In Ba Ria - Vung Tau, meet the dream of Binh Thuan

During these rainy days of August, at The Grand Ho Tram Strip resort complex, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, I happened to meet Ms. Vo Hong Diep and her daughter, from Thanh Hai, Phan Thiet.

It is known that Ms. Diep and her only daughter Nguyen Ngoc Thao Nguyen are here to help her daughter realize her dream. And at this time, Nguyen has entered the final round of the Miss Ocean Vietnam 2023 contest, the final round will take place at Angsana Ho Tram, August 25, 2023.

Nguyen Ngoc Thao Nguyen was born in 2000, 1.68 meters tall, standing next to her petite, fragile mother. That image moved me, because it evoked the mother's boundless sacrifice and love for her child. Ms. Diep confided: In 2006, due to family problems, from her husband's house in Ho Chi Minh City, the mother and daughter packed up and returned to her mother's hometown and lived in Thanh Hai, a coastal ward of Phan Thiet city. The mother opened a small coffee shop in the Catholic neighborhood and was loved by the neighbors; making ends meet, the mother raised her child to adulthood. In 2018, Nguyen Ngoc Thao Nguyen's daughter was admitted to Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, majoring in cultural and arts management, Faculty of Music Performance. Becoming a student, with the dedicated guidance of teachers, Thao Nguyen tried hard to overcome difficulties and focused on improving her expertise. After a period of studying hard in the university lecture hall, Thao Nguyen has made remarkable progress. Thinking about her difficult family situation, her mother had to save every penny to send to her, Thao Nguyen decided to find a job to cover her own needs. During the day, she went to school, in the evening she sang; on her days off, she sang at several places to earn extra money. At first, Thao Nguyen only sang at coffee shops and restaurants, but later she was invited to sing at weddings, conference parties, events... Despite such hardships and difficulties, Thao Nguyen still took time to practice aerobics every day...

Talking about the period of nurturing her dream in difficult circumstances, Thao Nguyen said: I had a very memorable childhood and school years in Phan Thiet. And then the day I left that peaceful place, brought all my dreams and ambitions to the city named after Uncle Ho to study. In the first months, I was very unfamiliar with everything. There was no mother, no friends from school, and no smell of the sea - a scent that was so familiar to me. I struggled, struggling to adapt to this new life. There were times when I felt sorry for myself, in the middle of the splendid Saigon, there was a child far from home quietly shedding tears because she missed home, missed her homeland. As the years in the lecture hall passed, I still always missed the sea. I still continuously took the Saigon - Phan Thiet bus back and forth every month, every holiday, whenever possible. And one time on that familiar bus, the dream of becoming a beauty from when I was a little schoolgirl was awakened. To make my dream come true, my life had to speed up. Besides studying and making a living, I spent more time practicing to get the desired body shape.

I asked Thao Nguyen: If I remember correctly, in 2022, when you entered the top 35 of Miss Tourism Vietnam, your sash said Ho Chi Minh City. What made you want to wear a sash with the two words Binh Thuan when you stepped onto the big stage this time?

- I was born and raised in my maternal hometown Phan Thiet - a land full of sunshine and wind but warm with human love. Although on paper, my hometown is Ho Chi Minh City, but for a long time Phan Thiet has been a place with more memories than any other place. For many different reasons, I have continuously moved between Ho Chi Minh City - Phan Thiet and the land of the sea has become more and more deeply connected. This place has witnessed my joys, tears, and ups and downs that have been kept here. When I saw Miss Ocean Vietnam starting the new season of 2023, I did not hesitate to register to participate in the contest. The program intended to post my picture and introduce that I came from Ho Chi Minh City, but I wanted to wear the sash of Binh Thuan, my maternal hometown, where my mother lives. Thinking that I would be happier being a child from Binh Thuan, I proactively contacted and sincerely expressed my feelings. The Organizing Committee of the Miss Ocean Vietnam 2023 pageant agreed and allowed me to wear the Binh Thuan sash.

- Attached, loving, and proud of her hometown Binh Thuan, but if Thao Nguyen is crowned in the Miss Ocean Vietnam 2023 contest, what do you think she will do for her hometown?

- I have a long-cherished hope that when I have the ability, in any circumstance, I will contribute a little bit of my strength to my homeland. I will try my best to protect and overcome the negative factors that directly and indirectly affect the sea, the homeland that is imbued with the love of my mother and me. I wish to see the smiles on the lips of fishermen in fishing villages, of poor children in the beloved coastal area. I wish even more to see the clear blue color of the sea blending with the white clouds in the sky. A healthy sea, a happy community and I will spread this dream further and further with everyone.

- Thank you, son of the sunny and windy homeland of Binh Thuan!

It is known that the Miss Ocean Vietnam 2023 contest is organized by Silk Fashion World Company Limited, the crowned beauty queen will be selected to compete in Miss Intercontinental - Miss Intercontinental. In the midst of these rainy days of August, why do I feel strangely warm, because of the story of the dream and the dream coming true day by day of a poor student mother and daughter in Phan Thiet. I happily and proudly tell everyone: In the middle of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, there is the dream of Binh Thuan! Hopefully on August 25, in the final round of the upcoming contest, the touching dream of Binh Thuan of the mother and daughter of Ms. Vo Hong Diep and her grandchild Nguyen Ngoc Thao Nguyen, from Thanh Hai, Phan Thiet will come true, the moment of bursting happiness will come!

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