Cuba - Memories of a time, a lifetime imprinted

Time is like a slow but clear film. Although it has been more than half a century, with many joys and sorrows, experiences, living, studying, working, loving, giving and receiving... my parents and sisters have been attached and will always have such a fate with the beautiful Pearl Island and the warm-hearted people here!

Time is like a slow but clear film. Although it has been more than half a century, with many joys and sorrows, experiences, living, studying, working, loving, giving and receiving..., my parents and my sisters have been attached and will always have such a fate with the beautiful Pearl Island and the warm-hearted people here!

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Loan, International Cooperation Department, Vietnam National Energy and Industry Group

Through my father's story, my mother and sisters imagined vivid footage from 1966. My father joined a group of students gathering from Hanoi to Lao Cai, then through Pingxiang (China), from there taking a train across China to the Soviet Union, then from the Soviet Union, taking a boat for months drifting on the vast ocean to reach the other side of the world, gathering on the Pearl Island of Cuba.

Havana, Cuba (Photo: cubadebate)

This place marked the years of youth studying hard, training without rest, always looking back to the homeland with the common love for the country and the deep affection for his own family (my father was an only child, my grandfather went to the resistance war and did revolutionary activities so the house was very short of people). The cherished desire to contribute, dedicate youth, intelligence, and passion followed my father and his friends of the same age throughout those difficult, arduous but also proud years.

My mother and sisters often joked when my father shared about that period through photos that were faded and scratched over the years but still showed the youth and inner strength of the slim, small men and women (my father even "lost" in the long, loose uniform), but the best were the photos that still revealed the high foreheads, bright eyes and bright smiles of the young generation of Vietnam.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phu (Thanh Loan's father, first from left) and Vietnamese students working during the summer at a Cuban farm in 1970. (Photo: Provided by the character)

In almost every group photo, people are united, with their arms around each other, creating a spirit of solidarity and discipline, but if you pay attention, you can still see hidden mischief and hidden humor. Youth is always and everywhere still youth, full of youthful vitality.

It can be said that Cuba is the cradle that nurtured,educated , and trained many generations of Vietnamese people over the past seven decades. From the time of my uncles, my father, my aunts, my brothers and sisters, to the time of me, my sister, and my siblings and nieces and nephews. Each era is different, with hardships, joys and sorrows, ups and downs, but above all, it has condensed and crystallized extremely precious and valuable values ​​of life.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phu (standing 4th from left) at the signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement between Vietnam and Cuba in 1969 (Photo: Character provided)

After finishing university at the School of Literature, my father returned to Vietnam to work at the Ministry of Foreign Trade (the predecessor of the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry and Trade ), followed by terms of service as Attaché and then Commercial Counselor, specializing in economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.

The nature of his work makes him always closely follow, even worry about, to propose and implement policies and measures to remove difficulties and obstacles, to promote and increase import-export turnover between Vietnam and Cuba in particular and economic and trade cooperation in general to become increasingly extensive. The research, thinking, worrying, enthusiasm, effort, sweat and even blood have been shed on Cuban soil. Indeed, once when traveling with a working group to Eastern Cuba to work with local authorities, and at the same time inspecting rice warehouses to prepare for importing a large amount of rice from Vietnam, my father had a near-fatal traffic accident, but fortunately he survived.

Varadero Beach, Matanzas, Cuba (Photo: cubadebate)

My father's generation, then my generation and my sister's generation. I remember in 1992, my whole family went to Cuba for my father's term as Commercial Counselor. This was the first term that we were allowed to bring our family along according to the new standard regulations of our State. It was during Cuba's special period ("periodo especial"), so there were many difficulties and challenges in terms of work, study, life, and social context. My mother, like many other aunts, uncles, and sisters, sacrificed their jobs in the country to go halfway around the world, to focus on taking care of their husbands and children, to be a solid support for their husbands to work with peace of mind and for their children to study well.

A delegation from Vietnam visited and met with Vietnamese officials and students in Cuba in 1995. (Ms. Thanh Loan stands in the front row from right) (Photo: provided by the character)

The Association of Wives and Husbands at the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba is always strong in both quantity and quality, making many enthusiastic and meaningful contributions to domestic and foreign affairs activities, leaving many sincere and good impressions in the hearts of Cuban friends as well as international friends in this country.

I remember that time I was 17 and my sister was 7, we went to Cuba without knowing any Spanish alphabet. My sister went to elementary school with Cuban friends. Every day she went to school with friends near her house, the road to school was also safe, about 15-20 minutes walk from home. It is true that children absorb new languages ​​very quickly, their voices are clear and their native pronunciation is very standard, very cute. Some children even pronounce Spanish clearly and use words more accurately than their mother tongue.

I still remember the slender figures walking on the street, in the white uniforms, plum-red skirts/pants of primary school students like my sister, carrying heavy backpacks with big, thick textbooks. At that time, they were still young, but the memories of Cuban schools are still imprinted in their minds, filled with love when they recall them.

I believe that many of you who are now mothers and fathers still remember the black bean rice (congrí), red bean soup, yellow rice (arroz amarillo) and milk rice porridge (arroz con leche) that we ate at school, with their very own flavors of those old days; and the blue sky, golden sunshine, and rows of ancient trees when we roamed the streets with our friends, playing and having fun, taking care of ourselves without needing adults. You and some of your friends were also excited to participate in the performances remembering our homeland on the occasion of National Day and the traditional New Year.

Vietnamese students participate in a performance at the 1998 Meeting with the Vietnamese community in Cuba to celebrate the traditional New Year at the Vietnamese Embassy in Havana. (Photo: Provided by the character)

As for me, during my youthful years, I was full of dreams, ambitions, and youthful aspirations. My family arrived in Cuba at the end of October, while the Spanish preparatory class started in early September. I was excited to catch up with my friends. Luckily, my Cuban teacher (who had studied in the Soviet Union) occasionally explained some difficult words to me in Russian, so I had no problems. When learning a foreign language, the important thing is to think and practice reflexes in that language, and you will progress very quickly. After nine months of studying the language, I entered my first year of English majoring in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Havana.

With so much love, I long to return to Cuba. And deep down, I hope to bring my children back with me. They will be both excited and enthusiastic to explore, to see things in their own way, and then will surely exclaim, “My grandparents, my mother, my aunt... were once like that...”.

- Nguyen Thi Thanh Loan -

Recalling the days of living and studying in Cuba, there are countless memories: personal memories, collective memories, memories with friends, teachers, acquaintances, memories with the roads, rows of trees, street corners, schools, museums, libraries, May 19 Square, the José Martí monument, the Coppelia ice cream shop, the cinema with long lines for film festivals, the ballet theater with legendary artist Alicia Alonso, the Tropicana dance show, the long windy Malecón coastal road, the majestic Morro fortress, the old town of La Habana Vieja, the first Capitolio in Latin America, the favorite bar of writer Ernest Hemingway with the Nobel Prize-winning book "The Old Man and the Sea", the large Colón cemetery which is also a unique architectural work and an interesting cultural destination; Santa Maria beach, Varadero... brilliant with blue sky, white sand, and golden sunshine; famous places Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, Pinar del Río;...

Ms. Thanh Loan, a representative of Vietnamese students in Cuba, had the honor of meeting President Fidel Castro at the 50th Anniversary of Vietnam's National Day in Havana in 1995. (Photo: provided by the character)

And we can't forget the "famous specialties" such as the architectural works, the nature reserves, the Salsa, Chachacha, Merengue dances, the seafood, the Caribbean food and drinks with the tropical sea flavor; and the "specialties" of the difficult times such as power outages, water outages, the public transport guagua (bus) had to wait for a long time and was crowded so hitchhiking on the street became very popular.

Ms. Thanh Loan (in the middle wearing a bucket hat) takes a photo with some delegates from other countries after attending a seminar within the framework of the World Youth and Student Congress in Cuba in 1997 (Photo: Provided by the character)

We, the international students in the 90s, also had many emulation movements in studying and participating in exciting sports, cultural and artistic activities, attracting a large number of people to participate enthusiastically with the core being the Youth Union. Seminars, scientific research, forums for young people and students, research competitions, writing competitions, talent competitions, international meetings and exchanges, community art performances, picnics, parties, and even trying to make Vietnamese traditional dishes when the whole group had a craving... all blended together to connect enthusiasm, passion, and share knowledge, skills and emotions.

What we have learned, cultivated and trained in Cuba has helped us have certain and valuable provisions for our future career and life. Therefore, we are grateful for the friendship with our brotherly country and people of Cuba. In our work in particular and in our life in general, it is possible that our uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters do not spare their heart, effort and money, hoping to contribute something to the country and people of Cuba, in many aspects, from the heart to the heart.

Still imbued with the heartfelt words of the late Cuban President Fidel Castro: "For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to sacrifice its own blood!" According to Fidel, "the relationship between Vietnam and Cuba is a very special relationship, unprecedented, a model of international relations", and above all, the affection between the two brotherly countries, despite being "half a world apart" as the poet To Huu described in the poem that each of us knows by heart.

Ms. Thanh Loan, a representative of Vietnamese students in Cuba, had the honor of meeting President Fidel Castro at the 50th Anniversary of Vietnam's National Day in Havana in 1995. (Photo: provided by the character)

I had the honor of meeting in person five times, talking, hugging, and laughing with President Fidel Castro, on meaningful occasions (Vietnam's National Day, the World Women's Conference, the World Youth and Student Festival, Fidel's 70th birthday celebration, the Fidel International Writing/Drawing Competition, and the Vietnam-Cuba Intergovernmental Committee Meeting). One of Fidel's greetings that I still remember clearly was when he learned that I had been in Cuba for five years at that time, Fidel smiled: "So you are now Cuban!", and I smiled: "I am still Vietnamese!". And now, with two types of hair on my head, I am still grateful to the country and people of Cuba, for the warm and sincere feelings of my friends and brothers, because I and many generations of Vietnamese people lived such beautiful and memorable years on that beloved Pearl Island, even during the "special period" when Cuba was surrounded by an embargo and faced many difficulties.

Ms. Thanh Loan as MC at the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Exchange program in La Habana in 1997. (Photo: Provided by the character)

We are always proud of having a beautiful, innocent and carefree “time to remember” with the beautiful country and the sincere, warm, affectionate, simple, optimistic, and energetic Cuban people. The feelings and memories are so full that they remain until now, still touching and intact. Another very touching thing is the sincere, warm feelings that are cherished and maintained between those who have lived, worked and studied in Cuba (or have been and are currently attached to Cuba) for each other.

Love and nostalgia urge each of us, if possible, to always wish to return to the old place. I feel that I still owe this place a debt of gratitude. Many of my friends have not been there but have heard about Cuba and eagerly asked me to arrange a trip and be a tour guide for the whole group to Cuba.

Due to a job transfer, I have not had the opportunity to return to this place since the 2008 Vietnam-Cuba Intergovernmental Committee Meeting. I personally really wish to return to see my beloved teachers and close friends. I still remember that in the past, many of you took the guagua bus to leave home early in the morning to go to class with an empty stomach. The simple lunch in the school cafeteria was not enough to satisfy you, you studied hard to finish class and then took the bus home in the afternoon when it was already dark. Yet, you always had a bright smile on your lips, everyone was diligent, many of you studied very well and later became very successful.

I also hope to meet my “godfather” who saved me from drowning, and my “adoptive parents” when I stayed at my grandparents’ house during my time as a member of the Vietnamese delegation at the World Youth and Student Festival. Although their life is simple and frugal, it is sincere and warm with affection.

Vietnamese delegates at the 1997 World Congress of Youth and Students in Cuba. (Photo: Provided by the character)

The other day, my close classmate Zudelis texted me, “When will Loan come back? My mother still keeps the long dress Loan gave her 22 years ago. She said that every time she looks at it, she remembers Loan!”...

With so much love, I long to return to visit. And deep down, I hope to bring my children back with me. They will be both delighted and excited to explore, to see things in their own way, and then will surely exclaim, “My grandparents, my mother, my aunt... were once like that...”.

According to Nhan Dan Newspaper

https://special.nhandan.vn/cuba-ky-niem-mot-thoi-mot-doi-in-dau/index.html

According to Nhan Dan Newspaper

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/cuba-ky-niem-mot-thoi-mot-doi-in-dau-213025.html