Full Name: Le Do Nhat Phuong
School : Nguyen Tat Thanh high school, Hanoi.
Class : 10 Specialize in Natural Science - high quality class
Someone has said that experience is a hard teacher. F-rom your experience, you learn and you improve. Gradually, it forms your personalities and is part of you. As for me, I experienced my childhood in Quang Binh and it shaped who I am now.
My childhood was attached to the river behind my house and to the vast dunes of Quang Binh. In summer afternoons, my friends and I often jumped into the river, singing songs or just shouting out. After that, we climbed to the high dunes. There were many cacti on the dunes, being there, so green. Once, I asked my grandfather why they could grow well in such scorching sand. He gently answered that under the sand there was underground water.
Now I left my hometown for Hanoi for further study. Long and cold winter nights of Hanoi made me miss Quang Binh passionately. My grandfather’s stories kept recurring in my mind. He said the cacti were like our Quang Binh people: they could save every d-rop of water in the earth’s womb to survive. The more severe the weather is, the more patient they are. Like the life of the cacti, it was hard, and at the same time, lucky for me to live in a place like Quang Binh. I had to overcome a lot of difficulties, but it was the difficulties that made me stronger and more patient.
I also treasured the time I spent with my grandfather. My grandfather is old and experienced so he understands Quang Binh clearly. I always feel he is the person who understands me most. Every story that he told me is meaningful and is to give me a profound lesson. I grew up through his stories. Also, he likes writing, especially about the history or the geography of Quang Binh. He published two books, one is the famous general Le Mo Khai and another is geography book of Cao Lao Ha land. He could day after day sit there, at the table, doing the research into the history. Or he could rewrite one document many times because he did not want there was a mistake in his history book. Once, while my grandfather was writing a book, at the sight of his grey hair, I suddenly realized that I could not be beside him for much more time. I felt anxious as one day I may have no more mental support. I learn how to be patient f-rom him. When I encounter a problem in my study or in my personal life, I often think of the cacti on the sand, of the image of my grandfather and I get the strength and patience to move on.
Besides, I have learnt to be more patient with others and to help others. Especially, one of the habits that I develop is the patience in listening to others. My grandfather could sit hours and hours, just listening to my trivial stories. I told him how I went to school, what lesson I learnt there, who I talked with during the day, and so on. My grandfather listened patiently to what I had to say. He shared the moment of happiness with me, encouraged me if I failed, and urged me to try more. I sometimes asked: ‘Grandpa, why could you never become bored with me and my stories?’ He replied, smilingly, ‘My love, listening to whatever a person has to say is to show your love and respect to that person’. It is just a simple but meaningful reply. I understand that, no matter what people say, if you listen to them, you will give them your love and your respect.
One more thing that formed my c-haracter, an ambitious person is the fact that my village is so poor and the life of Quang Binh people is too hard. Though they work on the fields so hard, the peasants barely earn enough money for daily basic necessaries, and many families cannot afford sending their children to school. Therefore I thirst for the successful day when I can come back to my hometown and be capable of helping my peasants. I suddenly remember a memory, my first evening railway trip to Hanoi. Everybody was sad to say ‘good bye’ to me but only one person gently smiled to me, and that was my grandfather. He said ‘You might fly, fly away, my small bird! And please remember whe-re you fly f-rom. I am waiting for your good news’.
As a small bird, I am flying into the vast heaven. I am lucky as I experienced a very happy childhood in Quang Binh. That is why my experience is so important for me. Experience is to give me directions to whe-re I want to be, what I desire to have, and what I want to do. Experience is indeed part of my life which I treasure forever.
