Rakhат was born and spent her childhood in the Jeti-Oguz district of the Issyk-Kul region. After obtaining a higher education in Bishkek, she worked as a teacher. However, three years ago, she decided to change her life and, along with her husband and two daughters, moved to Vietnam to start a business.
“My younger sister has been living in Nha Trang for ten years and successfully manages a restaurant, so she invited us to join her. I worked at a school in the capital, and my husband worked at the airport. We decided to move because we have always loved traveling and wanted to realize our dream,” Rakhат shared.
From the very beginning, the local residents supported the family, which allowed them to open a café and gain regular customers within three years. Rakhат's daughters are studying at an international school in English.
“When we first started, it took a lot of effort, but it was very beneficial mentally. There is much to learn from the Vietnamese in terms of human values. Here, people are simple, patient, and respect each other. Even the wealthy and officials remain accessible. There is no aggression,” she shared.
Rakhат noted that she feels comfortable moving around the city on a motorcycle, and even in traffic jams, drivers show mutual respect. “I was afraid to drive in Bishkek, but here I feel confident,” she added, talking about the patience of the locals even in flood conditions.
Neighbors and Rakhат's coworkers have also become good friends for her.
“I see many positive aspects of tourism here and want Kyrgyzstan to be the same, as our country is magnificent. My husband and I hope to contribute to the development of the tourism industry in the future. It’s encouraging to see the growth in the number of Kyrgyz people vacationing in Vietnam over the past two years,” she said.
“Once, a fellow countrywoman who came to Nha Trang noticed: ‘Everyone here smiles and treats people very kindly.’ It was nice to hear. If every tourist takes such impressions with them, society will surely change,” Rakhат added.
Together with her husband Chyngyz Kadyrkulov, she dreams of returning to her homeland and contributing to the development of mountain tourism.
“We strive to absorb all the best here to implement our ideas,” the Kyrgyz woman concluded.
