Time for the last missive—and some reflections from a layover in Seoul.

Up to two weeks before departure, I wasn’t even sure I’d make this trip. I didn’t even have flight tickets. I was overwhelmed by work, life, and the shipping of a beta version of the app, and I was doubting whether it was the right moment for something like this. But in the end, there’s no right moment—there’s only the moment when we choose to do things. And it’s up to us to make it right.

I’m so glad I decided to go. I had no expectations besides taking a lot of photos (I took 8,083 digital and 36 analog)—and I ended up stepping out of my comfort zone and into situations I never would have expected. I met so many kind and warm people who opened their spaces to me as if it were the most natural thing in the world. That kindness is what resonates with me most.

And it’s not just about Vietnam—it happened in Thailand too. Maybe it’s something about this part of the world, where capitalism and individualism haven’t fully taken over. Maybe it’s because people feel like active parts of their communities. Maybe it’s the food. So many things could contribute to this kindness.

As for these missives, this was a first run. An exercise in writing and editing. A way to reflect daily on what was happening outside—and inside—me. I’m glad I was able to stick with it and send them out, even when my eyes were closing from exhaustion. It’s a good feeling when you set a goal and manage to see it through.

And to you—thank you, truly, for tagging along. Knowing you were out there reading these missives was one of the things that kept me going.

You can subscribe to my general newsletter, if you’re not already on it. I’ll use that list to share news about future pop-up newsletters and upcoming magazines. And yes—the Vietnam magazine is definitely on the way.

You can also bookmark this link in case you want to go back and reread any of the missives, or if you missed the early ones. In this version there is a better photo layout and you will be able to see higher quality photos. I’ll upload everything there by the end of next week.

Join the Behind the Scenes Telegram channel. It hasn’t been super active lately, but it’s still a way to interact directly with me and get less polished, more spontaneous updates.

Now, after hitting send, I’ll delete this mailing list—and that’s it.

Thanks again for being here. I hope you enjoyed the journey.

Till next time,
— M