"Before moving here, I was based in Hawaii, working as a behavior analyst supporting children from military families with autism. It was an incredibly stressful job, and I knew I'd have to find a different path eventually because I couldn't keep that up forever. I'd always loved traveling, and after visiting the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam over three consecutive years, I absolutely loved Asia."
"In early 2019, I received a message from a retired military doctor who had moved to Hanoi. He and his Vietnamese wife had a son diagnosed with autism and were looking for someone to help teach and care for him. The timing was great: The offer came two months after I had visited Vietnam for a holiday. I thought, "This is a sign. It's time to go.""
"I worked with the family for four years, teaching their son after school and helping him develop communication and social skills. Learning Vietnamese was a priority from the day I arrived. That way, I could interact with and teach the boy in both languages, especially since he was growing up in a bilingual environment. I took lessons for about a year and a half to reach a decent level. My girlfriend, who's a Vietnamese teacher, helps me keep improving."
Travis moved from Hawaii to Hanoi in 2019 after accepting a job caring for a child with autism. He previously worked as a behavior analyst in Hawaii but sought a less stressful path and enjoyed travel in Asia. He worked with the family for four years teaching the boy communication and social skills, prioritized learning Vietnamese through lessons for about a year and a half, and continues to improve with help from his Vietnamese-teacher girlfriend. After the work ended he relocated to Da Nang, values affordable living, healthy food, strong community ties, and plans to remain in Vietnam long term.
Read at Business Insider
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