It took me twenty minutes to guess that Vento was from Mongolia. If I’ve learned something during my trip is that you always can be surprised by the nationality of people. An accent or the color of the skin, the shape of the face or the way people dress themself up doesn’t mean anything and most of the time travelers have influences from everywhere. 

So when Vento, her nice almond eyes, straight black hair and little American accent tested me, I didn’t want to follow the stereotypes and answered China. Also, she was travelling on her own and this is not in their culture at all to leave their country for these kind of adventures if you are a lady.

Guess what. She is Chinese. Most specifically from Mongolia.

After spending one day with her in Borobudur, all I wanted was to have her statement and story in my sd card. I pushed her a lot but I succeed to drag her along the swimming pool for a night of interview and music. 

If I can define what is an artist, I would think of her. A bit marginal, she is a painter but doesn’t express herself only through this medium. Photography, guitars, installations and so much more, I could see that her way of living was also a masterpiece in work. 
  

She left China after her studies (her young age doesn’t testify her old soul) in order to find a job or sell her paintings somewhere else. She had Bali in mind and wanted to discover the world in between. So she left. Like that. With her guitar and her free spirit.
  
  

One thing she enjoyed the most during this trip was the power of English language to communicate with people on the way. I liked the fact that things which looks simple and evident when you traveled for a long time appears to her as amazing. Anything could be a subject of her affection and reflexion and what could look naive for some of us was in fact expressed with a lot of intelligence and poetry. 

A little rebel with a strong character. An emotive and shy lady. Vento is a lot of things but she doesn’t like letting place for mediocrity. When she started playing and singing in this incredible charming and quiet place which is Adhisthana Hotel, her voice drive me directly from earth to heaven. 

I remember holding my breath and shivering while listening to traditional Chinese and Mongolian songs. 
  

It would take me one year to describe this little mermaid from Mongolia. Thank you Vento for this amazing moment, for what you shared with me, with us, and for teaching me again how to open my children eyes to see things, to really see things… I think I was starting to loose this before I met you.