Living in Manila has given me a new perspective on what it means to feel at home. Some days, home looks like a Vietnamese meal or wearing my áo dài at a cultural event. Other days, it looks like walking around Manila, experiencing college life, trying Filipino food, and becoming familiar with a city that once felt completely new.

These photos capture the small moments that make up my life between two cultures. From my everyday college routine to celebrating Vietnamese traditions, each photo shows a different part of my experience. I am learning that I do not have to leave one culture behind to make room for another. Instead, I can carry Vietnam with me while creating new memories in Manila.

Vietnamese snack eaten by a college student in Manila
A little taste of home in the Philippines.
Filipino meal at a restaurant in Manila
When Manila becomes my dining table.
College campus in Manila
Where my Manila chapter happens.
Vietnamese college student posing with a view of Manila in the background
Somewhere between home and my new home.
Vietnamese college student with friends in Manila
Finding my people between two cultures.
Vietnamese college student wearing an áo dài while participating in a cultural event
Carrying a piece of Vietnam with me.

By Thi My Chi Tran

Vietnamese girl + Manila college life = endless culture shocks. I’m a Communication Arts student exploring the funny, surprising, and sometimes confusing differences between Vietnam and the Philippines. Basically, I’m here to answer one question: Pho real? 🍜

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