On May 18, 2025, I attended a special gathering at Dong Du Japanese Language School with my mentors and other students who received the “Rising Up” Scholarships. The event made me realize new meaningful life concepts and allowed me to learn several wonderful lessons.
At the beginning of the teaching session, we listened to Mr. Hoe share his life experiences. He discussed the importance of opportunities compared to temporary material gains such as money. Money is temporary, but knowledge and opportunities are forever. He told a true story of his life. Growing up in a poor family, he had nothing; he spent most of his time studying under a tree every day. With determination, he has built a successful life and continued helping people in needs. He felt extremely satisfied with what he has done for the society. This results from cultivating strong communication skills and working well with others.
At the age of 85, he firmly asserts that he will never stop learning, no matter what may come. This is what impressed me the most. He has inspired me with profound reflections on lifelong learning. That alone is enough to boost my motivation to always strive for more knowledge. Additionally, he also shared with us how to choose friends and how to evaluate relationships with others. By assessing my relationship with others, I can reflect and evaluate myself to self-correct, recognize my weaknesses, and continually strive to be the best I can be. Teacher Hoe also wanted us to immediately apply what we learned by getting acquainted with new friends. He selected the ones whom he thought were good for us. They indeed are great, and next is the part where we would share and confide in each other.
Teacher Hoe created opportunities for students to get to know each other by sharing recent interesting stories. Applying what we have learned from him, this exercise helps us learn how to communicate and live in harmony with others. We could comfortably share our good and sad stories about our study and work life. We showed respect to each other by listening more because earlier, teacher Hoe taught us “We should listen more than talk”. We all had a chance to speak and express our views. Afterward, we had a session where I talked to our entire group. In that session, once again I practiced my listening and communication skills with the group. It was a wonderful experience for me.
Teacher Hoe has studied and lived in Japan for quite a while, so he wants to teach us to realize and overcome our shortcomings in interacting with others. It is simply a matter of communication, alongside with our manners. He hopes Vietnamese students, especially those of us on the “Rising Up” Scholarship, learn to say the two words 'Thank You' to those who have helped you. These two words do not cost anything but help others have a more positive impression of you. In addition, it is important to always greet with a clear voice, not whispering or just nodding, as that does not truly express a true greeting. Moreover, he taught us to have a good reputation, not to be late, and always keep our promises. Not honoring promises shows disrespect for others and toward oneself. One should not associate with people who do not keep their promises.
Teacher Hoe also took the opportunity to remind us: 'Make sure to read books; borrow them if you must. You should learn how to interpret a book effectively and learn from great figures - those who have succeeded on their chosen paths.' This has always been a lesson I find very valuable and meaningful. Only books can bring everlasting value to people. They are the marks left by successful individuals. Additionally, teacher Hoe hopes that we take part in leadership to lead the crowd, learn to bring joy to others in our own way, and earn affection from the little ones. I realized that everything he does is aimed at honing skills for students and fostering camaraderie among them.
Regarding his thoughts for our summer holiday, Teacher Hoe suggested that we take trips during the summer or any free time using a Honda motorbike for 1-2 days. He believes that students should find cost-effective ways to travel and gain valuable experiences. He advised us on how to travel smart. His final words that day were: 'Don't stay cooped up in the city; there are so many wonderful things out there in the world waiting for you to discover.'
The above are my personal experiences from this special event. I learned many things that will enable me to build a better version of myself. I am very honored to be selected to participate in such an event. In addition, I have made many good friends. I hope to practice all the wonderful things that teacher Hoe has taught us. I would like to thank the teachers and my friends very much.