Bang Linh and Thuy Linh, with their simple, heartfelt poems and essays about a summer that has just passed, are full of meaning: “I love the summer of my homeland / The boundless beauty of beloved Vietnam / Every step I take, every moment of immeasurable joy… / Happiness sways, my heart is filled with sweetness…”
A short essay: “Last week, I went with my parents to Phan Thiet and Phan Rang, then down to Nha Trang, the land of agarwood. These familiar places are incredibly beautiful. In Phan Thiet, I attended an event organized by my father's company on Mui Ne beach, where the golden sand dunes rustled in the sun and wind, and the waves murmured. I've traveled to many places, but none are as beautiful as my homeland, Vietnam. In mid-August, I went to Ha Tinh , where the Ngan River flows into Tam Soa wharf, down to Cua Hoi. Phuc Trach has delicious pomelos and agarwood, with beautiful agarwood orchards like paintings. I visited the children in the remote, impoverished areas of Huong Khe and Ky Anh – the land of the poem: 'Stepping towards Deo Ngang Pass at sunset…' (by Mrs. Huyen Thanh Quan); I danced and sang with the children, harmonizing with the heartbeats of those like a flock of sparrows taking flight…”
Bang Linh and Thuy Linh are two close friends – Vietnamese students studying abroad in North America. Bang Linh went to study abroad at the age of 16, completing grades 11, 12, and university overseas. Thuy Linh, at the age of 14, emigrated with her family in grade 8, living and working abroad from grade 8 until her final year of university. Living in two different cities, their close family ties and compatible personalities brought them together, fostering friendship through academics and various social activities.
During the summer of the previous school year and the 2022-2023 school year, encouraged by their families, Bang Linh and Thuy Linh returned to Vietnam to participate in charitable programs. From August 8-12, 2023, Bang Linh and Thuy Linh, along with their younger sister Hoai An, a student at a specialized secondary school, visited four primary and secondary schools in Ha Tinh province: Huong Giang and Phuc Dong (in the mountainous district of Huong Khe); and Giang Dong and Ky Phu (in the impoverished coastal district of Ky Anh).
With financial support from generous donors, writer Bich Lam selected 1,000 valuable books from both domestic and international sources (translated and bilingual), all by renowned authors writing for young students. With the encouragement and support of teachers from Huong Khe and Ky Anh districts, program advisor Ms. Tuyet Anh, and students Bang Linh and Thuy Linh, along with their younger sister Hoai An, the program organized a book donation event and English exchange with students from various schools in a systematic, open, lively, and warm manner. These student exchanges were vibrant, engaging, and inspired a reading culture; the students gained experience and learned practical and effective ways to learn English.
It was truly a summer of volunteering in their own unique way. Bang Linh, Thuy Linh, and Hoai An forged strong bonds with the children in remote areas. Even at noon under the scorching Central Vietnamese sun, or at 5 PM, the children from Huong Giang, Phuc Dong, Giang Dong, and Ky Phu schools still sang and danced together, reluctant to leave, lingering to ask for Bang Linh, Thuy Linh, and Hoai An's email addresses, Zalo, Messenger, and Telegram numbers; and requesting autographs in their guestbooks. In this warm and friendly atmosphere, a female reporter from a local radio and television station remarked: "It was a great success! Bang Linh, Thuy Linh, and Hoai An are wonderful. The elementary and middle school children of Ha Tinh, a land of studiousness, are incredibly lovely…"
Ut Mui Ne observed and concluded:
- The families of these international students are very conscious of instilling in their children a love for Vietnam, a connection to their homeland and roots. No matter where they go, what they do, or how sophisticated their cultural knowledge may be, their roots are fundamental and nurture their souls.
- Bang Linh, Thuy Linh, Hoai An (and many other students) have voluntarily and enthusiastically participated in events focused on their roots during the Green Summer program, which is extremely encouraging.
- Ha Tinh is a land of studiousness; teachers and students from schools in Huong Khe and Ky Anh have seized this valuable opportunity to organize meetings and exchanges, further inspiring a reading culture, accessing new knowledge through "learning by doing," and fostering self-confidence towards a broader horizon of knowledge.
The youth of Binh Thuan – blessed with favorable conditions, geographical advantages, and human resources – welcome the new academic year 2023-2024 with the belief and love of the whole country, for the whole country – elevating learning, comprehensively accessing new knowledge, and closely integrating the school system with social life.
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