Emotional speech of new doctor who used to cook corn milk to sell to make ends meet

Watch the clip of Cao Van Vinh's emotional speech:

Clip source: ctump.edu.vn

"So what if parents don't have much money?"

In mid-July, Cao Van Vinh (from Ben Tre , class president of YM class 44) officially graduated with a doctor's degree with honors from Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

At the graduation ceremony, Cao Van Vinh represented the new doctors in speaking before many students and parents.

“ This moment is the time for us to remember the first days of entering university - an extremely important milestone in life. We all realize that university is a training environment to reach the gate of maturity, so there is no room for leisure, but we must be really serious and make an effort from the very first days.

There are many difficulties and challenges, but it is thanks to those difficulties that we grow up every day. To this day, the most important thing we have in our hands is not only a university degree but also ethics, attitude, knowledge, skills, experience - factors that help us become good citizens, good doctors" - Cao Van Vinh expressed .

Can Tho.jpg — Cao Van Vinh: Thank you, Mom and Dad, for your silent sacrifices so that we can wholeheartedly study. Photo: NVCC

Vinh emotionally mentioned his parents: " Thank you, Mom and Dad, for your silent sacrifices so that we can wholeheartedly study and have the opportunity to continue writing new pages on our university journey despite the difficulties and obstacles. I am always proud to have my parents behind me to encourage, share and help ."

There were moments when Vinh could not hold back his tears: "My parents had to wade through mud, but I was able to study in the city. The shirt my parents wore was dirty, but the blouse I wore had to be beautiful and fragrant. My parents used a phone that we now jokingly call a 'low-end' phone to contact me, but the phone I was able to use was the most beautiful one my parents had in their pocket...

So what if my parents are not educated? So what if my parents don't have much money? Or the way people say my parents are country bumpkins, don't know how to speak tactfully... those things don't matter to me. My parents are still extraordinary in my eyes."

Can Tho 2.jpg — Cao Van Vinh with his parents and relatives on the day he received his excellent graduation certificate. Photo: NVCC

At this point, Vinh choked up and stopped speaking. Only after the applause from the entire hall could he continue his gratitude to his parents and teachers.

“ Mom and Dad, please rest assured, we have grown up, will enter life, embark on a new journey towards the future. We will try our best so that you do not have to worry .”

Earn a living and study to become a doctor

Cao Van Vinh is the eldest son in a family of two brothers. His hometown is in the coastal area of Thanh Phu (Ben Tre). His parents grow rice, raise shrimp and catch seafood near the shore but still have a lack of money.

Vinh’s house was in the middle of a rice field, and the road he took to school used to be muddy during the rainy season. When he was in elementary school, his father had to carry him across dirt roads every morning to get to school.

In middle school and high school, the dry season is less difficult, but in the rainy season, every day on the way to school Vinh has to cross 3km of muddy road to get to the place to park his bike.

From this point, Vinh had to cycle or take the bus another 7km to reach Le Hoai Don High School. Vinh still vividly remembers the days he slipped and fell, having to wear muddy clothes to class.

Because of his family's difficult circumstances, Vinh helps his parents with many chores outside of school hours, but he never intended to drop out of school. For him, only by studying can he hope to escape poverty and repay his parents.

Vinh achieved many good results in his studies, and in 2018 was admitted to the Faculty of General Medicine - Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy .

“When I heard the news that I had passed the university entrance exam, I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. I was happy because I had passed the exam to get into my favorite major, but I was worried about where I would get the money to pay the tuition,” Vinh recalled, sharing that at that time he had intended to postpone his admission to go to work because his family was in such a difficult situation.

Knowing Vinh’s situation, teachers at Le Hoai Don High School connected with benefactors to apply for a scholarship for him. And fortunately, Vinh was supported with tuition fees for the past 6 years of study.

Can Tho 6.jpg — Over the past year, Vinh and his group of friends have continued to volunteer to help those in more difficult circumstances than themselves. Photo: NVCC

During his days studying in Can Tho City, Vinh worked part-time at a coffee shop, making corn milk and juice to sell to pay for his living expenses. There were days when he came home from school and had to wait until 1-2 am to finish making corn milk.

"Luckily, at that time, my friends at school supported me a lot. Every day, I sold 20-30 bottles of corn milk and juice," Vinh said.

In his fourth year of university, Vinh applied to be the manager of a milk tea shop to earn extra income. He also participated in many school activities such as writing media articles and designing posters.

Despite working a lot, Vinh still maintains high scores and is considered enthusiastic and eager to learn. In particular, for the past year, Vinh and his group of friends have regularly done charity work, helping people in difficult circumstances.

Emotional speech of 87-year-old man admitted to master's degree at Can Tho University

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the 'care' of Can Tho University towards me, an elderly student who was lucky enough to pass the exam... - Mr. Nguyen Tan Thanh, 87 years old, a new graduate student shared at the opening ceremony of Can Tho University's graduate school.