Emotions from the "Tet of Love" volunteer trip

Volunteering – these two words have been deeply ingrained in my mind. I have always cherished the desire to help underprivileged children and bring them a warm and loving Lunar New Year, just as the name of our volunteer program suggests: "A Loving Lunar New Year."

I remember that night before I left so clearly; I couldn't sleep because I was so nervous. I started imagining what would happen on my trip, humming the song "Green Shirt," and gradually drifted off to sleep.

It was early morning when I left home to go to school for assembly. It was still a little dark and the morning mist hadn't completely dissipated. The cold of the winter weather couldn't dampen my excitement for this trip.

And just 15 minutes later, I was dressed in my youth group uniform, gathered at the school with my fellow volunteers, ready to embark on a new journey. The bus rolled on, and after more than 100km, we stopped at a surprisingly peaceful place: Ta Xa commune.

Upon arriving in the commune, although I was a little tired from the long journey, I felt that the air here was so fresh, the scenery so peaceful, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of where I live.

Stepping into Ta Xa 2 Primary School, I looked around and realized that although small, this school is a nurturing ground for future generations, a place where many children's dreams take their first steps. The school may be small, but it's full of love. Ta Xa commune has many children of school age. Watching them play together so happily brought back memories of my own school days.

Because we were all members of the Sociology Faculty's Youth Union, we quickly bonded. On Saturday afternoon, we joined the teachers in planting trees in the school grounds. Although it was a bit sunny in the early afternoon, we were all very enthusiastic. Many of us from the city had never even held a hoe before, but we quickly learned how to dig and plant trees. And I believe that after this volunteer trip, you all gained many new experiences.

While setting up the stage for the evening's cultural exchange program, I met two little children. They looked up at me with bright, innocent eyes and asked, "Why is it taking so long to get dark, sister?" Perhaps they, like us, were eagerly anticipating a fun and meaningful evening. As the cultural exchange program neared its end, the bonfire began to be lit. All of us, along with the teachers, the commune's leadership, the youth union, the students, and many parents, held hands and sang around the fire. I suddenly realized that the feeling of strangeness among people from different rural areas had disappeared, replaced by the warmth of the fire and the warmth of human connection.

That night we felt so happy. One of the volunteers told me that this was the most enjoyable volunteer trip she had ever participated in and that she would be very sad if she couldn't go with the group this time. Hearing her words made me feel truly happy because this volunteer trip had brought so much meaning not only to us volunteers but also to all the people in Ta Xa commune. The next day at noon, we gathered around the table for lunch. Just one more meal before we had to return to Hanoi. I felt so sad thinking about tomorrow and the days after that when we would no longer work and have fun together. I'm sure many of you felt the same way as me.

Two days passed quickly, and we returned to school. We fondly remembered the feeling of gathering for the cultural exchange night, singing and dancing; the image of us sitting around the campfire roasting potatoes – so joyful and warm; and the afternoons spent tilling the soil and planting trees. The work was hard, yet we still wore innocent smiles… And perhaps the most memorable image was the warm, affectionate smiles and care of the people of Ta Xa commune, and the children's reluctant farewells as we boarded the bus to leave.

Now I just want to say thank you to the leadership of Ta Xa commune, the Executive Committee of the Youth Union of Ta Xa commune, and the Principal of Ta Xa 2 Primary School in Ta Xa commune (Cam Khe district, Phu Tho province) for creating opportunities for me to participate in volunteer activities, to live with the enthusiasm of youth, and to realize many precious values ​​in life. Thank you to the team for giving me good skills, helping me overcome shyness in front of crowds, and teaching me how to organize and manage team members effectively. Thank you for the moments of anger that helped us understand each other better, thank you for being friends, thank you for the warm moments that made me feel what true happiness is…

And I have always kept this in mind:

"If it were a bird, a leaf"
Then the bird must sing, the leaf must be green.
Is it possible to borrow and not repay?
"Life is about giving, not just receiving for oneself."