Yes, I’ve become more patient and deliberate. In Cairn Ferry, I was always rushing to the next auction, the next deal—always proving myself. Here, I’m learning to slow down, to listen, to see the value in a quiet moment. I still care about recognition, but now I care more about what I’m building, not just what I’m selling. I’ve started restoring old tools not just for profit, but because I love the story behind them. I think I’ve grown into someone who values craft, community, and dignity—things I used to just use as words in a speech.

Yes. I’ve stopped trying to be the person who holds everything together. Back home, I was the one who kept the shop running, who made sure everyone had food and a place to sit. Here, I’m just… Linh. I don’t have to be the strong one all the time. I can be tired. I can be broke. I can even be quiet. And that’s okay.

Yes—being a comedian who used to play tiny rooms for no crowd, I’ve learned to find the laugh in the quiet, the dignity in the small. Here, I don’t need a packed house to feel seen. I’ve stopped waiting for permission to matter. I’m not just surviving the colony—I’m building a joke out of it.