Working hard to bridge the educational gap between Vietnam and New Zealand

Ms. Ngoc Van shared with Tuoi Tre about her "trial by fire" journey to find balance in life and career.

* It was surprising that you graduated as valedictorian in English literature at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University) even though you had previously studied science in high school?

MSc. Bang Pham Ngoc Van

- It's true that I won't have the same advantages as language majors when studying this major. But thinking back, because I come from a natural science background, I do well in subjects that focus on logic and analysis, such as grammar, semantics or discourse analysis...

Besides, I also often spend time to examine the problem, find solutions to my own limitations. For example, if my listening skill is not good, I try to "bathe" in English for at least 15-30 minutes every day and divide it into many times a day so as not to get bored.

For most subjects, I will also organize them according to my own understanding, not by gradual accumulation.

Perhaps the most important thing is that I don't compromise or limit myself. For example, I don't think that because my starting point is lower than my friends, I can achieve lower results.

* What led you into the field of education ?

- Previously, I worked for the Singapore Government for eight years in the field of trade and investment promotion, then joined a software company in Silicon Valley, USA. Working in many fields made me think about what is really the long-term path to choose.

Coincidentally, at that time my first child was about to enter first grade. And after a long time researching education to prepare for my child's future, I realized that this was the field I really wanted to pursue.

Perhaps the common "touch point" that makes anyone working in education happy and proud is clearly feeling the great significance of education in contributing to changing the life, destiny, and future of an entire person.

At that time, Education New Zealand (ENZ) happened to post a job advertisement, I boldly applied and have been in love ever since.

* What are you most proud of when looking back?

- I am lucky to have a combination of many factors such as teaching experience, having worked in the business sector and also being a mother... so I have a deep understanding and harmony when sitting in the position of being in charge of developing international market education. The more I do it, the more passionate I am.

During my time at ENZ, perhaps the thing that I am most proud of is that I have contributed to the successful implementation of hundreds of New Zealand Government scholarships at secondary school level and New Zealand Government scholarships at university level exclusively for Vietnamese students. Until now, only young Vietnamese people have had this opportunity.

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I also delivered courses on global citizenship certification to Vietnamese students. At that time, Vietnam was the first country outside New Zealand to implement this certification.

* Is Ngoc Van's concept of happiness at the present time different from when she was in her twenties?

- In our twenties, most of us are full of enthusiasm, focused on striving for our careers. At that time, I thought happiness was simply a compliment, recognition from the boss or a steady promotion.

At my current age, with a family and a stable career, I think happiness is about appreciating the present moments. In other words, when I was young, I often looked to the future, but now I only look to the present, to the people I love at this moment. I am happy when I see my loved ones happy, and I see myself contributing to creating value for the community.

Ngoc Van (right) took a souvenir photo with former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on the occasion of Ms. Ardern's visit to Vietnam in November 2022 - Photo: NVCC

* Are there times when you get "burned out"? What do you do to overcome them?

- The nature of the job is challenging, taking care of and understanding a young child is not easy... There are peak periods when I of course cannot avoid feeling exhausted (burned out).

I was fortunate enough to have studied the New Zealand Global Citizenship Programme. I studied and later became a certified trainer of this programme, and from there I learned a lot about how to recognise my emotions and how to proactively deal with negative emotions.

When I notice my body's warning signs of exhaustion, I hit the "pause button" to find a way to rebalance.

Usually my secret is to spend time with my children, who are full of positive energy. I learned from them about finding balance from simple things. For example, when they are sad, they just need to eat a delicious dish, watch a music show of their favorite idol... then they forget their sadness immediately.

When I get to talk to and hug my children, I often feel energized.

There are times when it is difficult to share difficulties with loved ones, I will spend time on my own hobbies like a walk just to breathe deeply, clearly see nature. But maybe I am lucky to receive a lot of support, trust from parents and partner in times of need.

The secret to balancing work and family

* With three small children and a job that requires you to travel constantly... how do you balance your time?

- For any parent, this is a huge challenge, requiring significant effort not only in balancing the activity schedule but also in the emotional factor.

I will flexibly integrate all the tasks that need to be completed according to my plan for the year, month, week and in a day.

Next, I pay a lot of attention to the so-called quality time. That means there are times of the day when I need to concentrate on work, so I will design the space and time when I work most productively. And when determining the time for family, I will focus on listening and talking with my children and husband.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/miet-mai-lam-cau-noi-giao-duc-viet-nam-new-zealand-20251018084551653.htm