Cross-Cultural Learning: the Best Representative from Vietnam and Her Coach from Spain

The Buddies Without Borders Online Forum serves as a platform for global discussion, fostering collaborative dialogue on critical issues. The last forum that took place in January and February of 2024 was "Who Will Take Care of Us? Access to Healthcare," drawing participants like Nguyen Ngoc Ngan Ha, who earned recognition with the Best Representative Award, and her coach, Yohana, embarking on her coaching journey.

Ngan's motivation for joining was twofold: to enhance her CV, learning new skills and to explore her passion for health, especially mental health and human relationships. When she first joined the forum, she was afraid of how to communicate, work and persuade people from different countries, but her team was able to overcome this and work together very well. Through the forum's structured format, she honed research, presentation, and communication skills, guided by her coach -Yohana- and scorer -Miyu-. Ngan's journey remembers the transformative potential of immersive learning experiences, equipping her with versatile skills applicable beyond the forum. 

Yohana, drawn by her international background, embraced the role of coach to facilitate cross-cultural learning. Witnessing the talent of participants like Ngan, Yohana was fascinated by their capacity for critical thinking. Guiding Ngan through the forum, Yohana discovered the enriching reciprocity of coaching, refining her own communication and leadership approach along the way. 

Ngan's story shows how Buddies Without Borders helps people go beyond just their own countries and beliefs. Yohana's experience as a coach also shows how mentoring others can make everyone grow together. It's all about learning from each other and making the world a better place.