International students bring classmates back to Vietnam to grow vegetables and become farmers

Australian students learn to grow vegetables in Tra Que village fields (Quang Nam province) - Photo: PHUC MINH

The two-week Study Tour of 16 media students from Swinburne University (Melbourne, Australia) in Vietnam ended not long ago. Also accompanying them was Dr. Mark Finn - who has been to Vietnam many times to teach at Swinburne University's campuses in Da Nang and Hanoi, with the introduction: "Vietnam is a country with a unique culture and rapidly developing economy", making everyone even more curious and excited.

The trip reminded me that no matter where I work in media in the future, I will never forget to learn about the origins, identities, and characteristics that make up the lives and development of diverse communities, especially in Vietnam.

PHUC MINH

The scent of basil and the taste of the old town

We went to Da Nang, Hoi An (Quang Nam), Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long (Quang Ninh) to visit and practice the lessons. Da Nang and Hoi An surprised us with the beautiful and spectacular landscape of the Central region.

The majestic nature of Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay can be said to be unique. The more I travel, the more I personally appreciate the phrase "splendid mountains and rivers" that I have heard for a long time about the country.

Da Nang and Hanoi are both splendid with many high-rise buildings, bridges, roads, and commercial projects. Patrick - my roommate and many other friends were very excited, passionately taking pictures and praising the Ba Na cable car through the clouds and mountains. Especially the golden bridge with soft hand-shaped pillars that we had never seen anywhere else.

But the most impressive thing is the scenery and the flavor of the countryside, rice fields, and old Vietnamese streets. Everyone was still lingering over the aroma of vegetables in Tra Que field (Quang Nam) where we had a day to experience with farmers, growing vegetables. Located next to a winding river, Tra Que field is a place where more than 40 types of vegetables are intercropped, the most prominent of which is aromatic vegetables.

It is still onions, Vietnamese coriander, perilla, basil, and coriander like other places, but it seems that Tra Que vegetables have a unique aroma and flavor. The farmers happily show us how to plant, water, and harvest. All the sweat and hard work of the villagers to have a bunch of fresh vegetables is very different from Australian farms that have all been converted to industrial scale and techniques.

Hoi An ancient town is like a surprise, diverse gift. The streets still retain their ancient and peaceful features, blending the East Asian cultures from many countries in a place that has a very early history of trade with the West.

The small tiled houses, ancient temples and pagodas by the quiet river, and even the clothes and cuisine all bear the mark of a broad cultural identity. Two friends Afia and Sophie posted photos and wrote on Instagram: "Hoi An is amazing!".

Learn from people and students

Wherever we went, we were welcomed with smiles by Vietnamese people and students. One evening in Hanoi, young people invited us to explore the railway cafes.

It was a fun and exciting moment waiting for the train to pass less than 1 meter from the railing of the coffee shop. This scene never happens in Australia. It seems that the train cafe is a proof of the quickness in business of Vietnamese people.

Ms. Vo Thi Kim Oanh - Head of Business Department, Swinburne University, Danang campus, who has worked for many multinational companies - shared with us her experiences and useful comments on the dynamic business environment and style of Vietnam.

Observing in the cities, Vietnamese people have many large and small businesses and are very welcoming to customers. Perhaps that is why many foreign investors and tourists find it interesting to come here.

Everyone shared the feeling that Vietnamese people and young people are very open, eager to learn, and enjoy international exchanges. We studied and played together with Vietnamese students in both English and Vietnamese, becoming close friends. The whole group visited some newspapers, radio stations, and media companies, made spring rolls together, and even composed songs.

Saying goodbye, students from both sides were reluctant to leave, exchanged gifts, and connected to keep in touch. Before leaving Da Nang, we went to the park on the banks of the Han River to take pictures together and shouted in unison: "I love Da Nang, I love Vietnam".

Crazy about Vietnamese bread

In Hoi An, we tried our hand at making lanterns, riding a cyclo, taking a boat trip on the river and going to the market. My friend Max Briffa raved about All Day Banh Mi and Banh Mi Phuong. In Melbourne, I invited my friends to enjoy Vietnamese banh mi, but the "genuine Central Vietnamese" banh mi here is much more special.

Mr. Mark Finn and his friends were very satisfied and looked forward to experiencing more types of Vietnamese bread. Bread and coffee are the creative products of East-West cultural exchange of the Vietnamese people!

More than lessons

Before the trip, Mr. Mark Finn advised that communication students must always go into life, explore social activities, not only record the situation but also observe, record, and research the impact of policies and media information on people's lives.

Going on a Study Tour in and out of the country is a practical way to learn. For me, this trip was also a double happiness when I explored my homeland Vietnam with my Australian classmates.

After returning from the trip, I hope that more and more international friends will come to study and do business with Vietnam. On the other hand, I hope that young Vietnamese people will not only explore their homeland but also have more opportunities to travel here and there, introducing Vietnam's culture and business potential to friends around the world.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-hoc-sinh-dan-ban-hoc-ve-viet-nam-trong-rau-lam-nong-dan-20240827233245409.htm