Vietcetera 2020 Summer Interns: 4 Locations, 1 Undertaking

This year's intern class at Vietcetera is like no other. We are scattered across the globe, with interns working remotely in Hanoi, Vietnam to New Jersey, United States. Despite the time zone differences, all of us are connected by the same undertaking: to bring Vietnam to the world, and the world to Vietnam to more readers.

Here, the intern class shares what made them choose Vietcetera, what they have enjoyed most interning at the company, and what advice they would give to future interns who will be in their shoes.

What drew you to Vietcetera?  

I was looking for a position to complete my internship requirement for graduation and Vietcetera happened to be at my college’s recruitment week. I listened to anh Hảo, chị Minh and chị Trúc shared about the company’s mission, which is ‘to bring the world to Vietnam and Vietnam to the world.’ That really resonated with me and aligned with what I want to do post-graduation. Guess what, I started my first day at work a week later. 

And kids, that is how I met Vietcetera. 

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace?

Young, open, we-have-so-many-snacks (it counts if it’s hyphenated)

What advice would you give to Vietcetera’s next year interns? 

Your biggest enemy is the Air-Conditioner, so bring stuff to keep you warm. 

Also, don’t procrastinate guys. 

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

You really have to put yourself out there and be willing to learn. Instead of flat out saying no, say maybe. And write down your tasks for the day, first thing in the morning. 

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take and why? 

I’d take anh Luận so he can lecture me on how unhealthy my diet is. It's true — I admit. 

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now?

I’m excited about going out for Lẩu (Hot Pot) with the other interns. Lẩu is great but lẩu with awesome people is even better.

Also strangely, despite everything that is going on in the world, I feel like this a great time to be alive, to be a Saigonese, and to be working at Vietcetera.

What drew you to Vietcetera?  

I was looking to intern at a startup, where I can get assigned lots of responsibilities. I’ve heard from the seniors at my school that at a startup, you are hired because of your skills, but you are expected to help with everything and take on responsibilities outside the work description. I was not wrong — I had been given so many opportunities to learn and grow, both in terms of personal growth and professional skills, at Vietcetera.

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace?

Young, Spirited, and Friendly. 

What advice would you give to Vietcetera’s next year interns? 

Don't be discouraged if you're not assigned a lot of work on the first few days. At a startup like Vietcetera, works are abundant — you just have to be proactive and look for them!

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

The biggest learning experience I had at Vietcetera was when I interviewed someone we were writing an article about. I realized that when interviewing someone, we can not just stick to our set of questions, even though they might be elaborate and well thought out, because often than not, the interview will go off-script, touching on topics outside our planned scope of interview — thus, we have to think on the spot and adapt to the flow of the conversation. That realization was hard, but by letting go of the ‘scripted' conversation I had planned out in my head, I actually enjoyed the interview much more, being more engaged in the conversation and excited to see where the conversation can lead you. 

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take and why? 

Chị Thơ! I absolutely love her writing style — it's so poetic, which is a nice break from the dry prose we find in most editorial pieces we see online at the moment. Also, she is the senior editor of the ‘Thưởng Thức’ (food) column so I would love to ‘break bread' and talk about food with her.

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now?

I recently attended a drag show hosted by Gender Funk in Saigon and I loved it. The show was an amazing space to be in, where no one passed judgement, and everyone — both performers and attendees — could express themselves however they want to. 

What drew you to Vietcetera?  

I have been an avid reader of Vietcetera since 2019, and have always look forward to the opportunity to be a writer for the publication. 

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace?

Warm (though temperature-wise, the office is pretty cold!), Supportive, and Funny 

What advice would you give to Vietcetera’s next year interns? 

Watch out for Guy — once you start a conversation with him, it will be very hard to stop. 

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

Honestly, the amount of food around the office has made me gain weight. The biggest lesson I have learnt so far at Vietcetera would be how to stop myself from the temptations of munching on snacks lying around the office when I don't have to. 

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take and why? 

I guess I can take myself out for dinner, and eat the two portions covered by the company? Jokes, I don't think I can choose any one person at the office who I want to take out for dinner — everyone here is so interesting and I want to get to know all of them. 

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now?

I live in District 10 and the food scene there is very exciting — the offerings are cheap and diverse. If you are broke like I am, this is the place where you should dine!

Phuong Anh, Video Intern | Source: Phuong Anh

What drew you to Vietcetera?

My friend works as an illustrator at Vietcetera so I actually started reading Vietcetera when I was following her work. I thought that the content at Vietcetera is so different from the other outlets in Vietnam currently. It’s a fresh breeze; a breeze that’s also informational and helpful to readers. 

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace?

Creative, Professional, Energetic. 

What advice would you give to Vietcetera's next year interns? 

I think that coming in as an intern, you can feel the surge of energy to be very proactive and do as much as possible. Being proactive is great, but taking a step back to listen and observe is important as well. I think combining these methods will help you have the most productive and rewarding time interning at Vietcetera. 

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

The biggest learning experience I’ve had at Vietcetera was when I got to write a script for a Bóc Term video. I got to participate in the workflow of making a video from the beginning to the end. I appreciate how Vietcetera’s content is held to a high standard and requires a lot of effort from the get go. Watching the video take shape along the way was an amazing experience. 

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take?

Mel (Trà). We haven’t seen each other in a while and I’d love to catch up.

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now?

I couldn’t go to Saigon this summer but I’m excited to be there as soon as I can.

What drew you to Vietcetera?  

Its professionalism. I remember stumbling into the Vietcetera website, and wondering if Vietnam has come this far. The interface was very pleasing to the eyes, and it's almost akin to any other prestigious news outlet around the world––take BBC or The Guardian for example. The contents were very Vietnamese-oriented, which is not to say any less mind-opening.

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera? 

Informative, Innovative, Dynamic.

What advice would you give to Vietcetera's next year interns? 

Work hard, but also play hard. The company encourages you to work diligent around office hours, but let loose after. 

Vietcetera also happens to be into memes, so prepare to become one.

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

The biggest learning experience I've had was about teamwork. I learned that everyone in the team has to contribute and puts effort into the product — editors, illustrators/graphic designers are all included. Thus, everyone is encouraged to speak up and give their input!

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take? 

I would love to take anh Huy out for dinner as he was my first and regular point of contact at the company!

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now?

Honestly, what concerns me the most right now is the fact that Saigon and Vietnam is about to embark on the second wave of COVID-19. Although I can't be with my friends and family right now, I really do hope our country will have the same energy and strength to fight through the hardships, just like last time.

Vietnam, stay calm, have a nice bowl bún bò huế and be ready for your upcoming battle!

What drew you to Vietcetera? 

I was supposed to go on an exchange year to Seoul as part of my Software Engineering program this summer, but then the pandemic happened. So when I had to scramble and find something to do this summer, I was introduced to Vietcetera by my friend M’s boyfriend N. I was told that Vietcetera is a Media company that produces content for local and overseas Vietnamese, as well as expats currently living in the country — so I thought it would be a perfect place to work and get to know Vietnam at the same time.

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace?

Lightning-speed moving, full of knowledge, cultivated.

What advice would you give to Vietcetera’s next year interns? 

Keep an open mind, and be ready to learn and adapt.

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

I learned about the importance of communication and a bit of Vietnamese slang with colleagues during lunchtime 🙈.

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take and why? 

I would probably take Guy — he has a great sense of humor.

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now? If you're not in Saigon, what's exciting where you're at?

I guess you'll have to read Vietcetera to find out 😏.

What drew you to Vietcetera? 

I would say Thy, an editor at Vietcetera, and a friend of mine. She was the person who drew me to the company.

I am not an active reader as I don't find reading interesting. That was before Thy introduced me to Vietcetera, however. After looking up Vietcetera Media on Google, I have been an avid reader of the publication since. 

Thy then told me about an illustration internship opportunity at Vietcetera. At first, I was hesitant as although I was practicing illustrating, I was not confident in my drawing skills. Not only that, I was afraid that my tight schedule and lack of art background would impede my ability to complete the tasks assigned to me. 

Thy nevertheless encouraged me, telling me interning at Vietcetera would be a learning experience, and would allow me to gain practical experience working in a professional environment. I took a leap of faith and applied — and now I'm here. 

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace? 

Proactive, Initiative, and Crazy!

What advice would you give to Vietcetera’s next year interns? 

Be proactive and try to communicate as much as possible. I would also like to say hangout with your colleagues and get to know them better — but as a remote intern, I never really had the chance to do this. 

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera? 

I always wonder whether my passion and future lie in graphic design or illustration. Although it has only been a month at Vietcetera, the answer to this conundrum has become clearer. Vietcetera and specifically Trà has helped me remember how much I love making art.

The biggest learning experience I had at the company would be realizing the importance of a supportive workplace for one's growth and improvement. 

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take and why? 

I honestly would like to take each of them out for dinner! I think everyone has their own stories and experiences, and I would love to listen to each and every of them. However, if I had to pick one person, I would pick chị Trà as she has been a great design supervisor. I really appreciate her for spending time and effort guiding me. 

So, you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now? 

The exciting thing about Saigon right now is that I am not in Saigon! Being away from Saigon allows me to step back and realize that the city is changing and developing so fast. I can't wait to go back!

What drew you to Vietcetera?

Vietcetera is currently at a stage where it’s growing really quickly and I felt that I could learn a lot.

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace?

Dynamic, Innovative, and Collaborative

What advice would you give to Vietcetera’s next year interns? 

Don’t be shy and get to know everyone on the team! 

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

The biggest lesson I learned at Vietcetera was the importance of personal branding and networking.

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take and why? 

I would take chị Trâm out for dinner. She has been a great mentor so far.

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now? 

With the outbreak of COVID-19 around the world, I'll say Vietnam is the best place to be right now in terms of safety. Before there was the second wave, I had taken the opportunity to get to travel domestically and explore the bustling food culture in Saigon.

What drew you to Vietcetera?  

I read Vietcetera’s English content when I was studying abroad and really liked Vietcetera’s food and culture content because it made me feel connected to what was happening back at home. 

What are the three words that best describe Vietcetera as a workplace?

Dynamic, Friendly, Vibrant

What advice would you give to Vietcetera’s next year interns? 

Get to know everyone!

What’s the biggest learning experience you’ve had at Vietcetera?

My work at Vietcetera made me realize that it is important to make connections with others, whether it be colleagues or people you come in contact with professionally. 

If you could take someone at Vietcetera out for dinner (expenses paid by the company!), who would you take and why? 

I would take chị Trúc (Operations and Strategy manager) because she’s been a really great mentor throughout my time here. We would definitely go have bún đậu mắm tôm some time in the future.

So you've spent the summer here with Vietcetera. What’s exciting in Saigon right now? 

Luckily, Vietnam has not been severely affected by COVID-19 for the past 3 months, so I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with Vietnamese culture through food and drinks. I got the chance to explore weekend festivals, which host everything from vegetarian/vegan food to artisanal craft beer.