MY HOMELAND AND HOMES

In Vietnam, I am probably one of many people who have a homeland and other places to call home. In fact, the countryside does not have enough job opportunities for everyone. Therefore, those who attend universities often find a way to stay in cities to pursue better careers and opportunities.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with this because it happens everywhere – people migrate, adapt, and build their own paths through entrepreneurship.

My Homeland

I was born in February 1974, and my homeland is in Thanh Mien District, Hai Duong Province (now merged into Hai Phong City). This is a typical province in Northern Vietnam. I lived here for the first twelve years of my life, and the photo below was taken in my hometown in November 2016.

I love this place because it is peaceful, quiet, and full of childhood memories. These were the first twelve years that shaped who I am today.

Unfortunately, my father sold this house, and now I only return to visit relatives on special occasions such as Tet (Vietnamese New Year), weddings, and funerals.

My Second Home

In 1986, my family moved to Chi Linh District in the same province. This is a hilly area that was once famous for its tea plantations and primitive forests. It was here that I developed my passion for riding on mountain roads and discovered my sense of adventure.

The area has beautiful lakes, rivers, streams, forests, and, of course, very friendly people. However, I only lived here for four years before moving to Hanoi to attend university.

Many of my friends still live here, and the photo below was taken in May 2016 when I returned to visit this second home.

My Third (Permanent) Home

In 1990, I entered my first university and was trained to become a teacher. However, I found teaching a little boring, and three years later, I started working in tourism.

The early 1990s was a special time in Vietnam, as the country opened its doors to the outside world after the Doi Moi (reform) policy. There were not many foreign travellers at that time, but luckily, I had many opportunities to communicate with native English-speaking visitors. This helped me improve my English skills and supported my studies greatly.

I graduated in mid-1994 and almost became a policeman. Before accepting the job, I thought carefully and decided to continue with tourism because I found it more interesting and enjoyable. Honestly, I was probably not serious enough to become an officer!

I love the older Hanoi, like the city shown in the photo below taken in 2009.

After six years of working in classic tours, I became bored and started looking for a new direction. I then worked for a motorbike tour company for four years. However, our ways of thinking were very different, and I did not feel I received enough respect from the owner, so I decided to leave.

In addition, my former boss was a French Vietnamese who had lost much of his Vietnamese cultural background. In late 2006, I started my own company – Offroad Vietnam. At the beginning, I did almost everything myself, from creating websites and running the office to maintaining motorbikes, together with a friend from university.

Later, I found better business partners, and together we have achieved great success.

I now live on the eastern bank of the Red River in Bo De Ward (former Long Bien District), Hanoi. It is probably one of the best places for real living in this busy city. In fact, it is not far from the Old Quarter – only about 3km away.

Homeland – My family

I married a lovely wife from Hanoi, and she has supported me greatly in both my work and daily life. She is two years younger than me. We have two sons, born in 2003 and 2011, and both of them are wonderful.

I love my family deeply, and I would do anything for them. In return, they support me in my business, helping me share adventures on two wheels with people from around the world.