Joanne, originally from Llanelli and now living in Auckland, New Zealand, was partway through a trip in Veitnam with her husband, who is from Iraq, when she experienced an unexpected yet wholesome moment.
“Last week while shopping at a local mall with my husband, we decided to wander into Fahasa, a stationery shop and a bookstore. As I was browsing through the shelves, my husband called me over, pointing exactly to a Harry Potter book, translated in Welsh,” Joanne told Welsh Histories.
”He thought it must be Welsh after spotting the distinctive use of “dd” in some of the words,” she continued. “ Sure enough, it was a Welsh edition of Harry Potter. How unusual is it?”
The sight left Joanne amused and full of questions. “I couldn’t help but wonder, how on earth did a Welsh edition of Harry Potter find its way to Vietnam? The Vietnamese language uses accents above some letters, so did someone perhaps mistake it for Vietnamese?”
Still on holiday, Joanne is already considering a return visit to see if any other Welsh-language books are hidden among the shelves.
Before moving to New Zealand, Joanne taught at Ysgol y Gwendraeth. She also raised her three daughters in Penclawdd, where they attended Ysgol Cymraeg Pont y Brenin.
But now, she has just decided to semi-retire and take on relief work when she returns from her five-month trip through Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand, where she will meet another Welsh woman who has retired there.
Joanne’s unexpected find is a reminder that coincidences, though unusual, can add meaning to life , if you’re looking closely enough to spot them.
If you’ve had a travel experience in or connected to Wales, we’d love to hear it. Share your story with us at niklas@welshhistories.co.uk.
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Welsh Histories Magazine – August 2025
Don’t forget to purchase the new Welsh Histories Magazine for August 2025! This one covers some of our more oppressed history and can be purchased here.
