Side effects of living an international life | Reflecting and processing

My dearest friends,

It’s been a very, very long time since I have posted something new on my blog.

I can say that 2016, so far, was such a crazy year full of happenings, changes and decisions.

I just finished my studies, travelled through Vietnam the first time (north to south), went to the US the first time and finally moved to Saigon and yeah, now I’m here and about to stay a few months.

And I already can’t see any end of these endless nights in this crazy and sleepless city !

Honestly, I love travelling and to be on the way, always wandering around in the world. I feel like belonging anywhere and nowhere. I finally realized that it’s both a blessing and a curse to feel home in the world. You have friends and family spread all over the world and it’s every time so hard to leave a place again, leaving the ones you love and wishing so badly they could just go with you.

This year I had too many of these situations.

Started with moving out of Heidelberg where I have spent the past 3 years building up a daily life containing my studies but also having an unforgettable time with friends who became family. I really love Heidelberg and it was truly the best decision ever to move into this city in 2013.

As beautiful as this time was for me, so hard was it to leave town and say goodbye. I never thought about how it will be if this all will end someday.
 It just happened, all of a sudden – graduated.

I can say that I was unprepared. Friends went somewhere else, started working, starting an internship, continue studying or just moved back to their hometown.

And me, the last thing I wanted to do is to start working or another Master programme, for now. Sure, I was questioning myself sometimes if it was a good idea as I was used to a daily life routine which gave me stability, somehow. I just realized that when I came back from Asia with friends and had kind of 2 gap months at home.

I knew that I will leave to Vietnam soon, living there for 3-4 months but something was different in comparison to last year when I went to Bangkok for 5 months. 

It just meant leaving friends and family again, even over Christmas and New Years Eve.

Perspectives have changed and I finally felt some negative effects of the life I chose to live.

Well, this post is really going into a personal direction but I think it’s okay to write it down and maybe (actually for sure), there will be people out there who feel the same.

These are the side effects of living an international life. 
Going, staying, and moving again.

Anyways, after so many trips this year I am finally in Saigon and it doesn’t look like life’s giving me any rest. This city is so vibrant, full of art, artists, events and many more things to do and explore.

I’m either in the office or on the way, out with friends…exploring the city… joining events – 24/7.

I might search for the beach soon, haha.

My future posts might be more personal than before but it feels good to type it all down and maybe a few of you will feel related to my feelings and current situation.

Of course, I will also feed you with pictures and videos, as always.

This for now and more to come soon.

Hugs and kisses,

Miny Van

Let's have some shots!

Heeeey meine Lieben!

Hui, das Jahr ist gerademal ein Monat alt und es ist schon wieder soooo viel passiert! Gestern hat das letzte Semester angefangen und jetzt wird es richtig ernst. Kann es kaum glauben, dass sich das Studium so langsam richtig zügig dem Ende naht. Ich befinde mich bereits jetzt im Abschiedsschmerz und versuche unter dem ganzen Unistress, der mir noch bevorsteht und all den anderen Plänen, die letzten Monate in dieser wunderbaren Stadt auszukosten.

Ich hatte jetzt 2 Wochen frei, war viel unterwegs und unter anderem auch in Köln, wo der liebe Önder Kacak mit mir geshootet hat. :) 
Das Shooting hatte sich ganz spontan ergeben und ich bin sehr sehr zufrieden mit den Bildern und es hat großen Spaß gemacht! Es war eine tolle Aktion und ich freue mich auf weitere zukünftige Zusammenarbeit.

Vielen lieben Dank nochmal an dieser Stelle. :)

Hier ist eine kleine Auswahl meiner Lieblinge vom 1. Shooting.

Es werden noch Weitere folgen von einem 2. Shooting, wo meine Beste ebenfalls mitgemacht hat. :)

Wenn ihr auch Lust habt, mit Önder zu shooten, dann kontaktiert ihn einfach! :)

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Wünsche euch noch einen wundervollen Abend und viel Spaß beim anschauen.

xxx, MinyV

Nice to meet you, Amsterdam

My Lovelys !

Just two weeks after the new year has started I decided to visitt Amsterdam with friends.

After Paris this one is my 2nd trip this year so far and it's still january, haha. Good start, huh?

Last friday I went to Cologne and then we headed to Amsterdam from there on. It took only 3 hours in the morning, so it was definitely okay.

On the other hand, what really was not okay was the frickin' weather when we arrived! It was so damn cold and windy I barely could stand it.

But when we brought our things to our accommodation and got ready for the day, the sun just came up as we left the apartment. :)

As none of us has visited Amsterdam before we actually had no clue and just walked a lot through the city starting from the hip area "De Pijp" where many nice restaurants, bars and shops are located.

We just soaked up the whole flair and atmosphere of the city while pounding the streets in Amsterdam. 

Here and there we just stopped by to buy food or other little things and of course, to take nice pictures.

First impressions that standed out to me were the numerous bikes on the streets! Wherever you are, there you will find people crossing the streets by bike. Oh, and cheese shops! A lot of cheese shops at every corner... and the cheese is nice! The Dutch people know how to produce it, which is perfect for me as I really like to eat tasty cheese mmmhhhh. :)

As Amsterdam is a port city, you will see river "Amstel" flow through the whole town and you will cross many bridges by walking through the city.

To me, the streets, buildings and their architecture remind me of a mix of british, parisian and venetian style. Very funny though, but somehow interesting and beautiful.

I think in summer Amsterdam is even more beautiful but this time it was very nice as well because to the low season there weren't as much people as normally which was quite convenient for us as we only stayed 2 days.

We crossed the shopping streets around the "Dam" which is the place in the heart of the city and near the central station "Centraal".

We had some nice hot drinks in a café in another trendy area which is called "Jordaan" and also visitied the Anne Frank House which was near that area.

I didn't know that it would take that long to visit that museum but in fact, if you really read all descriptions and take a look to every single floor of the house, it takes at least 1,5 hours to walk through it. I really wanted to visit the museum and it is definitely worth it because it touches you because the whole story and its background is based on nothing but pure innocent humanness.

It's different because this cruel part of history is mediated in a more softer, tender and emotional way.

In the evening we dedicated our time to the night spots of Amsterdam which also included a canal tour with the boat to see the Light Festival. It was very interesting to see all the figures that artists from all around the world created according to the this years motto which was friendship.

Oh and of course we walked through the red-light district. ;)

It was kind of fun to see it but I think nothing can beat my impressions anymore after living in Thailand, haha.

All in all it was a very nice trip and Amsterdam definitely is worth a visit! If there will be a next time for me, then I would like to see the city in summer season to spend more time outside in the parks and also on the bike, hehe.

How about you?

Another bucket list dot to set on the paper? I hope so :*

xxx, MinyV

2k16 let's go

My Lovelys!

First of all, Happy New Year to everyone! :)

I hope you had wonderful Christmas Days and a great New Years Eve with all your beloved ones.

This time I spent NYE in Paris at my friend's home.

I met her in Bangkok and she was kind of my best friend over there. I call her my favourite french girl, we had so many beautiful and unforgettable moments in Thailand which makes our friendship so special.

Funnily, she just lives in the heart of Paris now which is only 5 hrs away from my current city. 

It was very spontanously and I actually had some other plans but then I took the opportunity and just headed to Paris on the 31 of December.

I had some beautiful days over there and it was the first time I spent NYE abroad, fun fact because it was so unexpected (even though it was not that far away, haha).

Anyways, 2015 is over and I am thankful for every single enrichment that year has given to me.

It was a wonderful year.

Retrospectively, I can only smile when thinking back about the time. 

Strangers became friends, new places became home.

I traveled a lot in 2015 and I took so many opportunities which I am more than happy about and which led me grow in every perspective.

I don't understand people who are worrying about getting older.

I have never felt younger in my life than now with my 21 years.

2015 was full of emotions, happiness, joy, excitement and experience.

All the good and beautiful moments clearly prevail some of the bad moments.

At the end of the day, I am thankful. For everything.

So how about 2016?

For now, I am full of anticipation.

It looks like it will be an eventful year as there a lot of things planned. Graduation, traveling through Asia and America, moving to a new city which is unknown until now and so many little trips in between.

I am curious and I look forward to everything that is coming...

Of course, I will report about all the trips and let you know.

Motivation? 100% :)

2k16, let's go!

Hugs and kisses,

MinyV