✈️ 移居的契机与初衷：Travis Carrasquillo在夏威夷从事一份压力巨大的行为分析师工作，为了寻求不同的生活和职业道路，加之一直以来对亚洲旅行的热爱，在收到一份在河内的助教工作邀请后，认为这是一个“信号”，于是决定搬到越南。他认为夏威夷的生活成本高，并非长久之计，而越南提供了一个更具吸引力的选择。

🏘️ 越南的生活成本与日常体验：Travis Carrasquillo目前在岘港的生活预算约为每月1500美元，足以覆盖租金、食物、健身和旅行等开销。他认为越南的生活成本低廉，但绝非牺牲生活品质，而是提供了极高的性价比。他特别赞赏越南食物的新鲜、健康和美味，并指出在越南外出就餐非常实惠且充满社交乐趣。

🤝 浓厚的社区氛围与文化差异：Travis Carrasquillo强调越南社区的温暖、友好和紧密的联系，这与他在美国成长环境中的体验截然不同。他描述了当地居民傍晚在家门口用餐、在咖啡馆聚会等场景，展现了一种人与人之间更直接、更普遍的互动。他认为这种社区感是他在美国所缺失的。

💡 移居建议与现实期望：Travis Carrasquillo建议有意移居越南的人，在做出决定前务必亲自到越南体验一段时间，了解当地的生活是否真正适合自己。他强调了设定现实期望的重要性，避免盲目跟风，而是通过亲身经历来做出明智的选择。

Travis Carrasquillo moved from Hawaii to Hanoi for a job in 2019.Six years later, he's still in Vietnam and has no plans to move back to the US.He says the cost of living is affordable, the food is healthy, and there's a strong sense of community.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Travis Carrasquillo, 37, a content creator living in Da Nang, Vietnam. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I've been living in Vietnam for six years now.

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."

Hawaii never quite felt like home. The cost of living was high, and as much as I loved the landscape, I always knew it wasn't going to be a long-term place for me.

I moved to Hanoi six months later.

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.

When the work came to a natural close, I decided to stay in Vietnam and moved to Da Nang, a laid-back beach city in central Vietnam.

Hanoi is a nice city, full of history and culture, but the pollution is bad. When I moved to Da Nang two years ago, it was still very much an up-and-coming place. Hardly anyone was talking about it yet, but I knew it had a beautiful beach and good weather, so I decided to go.

It's the perfect balance: It has nice coffee shops, good gyms, great food, and everything you'd want, but it's not too busy or overwhelming like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

I live on the city side of Da Nang rather than the beach side because it's cheaper, and it's only about a 10-minute drive to the beach.

These days, my budget is about $1,500 a month.

That covers rent, food, my gym membership — even the occasional weekend trip. It's enough for me to do pretty much anything I want.

People back home know Vietnam is affordable, but they often assume "cheap" means poor quality. That's not the case at all.

Vietnamese food is incredibly fresh, healthy, and delicious. When I lived in the US, eating out was a rare treat. Now, I can get an amazing meal for about $1.50.

I still cook because I enjoy it, but eating out here feels effortless and communal.

People are warm, friendly, and there's a real sense of community.

For almost my entire time in Vietnam, I've lived in local neighborhoods. No matter what street you're on, most evenings you'll see families setting up tables right outside their homes in the alley and eating together.

People here spend time just sitting around, going to coffee shops, and hanging out with friends. There's a strong sense of community and connection that's missing in much of the US.

When I visited my parents in the Chicago suburb where I grew up this summer, everything felt very different.

The streets were quiet, the houses sealed up, and everyone was driving from one place to the next, so it felt like a ghost town. I liked the peace, but missed the feeling of simply seeing people out and about.

There are small things I miss — mostly Chicago pizza and my family. If it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't go back.

I love Vietnam, but I've heard of people who've packed up their lives and moved here, only to realize it wasn't what they expected.

It's important to have realistic expectations before making such a big move.

My advice: Don't decide to move here without visiting first. Come experience it for yourself, spend some time, and see if it's truly the right fit for you.

Do you have a story to share about relocating to a new city? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.