Finding Your Way

A Storytelling Residency by Third Culture Vietnam × Auko

A bamboo structure with a beige canopy and railing is built on metal stilts on a hillside, surrounded by dense green vegetation and shrubs.
Silhouette of a woman with a hat holding an umbrella, standing at the entrance of a cave with trees and a body of water outside.
A dinner table with grilled fish, rice, a bowl of apples and grapes, and a side of leafy greens and herbs.
View from inside a tent with wooden chairs on a deck, overlooking bamboo poles and a mountain landscape with trees and rocky cliffs.
A woman practicing yoga outdoors on a mat, sitting in a cross-legged pose, with a mountain and greenery in the background.

Two brands.

One shared belief.

Auko believes in helping people find their way through nature and wellbeing.

Third Culture Vietnam believes that some of life's biggest questions are answered through culture, identity, and human connection.

Together, we believe meaningful travel isn't measured by how much you see, but by how deeply you're changed.

The Residency (Phase 1)

Find Your Way (with Third Culture Vietnam)

Rather than creating another hotel review or influencer campaign, we propose a storytelling residency.

Over several days, we live, observe, and document the experience.

Not the amenities.

Not the itinerary.

But the moments in between.

The quiet conversations.

Morning rituals.

The landscape.

The feeling of slowing down.

Deliverables

  • Hero Story Film

    A cinematic short film that captures the heart of the residency and explores what it means to "Find Your Way." Serving as the anchor piece for the collaboration, the film focuses on emotion, reflection, and storytelling rather than a traditional hospitality commercial.

  • Reels & Short Form Storytelling Series

    A collection of cinematic vertical videos, each exploring a different chapter of the experience, from slowing down and reconnecting with nature to quiet rituals, local stories, and moments of reflection. Designed for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, these episodes create an ongoing storytelling series rather than standalone promotional content.

  • Editorial Photography Collection

    A curated library of authentic, editorial style photography documenting the landscapes, architecture, people, and quiet moments that define the spirit of Auko. Designed for long term use across marketing, social media, website, press, and brand communications.

  • RAW Photo & Video Library

    A comprehensive collection of professionally captured RAW photography and video footage, providing Auko with an evergreen content library for future campaigns, social media, website updates, promotional materials, and internal creative use. This includes environmental scenes, lifestyle moments, landscapes, architecture, details, and behind the scenes documentation.

  • Newsletter Feature

    A long form editorial reflecting on the residency and the philosophy behind "Find Your Way," shared with the Third Culture Vietnam community through our newsletter.

  • Website Editorial

    A journal style feature documenting the residency through observations, conversations, and storytelling, accompanied by photography to create a timeless editorial piece.

  • Community Reflection Campaign

    An interactive storytelling campaign inviting our community to reflect on what "finding your way" means to them, extending the conversation beyond the residency and encouraging authentic engagement.

Creative Direction

Large editorial imagery.

Minimal copy.

Sections like:

Finding your way back to stillness.

Finding your way back to nature.

Finding your way back to yourself.

Concepts

A hand-drawn storyboard titled 'Find Your Way' depicting a journey of storytelling and healing in a natural setting. It includes six steps: arrival, slowing down, connection, rituals, belonging, and finding your way, illustrated with scenes of a woman arriving at a river, relaxing, walking in nature, participating in rituals, sharing stories, and returning. The storyboard features illustrations of people, landscapes, and objects like a cup, plant, and food, emphasizing themes of community, tradition, and healing through nature.
A woman sitting in prayer in a cave with rocky walls, wearing a hat and outdoor clothing.

Editorial Series

  • Healing Through Plants

    Traditional herbal knowledge and the relationship between people and the forest.

  • The Rhythm of the Land

    How seasons, rivers, and nature shape everyday life.

  • Food as Care

    Family recipes and meals as expressions of healing and community.

  • Quiet Traditions

  • The everyday rituals that help people reconnect with themselves and each other.

Community Impact

Every story should benefit the communities involved.

Potential commitments:

  • Hire local collaborators whenever possible.

  • Compensate interview participants fairly.

  • Highlight locally owned businesses and artisans.

  • Preserve stories through written and filmed archives.

  • Create educational resources for future visitors.

Looking Ahead - 2027 (Phase 2)

Auko × Third Culture Vietnam Retreats

Once we've had time to learn from one another and continue refining our respective experiences, we'd love to co create intentional retreats for the Vietnamese diaspora.

Not simply a wellness retreat.

A space for reflection, belonging, culture, and restoration.

A place where guests reconnect with themselves, with Vietnam, and with one another.