Stories from the Middle East

Have you traveled to the Middle East? Do you have plans to go? Do you have close friends or lovers from the region? Do you have any favorite movies, books, or music from this fascinating place that bridges the East and the West?

​We have a couple of friends sharing their travel stories and insights. Join us to share your own, or just drop by to listen and ask questions.

1. Phuong Ho is the founder of Inquisitive Analytics, with years of experience leading analytics and transformation projects across UK FTSE 250 companies and global insurers. She now applies the same systems thinking to Vietnam's agriculture sector, supporting more sustainable farming through better use of data.
   In 2021, she took a career break and travelled across West Asia and North Africa, inspired by Simon Reeve, Michael Palin, and Drew Binsky, and by Nguyễn Phương Mai's Con Đường Hồi Giáo — a book that challenged the assumption that bold, unconventional travel belongs to Western men while Asian women are expected to choose predictable stability. Starting with a 23kg suitcase and limited contacts, she earned access to overlooked communities through patience and trusted referrals, gradually developing a sharper awareness of privilege, narrative bias, and how lived reality often differs from conventional narratives..
   Here she shares photos, culturally layered stories, and a passion for the region's pop culture.
2. (Tentative) Huynh Phan will talk about her travels in Jordan and Dubai.

We will meet at a small middle eastern cafe in Pham Viet Chanh.