Nguyen Thi Bay, known as En, a 39-year-old dessert vendor in Hoi An, Da Nang City, central Vietnam, has gone viral on social media for speaking five foreign languages.
She sells traditional Vietnamese sweet soup, or che, and has been teaching herself languages through conversations with travelers, which has become a key part of her daily interactions.
En’s dessert cart has become an informal meeting point where food and language go hand in hand.
She prepares her desserts from scratch every morning, slowly simmering beans and lotus seeds to create her signature sweetness.
En discovered her passion for learning foreign languages through daily interactions with customers, and she carefully listened to customers and memorized words they used.
She wrote down new vocabulary and asked local tour guides for help, accumulating handwritten notes over the years into a working knowledge of five languages: English, Chinese, Thai, Korean, and Japanese.
Chinese and Thai visitors are particularly fond of Vietnamese sweet soups, while South Korean and Japanese tourists tend to sample them less often, and En learned basic greetings and common conversational phrases to make every visitor feel welcome.
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En’s warm personality extends beyond selling desserts, as she often gives directions to visitors, recommends scenic photo spots, and takes photos for tourists.
Her friendliness has earned her a loyal following, with many travelers saving her contact information.
En hopes local authorities can provide affordable, designated spaces for vendors like her, as a permanent location would give her greater stability and make it easier for visitors to find her dessert cart.
She once operated at a fixed location near Hoi An’s iconic Cau Pagoda but was no longer permitted to sell there after local authorities introduced measures to clear sidewalks, and she now moves between temporary locations, often setting up in front of private homes.
Sometimes, she has to pack everything up immediately when the homeowner returns, which is inconvenient for everyone, and this situation highlights the need for designated spaces for vendors like En.
En continues to serve her signature sweet soups.