One of the things I love most about hosting A Vietnam Podcast is getting to meet people with unexpected, inspiring stories — and my guest for this episode, Alenka Može, definitely delivered.

Let’s explore her journey from a very far away country- Slovenia to Vietnam. We talked about her first impressions of Vietnam, her love of summer rolls, and what finally pushed her to follow her passion for performance.

From Slovenia to Saigon: Alenka Može’s Leap into the Unknown

When living in another country, the first thing expat usually care about is their community overseas. So, I asked Alenka if there’s a big Slovenian group in Saigon, or even in the whole of Vietnam.  She told me that she knows about five Slovenians. Yeah, only five!  Slovenia is pretty tiny, with only about 2 million people living there. So, Alenka said that having five people here is actually a decent number.  They’re spread across the whole country, not just in Saigon.

They do have a little group chat though, and sometimes they meet up for barbecues. Alenka said it always feels a bit strange but lovely when she gets to speak her native language in person — especially when she’s surrounded by English and Vietnamese speakers most of the time.

The Journey To Vietnam

Alenka told me she had always loved traveling. Before moving here, she was actually working as a teacher in Slovenia. She taught for two years in the countryside, which she described as absolutely beautiful. But even though the job was stable and scenic, she felt the urge to do something different — to experience a culture totally unlike her own.

Vietnam wasn’t always the plan. In fact, she didn’t know where she’d go at first. One day in class, when her students kept asking her about it, she just said “Vietnam” out of the blue — and that was it. She stuck with it.

A friend of hers had lived in Vietnam before and recommended it. They also had a few contacts here, which really helped once she arrived. 

Insights about Historical Events

When I asked Alenka what she knew about Vietnam before moving here, her answer really made me think. She said, honestly, not much. She had heard a few things from her friend who had lived here — about how friendly the people were, how great the food was, and that the weather was hot. That was pretty much it.

What stood out most, though, was when she said that, as someone from Slovenia, her first thought about Vietnam wasn’t the war. That really stuck with me. For many people, especially Americans, the Vietnam War is often the first thing that comes to mind. But Alenka had a different lens. It reminded me of something I read in Trevor Noah’s book, Born a Crime, where he talks about how different countries grow up with different views of major historical events.

For example, she mentioned that in South Africa, World War II wasn’t really talked about the same way it was in Europe or America. Some people didn’t even realize how serious the Holocaust was until much later in life. It just wasn’t part of their education or daily conversation.

That visit hit me hard. It was emotional, heavy, and completely eye-opening. For the first time, I saw history told from the Vietnamese perspective. It wasn’t about sides or politics — it was about people and what they lived through.

It’s one of the few places in Saigon that really makes you feel the weight of what happened. Everything else here is so busy and modern — sometimes you forget the country’s recent past. Alenka said something similar. She had assumed she’d see more signs of the war when she arrived, but she didn’t. What she found instead was a young, vibrant country full of energy. People here don’t hold onto anger. In fact, she said that in her experience, most Vietnamese people don’t have any ill feelings toward Americans at all. That’s something I’ve noticed too — and it’s honestly surprising, in the best way.

We ended up chatting about how different societies deal with trauma. In Vietnam, it seems like the approach is: to acknowledge the past but keep moving forward. In the UK, though, we can be a bit more… stuck. Especially when it comes to old grudges. I joked that even now, some English newspapers still make a fuss about having a German coach for the England football team!

Expectation VS First Impression About Vietnam

Then I asked her what it was like arriving in Vietnam for the first time. She said it was a shock — and I completely understood what she meant. She had traveled a bit before, including to India, so she was prepared for some chaos. But nothing quite prepared her for the sheer intensity of Saigon.

The traffic, the noise, the smells, the heat — everything hit her at once. It was a full-body experience. She said her senses were overloaded in those first few weeks. And one thing that really got to her was the air pollution. Coming from a country full of green nature and fresh air, she found it really hard to breathe at first.

I could relate to that, too. My wife can actually smell the pollution, like literally sniff it out when I leave the window open. I always think I’m letting in some “fresh air,” and she’s like, “Close it! That’s not fresh!”

One time I looked up the air quality in Bishopbriggs (where I’m from near Glasgow), and it was a 5. Here in Saigon, it can jump to 150 or more. Quite the difference. But as we agreed, once you’ve lived here for a while, your body sort of adjusts. And while it was definitely overwhelming at the start, Alenka said the experience, though intense, was also incredible.

Food Stories: Summer Rolls – Slovenian Wine, and Vineyard

One of my favorite things to ask guests is about their first food experience in Vietnam. 

Vietnamese Dishes

For Alenka, it was an easy answer — summer rolls. She said she pretty much lived off them for her first two weeks here. And honestly, I get it. They’re fresh, light, and full of flavour — veggies, shrimp, and herbs all wrapped in rice paper, dipped in fish sauce or that incredible peanut sauce. Hard to go wrong with that.

She also mentioned loving morning glory, another classic Vietnamese dish. Because she enjoyed both of those so much, she said she didn’t even want to try anything else for a while. Totally fair.

Slovenian wine

Then we switched gears and talked about something I definitely didn’t expect to come up – Slovenian wine. Yep, you read that right. Slovenian wine. Not something you hear about every day in Saigon. 

Alenka told me that even though Slovenia isn’t super famous for its wine, it actually produces some amazing bottles — white wine in the north, red wine in the south, and more recently, a growing trend of “orange wine,” which is basically white wine that’s fermented like a red, giving it a darker color and bolder flavor.

She first got involved with Slovenian wine here when she saw a small shop selling it in Saigon. She was so surprised to find it that she popped in and introduced herself to the manager, who happened to be Vietnamese. They were importing wine from a Slovenian brand called Puklavec, and Alenka offered to help represent them at events. We actually met at one of those — a sustainability festival where she was pouring wine and telling people about it.

From the Classroom to the Camera: Alenka’s Journey into the Arts

As we kept chatting, I asked Alenka about her transition from being a full-time teacher to becoming a singer, writer, and actor — and it turned out to be one of the most inspiring parts of our conversation.

She told me she’d always loved acting and singing, ever since she was a kid. But like many of us, she didn’t feel confident enough to pursue it professionally. When it came time to choose a career, she picked education because it felt safer and more realistic. Acting school in Slovenia takes about eight years, and the fear of rejection held her back from even trying.

Still, the passion never went away.

While teaching in Vietnam, she got involved with Saigon Players, a community theatre group that puts on shows for charity. She acted, directed, and stayed connected to the stage in her free time. But it was always a side gig — something she did after hours, never something she saw as a career. That started to change when she found herself with some savings and the chance to take a break from full-time teaching.

From Hobby To Career

Around that same time, a new trend started picking up in Vietnam: vertical films.

If you’ve never heard of vertical films, they’re short TV shows made specifically for phones. Think of Instagram reels or TikToks — but scripted dramas with full storylines, shot in portrait mode, broken into hundreds of three-minute episodes. The productions are fast — they shoot for just a week, but they come out polished and professional. And best of all, they pay!

Alenka got cast in a few of these roles, and for the first time, she was actually getting paid to act. That’s when she started calling herself an actor. Because let’s face it — if you’re acting and getting paid, you are an actor.

As for singing, that journey has been a bit more personal.

Back home in Slovenia, singing is mostly done in choirs. It’s social, it’s communal, and it’s not about standing out. But Alenka wanted to hear her own voice — to sing solo, even if it scared her. She found a singing teacher in Saigon who helped her improve and pushed her to try open mics.

That first performance? She said she was shaking so hard, the mic was visibly trembling in her hands. She performed anyway.

She shared how acting and singing feel very different. With acting, she’s playing a character. It’s not really “her” on stage, so there’s less vulnerability. But with singing, it’s her voice, her emotions, and there’s nothing to hide behind. That’s what made it so terrifying — and also so rewarding.

It was such a joy hearing how far she’s come. Teaching for 10 years is already impressive, but to pivot into acting and singing later in life — and to do it so fearlessly — that’s what makes her story special.

Wrap-Up – The First Slovenian on A Vietnam Podcast

As far as I know, she’s the first Slovenian guest I’ve ever had on A Vietnam Podcast — and what a debut!

From summer rolls and Slovenian wine to community theatre and vertical films, Alenka’s journey was full of surprises, honesty, and heart.

If you enjoyed this conversation, the best thing you can do is share it with someone else who might love it too. Whether they’re curious about Vietnam, into creative careers, or just love a good story, this one’s worth passing on.