The foreigner loves the April 30th holiday.

Derek happily watched the April 30, 1995 commemoration ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City.

By now, Derek has become a "local" in Vietnam, and is once again preparing to join the big festival with the people of his second homeland.

With only a few days left until the 50th anniversary of the reunification of the country, Derek William Page (Canadian citizen) and his wife, Nguyen Thi Minh Van (from District 5, Ho Chi Minh City), have already bought shirts with the red flag and yellow star emblem printed on them, bearing the words "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom." Mrs. Minh Van happily shared that in the last days of April, the couple will go out and celebrate to the fullest.

I heard it will be very crowded on April 30th, and I'm worried my wife and I won't be able to squeeze in. But even if we can't see it, it will still be fun outside. Everyone will be out on the streets, cheering and having a great time. My wife and I will definitely go.

I love Vietnam for its friendly smiles.

Derek doesn't speak Vietnamese, but he's become a "local expert" whenever his foreign friends visit Ho Chi Minh City. He convinces them to skip guided tours and instead personally takes them out to eat and explore the city's narrow alleys. He's absolutely certain that anyone who interacts with, talks to, or lives with Vietnamese people will be just as "enchanted" as he is.

My friend John Ligon (an American citizen) had just arrived in Ho Chi Minh City when Derek dragged him to a street-side noodle shop on a small street in District 5. That afternoon, the whole group of friends went to visit the Ha Ton Quyen iron market (District 5).

John, with wide, surprised eyes, inquired about the 80-year-old hacksaws. He spoke broken Vietnamese, greeting the metal vendors in the market. The vendors, with their ruddy complexions and glistening sweat from oil and grease, wore warm, friendly smiles.

Derek and John were both engrossed in taking photos. They captured sweaty faces, backs hunched over carrying sacks of bolts weighing dozens of kilograms, and friendly, smiling eyes.

John had heard many stories about Vietnam from Derek. John studied Vietnamese in Hanoi for a while and then wanted to settle in Da Nang. John laughed, feeling "psychologically manipulated" by his friend, but it was the most effective manipulation in the life of someone who loves Vietnam.

Derek William Page, originally from Canada, has chosen Vietnam as his second home for the past 30 years. That year, on the 20th anniversary of Vietnam's peace and reunification on April 30, 1995, Derek, a recent graduate, eagerly posed for photos with the soldiers during their impressive parade.

Derek is now married to a Vietnamese woman. He lives in his wife's country, and his eyes no longer hold that bewildered curiosity, but instead a gentle smile, like the metal vendors in the markets of Ho Chi Minh City. Derek says that whenever he has free time, he takes his camera and wanders through the alleys of Ho Chi Minh City. Everywhere he goes, the people smile, their eyes and smiles always bright and friendly.

When Derek graduated from university in Canada, a company offered him a job in either China or Vietnam. After some deliberation, he chose Vietnam. He had heard about the Vietnamese people's resilience, a small nation that had overcome brutal war to achieve peace and independence. He vaguely imagined that life there would be very difficult.

So, young Derek packed his bags and crossed the ocean to Ho Chi Minh City. He worked for a telecommunications company. Back then, the mobile phone industry was something very new in the country.

Derek recounted that in his early days in Vietnam, he witnessed soldiers lined up in perfect formation, chests puffed out, faces solemn, and marching with powerful, decisive steps. Thousands of them, all as one. He had seen many parades and marches before, but few had seen anything as magnificent as this. Everyone was joyful, proud, and full of love for their homeland.

So Derek fell for her, and then he fell for the Vietnamese girl Tran Thi Minh Van. They got married and were inseparable, like a pair of lovebirds.

Derek rarely spoke Vietnamese because Minh Vân took care of everything. They opened a studio, with the husband doing the photography and the wife doing the makeup. In their free time, they would go out into the streets, wandering around taking pictures and chatting with friendly working-class people.

Derek often recommends Vietnam to his international friends as a friendly and must-visit destination - Photo: AN VI

Vietnamese people's compassion and solidarity

Derek always had a gentle smile. He carried his camera, capturing their kind eyes. He photographed them so often that he unknowingly became "infected" by that look. He said their work was very hard, but he never saw anyone frown or complain. They always seemed cheerful and hopeful for the future.

Derek introduced Vietnam to his friends as a very interesting place to visit. His paternal family in Canada had already been to Vietnam, and his friends followed suit, traveling to this beautiful and charming country. Many were persuaded to stay in Vietnam.

"If you only read news about Vietnam from 40 years ago, it's all wrong. You have to come now to see how much Vietnam has changed. I have several friends who visited Vietnam and absolutely loved it! They even decided to settle down!", Derek boasted.

What particularly fascinated Derek was not only the optimism and spirit of the Vietnamese people, but also their kindness and mutual support in times of hardship. When the city was paralyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Derek and Minh Vân joined volunteer teams to cook meals and help the local community.

Derek recounted that seeing his wife struggling, he helped her move things from the upper floors of their apartment building down to the street. Then, as the streets became less crowded, he joined his wife in cooking and delivering supplies to people under lockdown.

Ms. Minh Vân also couldn't believe that she and her husband not only overcame the difficult days of the COVID-19 pandemic but also helped so many others. She confided that back then, their studio business gradually lost customers. Then, all of a sudden, the only sound in the city was the wailing sirens of ambulances.

Ms. Minh Vân registered to volunteer with the Go Volunteer group. The volunteer group is mainly made up of young people. They cook and distribute meals and food to the poor. Derek helped his wife move supplies, and then he contacted friends in Canada to raise money to support his wife's group.

As the streets became increasingly deserted, he personally joined a group of volunteers in cooking and distributing food to the people. He shared that everyone around him was trying to help others. Those who were healthy helped the weak, and those who were well-off helped those in need.

Every day, the volunteer group led by him and his wife cooks hundreds of meals for the poor. And his volunteer group receives food supplies from the city government and people from other areas to help share the burden. Through that hardship, he loves his second home even more.

Derek cheerfully and humorously pushes the cart distributing charity gifts - Photo: VAN TRAN

"Vietnamese people are very positive about the future. If you ask them about their lives this year, they'll always say next year will be better, the future will be better. Vietnamese people think positively. That's what I love about Vietnam. I've traveled to many countries around the world, but I rarely see anywhere as positive as Vietnam," Derek said with a bright smile, sharing his thoughts about his second home.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ong-tay-me-le-30-4-20250419225951259.htm