The surprise in Vietnam made the beautiful Russian girl decide not to return home.

The turning point that made the beautiful Russian girl come to live in Vietnam

Born and raised in the beautiful city of Saint Petersburg (Russia), Valerie Darling (born 1993) once thought she would pursue an artistic career after graduating from a ballet school. However, she unexpectedly changed direction after a trip to Vietnam.

Valerie Darling first came to Vietnam in 2020, just before the Covid-19 outbreak. The Russian girl was therefore stuck in Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City when social distancing regulations were applied.

Valerie Darling - Russian girl who loves Vietnam.

Valerie Darling recalls: “It was a very difficult period, but I was amazed at how well the Vietnamese government and people took care of me. I will never forget the image of people bringing rice and vegetables to foreigners every day - it touched me very much.”

Due to Covid-19, Valerie Darling was stranded in Vietnam by accident, but when flights resumed, she chose to stay.

Valerie Darling only knew a few Vietnamese friends in Russia. She did not know much about Vietnamese history and culture. However, she gradually went from one surprise to another while living in Vietnam.

What surprised her most was the friendliness and kindness of the people she met, from technology drivers, neighbors, landlords to vendors, coffee shop staff...

She loves the way Vietnamese people think, even in difficult circumstances they always care about others.

Valerie Darling poses in traditional Vietnamese women's clothing.

"The community spirit and kindness of the Vietnamese people is something I admire so much. It makes me feel welcome. I have never felt lonely even though I live in a strange city.

Vietnamese people talk to each other as if they have known each other for a long time, even though it is the first time they met. It is difficult to describe in words, but I really feel that Vietnam is like a big family,” said the Russian girl.

Valerie Darling recounted many unforgettable memories over the past five years. One morning, she booked a ride on a motorbike taxi. While on the road, the driver suddenly stopped and bought her a glass of iced coffee.

“I tried to pay him but he refused. I was surprised and asked why, and he said: “I know it’s your birthday today.” I was deeply touched by the kindness of a stranger. The next day, I also bought coffee for another driver to “return” his kindness,” she shared.

Valerie Darling will always remember the historic days when Ho Chi Minh City and the people of the whole country celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country on April 30. She and many friends slept on the streets, shared fruits with strangers and laughed all night long waiting to watch the parade.

The girl loves traditional Vietnamese costumes very much.

The time she lived in Vietnam, feeling the friendliness of strangers, and blending into the bustling daily life made her not want to leave. Valerie Darling chose to become an English teacher to have a stable income and stay longer in Vietnam.

Valerie Darling said she adapted quite easily to life in Vietnam. From the beginning, she felt at home. Once she learned some basic Vietnamese phrases, she made more friends and connected better with people.

Learn Vietnamese systematically to settle permanently in Vietnam

At first, when her daughter said she would live and work in a faraway country, her mother was extremely worried. However, after her daughter took her to Vietnam for a trip in 2024, the mother exclaimed: "Vietnam is really beautiful and safe."

With the support of her family, Valerie Darling discussed with her mother about settling down in Vietnam permanently. The young girl decided to learn Vietnamese systematically by enrolling in a course at a university in Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, she studies Vietnamese 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. Valerie Darling's Vietnamese communication ability has improved significantly.

Recently, Valerie Darling started creating content about Vietnamese culture. Receiving support from people around her, she was inspired to spread Vietnamese culture to international friends.

Each region of Vietnam gives her interesting experiences.

Sharing about her hobbies, Valerie Darling said that she often goes out for coffee with friends and walks around the streets to practice Vietnamese. Life in Vietnam gives her a sense of relaxation and comfort, instead of the hustle and bustle of the past.

One of the Russian girl's favorite experiences was getting her hair washed at a salon - a service she had never heard of before.

In particular, she loves Vietnamese cuisine , dishes that cannot be separated from herbs give Valerie Darling extremely interesting feelings. She also does not hesitate to try vermicelli with fermented shrimp paste, and was once invited by a neighbor to eat porridge when she was sick... "Every time I eat Vietnamese food, I feel like I am at my grandmother's house, so warm and close", she said.

The girl feels lucky to have had vibrant youth years in Vietnam.

After nearly 5 years of living and working in Vietnam, the young woman realized that Vietnam is a rapidly developing country, offering many career opportunities. She feels increasingly attached and familiar with the city she lives in, proud of the important milestones of change here.

“I am very happy to have spent my exciting youth years with Vietnam. I still remember the inauguration day of the first metro line in Ho Chi Minh City, my friends and I queued for 4 hours just to try it out. It was an unforgettable moment and I felt very proud,” the Russian girl confided.

Photo: Character provided

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/doi-song/dieu-bat-ngo-o-viet-nam-khien-co-gai-nga-xinh-dep-quyet-dinh-khong-ve-nuoc-20251118171938817.htm