Firm handshakes, warm hugs, radiant smiles… Twenty years after graduation, many of them finally had the chance to reunite. The 20th anniversary celebration of the K44 Oriental Studies class was honored with the presence of Dr. Le Thi Thu Giang - Head of the Oriental Studies Department; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tuong Lai, former Vice Head of the Oriental Studies Department; former Vice Head of the Southeast Asian Studies Department; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suthat Vongkrabak Thavorn, TICA volunteer lecturer, teaching Thai to the K44 Southeast Asian Studies class; Dr. Le Dang Hoan, former visiting lecturer in Korean Studies; Senior Lecturer Tran Nhu Bong, former lecturer in Chinese Studies; Ms. Bui Hong Anh, English lecturer at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, teaching English to the Southeast Asian Studies class, along with more than 50 alumni from the K44 Oriental Studies class.
Deeply moved by the students' sentiments, on the eve of the ceremony, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Tuong Lai, former Deputy Head of the Faculty of Oriental Studies and former Deputy Head of the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, shared: “Even now, more than 20 years later, I still have many memories and remember so much… Going away to return – meaning you flew away 20 years ago and now you are flying back to your home.”
The teachers took a commemorative photo with the K44 Oriental Studies class.
Returning in glory, together in glory…For each K44 alumni
Orientalism,Twenty years – a long journey filled with many changes. Each of them has grown more mature, but those youthful years still resonate strongly in their hearts. Youth is not just about time, but also about emotions…
This is the perfect opportunity for the K44 Oriental Studies class to return and reunite at their "common home," reliving unforgettable memories of their most beautiful youthful years at university.
“There are so many emotions, so many feelings of excitement, it’s hard to describe, I don’t know how to put it into words, I just feel very happy…” shared Pham Chi Trung, a graduate student from the 44th cohort of Southeast Asian Studies.
“It feels like I’ve stepped into a time machine, going back to the past, back to my school days. I’ve been eagerly anticipating that moment,” shared Lưu Huyền Trang, a graduate of the K44 Japanese Studies program.
“...For a month, we met and planned for a wonderful anniversary celebration. And we were so happy to receive your full support. Seeing the red and white photos flooding our newsfeeds made us very emotional and we felt more than ever that even as we get older, we will always remember each other and love each other as brightly as we did when we were 18 or 20, right?” - Alumni Nguyen Hai Van - K44 Chinese Studies shared.
Representatives of the K44 Oriental Studies alumni presented flowers to express their gratitude to the teachers.
The professors took a commemorative photo with the alumni of the K44 Southeast Asian Studies class.
The teachers took a commemorative photo with the alumni of the K44 Korean Studies class.
The professors took a commemorative photo with former students of the K44 Japanese Studies class.
The professors took a commemorative photo with former students of the K44 Chinese Studies class.
"If I had the choice again now, I would probably still choose the East."
The 20th anniversary celebration of the graduating class of K44 Oriental Studies has concluded, filled with sweet memories and recollections of a bygone era. These will be moments that every former student of K44 Oriental Studies will never forget.
Video: K44 Oriental Studies - the journey of "Going to return"
