Huynh Nhu

Cơm gà mắm tỏi – a combination of crisp fried chicken, chicken-fat rice, and a punchy garlic fish sauce – is a perfect choice for lunch

Let’s take a deeper look at CNBC’s viral “$4,000 in Vietnam” video. We talked about visas, real living costs, and what it truly means to build a life in Vietnam. Honest insights, not headlines.

This blog isn’t just a retelling of what happened. It’s about the lessons I took from those setbacks: the power of focus, the importance of saying no, and why resilience matters more than talent.

This episode wasn’t just about acting or moving countries. It was about the deeper question: where do we belong?

As we talked, I kept thinking about how their story wasn’t just about travel. It was about timing, family, and the courage to step away from what’s “normal.” Their journey showed me that big changes don’t always start big. Sometimes they start with a small idea: “What if we tried this?”

Jane Ha lives with diabetes, which made me think about Vietnam’s food culture in a completely new way. It also opened a wider conversation about health, consumer behavior, and culture in Vietnam today.

I invited Hao Tran, CEO and co-founder of Vietcetera, one of Vietnam’s most influential media companies. Hao’s story is one of risk, resilience, and reinvention.

What made this talk special was not just where she’d lived or what she did for work, it’s about how language, gender, and culture can shape how you’re seen — and how you see yourself.

It’s always interesting to listen to stories about different cultures and we dig into serious stuff like mental health, visa struggles, and identity—and yes, we also laugh a lot. 

This year, Vietnam proudly marks the 50th anniversary Reunification Day — a milestone that reminds us of the incredible journey toward peace, unity, and national pride. To honor this special occasion, I recorded a video capturing some unforgettable moments.