Rosanne Lee arrived in Vietnam when HCMC’s streets were filled with bicycles and evening blackouts were a routine occurrence. Nearly three decades later, she has made the country her home, founding Mandala Wellness and weaving together global health practices with Vietnam’s own healing traditions. The Saigon Times: You came to Vietnam in the mid-90s — what was it like stepping into HCMC back then? Rosanne Lee: I had a Canadian friend here, and he told me I would love this place, and I did. I fell in love with Vietnam immediately when I stepped off the plane in Hanoi, as a tourist in 1994. It was such a different place, so unique – poor yet full of charm, a feeling of adventure and hope. I traveled from north to south, and the people and their smiles created a special place in my heart. When a job opportunity came up in Vietnam, I did not hesitate, and accepted it. I returned to Vietnam in 1996 to work and live in Saigon. The streets of Saigon were mostly lined with bicycles and some motorbikes, with very few cars, and no helmets. They were not crowded at all. Electricity would be cut off […]