“I used to think that studying abroad was only for those who were quite good or well-off. Therefore, the path to study abroad would be very difficult for me,” Nguyen Mau Duc Binh, born in 2003, from Dong Hoi (Quang Binh), recalled. When he was 11 years old, Binh’s father died of a brain hemorrhage. Half a year earlier, his mother had an unfortunate accident and had to quit her job. That period of time still haunts Binh whenever he remembers it. Since then, Binh began to be aware of his situation and took the opportunity to take photos for hire to earn money. Being a bright person, Binh passed the entrance exam to the specialized Chemistry class at Vo Nguyen Giap High School for the Gifted. In the summer of grade 10, the Dong Hoi student received a full scholarship from the HVIET summer camp program organized by Harvard University students. “That opportunity was like a turning point that completely changed my thinking about studying abroad,” Binh said.
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Nguyen Mau Duc Binh, born in 2003, hometown Dong Hoi (Quang Binh)

During 10 days in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh participated in classes to improve his critical thinking skills, talked with experts in many fields, and learned about non-profit organizations in Vietnam. This was also the first time the Dong Hoi male student learned about the concept of liberal arts education. As if motivated, Binh boldly shared his story and wishes. A friend of Binh's at the summer camp advised him to try to learn about the United World College (UWC) scholarship. When he returned, that advice made Binh hesitate. "If I don't try, I will never know what I can do." Therefore, the male student decided to try to apply, even though he didn't have much expectation. To win a UWC scholarship, candidates must go through 4 rounds including application, online interview, group work, and interview with the board. Binh admits that his profile doesn't have many activities, but the things he does are things he is very passionate about.
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Binh is the co-founder of the Dong Hoi City Debate Club. He conducted a survey on the impact of family circumstances on students' critical thinking and won third prize in a provincial scientific research competition. In his application and interviews, Binh expressed his desire to contribute to reducing the wealth inequality in learning and critical thinking. “I used to be self-conscious because I couldn't compete with friends who had a better starting point. But that starting point pushed me out of my comfort zone early on, so I wasn't afraid to try. From trying to ask for a photographer for hire, trying to ask for sponsorship for airfare to summer camp, to trying to ask for a scholarship to study abroad. I hope to be able to motivate many other friends who have a less favorable starting point like me to dare to be passionate and move forward,” Binh said.
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Overcoming a fierce competition with more than 1,000 applications, Binh became one of 12 Vietnamese students selected by UWC to receive a full scholarship for 2 years in Singapore. A UWC representative said that what impressed the selection committee with Binh was his independent spirit and rational thinking to solve social problems. Behind that was his concern for his community. Binh, on the other hand, thought that he was chosen because of his curiosity to learn about the world and his desire to become a global citizen. A trip around the world Deciding to study abroad in Singapore while in grade 11, Binh's mother firmly objected. "I understand my mother's personality so I wasn't surprised. But at that time, I had arranged everything, even asked for a plane ticket. The school was also very thoughtful and prepared everything for students so my mother didn't need to worry about anything. He said that the opportunity only comes once and this is the ticket to help him reach out to the world. “Finally, my mother agreed to let me go,” Binh recalls. However, the first days of studying abroad were not easy for Binh. “I felt a lot of pressure because I was surrounded by very talented and well-off friends. For example, my roommate was considered a math genius, and another friend had founded a non-governmental organization with many influential activities. But I had nothing.” During the first “unstable” year, it was not until grade 12 that Binh began to change his thinking to be more positive. “I don’t need to compare myself to anyone, except to be better than myself every day.” That was also the first time Binh dared to stand up and organize a Vietnamese cultural performance night right at his school, in front of 2,000 students from more than 30 countries around the world. In addition, Binh also published a school magazine on using his inherent multimedia skills… The 2 years in Singapore were memorable for Binh because that time helped him mature a lot. He also made friends from all over the world - as Binh said, "no matter which country I go to, I have friends to help me." After 2 years at UWC, Binh received news that he was accepted to 6 universities in the US. The Dong Hoi student then decided to study two majors, Chemistry and Public Policy, at Davidson College with a scholarship of 8 billion VND.
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Moving to the US after 2 years of studying in Singapore, this time Binh adapted quickly. At Davidson College, because he didn't want his mother to worry, in addition to class time, Binh also did a few extra jobs such as serving, consulting, collecting data and continuing to take photos for hire. After 1 year, the male student decided to put off 1 semester to start a journey to more than 10 countries under the Semester at Sea program, fully funded by the Davis-UWC scholarship fund. The first place Binh went to was Belgium, then to Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Malta, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Morocco, Turkey, Jordan, India... In the second half of the journey, Binh decided to travel across continents by himself. This trip also helped Binh realize that the world is really big, but he can completely conquer it. "Like a small fish, effort has brought me out, to know how vast the ocean is". Binh also feels grateful for his time at UWC for giving him friends from all over the world. “While in India, I had a sleeper bus accident while traveling from Udaipur to Jodhpur. Luckily, in this country, I was taken care of by a friend's parents for many days. That is something I always feel happy and grateful for,” Binh said. After completing his journey through more than 10 countries, in early January 2024, Binh will return to the classroom to start his second year of university life in the US. “From a student in the countryside, I understand how difficult it is to reach out to the world. But that starting point is not a barrier for me to stop striving. On the contrary, it will be the motivation for each individual to reach far.”

Vietnamnet.vn