Cultural experiences, thirst for adventure
With a thirst for adventure, experiencing new cultures and countries, many young people choose to "go their own way" by learning rare languages such as Arabic, Indian, Indonesian... despite many prejudices such as being picky about job opportunities, difficult to absorb...
Impressed by the dances of the "land of thousands of islands", Nguyen Vu Nhat Uyen, a fourth-year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, has chosen to major in Indonesian studies.
Wonderland Indonesia - Performance at the Ho Chi Minh City Historical Science Conference
"On the first day of the school year meeting and division of majors, I was attracted by the boat weaving dance. Performing arts is also the pride of the industry because it has achieved many big and small achievements at the faculty, school and nationwide. When joining the team, students will wear beautiful Indonesian costumes, interact with teachers from Indonesia and consulate staff, and practice their communication skills," Uyen shared.
Huynh Gia Bao Ngoc, a third-year student majoring in Arabic Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, hopes to change people's perspective on the "little-followed" industry after an 8-month adventure in Egypt.
"This is a strange culture and still faces many prejudices. When applying for a scholarship and participating in an exchange in Egypt, I got very close to the Arabic language because 98% of the people here use this language. I met friends from different countries and cultures such as Georgia, Nigeria, Somalia... Experience Ramadan and participate in activities such as cooking and eating Suhoor (meal served before dawn) at 3am, praying at 4am, going to mosques to enjoy Iftar (meal served at sunset)", Bao Ngoc shared.
Not afraid to explore rare languages, Nguyen Thuy Hong Ngoc, a second-year student majoring in Indian Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, said that Hindi and Vietnamese are similar in pronunciation, so it is not too difficult.
"The main languages I study are English and a little Hindi. I chose this major because of my dream of experiencing, traveling, learning and studying about Eastern religions, especially Indian religions," Ngoc said.
Indonesian Studies Department performs the opening performance for the 2023-2024 school year opening ceremony of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City
Bridge cultural exchange and job opportunities
In the context of integration and cultural exchange, Associate Professor, Dr. Do Thu Ha, Head of the Department of Indology, Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said that rare languages play a very important role. Vietnam has diplomatic relations with about 200 countries in the world and this is a "bridge" to learn about culture and people, creating good relationships between countries.
Faced with prejudices about rare languages and job opportunities, Ms. Thu Ha emphasized that it is important to make recruitment and training practical.
"Schools need to pay attention to input, emphasizing practicality and specialized knowledge. Avoid the situation where students study in general, have many open job opportunities but do not meet the criteria to participate in the labor market," Ms. Ha shared.
Minangkabau - traditional costume in the Indonesian Tari Piring dance
Regarding Indian languages, according to Associate Professor Dr. Thu Ha, many people have misconceptions when it comes to the field of study. India does not have a national language, but only English and Hindi as administrative languages. Therefore, to penetrate this market, English is the leading tool for students to communicate, study and work. Many students of the field are fluent in English and Hindi, opening up wide job opportunities both domestically and internationally.
Bao Ngoc on a trip to Egypt
"Students of the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities are taught entirely in English, and can visit universities, research institutes, and charity centers in India and countries influenced by Indian culture such as Thailand or the My Son region in Vietnam to study and gain practical experience. In addition, students will participate in seminars and workshops on current issues and cultural exchanges between Vietnam and India," Ms. Thu Ha informed.
A page of Bao Ngoc's Arabic notes
Associate Professor, Dr. Thu Ha also shared that when learning a language, students need to nurture their passion, learn along with the culture of that country and invest in the specialized vocabulary they pursue.
"Some students only learn enough to communicate normally, lacking the language in their specialized field, making it difficult to work. Learning a language has many levels, I hope students will practice, make efforts and determine their learning goals, becoming high-quality workers," Associate Professor, Dr. Thu Ha advised.
Challenges and opportunities
According to Bao Ngoc, the difficulty in pursuing this major is that documents, books and newspapers are still scarce, making it difficult for learners to speak fluently. Currently, the country only has two formal training institutions for Arabic language and major: the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, and the University of Foreign Languages, Hanoi.
As for Nhat Uyen, despite her family’s support, she has also encountered many prejudices about her future career. However, the female student shared that there are currently many opportunities for people who are fluent in Indonesian, and few training facilities, so the level of competition is not as great as with other languages.
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