My new life in Soc Trang

After my thesis defense in August, i went to Soc Trang, a coastal province in Mekong Delta, in the South of Vietnam to work for the project on management of natural resources. I have been so excited of the 2 years ahead.

I had to find a house to rent and settle down, beginning of a new life. My life here is somehow of a minimalist as i’ve only furnished it with some basic things enough for a single person. I visit my parents in Ho Chi Minh city once to twice per month (it takes 5 hours by bus from Soc Trang to HCMC).

I’m blessed that i have a good team at work, with nice colleagues and a great boss. Dr. Klaus, our boss (or CTA, the Chief Technical Advisor), is like our father, careful and considerate. He had been working for 10 years in Africa, 5 years in Cambodia and so far nearly 5 years in Vietnam. I’ve learnt much from him, both in life and work. He always encourages me to become more confident.

Our technical team includes 3 Germans, Dr. Klaus, Bianca (the Technical Advisor), Max (the intern) and 2 Vietnamese, AD (Dung) and me. We also have Mrs. Kieu (the accountant), Nhung (the translator), Mrs. Thuy (the general administrative) and Mr. Binh (the driver), all are Vietnamese. So we are 9 in total.

The advantage of such a small city like Soc Trang is that everything is in a “walkable” distance. Everyday i ride bicycle from home to our office, which takes only 5 minutes. At lunch time, Bianca, Max, AD and me, 4 of us often go to eat in vegetarian restaurants. Sometimes, Nhung joins us, too. Outside of work, we also have some activities together such as playing shuttlecock, singing karaoke, celebrating birthdays of each member in the staff, going out to cafe and watching movies in our own-created “cinema” with office projector and speakers... I hope that after Max coming back from Germany, we can restart again our Vietnamese lessons.

More on our project's activities you can see on our official website and our group blog. I enjoy my work and life here in Soc Trang very much as it is quite diverse and interesting, though there are still many challenges. The most important thing, as i’ve said, which makes me like to live here is the nice team we have...

Moon river

Moon river, wider than a mile...
I'm crossing you in style someday
Oh, dream maker, you heartbreaker
Wherever you're going, i'm going your way
Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, waiting round the bend
My huckleberry friend... moon river, and me

Delphine: I was so happy to see you again. It was like a dream...
Nightingale: It was no dream, Delphine.



"My goal was not to have huge luxuries. As a child, I wanted a house with a garden, which I have today. This is what I dreamed of. I’d never worry about age if I knew I could go on being loved and having the possibility to love… So it isn’t age or even death that one fears, as much as loneliness and the lack of affection."

– Audrey Hepburn 

Audrey's favorite poem - 'Time Tested Beauty Tips' by Sam Levenson 

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived,  reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.
Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the  figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!"