”Embark on a unique journey with Pat as she shares her unforgettable experience during a short stay in Helsinki with StayingBee. From meeting a welcoming host to indulging in the best vegan pho, discover how this platform turns ordinary trips into extraordinary connections and meaningful stories. Ready to explore the world differently?”
Pat, a co-founder of StayingBee tested out the platform herself, with a short-stay in Helsinki. Read about her experience and see how using StayingBee can enhance your next trip✨
Last July, I spent some time traveling across Europe and as a last-minute decision, decided to try out StayingBee with a short-stay in Helsinki.
After searching and chatting with a few hosts on the website, I booked a stay with a fellow AIESECer originally from Vietnam who now calls Helsinki home.
Before my stay, we kept in touch to plan my arrival and figure out the best way to get to her place. She was really attentive – making sure I arrived safely and even picked me up from the train station.
Our walk back to her apartment was spent getting to know each other. I learned a little bit about herself and her story of moving to Finland from Vietnam for studies, joining AIESEC and now running a popular Vietnamese restaurant in the city.
When we arrived at her place, she showed me around, gave me a rundown of all the basics and made sure I felt comfortable. Even though she had to leave for work, I felt totally at home at her place.
After some time settling in, I decided to try out her restaurant with fellow founder, Miika, for lunch. Hands down the best vegan pho in Helsinki — check out The Saigonese for yourself!
The next 4 days in Helsinki went smoothly. My host’s place was located in central Helsinki, so even though I didn’t have a lot of time for sightseeing, I still managed to see a lot. She also gave me some great recommendations for cafes to work out which were perfect for catching up on work.
In the evenings, we spent time catching up and bonding over entrepreneurship, our experiences living and studying abroad, and a few AIESEC stories. I learned a lot about what it takes to run a restaurant and what it’s like to own a business in Finland. And it was interesting hearing about the differences between living in Vietnam and Finland and seeing life through her eyes.
It felt so personal and added a lot of meaning to my short trip.
On my last day, my host and her partner invited me to their friend’s birthday party (another AIESECer - small world, right?). I got to meet even more fellow AIESECers and had many cool conversations, played some games and watched a beautiful sunset (at 10pm!).
Overall, this experience really validated for me what StayingBee is all about; building a platform that leverages global communities to help people connect and feel a sense of belonging.
A last minute decision to extend my trip and book a stay turned into a meaningful story that made my trip feel closer, safer and more personal.
Looking back, I can’t imagine booking a hotel or staying in an Airbnb — I would have missed so much!
Join a community on StayingBee and experience a travel story just like mine!
