2021 is a tumultuous year for not only Vietnamese students but also foreign students at HUST.
An extrovert student
Oraiden Manuel Sabonete from Mozambique, a second-year student at the School of Electrical – Electronic Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, had memorable memories in 2021, especially the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
Last year, Oraiden was invited by his Vietnamese teacher to her home to celebrate Tet with her family. He got new and interesting experiences that he had never had ever. “In my country, we do not follow the Lunar calendar. We only celebrate Christmas. This is the first time I have experienced the Lunar New Year,” said Oraiden.
At the lecturer’s home, Oraiden participated in Tet activities of a Vietnamese family. This experience helped him understand more about Vietnamese culture and sharpened his new language.
The international student happily recalled: “At the teacher’s house, I helped to prepare some special recipes. Many people were present. They invited me to drink rice wine – a traditional liquor in Vietnam, eat Banh Chung, Vietnamese fried spring rolls, … and numerous other traditional cuisines at Tet.” In addition, Oraiden got lucky money and New Year’s wishes on the first day of the Lunar year.
2021 was an exhilarating year for Mozambican international students. He participated in social activities and scientific research with his friends.
“I participated in a research program of the School of Electrical Engineering, now the School of Electrical – Electronics Engineering, in which my team won the first prize,” Oraiden proudly said.
In September 2021, Oraiden joined a blood donation program at HUST with his friends. The sophomore expressed: “Saving lives is on top of my priorities. Whenever I get a chance to do something that can help others, I don’t hesitate. We live in a society. We all depend on each other. The smile of others is my happiness.”
Oraiden is very interested in extracurricular activities at Hanoi University of Science and Technology: “I think that promoting students to participate in social activities helps them improve their skills, teaches them the good manners of living with others. Self-improvement is one of the best ways to create a better society.”
Peaceful and safe days
The sophomore student at School of Information and Communication Technology, Erdenebold Erdenetur, is an overseas student from Mongolia. Having been in Vietnam for 2 years, Erdenebold does not even want to go back to his hometown!
To Erdenebold, 2021 was a peaceful and safe year to be in Vietnam and live in the dormitory of Hanoi University of Science and Technology. “The dormitory securities advised us not to go out because the Covid-19 epidemic was complicated. Therefore, I just stayed in my room to study and work,” Erdenebold shared.
There are many reasons why Erdenebold loves Vietnam, one of which is the weather. “This season in Mongolia is freezing. It lasts about four months, from November to February. Temperatures are very low, today reach -30°. I like the weather in Hanoi. The coldest is probably about 10°. I can still wear a T-shirt without feeling cold,” Erdenebold excitedly said.
Erdenebold has a passion for playing badminton. However, he cannot play it often in Mongolia because “winds blow across Mongolia throughout the year.” With the Vietnamese weather and HUST’s spacious campus, whenever he wants, he can play as much as he likes.
The second-year student loves Vietnamese cuisine. He recalls: “In the first three months since I came to Vietnam, I only ate beef pho because it was mouth-watering. For the next two months, I fell in love with Vietnamese fried spring rolls. I ate so much that I could not eat those two dishes for a long time.”
Erdenebold’s friends were amazed when he chose Vietnam to study abroad as most of his friends selected Korea or the US. He immediately affirmed: “It is because of Hanoi University of Science and Technology that I came to Vietnam.”
According to Erdenebold’s research, Vietnam has become the world’s top 1 in the blockchain. “Forget MIT and Harvard. We are studying at the top university in the world for blockchain,” Erdenebold proudly asserted.
Before coming to Vietnam, Erdenebold had studied and worked as a programmer in Mongolia for 8 years. However, with a great love for Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Vietnam, the Mongolian student will stay to study and work for a long time!
“Hanoi University of Science and Technology is always with me, even when I am infected with Covid-19”
To Prabhavi Ranaweera, a girl from Sri Lanka, 2021 is a year filled with experiences related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In May 2021, she came to Vietnam and continued her learning journey. “Unfortunately, during the quarantine period, one of my roommates was tested positive for COVID-19,” Prabhavi shared.
Luckily, after one and a half months of quarantine, Prabhavi tested negative. She affirmed: “It was a bit rough period for us and that was something which I would never forget in my lifetime.”
During that time, Prabhavi received a lot of support from HUST. “During that whole situation, HUST staff made sure to keep in contact with us and helped us to manage each and everything,” appreciated Prabhavi.
In the interview with HUST magazine, Prabhavi recalled: “After I came into living a normal life, I went to university to solve my academic problems. Even though the university was not fully opened, HUST staff from the Academic Office and Student Affairs Office supported me to solve my all problems during a short time.”
What’s more, Prabhavi felt fortunate to have received timely attention and support from the University. When Hanoi was locked down, she had to spend the whole time in the dormitory. At that time, HUST provided food for her and other students as well. “It was really helpful because going outside and buying essentials was a challenge back then,” Prabhavi shared.
What Prabhavi finds so impressive in Vietnam is the respect Vietnamese people have for each other. “As a newcomer to Vietnam, I love the freedom here, the way people respect each other, and how they enjoy their lives while staying healthy. I love that I’ve got a chance to be with them.”
Thu Trang
