A stop at a coffee shop with hearing-impaired staff during a trip to Da Lat.

Hello coffee lovers. Today I want to share with you the most special coffee shop that I have ever visited. That is the "Thoi Thanh Xuan" coffee shop located at 9 Trieu Viet Vuong, Ward 4, Da Lat City, Lam Dong, Vietnam.

This coffee shop is not too big but the space is very cozy and intimate. The shop is open from 8 am to 10 pm every day. The most special thing about this coffee shop is that all the employees here are deaf. Many people may think that professions related to business and service are only suitable for outgoing, energetic people who love to experience and are not afraid of challenges. But this coffee shop goes against those norms to create its own unique character.

I was very lucky to visit the coffee shop on a Tuesday and I got to meet and chat with the owner. The owner shared that the reason he opened this coffee shop and only employed deaf individuals was that he wanted to help these people secure jobs while also providing customers with a peaceful and unique experience compared to many other coffee shops in Da Lat.

The owner shared that the deaf employees here do not want to be called "deaf person" but instead to be called " hearing-impaired persons". This is because they do not want to be seen as patients with hearing impairment. I was very impressed with their composure and sophistication.

From my observation, there are hardly any servers at the coffee shop like many other coffee shops. Customers will self-order their drinks at the bar by writing on pieces of paper and handing them to the baristas. Then, customers will carry their own drinks to their tables and clean up before leaving. Although the employees here are all deaf, they are always cheerful and enthusiastic with customers. Their teamwork and communication is also very smooth and pleasant. This was the first time I had been to a quiet coffee shop and did everything myself which made it very interesting, instead of always having someone come to my table to take the order and bring the items to us.

While waiting for my drink, I walked around the shop and discovered that they not only sell coffee but also sell organic fruits and vegetables grown by the local people. Another special thing that I liked was that the deaf employees had hand-made their own fragrance oils and grew rock lotuses to sell to customers at the shop. It was easy to notice the faint scent of jasmine when I walked into the shop, and it was really pleasant because it resembled the scent of natural flowers.

The space of the shop is very fresh and quiet which is suitable for my taste. I don't like to sit and drink coffee in crowded places with lots of noise or overly loud music. Everything here is just right and customers are also not too loud causing any disturbance.

On the walls are pieces of paper with loving messages written by customers for the shop or their loved ones. I think this is very good because customers can record their memories and feelings when they come here. And the next batch of customers can also look at them as a brief review of the previous guests who have visited here.

The menu here has no fixed prices. Customers will pay according to their own judgment. In my opinion, this is really meaningful because customers can evaluate and judge the drinks, space, and people here based on their experiences and pay what they think was worth it.

Finally, what makes me still think about this café and impressed with this place is the admiration I have for the deaf employees here. Although they are not as fortunate as normal people, instead of feeling inferior and isolated, they are still optimistic, and strong enough to step out into the world to integrate with others. They strive to live and work based on their own abilities to be like normal people, to have freedom, to dream, and live...
Wish everyone a delightful read!
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