Pham Minh Thien, 27, is also known by the nickname ‘ Peter Pham’. He is an English teacher in Da Nang and is also the founder of the Da Nang Meetup where foreigners in Da Nang can gather for their integration into local communities in order to learn about Vietnamese culture and people.

Pham Minh Thien (first on the top row, from the left) regularly organizes events to provide the opportunity for members of the Da Nang Meetup who are local residents and foreigners to meet and exchange for mutual understanding.

Thien has become an English teacher after getting a bachelor's degree in English for Tourism Studies at the Da Nang University of Foreign Languages. During his teaching process, he noticed that his students had a slow absorption rate while studing English due to a lack of opportunities to practise their English with a native speaker. Meanwhile, many foreigners living and working in Da Nang find it difficult to explore local culture. Therefore, the DaNang Meetup aims to bring locals and expats in the city closer together for mutual understanding.

Established in April 2022, the DaNang Meetup has organized numerous exchange  and community activities for its members. In particular, a language exchange event or cooking event for Vietnamese traditional food is held once every two weeks. Such event will provide the opportunity for foreigners in Da Nang to meet with local people to learn about the culture of Da Nang and that of Viet Nam as a whole, Mr Thien says.

“Apart from events for foreigners to learn about local culture and exchange language with local people , the DaNang Meetup regularly conducts practical and meaningful activities for its members to help poor and underprivileged children in addition to undertaking beach cleanups with the aim of reducing litter and protecting our ocean. Da Nang is one of Viet Nam’s best destinations for expats to live and work. Apart from Da Nang’s beautiful landscapes and its fantastic and rich cuisine, the reputation of local residents being friendly and hospitable is becoming a major factor in attracting foreigners to the city. I hope that the establisment of the DaNang Meetup will convey a good image of the city to international friends”, Thien says.

One of the most important purposes of the DaNang Meetup is to remove language barriers to ensure the best communication between Vietnamese people and foreigners. Especially, the focus is paid to helping Vietnamese young people overcome their fear of speaking English, and encourage them to confidently communicate with foreigners who are living and working in Da Nang.

Thien highlighted the importance of removing language barriers in communication in helping connect Vietnamese young people with other people and cultures around the world as well as helping them get more opportunities in life as English language is considered to be a Communication Bridge to connect with people from different cultures around the world.

People traveling into new countries come across new ways of living, new people, and different cultures. Pham Minh Thien is learning new things from traveling abroad. Till date, he has visited 9 countries in Asia and is preparing for a two-month journey to explore 6 other countries in November. The new things that Thien comes across while travelling help him step outside of his comfort zone to maximize his growth and success.

Thien unveiled his long-term goal of developing the DaNang Meetup in a stronger manner. He hopes that more people will join the DaNang Meetup as companions and co-organizers to organise activities in a regular and diverse way in order to realise his goal.

Reporting by GIAO THUY – Translating by H.L