Regularly twice a week, Nguyen Phuong Vy, a junior student majoring in Digital Art and Design at Van Lang University, arrives at a café around midnight to teach. Her classroom lacks blackboards, white chalk, or modern gadgets, yet this extraordinary teacher remains dedicated and passionate about her journey to impart literacy to two particularly special “pupils.”
Approaching midnight, Nguyen Phuong Vy, donning an elegant emerald green Ao Dai, appears at a café in District 1. This is Vy's eighth night at the café, patiently waiting for two unfamiliar street vendors to arrive, just to teach them how to read and write. With a backpack on her shoulder, the young lady, Phuong Vy, also carries around a bag containing colored pens, notebooks, and more to gift to her two unfamiliar "pupils."
Amidst the loud music and lively chatter of dozens of "night owls" in the café, Vy quietly takes out her laptop to get some work done, waiting for her two pupils who might arrive at any time.
Phuong Vy's pupils are two young street vendors from Nguyen Hue Walking Street (District 1). Over a month ago, when she was at this late-night café to "meet deadlines," Vy felt exhausted and dozed off at the table. The young lady was surrounded by her laptop, camera, and phone when P.T, a 10-year-old candy vendor, came over and woke her up.
Moved by P.T’s sweet gesture, Vy held his hand and began a conversation. Although the talk was brief, it was enough for Vy to find out that the boy was not attending school. He used to go, but due to late-night vending or falling asleep, he no longer goes to school. Now 10 years old, he doesn't know the alphabet.
Despite being busy with studies, part-time work, and not being in the best of health, for the past month, regularly twice a week, Phuong Vy has devoted 8 sessions to teaching the alphabet to these two children. The teaching sessions are often interrupted, and 'Teacher' Vy often has to wait for a long time because the pupils are obligated to both study and make a living. Some sessions last less than 30 minutes before the two pupils say goodbye to their teacher to sell their remaining unsold candies.
In the upcoming time, depending on her health and workload, Phuong Vy will make an effort to visit the coffee shop and teach the pupils twice a week. Vy shares, "When I was young, just learning to spell and read, I felt so happy when I could write my own name. When going out, I often read sign names, and it truly felt joyful. Parents may take away their children's earnings, labor, or childhood,... but not their ability to read and write."
A beautiful story during the month of Teacher Appreciation. The kind-hearted and positive actions of Phuong Vy are a source of pride for Van Lang University. Humanitarian spirit is something that Lecturers inspire and cultivate in Van Lang students throughout their university years.
View more: The girl who waits past midnight in Ho Chi Minh City central to teach two boys to read and write
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
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