‘I don’t want to miss school’: A Giang girl decides to overcome adversity

Tran Thao Tram, a girl from An Giang who has recently been admitted to Ho Chi Minh City’s University of Transport and Communications, wrote so in the application for the Relay to School 2023 Scholarship.

Following lines of self-introduction, Tram wrote that his parents had been divorced for more than three years, that his mother had left home and was no longer in contact. His father worked alone to educate two sisters and take care of his grandfather.

Tram had tried more than once to quit school and work to support the family, but her father said that after she finished high school, she could do whatever she wanted.

Or news of early admission to college via academic transcripts, Dad sighed. Because the father originally planned to let his daughter leave after graduating from high school, find something close to home to support the family, and then find a job to study later. “My father can’t afford it alone, it is not safe for him to go to university in Ho Chi Minh City away from home, involving a younger brother to prepare for class 4. But I don’t want to leave school. I will Go to Saigon soon, find a job, earn extra money to live, practice skills,” Tram wrote.

And we set out to find that girl. From Long Xuyen (An Giang Province), you will need to cross at least two boats across the river to find the Tran Thao Tram House in Long Giang Commune (Cha Moi District). The house is located on the side of the road, overlooking the Ong Chuong River, where a grandfather over 80 years old, a father, a younger brother and a tram live together.

The tram was serving rice to invite his grandfather, who was a little alarmed to see a strange guest. Tram honestly: “I graduated early from university, but I was confused, didn’t dare to rejoice or burst into emotion like my friends. Because my father said that after graduation, I had to continue my studies. But I also hesitated to choose a major. At first, the teacher knew how to make me choose the words to explain to my father, and she did it for me for the first semester. Was looking for a scholarship to register for.

Her mother passed away when Tram was 12 and her younger brother was 4, leaving her father to look after the inside and outside of the house. Away from mom, old memories broke, filled with few phone calls. But the sisters are still waiting for their mother to return. Then on the call only headlines were buzzing, no one answered the phone, the girl realized that her mother would not return as promised. Tram sent her a message hoping her mother would read it when she got home from work, but received no reply.

“My parents have been divorced since then. I was unhappy, at times I was about to drop out”, Tram muttered. Luckily, there are teachers and friends. Tram said that his teacher is like a floating boat when you are struggling in the middle of the stream and just want to let go. He gently gave advice, which helped Tram gradually feel his father’s love and hardships.

quietly preparing for school

Tram’s life story is like a sad movie that flows slowly with every word with red eyes ready to cry. Only the sound of her father’s motorcycle coming home from work slowly rumbling across the yard interrupted the girl’s thoughts. Every day, at dawn, my father would run to the market to buy food to put in the refrigerator, plug in the rice cooker, and go to work.

Over the years, Mr. Tran Van Hoa – Tram’s father – has gotten used to being both father and mother. The single-handed farming father never thought of taking another step, first farming and then household, for the sake of two small children. In the last two years of high school, Tram went to school, asked for lunch at a charity vegetarian food near the school, and sometimes came home late at night to work part-time.

He loves his children, but Mr. Hoa is not protective, but strict with his children. The man in his forties rarely smiled and spoke a few words. The father who has worked hard in the fields for many years, takes each basket of manure and each bag of rice, hoping to feed two children. For him, it is not just responsibility, it is all the love that is in his life.

“What to think now. I threatened my child to drop out of school, but I can’t tolerate it. If he is eager to learn, let him continue his studies. At home, uncles and aunts take a little more care. ” , I don’t know much, just trying to take care of my kids. A stable job, after that, it will be less difficult and rainy, even if it is a little difficult, it will pass,” Mr Hoa said, punctuating each sentence.

At noon, he returned home for a short walk, before he had time to eat, he quickly returned to the farm as there was still work to be done. After his father left, Tram continued to prepare the dishes, carefully packing some cups, glasses… packing them into boxes and preparing to bring them to Ho Chi Minh City for boarding school.

The friend claimed that she was able to connect with three roommates near the school. The tram was calculated with blankets, pillows, clothes, mini gas stoves, noodle cookers, cups, bowls… brought from home, so it also saved a lot of money. The new student said of his upcoming month, “I went a month before the admission date to apply for a part-time job at the supermarket to earn more money and practice my communication skills.”

With a total score of 25.46, Tran Thao Tram has passed Transport Industry, University of Transportation, Ho Chi Minh City. Ms. Pham Thi Mai Loi – a teacher at Chau Van Liem High School (Chao Moi District, An Giang) – said that each student’s circumstances are different, but Thao Tram is a special case.

“Due to a different orientation to the subjects to be considered for the major subjects already selected, scores in some subjects are not expected, but in general Tram studied well, put a lot of effort into the study and passed the final year Received a final score of . 8 up”, Ms. Lui said.