Latin America with Anonoz 

Anonoz, a Malaysian Software Engineer, shared stories from his digital nomad experience traveling and working in ten Latin American countries.

• Motivation and Preparation: His 7.5-month trip was inspired by his goal to become fluent in Spanish, which he practiced for a year on Duolingo before leaving. He recommends using the desktop version and typing out full sentences to learn effectively.
• Food, People, and Surprises:

• He praised Mexico City for its cheap and authentic tacos and its highly efficient public bus system.
• In Colombia, he found Bogotá to be very cold and his Airbnb had no heating. He was surprised that Medellín’s modern malls featured free co-working spaces, which he used daily.
• He found Peru’s food to be his second favorite after Mexico’s, noting the strong Cantonese influence in its “Chifa” cuisine, such as the fried rice dish Arroz Chaufa.
• He was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during a period of 100% inflation, which made everything, from steak and wine to public transport, incredibly cheap. He was also there for the massive city-wide celebrations when Argentina won the World Cup.

• Challenges and Advice:

• He was robbed at gunpoint by a group of six people in São Paulo, Brazil, and lost his phone.
• He stressed that knowing Spanish is essential to travel affordably, eat where locals eat, and avoid getting ripped off.

Modern Love in Vietnam with Lucy 

Lucy, a martech professional from Saigon, discussed how modern Vietnamese people connect and fall in love.

• Changing Marriage Norms: The average age of marriage is rising to nearly 30 in big cities, as young professionals prioritize careers and education.
• Rise of Singlehood: A “single positive” lifestyle is increasingly common, with nearly 3 million of Ho Chi Minh City’s 10 million residents being single. This has led to a rise in single-person households.
• The Role of Dating Apps: Dating apps are extremely popular, with nearly 60% of single Vietnamese having used one. Beyond romance, these apps are also used for professional networking, making friends, and even selling things like insurance or personal training packages.
• Government Response: The Vietnamese government is concerned about the declining birth rate and is trying to encourage marriage with incentives like $100 cash payments for couples who have a child between ages 30-35.
• Favorite Romantic Spots in Saigon: Lucy shared some of her favorite date spots, including:

• Nguyen Hue Walking Street for a casual walk and talk.
• Góc Hà Nội Coffee for its cozy, green atmosphere near the famous “pink church”.
• The ATM Cocktail Bar, a hidden speakeasy you enter through a fake ATM.
• She also recommended trying Vietnam’s famous egg coffee.