Younger brother receives bachelor's degree, 5 older sisters shed tears

The day the youngest brother received his bachelor's degree in English from Quy Nhon University became an unforgettable memory for the family because the six sisters had fulfilled their father's wish when he was still alive.

Attending the graduation ceremony of the second batch of regular university students in 2024 of Quy Nhon University on November 8, many people were moved when hearing the story of the family of new graduate Nguyen Thanh Khoa (22 years old, class 43, English language major, Quy Nhon University, in Binh Dinh).

6 sisters all graduated with a degree in English

Khoa's five older sisters also graduated from the English language department at Quy Nhon University, including: Nguyen Thi Le Thi (48 years old, class 17, English teacher), Nguyen Thi Le Trinh (43 years old, class 22, marketing staff), Nguyen Thi Le Thuyen (39 years old, class 26, marketing staff), Nguyen Thi Thuy (34 years old, class 31, representative of a foreign company, branch in Ho Chi Minh City), Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc (28 years old, class 37, representative of a foreign company, branch in Ho Chi Minh City).

The 6 sisters are children of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tam and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tuu (in Liem Truc quarter, Binh Dinh ward, An Nhon town, Binh Dinh).

Mrs. Tuu (3rd, right cover) and her 5 daughters attended the university graduation ceremony of her youngest son Nguyen Thanh Khoa.

On the day Khoa received his bachelor's degree, his mother and all five sisters went to Quy Nhon University to attend the ceremony. The moment his youngest brother received his university diploma, the sisters sitting below could not hold back their tears. "Dad! My sisters and I have fulfilled the wish that you always worried about when you were alive. But now you cannot witness it...", Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy choked up.

Always remember father's words

Mr. Tam and his wife got married in 1974 and had 6 children (5 girls and 1 boy). Although the family was large, the couple only had a few acres of rice fields and a garden next to their house to make a living. To earn money to send their children to school, the couple had to work very hard day after day, often until late at night.

"My family is very poor, and there are many children going to school, so life is quite difficult and deprived. The house is thatched, the walls are earthen, the 6 sisters sleep in the same bed, covered with a thin piece of cloth. The two children study in the morning and afternoon, so they share a school bag and a pair of sandals. The clothes are passed down from one sister to the next, they don't need to fit, don't need to be pretty, it doesn't matter if they are torn or patched, as long as they don't violate the rules, as long as they can go to school...", Ms. Trinh said.

According to Ms. Thuy, Mr. Tam is the person who left the deepest impression on all 6 children. Understanding the importance of studying, he always reminded his children to raise their awareness of self-study.

"My father taught us very concisely. Some of his sayings that my sisters and I have always kept in mind are: the only way to escape poverty is to study well; our parents are poor, we can only work hard all day to raise our children, no matter how hard it is, we can endure it all, as long as our children try to study well; whether to hold a hoe or a pen is up to you to decide...", Ms. Thuy said.

Although he works hard all year round, Mr. Tam is a person with a modern and progressive perspective. Since the 1990s, realizing that the country opened up to integration, foreign trade would develop, and the demand for human resources who knew foreign languages ​​would increase, he oriented his children to learn English.

"Dad said that knowing English will give you more choices, more job opportunities, and a good income. He also gave a very funny situation: imagine you are taking the bus, many people don't know English, and you are reading a foreign newspaper, it's much better, right...", Ms. Thuy shared.

Nguyen Thanh Khoa (middle) received a bachelor's degree in English at Quy Nhon University.

The eldest sister, Nguyen Thi Le Thi, said that Mr. Tam always taught his children about independence and mutual support. Mr. Tam advised his sisters: "We are poor so we can only raise one child to graduate from university. When you finish school and have a stable job, you will come back to raise your younger siblings and guide them through school. Don't let any of them drop out of school, don't let us eat fish and meat while they have to eat fish sauce..." Remembering their father's words, the sisters always love, protect, encourage and support each other in their studies.

Why choose the same major?

In 2006, Mr. Tam passed away due to a serious illness, Mrs. Tuu was also sick all the time, the studies of the six sisters encountered many difficulties. But remembering their father's words, the six sisters always encouraged each other, together overcoming difficulties to fulfill their parents' wishes.

After her father passed away, Thi graduated and found a job at a high school near home. She scrimped on her expenses and saved money to send her younger sibling to college and a younger sibling to high school. Then, when the younger sibling graduated, the eldest sister got married, and the younger sibling continued to "take over the business", then the next sibling... Just like that, all six sisters helped each other overcome difficulties and one by one passed through the university gate.

"At that time, I listened to my father's advice and chose to take the university entrance exam for English language. I did not choose to study at schools far from home because my family's conditions did not allow it. After entering the Foreign Language Department of Quy Nhon University, I started to like English. The teachers in the department taught enthusiastically, were easy to understand, and cared about the students. Most importantly, the teachers inspired and motivated us to study...", Ms. Thi said.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc shared: "When I registered for the university entrance exam, I asked my seniors if studying a foreign language was okay? Was it boring? They all said it was okay, fun, and interesting... Also, my sisters were born 5-6 years apart, when my younger sister was taking the university entrance exam, my older sister had already graduated and found a stable job, so I felt secure in registering to study with my seniors."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/em-trai-nhan-bang-cu-nhan-5-chi-gai-roi-nuoc-mat-185241112110320629.htm