As half a century of diplomatic relations ticks over between Australia and my adopted dwelling, I share my very own journey
This week I used to be featured in a nationwide newspaper article that recognised 50 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam.
A journalist from the newspaper reached out to me by way of a mutual connection and requested if I’d prefer to be interviewed as a part of it.
I used to be blissful to take action and a stunning little piece about me and one other Australian enterprise doing nice issues was printed in print and on-line in Vietnamese.
I used to be requested fairly just a few questions by way of e mail, however because it seems, only some of my solutions have been used, so I assumed I’d share them with Bureau readers in case you’re within the again story to my life in Vietnam.
Let me know if any of my solutions resonate with you and mirror your personal ideas and experiences in Vietnam.
And be happy to let me know within the feedback part under your personal again story on the way you got here to dwell in Vietnam and what it’s like for you.
1. How lengthy have you ever been in Vietnam?
Since January 2010
2. When was the primary time you arrived within the nation, and for what cause?
The primary time I got here to Vietnam was in 1999 as a backpacker. I flew into Hanoi and acquired a type of open-ended bus tickets to Saigon. From reminiscence it took me just a few weeks to reach in Saigon.
3. What was your first impression of Vietnam?
I used to be struck by the fantastic thing about it. The drive from Noi Bai Airport into Hanoi was beautiful. It was a sunny early-afternoon April day, farmers and buffalo have been working the ricefields so far as the attention might see. The surroundings matched the romanticised picture I had in my head that I’d seen in all of the shiny journey brochures. After all, issues have modified tremendously since then.
4. Why did you resolve to remain right here?
That’s an important query. Initially it was for work as I used to be recruited out of Australia and since I’d been right here earlier than, I sort of knew what to anticipate, so I settled in moderately nicely, though the primary 12 months was a steep studying curve. Finally my keep sort of become a mission.
In spite of everything these years, I nonetheless really feel like I do know little or no concerning the nation and tradition – it will be a travesty to simply pack up and go away now, I’ve solely simply scratched the floor. I need to spend a very good chunk of the second half of my life attempting to know extra concerning the place.
5. How is your life in Vietnam thus far?
Stuffed with ups and downs, however I believe I’ve come out the opposite finish moderately nicely intact. For some cause I all the time had this impression that Aussie tradition and Vietnamese tradition have been fairly related in that we each love fun over just a few beers, however that couldn’t be farther from the reality. Our cultures are vastly completely different so it takes appreciable effort to realize the belief of others so you’ll be able to then truly sit down for a correct beer and a correct chortle that’s past simply floor stage stuff.
6. What are the stuff you like most about dwelling in Vietnam?
I believe it’s the factor that retains me right here – on a regular basis after I stroll out the door, I’m by no means fairly positive what’s going to occur subsequent, which is attention-grabbing as a result of I’m a little bit of a creature of behavior and never overly adventurous lately. Any given day in Vietnam can take me out of my consolation zone, I want that and I imagine it’s good for me and it’s one step nearer to higher understanding.
7. What are some difficulties that you’ve got encountered?
Initially it was my well being from adjusting to the atmosphere. I believe I used to be sick at the very least as soon as a month with respiratory-type points for the primary 12 months, after that it cleared. Most likely the principle factor that continues to plague me is attempting to get my head round why issues are finished the best way they’re – I actually need to kick that behavior, however as they are saying, previous habits die onerous. And, after all, the language – it’s an ongoing factor, lol!
8. Are you able to drive a bike? If sure, when was the primary time you realized to drive one? How was the expertise?
Sure, I grew up on a dairy farm in northern Victoria about 200km north of Melbourne and learnt to drive every little thing from a really younger age. I additionally acquired my motorbike licence as a 16 year-old, so after I got here to Vietnam, all I needed to do was convert it and naturally get used to the highway guidelines. Within the first couple of years I used to often get stopped by the police, however lately a lot much less so, I need to’ve realized the principles! I like motorbikes and I plan to hit the highway and discover extra typically from this yr onwards.
9. What number of provinces in Vietnam have you ever travelled to thus far? The place is your favorite place, and why?
I’m not too positive to be trustworthy, however what I do know is that it’s far too few. I’m planning a prolonged journey by bike into the Mekong Delta quickly after which later within the yr I hope to do a Ha Giang journey by bike as nicely. Whereas there’s nothing just like the sleepy trails of the Mekong by sluggish transferring waterways or using alongside the ruggedness of the rocky ridges round Phan Rang, I nonetheless love Vung Tau, particularly for its meals, it truly is a culinary hotspot for those who’re ready to go and look. And naturally, Aussies have an important affinity with the city. It has a really attention-grabbing historical past and the rides up the coast from there will be beautiful.
10. What’s your favorite Vietnamese meals?
That’s a extremely robust query. I’ve typically contemplated this and have by no means arrived at an apprioriate reply. Any dish finished rather well right here is the perfect dish on the planet on that day, lol, particularly if the chips are down and also you want cheering up. My go-tos for breaky are both pho ga, pho bo or bun bo Hue, lunch is perhaps com ga, bun cha, mi hoanh thanh or nem cua, and dinner a complete bunch of various sorts of snails.
11. And the way concerning the meals you hate probably the most? Why?
For a very long time I wasn’t eager on goat as a result of the odor jogged my memory of the animal pavillion at my hometown’s annual present (exhibition), however I’ve come spherical to that and luxuriate in it now. Typically talking, I’m not big on something with heaps of offal, like pha lau.
12. When did you determine The Bureau Asia, and what’s the which means behind this identify/model?
I began it in January 2018. The identify has a pair meanings behind it: 1) A bureau is sort of a central company the place info is submitted or gathered after which disseminated; 2) A bureau could be a kind of furnishings, a writing desk. And naturally Asia refers to our area.
13. What matters has The Bureau Asia coated thus far, particularly matters about Vietnam?
Something about journey, F&B and way of life.
14. Are there any collaborators who write tales for the platform?
I’ve had just a few through the years, typically individuals who have an curiosity in writing and telling tales, however typically talking, about 95-plus per cent of the content material you see on my channels is finished by me. I’m mainly a one-man band, however with tons of ethical help from spouse, Melanie. She additionally contributes so much to The Bureau Asia’s Instagram web page and infrequently seems on my podcast, The Bureau Asia Podcast.
15. How do you select the matters to be featured in your platform?
One other nice query because it’s one thing I grapple with so much, it’s onerous to know what content material will carry out nicely that matches inside your area of interest. For instance, I can get 10K views on an Instagram reel about somebody cooking banana roti, however lower than 100 views on a reel speaking a few Vietnam challenge that I believe is extra significant and academic and that’s taken plenty of time to place collectively. Typically talking although, if one thing falls inside The Bureau Asia’s three content material pillars and is entertaining and/ or instructional, then I’ll contemplate it.
16. How lengthy does it take to have one thing prepared for publishing in your platform?
How lengthy is a chunk of string? Lol. I create content material for a number of platforms from Instagram reels to 800 phrase articles for my web site to 45 minute podcasts to fifteen minute movies for The Bureau Asia YouTube channel. Put it this fashion, it consumes most of my time! A variety of time goes into developing with concepts, planning, researching, creating after which publishing. Creating content material for social media like Instagram and Fb is a full-time job in itself!
Generally items of content material are a chore and take a very long time to get to publishing stage, however then there are others like a latest article on my web site that I posted concerning the impression ChatGPT might need on content material creators like me within the close to future that took me simply a few hours to jot down and put up throughout my channels.
17. What’s the story that you simply discover most spectacular or attention-grabbing about Vietnam that has been featured on The Bureau Asia?
One among my favorite ones was about my mission to search out the whale cemetery within the small fishing village of Phuoc Hai north of Vung Tau. I didn’t write an article about it per se, however I documented it with video and talked about it on a podcast episode. I’d love to return and doc it once more, however correctly this time as a result of my filming and modifying has improved since then.
On that very same journey, I got here throughout the fishermen who pull their fishing baskets out of the ocean with tractors, I’d by no means seen it earlier than and due to my farming background, I had a blast watching them and chatting to them about their way of life. They have been utilizing very related tractors because the one I used to drive as a child on the farm, so that they acquired an actual kick out of me telling them that!
18. What are some values that The Bureau Asia has given you throughout your journey with the model?
Whereas I’d by no means advocate anybody take the trail I’ve taken to get so far, I’ve met some superb folks, made unbelievable buddies, gained entry to locations and occasions I’d by no means have normally gained entry to and I get to do plenty of issues that I wouldn’t be capable to do if I had a 9-to-5 job.
After all, the draw back is that it’s been a large drain on my private funds and I’m regularly questioning the place my subsequent paying job goes to come back from – which tends to be the character of the media beast lately, particularly for small creators like me.
It’s the exact opposite of my previous life, however I’ve caught to my weapons as a result of the very last thing I ever need to do is die questioning. I’ve learnt so much alongside the best way.
Not too many foreigners I think about undergo an entire profession change on the age of 40 in a non-English talking nation like Vietnam and in some way handle to outlive, which I owe so much to my spouse who backs me up, helps me and doubtless will get extra of a kick out of it than me watching my development in creating media.
The humorous factor is, I can’t think about myself doing the rest for the time being, regardless of the hardships, I like creating and completely get pleasure from it when folks attain out and inform me that they cherished a specific article or video that I printed.
I’m in a really privileged place to have the ability to do what I do, so I hope it continues however with a little bit additional revenue. That might be very nice!
19. The Bureau Asia at the moment presents on Spotify, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcast, and Fb. What’s your long-term imaginative and prescient for the platform? And, how concerning the plan for this yr in 2023?
I’d love for The Bureau Asia to realize higher attain all through Asia, in any case it’s an “Asian” platform, so with a purpose to try to obtain that, I’m working onerous at rising my YouTube channel and attempting to enhance with every video I produce.
I’ve a listing of video concepts that I need to get filmed as quickly as potential. I stated to myself initially of this yr that I wished to be extra in line with placing out content material on YouTube, the web site and the podcast channel, so that can preserve me busy for this yr and let’s see the place it goes.
I’m on a mission to get 1,000 subscribers on YouTube. I believe for the time being I’m edging as much as 600 which is superb. I’m amazed that just about 600 folks would need to subscribe to my channel, so I hope I can produce sufficient content material that’s each instructional and entertaining about Vietnam and the remainder of Asia that’s adequate for them to stay round and proceed following me!
Comply with me on Instagram @mattcowanasia
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