Once upon a time

When UCHANU class was off and my folks went to the Central Vietnam, I went away from the Central Hanoi to the National Ecological Garden in Ba Vi mountainous area to attend the ASEAN Youth Forum in 4 days. It was a long and interesting story to tell with lots of memories and wonderful time there...

We, 50 youths from 8 ASEAN countries (except for Singapore and Myanmar), gathered in Lenin Square and started our promise journey to Ba Vi. We started to know each other from that moment, but seemed to understand each other for a long time before, cuz we found a lot of similar interests, characteristics, conceptions and culture. It made me the first impression of fun in the next 4 days living, working and playing together with those friends! So eager to go!

On the first day (20/9), we just tried to settle down and share the room with others. 6 of us shared a room, with air conditional and warm water, 3 double beds and a bathroom. Small but warm and interesting! My roommates are from Hanoi, Da Nang and HCM City, then we did have 3 accents and lots of fun. It was so easy to be friends and share things from the first moments like that. Until now, I still wish to have another day with them and miss them a lot!!!!:(((

Then we prepared for the Forum and the Cultural Night in the next day.

21/9 was a long and busy day, with a lot of work and an ever fantastic Cultural Night which lasted until 12pm - Everybody just sang, danced and played games in the music. Everybody just held each other's hands and shared the most wonderful things without hesitation and thought of work . Same time, same space, same nationality, same culture, same thought and fun, same dance. We were just there, all are ASEAN youths, no matter where we come from. It was the most awesome time I've ever had. I'll never forget that night and those folks.

And this song was written in 6 different languages: Vietnamese, Thai, Laos, Cambodian, Philippines, English.

"ASEAN youth, wherever we come
No problem, with different cultures
We hold hands and we say hello
Then we share whatever we have"

It still goes around my head now!

The next day was an effective working day. We discussed freely about ASEAN concerning issues as the voice of ASEAN youths to participate in the decision making process of ASEAN government and people. We drafted a Youth Statement to raise our recommendations towards those issues and finalized it to hand in to the ASEAN President this year. We also prepared for the ASEAN People forum in 24-26/09/2010 in Tay Ho Hotel, Hanoi. Working together and thinking critically together were so exciting cuz we could share our diverse knowledge, skills, conceptions and the creativity of the youths from different nations and cultures. We did a good job!!

That night was also the Mid-autumn festival, we worked hard to finalize the statement until 10.30pm, but still stayed up later to celebrate a small party, playing games and enjoyed the very last night in Ba Vi.... Another fantastic night!!!

We left Ba Vi to the Vietnam Friendship Village in Hoai Duc to meet the unlucky children there. They are almost the victims of Dioxin agent in the war or disable children. But I learned from them a lot - their creativity, ability, their will and their determination to learn how to live in harmony with others and to earn their own life with a vocational career. They may be disable physically, but never in their mind. That's what we should learn and imitate.

Then we came back to Hanoi and were ready for the ASEAN People Forum 2010. It was another fairy tale to be continued.

I think that when UC students learned a lot from their field trip, I also gained much memories and knowledge and many things else during that week. It was a meaningful week then!Bravo all of us!

Hanoi in my eyes and my heart

I walked slowly along Hoan Kiem lake with my friend in a late afternoon, right before the sunset and felt a peaceful and windy Hanoi in autumn like this: 

Then I recalled a Hanoi in my mind like this:

Those two things are only 3km far from each other, but life seems to end in this world and open to another world when people come from this place to the other.

And I saw this in the aniversary of 1000 years old Hanoi

and this:

All those things together make a full Hanoi in my mind. Sometimes it's really beautiful, fantastic, shining and wonderful. In the other times, it might be quiet, peaceful, and sometimes, it reveals another life - poor and challenging to survive... I love that diversity in Hanoi, all seasons have a different view and each corner has a small community, small ways of life, small culture in a bigger Hanoi life...

Who is poorer? What is "poor"?

People often say they are poor! Me too, you too, so are we!!!!

Ever think about having no rice to eat, no where to live, no warm clothes in winter, no chance to learn, no money to buy a simple thing??? NO

Ever think of a little child who shines our shoes, sells newspapers on street or begs for a small penny from us? MAY BE

Ever think of a day without 3 meals, TV, electricity, water, and even allowance to survive? PROBABLY NOT

Coz we were born not really in poverty. That is "poor", in normal sense. YES

However, I recently realize another "poverty" - you are poor because you think you are poor. And we complain. And we are sad. While actual poor people still smile. And happy. And optimistic.

I saw lots of people like that. Their life dreams might be our education or healthcare service we take for granted today. Their happiness might be a full meal without worry about the next meal - which we even never think of. their life is more simple than us to some extents, just strive to survive and enjoy what the fate gave them. Is that "rich" in "poverty"???

Let's smile and make it a rich world of happiness and strive for work to change our life.

Two jobs – two life stories. What about me???

We did interview on a normal day after class.

A shoe repairer was working industriously from 8am until 12.30 pm when we finished interviewing and even continued after that. He was very willing to talk to us about his life and his work. A long life story with difficulties, attempts, willpower and various feelings about that. He has been trying to survive in such a harsh life and support his housewife as well as 2 little children studying at a primary school.
A key keeper of Building C who has strived for work and was promoted from a room cleaner to a manager of those cleaners and has her own room in the building. She is still trying to work, make it better, establishing relationship with others, and even study by her own way about business administration. She is not an official student, but should be the most industrious student who wants to learn with her whole heart.

Both of them are adorable for their attempts and will in life. The future of the key keeper should be brighter because she has willingness, determination, enthusiasm, youth and especially knowledge but that of the shoe repairer may be the same. Whatever it is, they still strive for living and being happy with their job.
As a normal people, I am luckier than them absolutely. What about my attitude of life?? I don’t have much time to answer!