Last night, Dinh Ka tossed and turned, unable to sleep, because even before leaving, he already missed his small village by the stream, nestled in the buffer zone of the primeval forest. This morning, Dinh Ka went to school after a week's vacation. The night before going to town, in his restless sleep, Dinh Ka kept hearing the sounds of the mountains and forests echoing in his ears, especially the long, resonant sounds of the gongs on the day the whole village celebrated the new rice harvest.
There are times, amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, when you suddenly long for the chirping of chicks around the house, the chirping of birds in the twilight forest, the murmuring sound of a stream after a rain shower from the mountains. And most of all, the sound of gongs fading into the evening smoke, before the sun divides its light among each house with a single spark of fire in the corner of the kitchen.
Dinh Ka School is located right in the heart of the city. It's often described as a melting pot of cultures, with children from many different ethnic groups studying together. Because of its unique characteristics, the school always organizes cultural exchange activities that reflect the distinct identities of each ethnic group.
During the cultural and artistic evenings in the schoolyard, the most anticipated performance was the gong and drum show. Bare feet spun in rhythm with the gongs. The sound of the gongs resonated through the heart of the city. The gongs seemed to summon the sound of waterfalls, call the rustling forest birds beneath the trees, and summon the entire village to listen to epic tales…
On those nights, Dinh Ka would often sit silently under the shade of a tree in the schoolyard, quietly immersing himself in the resonant sound of the gongs, his mind seemingly immersed in the mountain scenery, the aroma of freshly cooked rice and the lingering scent of rice wine mingling with the fragrance of the ancient forest, beckoning him to step further.
Having spent nearly half my teaching career, the years I spent at the boarding school truly gave me a wealth of inspiration for the profession. The students are like "cultural ambassadors" of their nation, carrying their own unique characteristics to blend with other ethnic groups, creating a diverse and vibrant tapestry. I have always cherished the desire to preserve and naturally apply these unique characteristics to everyday life.
The story of Dinh Ka, the young student, leaving his village for the city, carrying his small gong and traditional attire, evoked in me a simmering yet intense feeling of cherished dreams. The lively sounds of the gongs echoed through the boarding school nights, making the city seem wider, more spacious, and more expansive. The trees and leaves seemed to rustle along with us, teacher and students, in that small corner of the street. Looking into Dinh Ka's eyes and those of his students, immersed in the rhythm of the gongs, I felt as if I could see their longing for their village, as if I could see the aspirations kindled in their clear eyes, like the soaring gongs in the heart of the city.
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/chieng-ngan-long-pho-post327590.html
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