Your Vietnam

Couple in seventies rewrite travel rulebook

Published

2 months ago

February 5, 2023

TienphongNews

Mong Phước Minh and his wife in Hà Giang. — Photo courtesy of Minh

By Thanh Nga

Mong Phước Minh, 74 and his wife, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Cúc, 70, from Long Xuyên City, An Giang Province, have completed hundreds of trips at home and abroad, and say these trips are like a spiritual medicine to help them stay healthy and happy.

Back in 2005, Minh’s wife was diagnosed with thyroid and ovarian cancer. And though Minh was depressed and couldn’t hold back his tears, Cúc proved to be a hugely courageous woman. Along with timely treatment at a prestigious hospital, she spent time taking exercise and often asked her husband to travel to relieve stress and find joy in life.

In 2011, when Cúc’s two cancers were finally under control, the couple started to travel more regularly. For Minh, as long as his wife sits behind him, he will drive anywhere to bring joy to his wife.

Recently, they made a journey of more than 30 days across Việt Nam in their ageing Suzuki Vitara. The married couple have just returned home to welcome the Vietnamese New Year.

Mong Phước Minh and his wife, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Cúc have just made a journey of more than 30 days across Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of Minh

“After many days of constant moving, sightseeing and challenges, we have returned home safely to celebrate Tết with our children and grandchildren,” Minh said.

Earlier this month, they had seven days to explore the primaeval forests of Nam Trường Sơn where they had no electricity and no phone signal, but still set out to explore the waterfalls and forests.

“We have been travelling together for about 11 years now. We travel a lot, so it has turned into our passion. Whenever we have free time, we are ready for a trip,” Minh told Việt Nam News.

“As usual, we don’t have an exact date, time, and destination, only a general idea. It’s not exactly a principle, just a habit of not wanting to be tied down. We approach things happening on the journey randomly, because they are often unexpected and interesting things.”

Since they were students, they have loved travelling. When getting married, they often took their children around various destinations near their home.

Mong Phước Minh and his wife, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Cúc. — Photo courtesy of Minh

“At that time, we were busy taking care of our children, working and doing business, so we didn’t have much time to travel. Later, when our children grew up, and the economy was more stable, we had more short trips on tours with our children and friends,” Minh said.

In 2011, at first, the couple planned to go with their friends but as the schedule approached Minh discussed a plan with his wife that they would travel by themselves.

Over the past 11 years, they have made hundreds of trips together, including a motorbike trip from Long Xuyên City to Bờ Y border gate in Kon Tum Province to Laos and a trip across Việt Nam from south to north.

On the first trip, they travelled with a motorbike made in 1990. According to Minh, except for the need to change tyres and spark plugs, the motorbike was completely good.

They made sure to prepare enough medicine, raincoats, umbrellas, flashlights, and a mini rice cooker for the long journey.

The couple have promised their children that they will travel safely so that everyone feels secure. Every day, they call home to let them know where they are.

After a few favourable trips, in early 2012, they asked several friends to ride motorbikes with them across Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia. The trip was very successful, which left them even more motivated.

During this trip, they passed 120km of old forest belonging to the Don Amphan Reserve in Laos. There were no houses on the way, only the married couple in the middle of many majestic mountains.

Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Cúc takes photos in Thừa Thiên – Huế during their journey across Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of Minh

“This road was deserted, but very beautiful. My wife was in awe of it all,” Minh said.

The trip lasted a total of 25 days.

“The joy of travelling by motorbike is that it is a cheap and comfortable way to explore a favourite destination. Many people think that we are rich, as we often travel, but we have to consider it properly. That’s why we often choose to ride a motorbike,” Minh said.

In 2013, Minh and Cúc completed a 30-day trip through Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Initially, Minh planned to travel by motorbike. However, Cúc wanted to ride a bicycle. To please his wife, Minh bought two folding bicycles, then sewed bags to fit the bike to carry through the border gate.

They travelled by coach through cities and countries, when they stopped to visit, they used the bicycles to move around.

Wherever they go, they obey their principle of never heading to the next destination after 4pm, to help ensure safety.

“We have a responsibility to ourselves and our families, promising our children that we must go safely to give them peace of mind,” Minh said.

During their journeys, the thing that Minh and his wife feel most fortunate about is that they have never had a serious incident other than their motorbike or car breaking down a few times.

The couple have also had the chances to visit many places in the US and Australia by train and bus when they went to visit relatives.

“We don’t care how many cities and countries we’ve been to. We try to feel and remember the experiences we’ve had together on our journey,” Minh said.

“Since we were students, we have always been together. Now, whether going near or far, I want to take my wife with me. As long as I have her, I know it’s going to be a great trip.” VNS

Source: http://ovietnam.vn/life-in-vietnam/couple-in-seventies-rewrite-travel-rulebook_341184.html

Your Vietnam

Renowned Vietnamese artists collaborate on unique porcelain artworks

Published

2 days ago

March 24, 2023

TienphongNews

The ‘Hoa Trên Hoa Kết Tinh’ (Flowers On Crystallised Flowers) exhibition features 13 crystallised porcelain artworks. Photos courtesy of the centre of Vietnam Quintessential Handicraft

HÀ NỘI An exhibition featuring unique porcelain artworks resulting from the first-ever collaboration between two Vietnamese artisans will be on display at CHỌN de l’Art, located in the centre of Vietnam Quintessential Handicraft at 28 Bát Tràng Street, Gia Lâm District, Hà Nội, from March 25 to 28.

Titled Hoa Trên Hoa Kết Tinh (Flowers on Crystallised Flowers), the exhibition will showcase 13 crystallised porcelain items created by Lê Ngọc Thạch, a famed artisan based in Bát Tràng, and painted by the internationally-acclaimed overseas Vietnamese artist Hồng Đức Thanh.

The much-anticipated event, jointly organised by CHỌN de l’Art and the centre of Vietnam Quintessential Handicraft, is expected to draw porcelain art enthusiasts from all over.

Thanh, also known as Hồng Mễ Xuyên, has garnered international acclaim for his pursuit of the art of porcelain painting, which the Lingnan school influences.

This is the first time that artist Hồng Đức Thanh paints on crystallised enamel on ceramics crafted in Bát Tràng Village.

The 65-year-old artist, now based in Norway, has won many prestigious awards at international exhibitions in the US, Spain, Brazil, Italy, Japan, and China.

Collaborating with mainland Chinese and Taiwanese artists, he has created paintings on thin, light porcelain products with an elegant shape and shiny enamel colours, which have stunned art enthusiasts. One of his notable artworks is performed on the world’s thinnest porcelain bowl in Taiwan, currently on display at the Shanghai Museum in China.

Thanh is also passionate in spreading the art form to the younger generation. He was invited to teach at Folkeuniversitetet, and then at other schools around the world such as Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Japan, and Italy.

He is currently running a class in his studio, Art Thanh Hong AS in Brumunddal, Norway.

Artisan Thạch is the 16th generation descendant of a family with a tradition of crafting pottery products in Bát Tràng Village, Gia Lâm District in Hà Nội. His passion for the craft has begun since a very young age.

After graduating from the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Thạch has regularly come into contacts and collaborated with other renowned artisans and big brands, in addition to attending many famous ceramic fairs in the world.

His enriched knowledge, experiences, desire and chances to witness the development of world ceramic craft have inspired him to create artworks of with his own ambitions that inherit the values of the predecessors but also integrated with global elements.

The exhibition resulted from the first collaboration between Bát Tràng artisan Lê Ngọc Thạch (left) and Norway-based artist Hồng Đức Thanh.

After several meetings at Bát Tràng Village, which produces one of the most beautiful porcelain works in northern Việt Nam, they decided to have a joint exhibition at CHỌN de l’Art.

According to the organisers, the theme of the exhibition – Flowers on Crystallised Flowers – implies the crystallisation of two Vietnamese artistic souls travelling elsewhere and then gathering again right in the homeland.

This is the first time artist Thanh painted on crystallised enamel on porcelain crafted in Bát Tràng, which marks his beginning in conquering the material.

His vivid flower artworks, performed on blooming porcelain, have winged Thạch’s dreams,

“Crystallised enamel takes us on journeys to paintings,” he said.

“Through this exhibition, I hope to spread the values of the distinctive porcelain type of Bát Tràng and inspire the next artisan generation’s interest in the art form,” Thanh said. VNS

Source: http://ovietnam.vn/events/renowned-vietnamese-artists-collaborate-on-unique-porcelain-artworks_342621.html

Your Vietnam

Students in Đà Nẵng take part in Japan-Việt Nam cultural day

Published

3 days ago

March 23, 2023

TienphongNews

A dance team join the annual Japanese-Vietnamese Culture Exchange Day at Đà Nẵng City’s Đông Á University. More than 5,000 students participated in the event with different art performances and games. — Photo courtesy of Phương Chi

ĐÀ NẴNG — More than 5,000 students and visitors joined the annual Japanese-Vietnamese Culture Exchange Day in celebration of the 50th diplomatic ties of Japan and Việt Nam at the central city’s Đông Á University on March 9.

It’s one of a series of activities organised throughout the year in the city to mark the Japan-Việt Nam friendship and cultural cooperation.

Student groups staged traditional art performances of Việt Nam and Japan (Yasakoi dance and Taiko drum play) to the piano of the Japanese Keiko Borujeson, while fashion shows of áo dài (long dress), yukata and cosplay were displayed by Vietnamese and Japanese artists on the main stage.

Demonstrations of Japanese calligraphy, paintings, cuisine (Nagashi Somen–Japanese noodle at bamboo gut) at 12 pavilions and a folk dance competition drew participation from 38 teams.

Head of the Japanese General Consulate, Yakabe Yoshinori, said Đà Nẵng’s Đông Á University had early developed high-quality human resources for both technical knowledge and the Japanese language in the region.

He said internship programmes in Japan helped provide quality manpower for Japanese businesses.

A pavilion introduces Japanese and Vietnamese traditional culture at the Japan-Việt Nam Cultural Exchange Day in Đà Nẵng. The event marked the 50th diplomatic ties between Japan and Việt Nam in the city. Photo courtesy of Phương Chi

Yakabe Yoshinori also said the university introduced and promoted Japanese culture, building a trusting relationship with the Japanese General Consulate and the Japanese business community in Đà Nẵng.

During the Cultural Exchange Day, Japanese businesses successfully recruited 500 qualified students working in Japan, and five more partners from Japan inked agreements on human training with the university.

The Việt Nam-Japan Cultural and Sports Exchange Association (Favija) also presented a scholarship for a 10-day life experience tour in Japan for the winner of the Japanese language contest in 2022.

Đà Nẵng is seen as a favourite rendezvous of art troupes and artists from Sakai, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Kisarazu, Mimasaka, Nagasaki and Kushiro in Japan at the annual Việt Nam-Japan Culture Exchange since 2014. — VNS

Source: http://ovietnam.vn/events/students-in-da-nang-take-part-in-japan-viet-nam-cultural-day_342328.html

Your Vietnam

Couple offer free boarding house for poor students in central Vietnam

Published

3 days ago

March 23, 2023

TienphongNews

Tran Thi Hai and his husband, residing in Nui Thanh District, Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, have used their own budget to build a boarding house and offer free shelter for underprivileged students.

The boarding house has become an address of love and nurtures the kindness and dreams of many poor students.

House of kindness

Only 10 minutes after school finishes, students ride their bicycles to return to the boarding house.

Despite being busy as a bee, both Hai and her husband try to observe students living in their boarding house and care about their studying.

“We are happy to see them going to school regularly and studying hard.

“Their families believe in us and say that their children have made progress.

“Money is not a matter to help them pursue their learning journey.”

The help to the disadvantaged and the community by the family of Hai is well known in Nui Thanh Town of the namesake district.

Local authorities and associations often visit and support the boarding house.

Hai decided to use her money to build the boarding house for poor students after she and her husband did charity in remote areas and saw the difficult life of residents there.

Meanwhile, her house is nestled in the center of Nui Thanh Town and near many large schools.

Nui Thanh District is large, so many students have to travel dozens of kilometers to reach their schools, while some have to rent rooms near their schools.

Hai said she had discussed with her husband the plan to use their savings to construct the boarding house.

In June last year, a six-room boarding house with sufficient living and studying facilities was built near Hai’s house.

Each room in the boarding house measures 20 square meters.

In the beginning, many people thought that the boarding house was built for rent and poor students could not afford the rooms.

However, when the boarding house was put into use, Hai hung a banner in front of it, stating that it is free for poor students and workers.

This surprised many local residents and teachers as each student had to pay VND500,000-1 million (US$21-43) per month to rent a room in Nui Thanh. Meanwhile, Hai’s boarding house, which is beautiful and clean and has enough facilities, is free of charge.

Students at the boarding house can keep their mind on studying without thinking of paying room rentals. Photo: P.N. / Tuoi Tre

Students at the boarding house can keep their mind on studying without thinking of paying room rent. Photo: P.N. / Tuoi Tre

Another way of giving

Hai and her husband have supported the community in many areas over the past many years.

They also bought an ambulance to carry patients in difficult circumstances to hospitals.

Hai said building the free-of-charge boarding house is also a way of giving. It is aimed at long-term purposes: nurturing poor students’ dreams and shortening their path to school.

More importantly, underprivileged students will see the support of others and give back when they mature.

According to Hai, all six rooms in her boarding house have been occupied by students of Nguyen Hue High School in Nui Thanh District.

The boarding house is fitted with cameras and Wi-Fi. Hai also bought new bicycles and put them in front of the boarding house so that students can use them to go to school.

Nguyen Tinh, from Tam Thanh Commune, Nui Thanh District, who is a student living in Hai’s boarding house, expressed his happiness to have safe and convenient accommodations.

Tinh’s family is poor. To go to school, he had to take a bus or travel to the school from the early morning.

After Hai’s boarding house was completed, she asked teachers to introduce students to her place.

Tinh came and received a room of which many rich students would be jealous.

Tinh said the room is spacious and comfortable, he welcomed two other disadvantaged students to the room. In the clean room, tables are put in corners, helping these poor students pursue their studying dreams.

At the end of the boarding house, Hai also prepared stoves and saucepans so that students can prepare their meals to save money.

“I’m grateful to Hai as she allows me to live [in her boarding house] at no charge and pursue my dream of going to school,” Tinh said.

“She not only helps me but also sets my parents’ mind at rest when I have a safe accommodation as this is the first time I have lived far from my family.”

Besides Tinh, the boarding house is now home to 18 other students. All of them were recommended by their teachers or acquaintances.

Hai gives priority to students who live far from school and face many difficulties in life but show great studying determination.

Chau Huyen Ha Tram, residing in Tam Tra Commune, Nui Thanh District, said her house is nearly 30 kilometers from her school. To reach the school on time, she had to wake up at 4:00 am and catch a bus.

Tram recalled that when coming to Nui Thanh Town for studying, she used to think of dropping out of school due to the far distance and high living costs.

“Living in the free boarding house, I’m truly happy. My mom does not have to worry about my room rentals anymore,” Tram said.

“In addition, Hai and her husband take care of us, encourage and remind us to study, which urges me and other students here to try harder.”

Cao Thi Anh Suong, a student from Tam Son Commune, Nui Thanh District, said she was excited when reaching the boarding house but she was also worried that the owners would later collect rentals from her. However, all rooms are free.

“We tell each other not to make noise and to keep order and go to school on time so as not to affect the boarding house owners and neighbors,” Suong said.

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