Rain or shine, we are always ready to serve.
On a May morning, the early summer sun began to shine intensely. The road leading to Sen and Hoang Tru villages (Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province ) became busier. Seeing the parking lot packed with cars and the long lines of people visiting Uncle Ho's house, the staff at the Kim Lien National Special Historical Site were very happy, even though it meant more work than usual.
This is President Ho Chi Minh's family home in Lang Sen village, where he lived from the age of 11 to 16.
PHOTO: K.HOAN
"We represent Uncle Ho's family in welcoming guests and are very happy to see everyone showing genuine affection, respect, and love for Uncle Ho's family. Whether it's sunny or rainy, we are always ready to serve and are very happy to welcome anyone who comes here," said Hoang Thi Hoai Thu (38 years old), a tour guide at the Kim Lien National Special Historical Site.
Ms. Thu and Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai (40 years old) were assigned to guide visitors in Lang Sen village, President Ho Chi Minh's paternal hometown. The Kim Lien National Special Historical Site has free visitor points: President Ho Chi Minh's paternal and maternal hometowns, and the tomb of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan, his mother. His paternal hometown, where Nguyen Tat Thanh lived from the age of 11 to 16, has been restored and preserves a simple thatched house nestled under a grove of bamboo and betel nut trees in Lang Sen village. Inside the house are almost perfectly preserved household items from early 20th-century Vietnamese villages.
Meeting me in the corner of Uncle Ho's family garden in Lang Sen village, Thu and Hai interrupted the conversation several times as they took turns explaining things to visiting groups. Under the sweltering May sun, their gentle Nghe An accents were like a lullaby: "Earlier, we visited Hoang Tru, Uncle Ho's maternal hometown, where he was born and spent the first five years of his life. Now, I'm pleased to welcome you to Lang Sen village, his paternal hometown, the land where Uncle Ho lived from the age of 11 until he was 16."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai tells stories to tourists in the house where Uncle Ho's family once lived in Lang Sen village.
PHOTO: K.HOAN
"The Sen Village historical site was established under very special circumstances. In 1901, President Ho Chi Minh's father, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac, took the imperial examination and passed with the rank of Pho Bang (second-highest degree). For the first time, Sen Village had someone who passed the highest-level examination, so the villagers built him a five-room wooden house to celebrate his achievement. The three-room house was a gift from his older brother, Nguyen Sinh Thuyet, to celebrate his success. In 1957, when he visited his hometown for the first time, President Ho Chi Minh saw a sign at the gate that read 'House of President Ho Chi Minh.' He smiled happily and said, 'This is the house of the Pho Bang.' His intention was that thanks to his father's contribution in passing the Pho Bang examination, he had this house and such a large plot of land. Sadly, when he returned, his family consisted of only four people: Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac and his three children. His mother, Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan, had passed away in Hue at the age of 33, and his younger brother, Nguyen Sinh Xin, died before he was one year old," Ms. Thu's voice softened. The crowd gathered around, listening attentively.
Ms. Thu recounted that on June 16, 1957, during his first visit to his hometown, when the helicopter carrying President Ho Chi Minh landed at Vinh airport, he did not get into the car that the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee had prepared beforehand, but instead unexpectedly stepped into a car reserved for his security parked nearby. Knowing that the Provincial Party Committee leaders were worried about his safety, President Ho Chi Minh gently said: "No one can protect me better than the people."
"Returning to his hometown after many years away, Uncle Ho wore rubber sandals, dressed simply, and was approachable to the villagers. Back home, he inquired about the late Mr. Phuong, the poorest old man in the village. He asked about the blacksmith's shop of Mr. Dien… He still remembered vividly the entrances, the gates, the placement of furniture, the trees, his relatives, the village…," Ms. Hai added.
On the day Uncle Ho visited his hometown, a leader from Nghe An province asked permission to plant flowers in his garden, but Uncle Ho said that sweet potato flowers were still beautiful. To this day, this garden is still planted with sweet potatoes, beans, and peanuts depending on the season. "That day, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee arranged a meal to invite Uncle Ho, and on the table was a plate of pickled eggplant. After everyone finished eating, there were two eggplants left on the plate. Uncle Ho picked one for Mr. Nguyen Truong Khoat, the Provincial Party Secretary, and put the other in his bowl. He said: 'Don't waste the people's resources. Every penny and every grain of rice we use is the sweat and tears of the people. To love the people means to be thrifty; to waste is not to love the people,'" Thu recounted.
A description of Uncle Ho's family life in his maternal hometown of Hoang Tru.
PHOTO: K.HOAN
Telling stories about Uncle Ho to learn from him.
The Kim Lien National Special Historical Site has nearly 20 tour guides covering three locations: President Ho Chi Minh's paternal and maternal hometowns, and the tomb of his wife, Hoang Thi Loan. Ms. Tran Thi Thao, who has been a tour guide at President Ho Chi Minh's hometown for 36 years, said that the busiest times are during the hot season, and the workload is very high, but her love for President Ho Chi Minh and his family makes her forget all the fatigue.
Ms. Thao recounted that in 2006, a retired military district leader from the south visited President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace. After returning home, he wrote a very long letter thanking her for explaining and conveying information about President Ho Chi Minh's life. "You told the story of President Ho Chi Minh's life, conveying the emotions very well, very movingly, touching my heart. Learning from and following President Ho Chi Minh's moral example requires people like you," he wrote.
"The work is hard, but such encouragement makes us very happy. I still keep that letter as a memento," Thao shared.
Ms. Phan Thi Quy, Deputy Head of the Propaganda Department of the Kim Lien National Special Historical Site and also a tour guide, recounted an incident where she guided a group of Japanese tourists in Vietnamese. Despite not knowing Vietnamese, the Japanese visitor listened attentively. Before parting, he told the interpreter, "It sounded like a melody to me," and "I could read the sincerity in her eyes." "The respect and attentiveness of the visitors gave me a very unique feeling, a feeling stemming from expressive language. Our happiness comes from a firm handshake or a gentle hug from those who have come to Uncle Ho's hometown," Ms. Quy said.
Mr. Nguyen Bao Tuan, Director of the Kim Lien National Special Historical Site, said that the work here is very hard, with some months working without a day off, but everyone does their best with responsibility and love for President Ho Chi Minh's family. Staff members learn additional foreign languages (English, French, Lao, etc.) to provide guided tours.
"Working here, in this environment, we've learned so much from Uncle Ho. We always prioritize friendliness and attentive service. When people come here, leaders and ordinary citizens alike are treated equally and with the same respect. We always remind each other to keep learning to improve our knowledge and service skills. During off-peak times, we arrange for tour guides to give talks at schools and offices. We tell stories about Uncle Ho to help people learn from him; these are small stories, but listeners will receive valuable lessons from them," Mr. Tuan said.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hoc-bac-tu-nhung-cau-chuyen-nho-185250518212739059.htm
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