Hello Chôm Chôm Community!
We want to introduce you to Agathe, the creative person who made your beautiful French travel journals. She recently created an innovative design for the travel journal we invited you to vote for on social media.
Let us learn and discover more about Agathe and her work at Chôm Chôm Travel.
1. WHO IS AGATHE?
My name is Agathe, and I am a part of the Travel Journal team at Chôm Chôm Travel. I was born in the city called Amiens, which is located in northern France. Since I was a little girl, I have lived in my hometown with my family. I adore my city so much as there is so much to discover and see.
I earned a three-year degree in Applied Foreign Languages in June 2022 and desired international work experience. So when I found out about this internship in Vietnam, it grabbed my attention.
2. WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE VIETNAM AND CHÔM CHÔM TRAVEL?
This all began when Marion, my older sister, expressed her interest in Vietnam and decided to come to Vietnam for a 5-month university programme. I wished to travel there with her.
I contacted a friend of mine who is currently living in Vietnam. Amazingly, she connected me with Dorothée, the founder of Chôm Chôm Travel, who was seeking an internship to make French travel journals. What a stroke of luck!
After learning about Chôm Chôm Travel on the website, I was so inspired by the spirit of this young company that I decided to apply for the position.
Dorothée explained more about the company and gave me a storytelling assignment to evaluate my writing skills in the interview.
Happily, I moved to Vietnam with my sister on the 1st of October 2022 and officially joined Chôm Chôm Travel as an intern and member of the Travel Journal team.
3. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT CHÔM CHÔM TRAVEL?
At Chôm Chôm Travel, I am mainly responsible for customising the French travel journals we prepare for travellers who arrange a trip with us.
This travel journal gives travellers a general understanding of the destinations they will visit, some tips, so they know how to prepare well before the trip and information to keep track of all activities during their journey.
I am also in charge of the company's communication tools, such as creating brochures and videos for social media.
I genuinely enjoy my job at Chôm Chôm Travel. Every time a traveller expresses how much they love the travel journals I created, especially for their adventure, I am ecstatic.
The working environment is young and dynamic, and as a start-up company, I can quickly see the fruits of my labour and efforts.
I appreciate how the company personalises trips off the beaten track and away from the tourist sites. By hosting travellers in the homes of locals, we create unique and unforgettable memories for the travellers and support the local economy.
4. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING A PART OF THE CHÔM CHÔM TEAM?
The team is multinational, young, and energetic, allowing me to practise English with my
teammates.
I'll never forget the November company trip we went on together. We travelled 4 hours from Ho Chi Minh City and spent two days in the Mekong Delta. The entire team slept in a small family house on the waterfront, where locals showed us their daily life. It was incredible how the experience brought us all together.
I didn't anticipate time to fly by so quickly when I joined Chôm Chôm Travel. Dorothée, my Internship Supervisor, knew how to integrate me into the company.
Dorothée always ensures that everyone on the team is integrated correctly inside and outside the agency. She does this by setting up meetings out of the office, inviting us to restaurants, and even awarding gifts for Christmas. I find these gestures very important in a company because the workplace atmosphere is a crucial element of productivity, and Dorothée takes care of it perfectly!
5. HOW IS YOUR EXPERIENCE IN VIETNAM?
What I like most about Vietnam is the kindness of the locals. They are truly kind to me, and even if some of them are intimidated by seeing foreigners, they are always offering a helping hand to help me in case of problems. Vietnamese people make my journey even more beautiful and authentic!
During the last three months in Vietnam, I discovered an exciting culture and a way of life utterly different from my one in France! I could leave my comfort zone by moving to the other side of the world, and I learned to manage independently. This experience makes me grow every day.
This experience abroad is super educational! Every day, the internship teaches me about my personality and interests. I can learn more about who I am and what I want to do in the future.
I discovered that I have a strong interest in marketing. I've always wanted to work in tourism, and this internship confirmed my intuition.
Last but not least, I get the wonderful opportunity to have an unforgettable experience with my sister while also gaining professional experience through this internship.