Annie's journey from Dusseldorf to Ho Chi Minh city - one step at a time

Today, Out Of Office’s own Annie Nguyen sits down with us to share her relocation story — and what timing! Annie has barely been in Vietnam for a week now, and we were keen to gain some insights from her fresh start as a nomad.

Though Annie hadn’t set foot in an office for years, relocation had to wait, taking the backseat behind early motherhood and a surprise pandemic hitting the globe. Now, finally, after four years of remote work and twelve years in Germany, Annie is returning to her home country, with her husband and two-year-old daughter in tow.

Annie is relocating to Ho Chi Minh City, which is not her hometown. She is filled with both the excitement of exploring a completely new place and a sense of comfort for being able to navigate around. We were able to catch a call with Annie shortly after the dust had settled from her recent move.

A move inspired by a dynamic region

When asked what prompted her move to Vietnam, Annie says, “I think there are a bunch of good reasons to move to Vietnam, whether you’re originally from there or not! Southeast Asia feels like the place where things are happening now. It’s dynamic and exciting, plus people are open and easygoing.

Sometimes, you have to trust your instincts. Germany was an interesting place to live in when we were young and wanted to explore, we met a lot of great friends but my heart never felt at home there. Things became decidedly awkward when our daughter (now two) started speaking in a language that neither of us understood.”

Preparing for the big move

Annie shares the extensive preparations that went into their relocation. “We have been preparing for the trip for months. The complicated part was all the work to leave in Germany; this included paperwork, administration, selling our belongings, and deregistration for all services.

What was particularly important to us was finding a good school for our daughter. As long as we secure a good school for her, we believe we can handle the rest. Currently, we're in an Airbnb, settling in, and planning to find an apartment soon. Overall, we’re taking it one step at a time.”

Overcoming challenges: Adjusting to a new pace

Facing the unexpected

Despite being her home country, Vietnam presented Annie with a mix of familiarity and new challenges. “Though Vietnam is my home, it isn’t the country I knew when I left. It’s hard to express how much has changed. Everything feels very familiar and unfamiliar at the same time — I’m essentially going to have to go through a process of reintegration.

Add to that that Ho Chi Minh City is so much busier than any European equivalent, it’s really a sensory overload, especially compared to Germany. I have a friend who told us in advance: ‘When you land and you realize you’ve really moved and you’re tired from the trip and you see how big and crazy this new place is, you’ll want to freak out, but it’s important you don’t.’ Turns out she was totally right.”

Taking it one step at a time

Annie and her family are approaching the transition with patience.

One. Step. At. A. Time. We don’t want to stress ourselves out to exhaustion or worry when we don’t have to. Every night, my husband and I sit and talk about all the things we’ve done that day, and where we stand in the big picture of the move.

We’ve also built a type of boundary for worrying too much — we’ve set a yearly deadline and made a list of things we’ll review when that deadline hits, but won’t try to judge in advance. That’s a lot of ease of mind for us and helps us stay focused on what’s essential.

We also regularly take the time to celebrate ourselves and what we’ve achieved. Praising small wins seems to become a good ritual for us to keep sane during this hectic process.”

Thriving in Ho Chi Minh City: Embracing change and support

Leveraging support systems

The move presented paperwork challenges, but Annie received substantial support from her company and colleagues. “The most challenging aspect of the move has been dealing with all the paperwork, which, as I've mentioned repeatedly, is a major hurdle when you're relocating to a different country.

I've been fortunate to receive substantial support from my company and colleagues throughout this process. They've been instrumental in arranging the necessary paperwork, and my team has covered for me during the move, allowing me to have some peaceful time off to settle in during the initial days. Having a company that offers this level of support has truly been a blessing, and for that, I can't thank CXC & the Out of Office team enough for being a lifesaver!”

Finding comfort in a modern home

Annie is pleasantly surprised by how modern and digitized Vietnam has become. “Even though I grew up in Vietnam, when you’re far away and most of your information comes from the news cycle, it can be easy to get overly focused on the bad things or develop a cynical perspective on how you expect things to be.

So when we arrived, we were completely blown away by how digitized and modern everything here is. Some of this stuff is unimaginable from a European standpoint, like being able to get money from the ATM using facial recognition.”

Looking ahead: Settling in and finding balance

Embracing home

Annie feels a renewed appreciation for her home country. “I appreciate my home a lot more now; I really, truly love it. I also feel much more comfortable and content — when I was younger, I had this idea in my head that I would constantly have to push myself and my boundaries to grow. Now, I’m much more secure in knowing what I want and need, and so having moved here just feels right. It feels like I’m finally back in a place where I belong.

I think there is a quote that sums up how I feel right now which said

Home is not where you are born; home is where all your attempts to escape cease’ – Naguib Mahfouz.

Balancing work and life

When asked to describe her hybrid working life in three words, Annie laughs and says, “Wow, three words is difficult, who wrote these questions? (Editor’s note: It was, in fact, Annie who came up with these questions months ago). I think I would say the big themes of our life right now include reintegration for me and adaptation for my husband and daughter. More than anything, it feels like now my life is finally about being myself again.”

Parting words of wisdom

Annie leaves us with thoughtful advice about the digital nomad lifestyle. “I think there’s this big misconception that digital nomads are all free-roaming, adrenaline-addicted thrill seekers. I think that’s not even a tiny bit true. Between all the administrative work and constant organization you have to do, I think digital nomads are probably the most organized people I know.

Moreover, after my recent move, I realized that I don't need as many possessions as I used to. I arrived in Vietnam with just two suitcases of belongings, and I've never felt more liberated and free.”