Discovering Maria

Hi, I'm Maria! 🌸 If you've found me on your own life journey, welcome! I'm so glad you're here. ❤️

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Sharing my experience with healthcare in Vietnam after waking up with a red, painful eye and struggling with screen sensitivity.

I visited a eye care clinic and the Japanese eue hospital in HanoiI. All details like exams and prices are in the video.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Vietnam Diaries 🇻🇳
Almost six months living in Hanoi, and this city has a way of revealing parts of me I didn't know were still there.
Hanoi has brought me both light and shadow.
It's a city that doesn't leave anyone indifferent.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Vietnam Diaries 🇻🇳
One of the things I find most challenging about living abroad is getting sick.
I've had very positive experiences with healthcare in Vietnam, but moments like these still bring up questions about home and familiarity.
Perhaps that's just part of the journey.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

𖣐 The more connected I am to myself, the easier it becomes to know what feels right. 𖣐

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

If you’re interested in the free ebook Cozy Places in Da Nang 🇻🇳, leave a comment and I’ll send you the link. 😊

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Traffic in Vietnam 🇻🇳 can feel overwhelming, but at the same time I enjoy just observing how everything flows so naturally, without tension… and everyone somehow finds their place on the road.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Posting on X feels like a monologue. People are there, they see it, but they just don't react.
It feels like everyone is watching from behind the tree.
Everyone talks about originality, but every day I keep reading the same phrases and watching everyone say the exact same thing

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Since I arrived in Vietnam 🇻🇳, daily I see children playing outside freely.
Is this the whole country, or have I just been lucky with the areas I've lived in?
Even here in Hanoi, in the middle of all the chaos, you can see it. Kids just being kids.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

I thought I came from a country that loved plants until I got to Vietnam 🇻🇳 and realized it is a completely different level.
Plants and flowers are absolutely everywhere.🪴

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

If a friend in the same situation came to me asking for advice, I would offer them a shoulder to lean on and a kind word.
So why is it that when we are the ones needing that support, we are so cruel to ourselves?

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

🇻🇳 Hanoi Diaries
Going to the gym is already a challenge when I have never had a sports routine in my life.
But doing it in this heat and humidity is something else entirely.
Hanoi, you are killing me.
📸Arturo EG

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Hanoi diaries 🇻🇳
It’s getting really hot here in Hanoi.
They promised rain and extreme heat for the summer, but so far it’s just been very hot.
At least the sky has been very blue and beautiful lately, and the air quality has been good.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

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One of the first things that caught my attention when I moved to Vietnam was the way people use public spaces. In many countries I’ve visited, it was hard to find accessible places where I could just sit and take a break.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Hanoi diaries 🇻🇳
Before moving to Vietnam, I would never walk into alleys like these in Portugal, especially in the evening.
But in here it is so different.
Have you ever experienced alleys like this somewhere else in the world?

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

I’d been curious about this bread for a while and finally tried the so-called Bánh mì sữa chua or yogurt bread. 😅
I got confused and thought it was coconut bread, but it turned out to be yogurt filling instead… and I have to admit, I wasn’t a big fan of the texture.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Vietnamese coffee is so strong, and since I’m very sensitive to caffeine, I ended up exploring other drink options instead.
Here are some of them, if you are trying to avoid coffee here in vietnam.🇻🇳

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

This is something I only noticed after moving to Vietnam.
I had to make adjustments, especially when ordering things online; it is important to read the reviews and check sellers just to make sure the products are authentic.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Living in Vietnam has brought many unexpected adjustments. These experiences offer insights into the realities of expat life and what it truly means to be moving to Vietnam. For anyone considering moving abroad, understanding these nuances can certainly help. 👇

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

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My definition of perfection: coffee, cats, and books.

[Discovering Maria @DiscoverinMaria]

Children are still such a visible part of daily life in Vietnam. In this video, I talk about what I’ve seen in both Da Nang and Hanoi and how different it feels to live in a country with a high birth rate, where children are present in everyday life. 👇