A Return to Vietnam: The Place That Inspired My Business Journey
Two days. Two ten-hour flights. A couple of long layovers.
That was my recent journey from the U.S. back to Vietnam — the place that truly changed everything for me back in 2018.
Back then, I went to Vietnam to run away from a life I wasn’t happy with. This time, I went for a wedding, to reconnect with old friends, and to revisit the city that will always hold a special place in my heart.
Vietnam 2018: The OG Adventure
After graduating from college with a degree in education, what feels like ages ago, I became a teacher in the South Carolina public school system. Within a few years, I was burnt out and broke.
Turns out teachers don’t make nearly enough to survive, let alone pay off astronomical student loan debt.
When I decided I needed a change, I quickly discovered the option to teach abroad. To be honest, it was my way of running away at the time. But it ended up being so much more than that.
Within months, I had my certification to teach English abroad, turned in my notice, and bought a one-way ticket to Vietnam. I had also started teaching English lessons online to earn a small income until I found a full-time job.
I landed in Hanoi, the beautifully chaotic capital of Vietnam. I started looking for jobs right away and found one teaching math and science to first graders at an English-speaking school.
My first few months living in Hanoi were amazing. New friends, a great job, a unique culture, locals napping on their motorbikes in the middle of the day, and even the wild traffic — I loved all of it.
The plot twist that changed everything…
A few months into the OG Vietnam adventure, I broke my foot. And since my classroom was up several flights of stairs, and there were no elevators, I had to quit my job.
My family thought surely I’d pack up and head back Stateside. Wrong.
I decided to dive more into online teaching and heal while my new friends took care of me. Then, I spent the next year traveling around Southeast Asia.
Somewhere between flights, new cities, meditation retreats, and fun adventures, I decided I never wanted to go back to a traditional job. Before heading home, when researching ways to work remotely and earn enough to live in the U.S., I found freelance writing.
That’s where the seed for my business was planted.
Vietnam 2025: A Full Circle Moment
I always knew I’d go back to Vietnam one day. So when a friend I met while living in Hanoi invited me to her 2025 wedding, I was excited but didn’t think I could make the trip work since I was also planning my own elopement for 2025.
When I unexpectedly called off my engagement, another close friend I’d also met in Hanoi and I decided a reunion trip was a must. She and I were both good friends with the bride when we lived there and were so excited to get the gang back together.
We planned a 10-day adventure to go to our friend’s wedding and revisit the city where our friendship started.
After two long travel days and the inevitable chaos that comes with flying these days, I finally made it back to Vietnam. My friend was waiting at the airport, and we headed straight to our Airbnb in the heart of Hanoi’s beautiful madness. The blaring horns, motorbike traffic jams, and smells of street food — we were back.
We spent the first few days eating, shopping, and catching up. Then came the four-day wedding celebration — a mix of Vietnamese and Irish traditions (the bride is Vietnamese, and the groom is Irish). The wedding was at a gorgeous resort in Pu Luong, a mountain region known for its rice terraces and local villages.
When we arrived at the resort, a nearby typhoon brought days of rain and wind. It wasn’t ideal, but everyone made the best of it. We spent our time reminiscing, meeting new friends, and attending one of the sweetest weddings I’ve ever been to. (I might even believe in love again!)
The bad weather also gave us the perfect excuse to take advantage of the resort’s spa — because you can never get too many massages in Vietnam. I also got in a few hours of client work between massages and celebrations.
When we got back to Hanoi for the end of our trip, the sun was finally out. My friend and I stayed at a lovely hotel with a rooftop pool in the same neighborhood we used to live in. We spent our last few days exploring our old stomping grounds and taking advantage of Vietnam’s lower prices by getting a couple more massages and doing a bit more shopping. Oh, and I got two new tattoos!
This trip was the best week and a half I’ve had in a long time. I saw Vietnam through slower, more grateful eyes. I was mostly offline, working just about ten hours total. It was the perfect reminder that slowing down to enjoy life isn’t something to keep promising myself — it’s something I can actually do.
A Life of Freedom
When I decided to grow my business into something full-time and long-term, it was because I wanted more freedom to create a life that actually felt good for me — one that allowed me to earn a comfortable income without constantly working. But it’s taken me years to actually lean into this.
It’s so easy to go back to the default grind mode ingrained in so many of us. This trip was the first time I’ve really let go for more than a long weekend.
I’m so grateful my business gave me this opportunity — to take a two-week trip halfway around the world and know things would still be intact when I returned (even though I had scary thoughts they wouldn’t be).
I’m excited to have more of these experiences and to continue making it happen by doing work I love: helping others grow their business to create a life they love through sustainable marketing.
Returning Home Inspired
Coming home feels good. I didn’t just bring back new memories, tattoos, and souvenirs. I also came back with fresh energy, gratitude, and clarity.
This trip reminded me why I built my business in the first place — to create space for what matters. If you’re craving more of that, I’d love to help. My website marketing offers can meet you where you are to create a strategy that works in the background while you live your life. Explore my offers here, or reach out to inquire about working together.
And if you want to reach out about the trip, I’m always happy to chat about adventures.
