The second homeland of the Russian people.
The Vietsovpetro Joint Venture Housing Complex, located in Sub-district 1, covers approximately 10 hectares, but stepping through the gate feels like entering a miniature Russia within the eastern coastal city of Ho Chi Minh City. This "Russian Village" is separated from the housing complex for Vietnamese workers at Vietsovpetro by only an internal road. For over 40 years, Russians have integrated into the community here, further demonstrating the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Russia.
Chekmarev Maksim (30 years old), an interpreter at the Vietsovpetro Executive Office, expressed that Vietnam, once a distant country, has now become his second home after 7 years of living and working there. He recounted that during a trip to Vietnam and a visit to Vung Tau, his family fell in love with the area and wanted to return to live and work there. In 2019, he became an employee of the Vietnam-Russia joint venture Vietsovpetro, bringing his wife and children to live in the "Russian village".
“The living and working environment in the eastern part of Ho Chi Minh City is fantastic. The climate is cool, and the colleagues are friendly... I enjoy many Vietnamese dishes such as beef pho, sour soup with minced pork, stir-fried noodles with beef, and banh khot (miniature savory pancakes). I especially love Vietnamese coffee; it's fragrant, delicious, and rich,” said Chekmarev Maksim.
Chekmareva Nataliia, wife of Chekmarev Maksim, shared: “When I moved to Vietnam with my husband, I immediately fell in love with life in the ‘Russian village.’ I don’t have many friends here, but the Vietnamese people are always sincere and kind. I think, if we had to choose again, my husband and I would still choose this place to settle down, build our lives, and live.”
On Monday morning, most Russian professionals boarded their shuttle buses to work very early. However, the school located within the "Russian Village" campus remained bustling. Bespalova Anastasia, a student in class 10A, shared that she has been in Vietnam for 10 years and has been attending this school ever since. For her, the curriculum at the Russian school in Vietnam is not much different from the curriculum in Russia. "The materials, content, and curriculum here are promptly provided by the school administration, so studying at the 'Russian Village' is quite convenient. Besides my Russian friends, I also have Vietnamese friends, so I feel very happy to come to school."
According to Mr. Ershov Dmitrii, the principal of the Russian school, the school currently has 260 students in 11 classes. They attend school five days a week. The curriculum follows the standards of the Russian Ministry of Education . The main subjects include: Mathematics, Russian, History, Biology, Geography, Chemistry, Physics, Informatics, Astronomy, Sociology, etc. In addition to Russian, the school also offers instruction in two other foreign languages: English and German. Furthermore, the students participate in cultural and sports activities at the school.
A testament to the friendship between Vietnam and Russia.
According to information from the Vietnam-Russia joint venture Vietsovpetro, in the early 1990s, there were approximately 2,000 Russians living and working in Vung Tau. Initially, they were provided with apartments in the Lam Son Oil and Gas Service Area (formerly Vung Tau City). Later, to facilitate the work of Soviet officials and experts in Vietnam, the Vung Tau - Con Dao Special Zone and the General Department of Oil and Gas (formerly) decided to build a residential complex specifically for these experts.
In 1985, Vietsovpetro built Block A of the 5-story apartment complex - Sub-district 1, covering an area of over 10 hectares, to house Soviet (now Russian) experts. A school for the children of staff and experts was also built at that time, right within the "Russian village," with full amenities to meet the educational needs of the experts' children.
According to Mr. Saliev Alexey, Chairman of the Russian Trade Union at the Vietnam-Russia Joint Venture Vietsovpetro, nearly 400 Russian experts are currently living and working there, out of a total of almost 1,000 Russians. All of them have been provided with apartments in the "Russian Village" to live with their families. "Vietsovpetro always creates favorable conditions for Russian experts in both work and daily life, helping them feel secure in their work and committed to long-term employment in Vietnam," said Mr. Saliev Alexey.
Within the "Russian Village" complex, there are also many supporting facilities and amenities: a shopping center, a medical center, a children's playground, a volleyball court, a football field, a tennis court, a badminton court, a sports arena, an exhibition hall, a souvenir shop, a power station, a water station, etc. The familiar name "Russian Village" also originated from these facilities. Strengthening the friendly relationship between Vietnam and Russia is not only achieved through professional cooperation but also through a variety of activities that contribute to strengthening the sustainable bond between the two sides, such as cultural exchanges, sports, and community activities.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/lang-nga-o-phuong-tam-thang-noi-dat-la-hoa-que-huong-post855500.html
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