encountered. 🌐
Even though moving to a different country and experiencing a new environment did help me to be more open-minded, I pointed out that most of the experiences and “trai nghiem” are based on human connections.
I told her: “Imagine you would go abroad and don’t meet anyone at all. You might see beautiful landscapes and stunning nature or architecture, but I bet you would not learn much about the culture, traditions, and beliefs.”
She nodded and noted down what I said in her notebook. ✍️
Oftentimes, we forget that culture, traditions, and mindsets are based on the community and people that live there. Without the people, there is not much to learn from. 👨👩👧👦
I continued by asking:
“Since you agreed that we mainly experience or learn something new by meeting people, is there a way that you can ‘travel abroad’ by staying in Hanoi?”
Many of my clients live in bigger cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Berlin, or elsewhere. Oftentimes, we forget that those cities are bustling with people from multiple backgrounds. 🏙️🌏
With background, I don’t only mean their roots but also their professions. There are so many people around us that we can learn from, and the exciting thing is that they are closer than we think. 👩🏫👨🍳👨🔧
When I came back to Germany after my stay in New Zealand, I also missed speaking English and meeting people from all around the world. Luckily, I decided to do some research.
I found a language club where people from all around the world took part. Many of them were international students, some were refugees. But all of them had their unique stories. I was traveling while still being in Leipzig. ✈️🌍
After telling this story to my client, she realized that Hanoi had loads of opportunities. But she did not really know where to start.
Take action in your community
I recommended “Couchsurfing” to her. A platform where she could meet travelers and show them the city. After some encouraging words, she actually met up with someone. She was so amazed by the experience that she would do it over and over. Each time with less fear and more excitement. 🤝🌟
After some months, she would guide bigger groups to authentic restaurants and places, telling them more about Vietnam. Each time she took them, she sent me photos and voice recordings of what she had learned. 📸🎤
Some travel agencies reached out to her to support them professionally and share her experience in connecting with tourists. All of this, even though she had no background or spoke fluent English.
Even today, she keeps sending me videos, photos, and messages about her “trai nghiem” experiences abroad while still being in Hanoi. 🎥📷✉️
#mydailylearning
Her story is a powerful reminder that we don’t have to travel far to expand our horizons. Sometimes, the most profound journeys are those we take within our own communities. By connecting with those around us, we can experience the world, learn new perspectives, and inspire ourselves in ways we never imagined. 🌟🌍💬
Thanks for reading to the end and I wish you an awesome day full of kindness and positivity. See you next Sunday morning for a new blog of #sonofavietkieu. 🥰
Again, the content of course but the memes!!!!!!
Loll understood why u were giggling while writing this blog 🤣 Rlly fun memes 👌👌
And also cool story ah 🙏