HUYNH Phuong An

Huynh Phuong An (Julia) made a bold decision in 2023 to leave her role as Communication and Education Manager at TikTok in Vietnam to pursue a master’s degree in marketing at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology with support from the AFLSP. Looking back, she describes this as a defining moment for her in more ways than one.

“I wanted to contribute to my city and my country in a bigger way, and so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself by choosing to study in a different region,” says Julia on her decision to shift away from a promising career path to study abroad. According to Julia, who was born and raised in Vietnam, her move was a countercultural one but ultimately proved to enrich her life personally, academically, and professionally.

As she immersed herself in another culture, Julia found herself reconsidering her perspectives as she developed a broader understanding of global and regional issues. “Being in Hong Kong and then in Shanghai for the Summer Program, my eyes were opened to a much bigger view of China beyond what we hear and learn about in Vietnam,” she says, adding that her appreciation for the importance of mutual understanding also grew by leaps and bounds. “When Ronna spoke to us at the Summer Program, she tied the current conflicts around the world to a lack of cross-cultural communication. The BXAI mission really hit home for me at that point, and I realized how important the work of the AFLSP is,” she reflects. “Many of my peers might become leaders in APAC or their home countries in the future. If we do not know how to communicate with each other now, how can we expect to do so in 20 years’ time when we are dealing with much bigger issues? At the end of the day, everyone wants peace and not war, and so cross-cultural communication is a vital tool to achieve that.” While interning at a local firm in Hong Kong, Julia was able to experience this first-hand. “I came across a difficult supervisor, and initially I was shocked by how different the work culture was compared to Vietnam,” she recalls. “But instead of shying away or avoiding the issue, I decided to stay open-minded and respectful while continuing to communicate with him, and it made a big difference.”

Julia is currently working as a business development specialist at a medical tourism company in Hong Kong that connects local patients with hospitals in Thailand and Malaysia. Her long-term goal is to eventually return to Vietnam, where she hopes to contribute to her city and country as she envisioned at the beginning of her AFLSP journey. “I look forward to bringing back all the knowledge, experience, and insights I have gained from my time abroad to support the advancement of industries such as tourism and healthcare at home,” she says.