It’s been awhile, 4 years later I can say Vietnam has been better to me than I ever imagined. Even through covid there’s been bright moments, freedom and new opportunities. Happy to be entering the year of the tiger as the world hopefully recalibrates and reunites me...

It’s been awhile and too much has happened to really summarize so let’s make it visual

It’s almost the Vietnamese New Year Tết..time to clean, prepare, pray, cook and look to the new year. It’s family time here. For expats it’s a bit of whatever we choose but this year I’ve embraced it.. new job, new home, new hair. New beginnings all round. Leaving my...

Now teaching art in Danang in an intense rainy season Below are some images of Halloween, student work and minor flooding

Lockdown continues but all is well

A new wave of Covid is in Vietnam . Safe at home and on the beach a little ...bringing out all of the hobbies

Change is a mysterious thing .. hard to know when to embrace it and when to find more value in what we have in the present .. either way there’s magic and beauty

Heart is full. Happy and so very lucky to be back at work .. and absolutely exhausted but wouldn’t have it any other way! Also a little trip to Cham Island before school started again

Vietnam has been very proactive with coronavirus precautions. Uncertainty has settled in but trying to soften its grip by relaxing and realizing not much can be done at this point. I’ve opened my home to art students and that’s been really wonderful. We’re off...

A curveball has been delivered with the coronavirus motivating Vietnam to close schools to avoid as a precautionary measure for public health. Though it seems Vietnam has been very positively proactive it does leave students, teachers and parents in the unknown. We...

After a heart and soul opening 11 days in Bali everything seems to be in beautiful stillness. For a moment I was tempted to trade the chaotic streets of Vietnam for the jungle breeze of Ubud or anywhere amongst the trees of Bali. While that's still a possibility I...

Let's go to the beach , let's continue to cherish this lush landscape. Finding so much joy in breathing in the fresh air and moments

Decided the main goal in Ubud was trekking and set off in grey skies , seeking shelter under trees and in a cafe once the rain began . A wise person would potentially turn back but I was on a mission and made it to the top of the jungle trek just as the skies turned...

Met this gem while trekking in the fields. She tried to teach me Indonesian and we ended up laughing lots. She has 12 grandchildren! Gave me a chocolate snack and some oils to care for mama and papa in Canada ! Happy soul. Happy lungs . Happy heart !

As Vietnam began lunar new year celebrations I escaped into Bali's clear skies, mystic jungles, chaotic streets and charming cafes Exploring Bali feels like opening an intriguing gift

A time of year when a cool breeze passes over central Vietnam .. a peaceful time for a bit of rest and restoration

August and September are like another New Years for teachers Exhausting , challenging , fresh , trying , joyful all at the same time with plenty of beautiful moments

Whirlwind visit and a bit sad to leave. There's so much beauty in people and places here but something in the atmosphere just isn't the right fit...a bit heavy ..could simply be the geographic location - the southeast just feels right! But in this moment having two...

Postcard from Vietnam Back to Canada in two weeks for a visit

Ever get a bit rocked by life while finding a balance between humility and confidence , between letting go and taking action, between daydreaming and being present , between conviction and arrogance, between surrender and courage and towards grace? Finding balance...

fashion show production for a school year end celebration and concert

photos by Zaida @amazingly3dThe peace lily picture captures the bliss I feel in Vietnam. There's a way the breeze flows across my face when I feel at home. No possible way to explain or decide why that's happened here but taking a moment to seize and celebrate it...

Portraits by Zaida @amazingly3d Sapa is majestic , fresh and beautiful! As for Hanoi, it's hard to breathe there with the air dense with smog and humidity but the city oozes charm, history, character and resilience - it's hard not to love Hanoi even with all its chaos...

We discovered we're a short boat ride away from paradise photo by@amazingly3d

Beautiful , majestic , divine, serene

An in bed with bronchitis kind of week , text and image below vis Morgan Harper Nicholas

Simple moments and scenes, realizing more and more that life happens in small moments and it's fun to capture them not sure how I ended up here but grateful Also had some clothes altered on the street, and she ( the seamstress ) just might be the coolest!

On my way into the city I found myself thinking "why do people come here and why did I come here?" Bangkok can have a sleezy, chaotic feel and reputation but when you get into the heart of the city tranquil gardens, temples, bustling markets and beautiful food so...

Decided it was time to set up a home art studio and do more of what I love...teaching art! So much fun to set up and anticipate another new beginning

•Love is saying come, come, whoever you are... wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving it doesn't matter...• Rumi Perhaps to see all life as whole, complete, connected and worthy of love and belonging and to interact from that space is the truest form of grace. It's...

Daydreaming to the sound of waves and embracing some bold style

The sun has come out again after a slightly treacherous rainy season! The rice fields are now a rich green and Hoi An is lush with its soft colours against the clear blue sky. The haze from New Year's fireworks , incense and memorials has lifted and everything is...

had a sweet weekend with friends who happen to take lovely photographs.

In the North of Vietnam to explore and volunteer at two schools .. better in pictures than words

Busy, busy times leading up to the holidays with a high school fashion show , kindergarten performance and getting a new moped! Unexpectedly a little weary leading up to the holidays but all is well and I've had an exciting invite to go to Sapa to volunteer at a new...

Just finished the last hurdle involved in completing the work permit process in Vietnam temporarily exhausted and weary but enjoying how my interests and passions have really aligned in one place Some inspiration via Pinterest and a portrait from one of the longer...

And a little appliqué project

There's moments in life when it seems it was all "in the stars" On my last day of teaching in Saigon I walked into a cafe and 'Bittersweet Symphony' was playing - felt like one of those moments. Turbulent times often resolve themselves in ways that lead to a better...

Son Tra Mountain and breezy silk dresses it was a dreamy and windy early evening

Sometimes just as sorrow finishes dwelling within a crack of light reveals the mystery and beauty of life again. Puzzles seem to solve themselves and the shoulders lower a little Things are aligning here and I've found a beautiful yoga studio, some new people to...

Some days I feel enlightened and inspired by my journey abroad. Today was a little different. I headed to the beach to relax and ease my mind after a busy week and noticed the beach lined with trash from the ocean and waterways that flow into it. While it inspired me...

I love going to Hoi An to take in the artisan shops and studios, all the beauty and the street style. I forgot to mention that now I drive there on my newly acquired/ rented Vespa! I often think to myself - how did I become a moped driving, Reggio teacher in Central...

Walked into my favourite tailor shop in Hoi An and a woman working there said "tenderness" she then spelled it and wrote it down saying, "you are tenderness" so sweet! I then went for coffee with the owner and we sat by the river with chicken at our feet - such...

AThis week the children were so excited about water so we gave them an opportunity to paint with water outside. They were so engaged and calm! The water painting could also be a lesson in impermanence - like mindfulness meditation for young children! A reminder that...

So few words left after a busy week but all goes well and teaching is sweeter everyday as everyone settles in. Realizing that creating is as good for the soul as the beach and ocean waves. Trying to fill my spare time with both and a little city wandering to round it...

Learning so much from the sense based learning, pace, perception and sensitivity of toddlers. They have a way of tuning into their environment, who the adults in their life are and the beauty and possibilities around them. My heart seems to be guiding me back to the...

Moved steps away from the beach , feeling more relaxed already ... it's been full on and I was ready to have a space of my own

I've been teaching 8 hours a day, sometimes more and in need of a little rest so I headed to Hoi An for the weekend. It's pouring rain outside but I just managed to order chicken phỏ in Vietnamese after being here for a year - the server said "wow, thank you!" I don't...

Made it through week two of teaching Reggio Emilia Preschool, fashion design and art - the fullest schedule I've ever had and I'm going home to loud streets, and an unfamiliar home. Not bad but a lot to transition into. Spent just half an hour on the beach last night...

A few moments from the week

What a whirlwind this week has been! The good news is the class is ready a little weary now but ready to start settling in and truly adjusting to the time! Here's a little more of Da Nang

Missing Sài Gòn and it's undefinable charm It's not the nightlife I miss as I'm a bit of a hermit but the buzz and energy of the city. It's got this harmonious chaos. The honking is somehow almost in unison and the swerving of motorbikes is somehow elegant. The hope...

Had the chance to design a classroom from scratch as I'm at a school that's just opening ( on Monday! ) We have a Reggio Emilia specialist at the school and she's brought in beautiful resources and ideas! I feel like I've taken in more information and ideas than I can...

Feel like I'm sleepwalking through the days and yet to know the city but here are a few sweet moments

Jet lagged and swelling in the heat but happy to be back in Vietnam. Was so happy to see everyone I got a chance to see in Vancouver! Vietnam must be in my heart because as I arrived in Da Nang I felt "home." Just a couple of photos : settling into the my new...

A collection made and designed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Photography by Dayla Huong Pieces designed to drape effortlessly and feel as soft as water

clothes as soft as water and to make something beautiful - always the goals This year has been like a cactus garden at times - growth in harsh conditions! And yet it's been beautiful and I love Vietnam as much or more than I did day one Managed to schedule a...

The design side of life . Pausing to notice beauty and create. Remembering how good it is for the soul.

3 weeks left of this 11 month adventure.. thankful for friends I've met along the way and the places that opened my heart. I have a feeling I'll find my way back again. Plan : SGN -> HK -> SGN -> TPE -> YVR

this year long adventure is coming to a close ( for now ) and I'm savouring all the beauty here. The colours in this city are so dreamy and even the run down buildings find a way to be stunning ( it may be the flowers and vines that frame everything like fine art)...

Last day in Australia. Reflecting on the year and realizing how many beautiful places I've seen. Even with the lows and challenges it's been a rich experience. I'm feeling tempted to remain abroad to continue this path of exploring this beautiful world.

10 days in Sydney to see a childhood friend and see a little of Australia. Also another pause for fresh air, daily blue skies and nature. Life decisions and a final stretch at the school are looming but all is well and it's been a relaxing and restorative adventure....

A weekend escape to Otres Beach, Cambodia. A necessary visa run came just as I was feeling it was time to leave the city again. Feeling revived by salt water, fresh air and kind people

Results of exploring the tailor shops and cobblers in Hoi An

On the way to the beach

inspired to start the new year with a new collection and feeling revived and focused after the holidays! Seeing the countryside and a smaller town in Vietnam really opened my heart and the rice paddies really are as majestic as they seem in photos. There's something...

Cycled the countryside around Hoi An in central Vietnam and it was a truly heart opening experience. The landscape is so beautiful and the architecture blends right in making it so tranquil and harmonious. Hoi An in general feels quite idyllic as the consumer culture...

This place is so magical ! Artisans everywhere, ancient architecture, lanterns, beautiful colours and quiet streets! Heavenly

In Da Nang for a sweet Christmas with friends! Colder than anticipated but we pulled off Christmas dinner and a festive atmosphere far away from home!

so many nice moments and the holidays have just begun - feeling lucky and happy to be here Last few moments in Hua Hin, Thailand - big adventure getting home : full bus, no available train, taxi instead then a slightly harrowing motorbike taxi trip but made it to HCMC...

A break, a rest and some fresh ocean air were exactly what I needed and now the creative flow has returned

Thankful for the cool breeze, peaceful waves and fresher skies of Thailand. Surprisingly chilly actually!

The start of a little trip to Thailand so I can return with a business visa and begin the process of acquiring a work permit . Thailand is wonderful but it seems every time I leave I find myself thinking there's something special about Vietnam took me awhile to figure...