Introducing Dork Travel with Diviner’s Fest

Dorks in our community come from countries across the globe. Many of us are expats living in Da Nang, Vietnam, sharing an interest and passion for travel. We recognize travel as an incredible vehicle for learning and self-discovery. Many of us, even, travel and live abroad for the same reasons that bring us out dancing on the streets: for mental health. 

There’s psychological research behind the mental health benefits of travel. A quick google search will remind you that travel can boost confidence and mood, strengthen relationships, build new skills, promote independence, enhance creativity, encourage openness, contribute to mental resilience, strengthen identity, and reduce stress. 

Travel can be especially rewarding when the experience is shared with others, such as friends, family, or a partner, because these experiences can bring people closer together. We understand that the quality of social relationships is the biggest variable influencing wellbeing. 

When you travel with someone, you are spending time with someone, bonding and getting to know that person in new ways. More often than not, shared travel experiences seem to go well, especially if you travel with people you already trust and love. 

Within our community of dorks, many of us have experienced these benefits quite intimately already. We get it. We love to travel and we love it—we feel—for good reasons.

Understanding the impact of travel for mental health and its potential for social bonding, we are introducing this idea of Dork Travel for mental health. It’s starting simply with plans to pack our bags and travel to Ho Chi Minh City! We are traveling as a group, leaving Da Nang to attend a healthy, conscious 2-day celebration, called Diviner’s Fest! 

The idea for this trip, and traveling to Diviner’s Fest, comes from Olga, a dork dancer, photographer, host of VEGAN Dork Dinners, and co-host of Dork Sports. Whether in travel, sports, or dance, we find tremendous power in free movement.

Olga started breaking free from her dance barriers before she found Dork Dancing. She started breaking free in Ho Chi Minh City, with the support of an organization called Diviner’s. If it weren’t for her experiences there, maybe she would not have found and joined #dorkdancing. Diviner’s created significant impact in her journey, and we as a community are curious to learn more about this. 

We think we have a lot to learn. We are only students, absorbing what we can from the people and energy around us. We are confident and excited about the potential of this 2-day experience. Looking at the agenda, there’s going to be lots of good stuff: dancing, art, yoga, meditation, games, yummy Vegan food and more. 

This will be our first time connecting with a like-minded free dance community. In the future, we ourselves are interested in hosting a space like the one we will attend. Already, we have plans to host larger #dorkdancing parties. More detail on those plans will emerge over the next few months. We have something in the works. 

We are excited about the potential of travel to bring our community closer together. 

Dork dancers in Da Nang are an international group, coming from places like Vietnam (sensibly), the United States, Spain, South Africa, Mexico, Scotland & England (United Kingdom), Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Australia, Israel, Brazil, India, Netherlands, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Korea, among others.

Because Dork Dancers are from all parts of the world, the community has served as a kind of cultural exchange too. We are learning about one another, along with the different lifestyles, languages, and systems from our homes. 

The diversity of our interests are captured and expressed by the diversity of our backgrounds. Coming together across imaginary borders (divisions), in shared space & experience, provides tremendous opportunity for understanding, healing, and celebration. Traveling and connecting in this way presents opportunity for togetherness, for oneness.

Ojas Oneness is the founder of Diviners. We shall learn. We are looking forward to Diviner’s Fest!

Donate

100% of donations here will go to help fund/ finance travel opportunities for Dorks in our community who cannot afford travel. Travel —> transformative, life-changing experiences. We hope to facilitate those kind of experiences for our community, making travel more accessible. Transformative Travel for mental health.