Meet Thien An, a 20-year-old son of Daklak, a central mountainous province in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. Choosing to study Design at Deakin University in Australia, Thien An has set out on a transformative journey in a country he views as a place of freedom for exotic personalities to disclose themselves. Therefore, he sees Australia as the perfect place for him to showcase his unique artistic vision to the world.
The decision to study abroad wasn't without its challenges, particularly the emotional difficulty of leaving behind his close-knit family and financial concerns. However, these have only made him more resilient. On his studying abroad journey, he learnt to be adaptive with different life perspectives while balancing to preserve his own values, interests and goals through the process.
On his preparation before leaving Vietnam
I didn’t think much. Curiosity filled me more than fear. I knew that I would have to conquer lots of challenges ahead, and that was what I was curious about. All in all, I was pretty chill because I thought everything was temporary, so I was all ready for everything that could happen to me.
On his daily routine
Typically, I start my day by checking Outlook and WhatsApp, two main communication channels at my university and workplace. As each course only lasts 2-4 hours per week, I can spend time doing other activities, besides studying. For example, I often spend at least 2 hours hitting the gym four to five days a week. Literally, this habit not only keeps me fit but also drives more new friendships.
On what keeps him going
It sounds a bit negative, but I never feel complacent. I think it’s good for me because this way of thinking has been pushing me to try harder and achieve more. That’s the mindset that I bear.
For the biggest motivation, it’s always my family. I feel grateful for what they’ve supported throughout my growth journey, and of course, I’ll keep trying, reach higher goals and make my family proud.
On building relationships abroad
I used to be shy and found it hard to connect with people. But working as a retailer at Myer helped change that. Dealing with different customers every day pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me how to communicate and adapt. As I grew more confident, I started forming unexpected friendships—like my gym buddies and library friends. We’ve even teamed up to form a production team and create many artworks together.
On having an English name
I adopted my English name from the character Andy, the owner of the toys in the “Toy Story” movie. Additionally, Andy also sounds similar to An - my Vietnamese name so I think that's a great fit.
On the importance of nurturing creativity
From a young age, my love for art has been a defining part of my life. Words never felt like my best way to communicate, but through visuals, I can discover my true voice. That’s also why I chose to study design, where I hope to showcase my exotic artistic vision using the pantone of our childhood vision to the world.
On what he learned from studying abroad
When I started my first job at a Japanese restaurant, I made a lot of mistakes, like missing customer orders and struggling to get along with colleagues. Looking back, I realize I let my emotions affect my work too much. Now, I've learnt to stay calm and make better decisions in stressful situations.
The independent life of studying in a foreign country has pushed me, a once introvert, to go out there and get exposed to different people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
On how his outlook on life has evolved
Valuing the process rather than just focusing on the results is what I always bear in mind. Lots of times thinking about giving up, I now shift to see challenges as opportunities, whether in academics, friendships, or personal growth.
On dealing with challenges
Just like many people studying abroad, homesickness is my biggest challenge at the outset. The feeling of loneliness hit even harder during Tet holiday, especially when everyone prepared to return to their beloved families except for me. I often wondered, “What if I hadn’t chosen to study abroad?” These thoughts sometimes pushed me to consider giving up and going back to Vietnam.
It took me around six months to start feeling better and making more friends. Of course, now I’ve got used to everything here. I began to understand that my journey, though difficult, was part of my growth.
A word from An to other international students: It's ok to feel homesick, but I hope you will get over it soon.
On his hopes for the future
In Australia, especially in big cities like Melbourne or Sydney, job opportunities are pretty scarce; you can apply to 1000 companies and may hear back from only 10. I know it’s extremely competitive here, but I’ll try. My current goal is to establish a professional production house specializing in the film sector in the next 5 years.
Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, but I’ll keep focusing on my current development.
This or That
Movies or books?
Movies. I always prefer visuals to words.
Cats or dogs?
Cats, especially the Sphynx type.
Netflix or Movie theater?
Both.
Instagram or Facebook?
Instagram, I can show my real personality there. You can follow me at @ends_view to view some of my artwork :)
Text or Call?
Call. Sometimes texting can cause misunderstanding, so I prefer the other.