Jakob Konrath is an expert from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). He has been teaching German at HUST for more than 4 years, and he also works as a Project Manager for German studies at universities in Vietnam and this region.
“I know that HUST is the largest and most prestigious technical university in Vietnam”, said the foreign expert. This is one of the reasons he felt very excited when he had the opportunity to come to Vietnam although this long-term business trip is not the first time he set foot on this land.
“I had taught in Hanoi for one year, and I liked the experience so much that I wanted to come back”, Jakob recalled. What makes the most impression on him is Vietnamese people and students.
Although he confessed that family traditions are quite rare in modern Western society this day, a career as a teacher to him has somewhat been a nature of things, “I kind of grew into this job”. Jakob comes from a traditional family of teachers, with his parents and older brother both being teachers and lecturers. The German teacher has more than 15 years of experience in teaching at all levels from primary schools to university.
One of Jakob’s most memorable memories at HUST was the Traditional Singing Contest held by the University’s Union on Vietnam Teachers’ Day in 2019. Many staff at the Center for Languages and Academic Exchange Services (CLA) gathered and practiced the performance “Trong com” (cylindrical drum) for that competition.
“It was great to see so many familiar faces gathering and spending time together. We’ve been practicing it for a few weeks,” Jakob said, adding that the group of foreign teachers had put a lot of effort and enthusiasm into their performance. After 3 years, the German lecturer still remembers the lyrics and melody of this Vietnamese folk song thanks to those unforgettable memories.
A few years ago, Jakob and the CLA staff organized a trip to Sam Son beach and participated in group bonding activities. The group spent a whole day playing outdoor games and taking “thousands” of photos. “We don’t have such activities in Europe”, Jakob thought that Vietnamese people have a more united lifestyle.
According to the German expert, most countries in Europe do not have a day for teachers. What makes the international experts feel most impressed and heartwarming is the respectful and loving attitude of Vietnamese students toward their lecturers. “Vietnamese Teachers’ Day is an opportunity for students to show their gratitude to their teachers,” said Jakob. To him, November 20th is a beautiful tradition of the Vietnamese.
Ha Kim
