“I think anyone who chooses to join TFV will have lots of space to do, to fail, to learn, and to rise again here. Without a doubt, our stories will overlap, but we will still have a unique experience with lessons designed specifically for each of us. If I have to name some common threads, however, I think we’ll all learn over and over again compassion for ourselves and for others. We’ll learn to appreciate the little joys around us, and even sadness when it inevitably comes. We’ll discover both our strengths and our limits. I trust that the right lesson will come at the right time. And I sincerely hope that whatever we do as individuals and as an organization, we will continue to do it not from a place of fear, but from a place of love.”
Thảo Hoàng (2017 – 2019 Cohort Alumna)

“It’s the connections, the connections that I have found between me and my students, my teammates, teachers, local people, and even with myself. The connection happens when I am fully present in each moment. Then, I can see that my mind is so wide open that I can discover and learn more about myself, the people and life around me. I have a feeling that, at TFV, we hold a space for each other to find a stillness from within that allows us to observe, to absorb, to feel, and to let the experiences we have on our journey fill us up. 

Each experience is a chance for me to reflect on myself, and the self-images that I have created. In my interactions with others, especially in places where the norms and perspectives might clash with what I have known, I realize that many times the conflict is not between me and them. Rather, the conflict comes from the tension between my own mental framings shaped by my past experiences, and my desire to observe, learn, and discover new things.
In the journey to discover, sometimes I need to step out of my comfort zone to learn ways to contemplate and respect the differences. I realize that there is not much difference after all. It seems that ultimately, deep inside, all of us want to love and be loved.
There is a need to balance between loving myself exactly as I am, appreciating all that have made me who I am today, and daring to lean into new discoveries to open my mind and my heart. That is a lesson on balance that I have learned, and hope to continue to practice each day.”
Linh Phạm (2017 – 2019 Cohort Alumna)