Hi, I’m Chi!

I’m Chi, a Vietnamese college student studying Communication Arts in Manila, Philippines—and apparently, moving to another country comes with a lot of “Wait… you guys do that here?” moments.

I created Pho Real? as a space to document my experience of navigating Vietnamese and Filipino culture. From food and language to family traditions, social habits, college life, and everyday interactions, I explore the little differences that make each culture unique—and the similarities that make them feel surprisingly familiar.

As a Communication Arts student, I’m curious about how culture shapes the way people communicate, connect, and see the world. Through this blog, I get to look at these differences from my own perspective while sharing the funny, unexpected, and sometimes confusing moments of life in the Philippines.