After decades of chasing the "American Dream," Kavi Vu, who fled Vietnam as a child, has found a new kind of freedom in her homeland. At 33, she made the decision to leave behind the fast-paced grind of the United States, opting instead for a slower, more introspective life in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to Vu, she came to Vietnam to “work less and observe more.” Working just 8 to 15 hours a week as a freelance creative consultant and videographer, she earns a substantial $11,000 (Rs 9.25 lakh) per month — a feat she attributes to her privileged position.
"I was able to significantly lessen my workload — way less than if I were living in the States," Vu told CNBC. “In Vietnam, I get to say how many hours a week I work, which I know is insane.”
For Vu, the US was a place of relentless hustle, where she constantly felt the pressure to optimise every minute. "The American dream just started feeling like it was dwindling, and I just felt like I needed a break," she said, recounting her decision to leave in August 2023.
Now, she lives in a $950-a-month luxury apartment in Ho Chi Minh City's Bình Thạnh district, complete with pools, a gym, and a spa. “It literally feels like I’m on vacation every single day.”
Her family fled their home country after the Vietnam-America war. They first settled in Florida, where they were one of the few Asian families.
As she grew older, Vu became involved in political activism, working as a freelance videographer to engage minority voters in Southern US states. But the burnout was real. By 2016, she was overwhelmed by the pace of her life. “I was juggling a million different things at once,” she said. “My brain was constantly churning.”
Returning to Vietnam has allowed Vu to slow down and reconnect with her roots. Life in Vietnam, she says, is far from the incessant hustle she had known in the US. “Life feels slow,” she explained, marveling at how people can spend hours in coffee shops, something she could never afford to do in America. “It feels luxurious to just sit there and ponder life.”
Not only has the move given her mental clarity, but it has also offered Vu a chance to better understand her family and heritage. “I’m just understanding my parents a lot more by seeing how they lived over here,” she said, noting how the distance from the US has brought her closer to her roots.
Now, Vu spends her time freelancing, creating content, and delving into her passion for poetry. Her move to Vietnam, which she once saw as a leap of faith, has evolved into a lifestyle of privilege and reflection. “My money goes really far here,” she said, explaining how earning in US dollars has made budgeting a breeze. “It’s like the best life hack.”
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