Jul 12, 2018 4 min read

Bethlehem-Center High School graduate Robyn Roux works across the world as a kindergarten English as a second language teacher in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Roux earned a bachelor of arts degree in global cultural studies in 2012 from Point Park University, Pittsburgh.

Roux, daughter of Sandy Roux of Washington, said she was inspired to move abroad by one of her professors.

“It’s actually because of a professor at Point Park University, Dr. Robert Fessler, and his class that led me to want to teach abroad – and especially to explore Vietnam,” she said. “In his cultural psychology class, we were watching a video of the seemingly chaotic flow of traffic in Vietnam and that imagery always stuck with me. I wanted to experience a way of life totally different than one I was born into.”

Roux answered some questions, via email, about her life in Vietnam.

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Washington and went to Bethlehem-Center High School, where I graduated in 2009. I attended college in Pittsburgh and moved to Los Angeles, Calif., shortly after graduating, where I lived for 5 years before moving to Vietnam. I’m currently 27 years old.

When did you arrive in Vietnam?

I arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam, in early October 2017. I originally was going to do a solo backpacking trip, but fell in love with the city and decided to stay and find a job.

Tell us about your experience in Vietnam.

My experience in Vietnam has been so amazing and beautiful. I’m new to teaching, and have really found it challenging but incredibly fun to work with the kindergarteners. They’re very sweet. The students love to give me snacks, draw pictures of me and give me hugs at the end of class. The biggest cultural difference that sticks out is the insane traffic mixed with the slow-paced life here. I now drive a motorbike in the lawless flow of Hanoi’s traffic, but it’s very liberating and fun. Vietnam’s a very safe place, the people are lovely and kind, the food is fresh and delicious, the coffee is incredible. It’s a very lovely balance between work and play.

What was the most difficult thing to adjust to?

I didn’t have too much culture shock because I was just ecstatic to be somewhere new and surrounded by a new culture. But Vietnam couldn’t be further from the way life is in America. It’s chaotic, loud, colorful, and there’s no where else like it. A big adjustment for me was the traffic, language barriers and putting myself out of my comfort zone to grow as a person.

What is your living situation?

I live in a 15-story apartment overlooking the city and the largest lake in Hanoi, West Lake. I have a roommate who’s also American. Most expats in Hanoi usually will live in a large five-storied French-colonial style shared home with other expats.

When do you plan to come back to the States?

I plan on coming back to the U.S. in December for the holidays and then return to Asia to continue working.

What do you miss about home?

The food! I miss shopping at Trader Joe’s, good Mexican food and my family’s homecooked meals. Also going on hikes and being outdoors.

What are your plans?

My future plans are to continue working in Asia for the foreseeable future, between teaching, freelance writing and non-profit work.

What should people know about living abroad? Would you recommend it?

If you have an open mind, an open heart, and want to push yourself out of your comfort zone, I absolutely, 100 percent recommend living and working abroad. It’s been the best experience of my life. You grow so much, meet people with other ways of life than you, form beautiful connections to others, and have experiences you’ll remember for the rest of your life that you’ll look back on and say, “I can’t believe I did that.”