I’m writing this letter from the coastal city of Da Nang, Vietnam, in a cafe where I’ve accidentally ordered a 500,000 VND ($20 USD) cup of coffee.

I saw a fancy looking space where I could get the laptop out to do some work, and didn’t realise I ended up ordering the fanciest, rarest bean of Columbia.

The coffee took the barista about 15 minutes to craft, and then they sat down with me for 15 minutes, showing photos of the origin of the bean, explaining the mouthfeel, and essentially giving me a “wine tasting” experience, for what I thought was going to be an americano.

Did I not understand what she was saying when she repeated the price three times? Yes.

Did I froth getting explained how I should be noticing notes of Rockmelon as the coffee went from “hot” to “warm”? Yes.

I also feel pretty performative and rich right now sitting here writing with a $20 cup of rare-earth coffee.

[halfway through my coffee now. $10 to go.]

This is one of my favourite things about travelling.

Making errors and embracing them. Laughing to yourself when you attempt to speak the local language. Making a bit of a fool out of yourself, then remembering that no one in this country knows who you are.

Like a kid in a sandbox — a new, open map to explore.

So much of our identity lives within the streets around our home. We are known as “good old Sam” who does x, and is usually talking about y…

There’s an underlying expectation about who you’ll show up as each day, because back home, everyone knows you as a certain person.

When you go somewhere completely new, that version of you can change. It’s a fresh slate. No one knows your quirks, interests, or how extroverted you are.

[3/4 through my coffee]

This isn’t to implore you to pretend to be an entirely different person at each city you visit, and lose all sense of self / authenticity…

But why not roll into the random bar and order a negroni and sit mysteriously on your own?

Why not hire a surfboard and give it a go, instead of how you’d worry people would make fun of you back home for it?

Why not strike up a conversation with someone while you’re on exchange, something your “back home self” would be “too introverted” to do?

Why not take your final sip of an insanely expensive cup of joe that just tastes like a long black, and act like it was the plan all along when the barista comes back and asks how it was?

You don’t have to be the person you were 5 minutes ago.

Don’t be afraid to test a different side of your personality and see what happens.

This life of ours is too short to be spent saying “I can’t” and “that’s not me” to the things that are a little scary.

That’s why I’m solo for a week in Vietnam. Life is simply too short for me to not do the things I want, and to continue to push for discomfort and uncertainty. It’s where the magic lives. Not in the known, but in the embracing of the unknown — putting your palms out open, and being open to whatever happens with a wide grin on your face.

Hope you do something fun, mysterious, performative, or just a little bit different for yourself today.

You deserve it.

Don’t think this requires an explanation. I don’t listen to much pop but Olivia Dean you have my soul.

Been trying to expand my understanding of Philosophies beyond Rote learning — Actualized.org is an amazing place to go.

Did this one on a beach walk early this morning. Sometimes I struggle to settle into these while moving, but this one was insane.

Enjoy the journey this upcoming week :)

— Sam

ps: reply to this letter with any thoughts, stories or feedback, and I’ll be sure to get back to you!

pps: if you’re a videographer, you can level up your quality of colour grading here