Oanh Yen: 'I had difficulty leaving the city to return to the countryside'

Model Oanh Yen said her family's "leaving the city to return to the countryside" was not as successful as expected, however, they persisted in their dream of becoming farmers.

In 2020, the model left showbiz to settle down in Dong Nai and set up a farm. She also brought her six young children with her because she wanted them to be close to nature. Earlier this year, she decided to bring her children back to Ho Chi Minh City due to many difficulties. On this occasion, she talked about her life.

- What made you bring your children back to the city after a period of living in the countryside?

- Four years ago, my boyfriend and I bought a 12-hectare plot of land in Dong Nai worth 20 billion VND with the desire to invest in agriculture . I left showbiz, sold two apartments in Ho Chi Minh City for more than ten billion VND to pay for labor, land improvement, and building a garden-pond-cage model. I hired good engineers to advise and help me build the initial model. The more I work, the more I love farming because of the fresh air and peaceful life. Every morning when I wake up, I put on a hat and boots to water the plants and feed the livestock. I raise pigeons, fish, chickens and have success with the first batches of termite mushrooms. I also learned how to raise silkworms, grow cordyceps, and take care of lingzhi mushrooms. My children also recognize many animals, plants, and learn how to garden.

We also don’t have enough water for daily activities. Adults can handle it, but the children look pitiful. We use electricity from a local household, but it is unstable and weak. The dry season has come, the weather is dry and hot, there is no air conditioning, and my children often get sick. Not to mention last year I sent my two stepchildren to the village school along with four children with my boyfriend Tan Long. Both of them could not adapt to the new learning environment, became sullen and quiet. Therefore, my boyfriend and I decided to bring our children back to the city to live and study.

Oanh Yen teaches her children to farm. — Oanh Yen taught her children to sow vegetable seeds at the farm last year. Video : *Provided by the character*

- How did you and your family adjust to urban life?

- We have been living in my sister's apartment in Thu Duc city for about three months now. I am also taking care of the procedures for my children to attend international schools. Fortunately, my children are obedient and understand their parents' circumstances, so this change is not difficult for them. My boyfriend and I will balance the budget, buy a house soon, and give our children a stable life.

- From what source of income do you take care of the farm and pay for your children's education?

- I am lucky to have the support of both families, especially the children's grandparents. Before, when living on the farm, the food expenses were not much because all the food was self-sufficient. I did not have to worry about the education costs for the six children because my boyfriend's parents would pay. In addition, each month they gave each child 10 million VND. I did not use this money for groceries, only used it to invest in the farm. Currently, my whole family is supported by my husband's family, so things are okay.

- How do you deal with the current difficulties?

- My boyfriend works in real estate so he has accumulated many valuable pieces of land. He used to buy them for tens of billions of dong, now they are worth hundreds of billions. We are looking to sell some of the land to solve the problems we are facing.

I still travel between Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City, maintaining my farm and not abandoning it. Last year, I was admitted to the distance learning program of high-tech agriculture at Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry and still continue my studies. I have more knowledge about agriculture so I can reduce the number of gardeners. Before, I hired three or four people to take care of the plants and livestock, now I only have one person to look after everything. I hope the current difficult period is only temporary and will definitely pass.

Oanh Yen, 38 years old, from Vung Tau. Photo: Character provided — Oanh Yen, 38 years old, from Vung Tau. Photo: *Character provided*

- How is your boyfriend?

- At first, he did not support me in farming because it was too hard. He felt sorry for my skin when I was tanned by the sun. However, he knew that I loved this job, so he gradually supported me. When the farm encountered difficulties, he encouraged me not to be discouraged, "If you lose this game, you can try another one". He and I tried to contact local authorities and units to solve the problem of power shortage. He also gave me all the real estate ownership papers so that when needed, he could sell them to have investment costs and rebuild the farm. Thanks to that, I had more strength to continue.

Before, I was too arrogant, thinking I was good, confident that I could do everything, not looking at the big picture. Through this time, I realized that I needed to gain more knowledge. Even if I stumble, knowledge is still the luggage that will help me succeed in the future. I do not consider the past difficulties as a failure because I appreciate the effort I put in. I did not lose anything, but I also understood the value of life in many aspects. Most importantly, I always have my loved ones by my side no matter what the circumstances.

Oanh Yen was born in 1986 in Vung Tau, is a model, and has participated in many beauty contests at home and abroad. She entered the top 15 of Miss World Vietnam 2010, was crowned Miss Global 2015 in the Philippines and won the title of Miss World Beauty Queen 2019 in Korea. She has four children with her boyfriend - businessman Tan Long: Quang Nhat, four years old, Nhu Y, five years old, Gia Duc, six years old, Gia My, seven years old. However, the two have not yet married. In addition, the beauty has two children from a previous marriage: Henry Nguyen, 12 years old, Gia Tam, 10 years old.

Hoang Dung

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