Farming, valedictorian, dropping out of college, getting a full scholarship to an international school

That is the journey of overcoming difficulties that female student Hoang Thi Quynh experienced, with the 'starting point' being a small house in Quang Ngai (formerly Kon Tum) where she always received boundless love from her mother.

Hoang Thi Quynh, a female student who 'used her mother as motivation and her own difficulties as a springboard to rise up', has just won a full scholarship to an international university.

PHOTO: NVCC

Mortgage house for children to go to school

Growing up in a remote commune of the province, Hoang Thi Quynh's childhood was associated with bumpy roads. The road to school was nearly 15 kilometers long, winding with many steep slopes, surrounded by coffee plantations, rubber forests mixed with wild grass growing wildly. The road to the field was full of rough gravel and rocks, had to cross streams, and if it rained, the ground would become slippery, and if you were careless, you could fall.

"These roads are associated with my growth," Quynh said.

The female student said that she still cannot forget the memories of working with her mother in the vast rubber forest. The plantation was steep and hard, every day she had to carry dozens of kilos of latex in her hands, drenched in sweat. The work was repeated from grade 5 to grade 12, starting early in the morning, and the plastic bucket containing latex became a familiar item in the lives of the mother and daughter.

But those difficult days did not discourage the female student from neglecting her studies. Because Quynh believed that only studying could help both her and her mother move on to a different life.

"My mother is the only person who has accompanied me throughout my journey of growing up. Seeing her struggle in the rubber forest, I always told myself to try harder. I used her as motivation, and my own difficulties as a springboard to rise up," Quynh said.

This determination helped the female student graduate as valedictorian of the high school graduation exam at Tran Quoc Tuan High School (Cam Thanh Ward, Quang Ngai Province) - the school that just celebrated its 70th anniversary. "What impressed me most about Quynh was her determination to turn adversity into strength and progress. She often worked extra to support her family, but never let work affect her studies," Ms. Bui Thi Hanh, Quynh's 12th grade homeroom teacher, recalled.

After graduating, Quynh was accepted into a university in Hanoi . Supporting her daughter's decision to "go North", Quynh's mother borrowed money from the bank and mortgaged her small house so that the young girl could feel secure in going to the capital to study like her peers. With no relatives or acquaintances, the mountain girl began her journey of complete independence in the big city.

"This was probably the biggest turning point in my journey. I wanted to leave my comfort zone and challenge myself in a developing environment. In my mind that year, Hanoi was not only a splendid capital but also a strong dream, a place that opened up hope, an opportunity for me to meet new friends and develop myself," Quynh confided.

Hoang Thi Quynh (right cover) in a charity fundraising activity

PHOTO: NVCC

However, the happy days were short-lived. After one semester, she was forced to stop studying due to financial burden and her mother’s deteriorating health in the countryside due to osteoarthritis.

"When I saw my mother's health getting worse, my first feeling was that I started to feel scared, afraid that I hadn't done anything to ease her suffering, afraid that all the efforts I had made over the years would disappear. Choosing to temporarily stop studying at my old school was one of the most difficult things, because at that time, I felt like a part of my dream had been broken. There were times when I really broke down and was disappointed in myself," Quynh confided.

However, during the most turbulent days, Quynh said her mother was always there to encourage and believe in her. That was the reason why instead of returning to her hometown, Quynh chose to stay in Hanoi, spending a few years working, gaining experience and preparing financially for a new study opportunity. "My mother's love pulled me up, helped me believe in the path I chose," Quynh confided.

"Maybe I can't choose where I was born, but I can choose how I want to move forward. And I chose to move forward, for my mother and for my own efforts," the female student added.

Volunteer journey

In the past two years, Quynh has mainly tutored math and Vietnamese for high school and middle school students, earning about 100,000-200,000 VND per session, and also taught free lessons for visually impaired children. At the same time, she also spent time participating in social and volunteer activities to learn and expand relationships, with a notable mark being co-founding and managing the GreenHeart project of the VN&5C community.

Quynh said that at GreenHeart, she is in charge of coordinating the sale of recycled handicrafts and environmentally friendly products to raise funds for children in the highlands. Under her leadership, the project also attracts many volunteers from within and outside the country.

"When tutoring blind children and raising funds for children in mountainous areas, I learned how to feel listened to, empathized, and also more grateful for what I have. Every situation I encountered helped me understand that giving is not only helping others, but also a way for me to grow up," she said.

The journey of not giving up but still devoting herself to society contributed to helping Quynh achieve the Dream Wings scholarship from RMIT University Vietnam in October. This is a full scholarship program, providing her with monthly living expenses, a laptop and travel expenses if needed, in addition to exempting tuition fees. Currently, Quynh is studying English and communication skills before starting school in February next year.

In the new learning environment, Quynh chose to pursue psychology - a field she had always wanted to study since the age of 16 when she witnessed her mother go through a lot of pressure and hurt but still tried to raise her.

"At that time, I didn't know how to comfort my mother, I just felt helpless when I saw her suffering. From that day on, I began to learn about human emotions, about how we overcome difficulties and heal, and then realized that psychology helps me understand both others and myself. I want to pursue this field to help people who always silently suffer like my mother to be listened to and shared," Quynh shared.

"If all goes well, after graduation I want to study for a master's degree to become a psychotherapist at hospitals, or become a psychology lecturer," Quynh added.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lam-ray-dau-thu-khoa-nghi-ngang-dai-hoc-den-hoc-bong-toan-phan-truong-quoc-te-185251107115918896.htm