The Hidden Struggles of Navigating Multiple Cultures | Phuong Anh S14 E4

"I didn’t know I was Vietnamese or Asian until I looked in the mirror — because I only saw my friends, and I saw my reflection in them." — Phuong Anh

I had a chance to talk to Phương Anh, someone I met at an Overseas Vietnamese networking event here in Saigon. What struck me about Anh right away was the richness of her perspective — having grown up in Berlin after moving there from Saigon at the age of 8, then spending time in the US, and now returning to Vietnam.

This episode is all about identity, belonging, and the culture shocks that come with living between worlds. Anh shares her incredibly candid experiences growing up in Germany, how she reconnected with her Vietnamese heritage, and what it’s like navigating Vietnamese society now with a “German attitude.”

I found this conversation eye-opening, heartfelt, and at times hilarious — especially when we got into German bread vs Vietnamese rice, or Vietnamese CCTV.

5 Key Talking Points

1. Growing up Vietnamese in Berlin
   Anh moved to Germany at age 8 and didn’t realize she was “different” until much later. 
2. The power of cultural contrast
   We compared German directness, Vietnamese community warmth, and American friendliness.
3. Returning to Vietnam and facing reverse culture shock
   Now back in Saigon, Anh shares how her Western mindset sometimes clashes with local norms — especially when working with contractors or navigating gender roles.
4. Navigating multiple languages and identities
   How Anh speaks German, English, and Vietnamese — and thinks in all three.
5. Marriage to an American and global perspective

Chapters & Timestamps

• 09:00 – Life in East Germany post-Berlin Wall
• 16:00 – Growing up without a Vietnamese community
• 22:30 – Returning to Vietnam & being ‘too German’
• 26:00 – Language barriers between German & Vietnamese
• 33:00 – Why she moved back to Vietnam
• 43:00 – Being married to an American

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This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.

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The full list of winners is here. 

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