Hoi An dessert vendor goes viral for speaking 5 foreign languages

For more than two decades, Nguyen Thi Bay, better known as En, has been serving traditional Vietnamese sweet soup, or che, while quietly teaching herself five foreign languages through thousands of conversations with travelers from around the world.

The 39-year-old has recently become a social media sensation in Vietnam after videos of her effortlessly chatting with customers in English, Chinese, Thai, Korean and Japanese drew millions of views online. 

But long before she became an internet star, En's dessert cart in the ancient town of Hoi An in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, had already become an informal meeting point where food and language went hand in hand.

Passion for learning foreign languages

En began selling che and xoa xoa, a sweet dish made from seaweed, for a living after getting married over 20 years ago.

Every morning before sunrise, she prepares her desserts from scratch, slowly simmering beans and lotus seeds and caramelizing pure sugar to create the delicate sweetness that has become her signature.

She then loads the pots onto her motorbike and heads from her home in Dien Ban Ward to Hoi An's historic streets, where she spends long days serving customers regardless of the season or the number of visitors.

It was through these daily interactions that En discovered a passion for learning foreign languages.

At first, communication with overseas tourists was challenging.

Unable to understand their questions, she carefully listened whenever customers pointed to ingredients or placed orders.

She memorized the words they used and wrote them down whenever possible.

“When customers pointed at lotus seeds and called them ‘lotus,’ I wrote the word on a piece of paper and gradually memorized it,” En recalled.

“Whenever I didn’t understand something, I asked local tour guides for help and noted down the new vocabulary.”

Over the years, those handwritten notes accumulated into a working knowledge of five languages: English, Chinese, Thai, Korean and Japanese.

She shared that Chinese and Thai visitors are particularly fond of Vietnamese sweet soups, while South Korean and Japanese tourists tend to sample them less often.

Even so, she learned basic greetings and common conversational phrases to make every visitor feel welcome.

English remains the language she uses most frequently because of its universal appeal.

En’s warm personality extends well beyond selling desserts.

She often gives directions to visitors, recommends scenic photo spots around Hoi An, and happily takes photos for tourists.

Her friendliness has earned her a loyal following, with many travelers saving her contact information so they can visit her dessert cart whenever they return to the area.

Hoping for permanent sale place

She once operated at a fixed location near Hoi An’s iconic Cau Pagoda.

However, after local authorities introduced measures to clear sidewalks and improve public spaces in the historic place, she was no longer permitted to sell at her previous spot.

Unable to afford expensive commercial rents in Hoi An Ancient Town, En now moves between temporary locations, often setting up in front of private homes while the owners are away.

“Sometimes I’m serving customers when the homeowner returns, and I have to pack everything up immediately,” she said.

“Customers even have to stand up and carry their bowls as I move. It’s inconvenient for everyone,” she bemoaned.

En hopes local authorities can provide affordable, designated spaces for vendors.

A permanent location would not only give her greater stability but also make it easier for visitors to find a dessert cart that has quietly become part of Hoi An’s cultural experience, she shared.

Through warm smiles, homemade desserts and greetings delivered in five languages, En has become a ‘cultural ambassador’ in the historic area.