As a student that grew up in unfortunate conditions, I assumed I could no longer pursue higher education. Fortunately, with the help of the Saigonchildren organization, I was able to further my studies. At the beginning of my junior year, I received the help of Ms. Phuong, who connected me with various organizations and sponsors, and introduced me to a free Computer class at Thang Long, a distinguished school where many teenagers put their faith and trust in. I am currently 4 weeks into a course about understanding online formats. I have not been in the class for long, but I feel excited for every lesson I attend, and I believe my classmates would say the same.
There is a saying that goes “Every family has their own circumstances” – It really is true. Due to the prolonged pandemic situation, my parents have been unemployed for nearly 5 months, and we were struggling with our family finances. With the support package, Saigonchildren’s generosity has lessened our financial burden and addressed our concern for food. Despite the hardships, I am also very grateful to have a small device for online learning.
When I received the enrollment notice from Thang Long school, I contacted Ms. Phung, who was extremely helpful in allowing me to contact the course instructor. I was ecstatic after hearing the news from Ms. Phung that I would be able to be a part of this Computer class. In my first online lesson, I felt great anticipation but also nervousness. The image of Mr. Thinh—the dedicated instructor leading us through each lesson—would remain in our minds as a beautiful memory. After each lesson, he spent time answering our questions. I hope after the pandemic is over, I will be able to visit the school and meet everyone.
The knowledge coming from these lessons has also proven to be very useful, which would hopefully aid me in my future endeavors. Furthermore, we were able to participate in the school’s training courses and work on improving our interpersonal skills. I am very thankful for all these opportunities. Therefore, I will dedicate all the skills and knowledge I acquired during my time in this course to apply it to my future careers as I move into the real world. My goals for the next few months would be to pass my MOS skills exam, which is part of my process of acquiring more knowledge and pursuing my dreams.
This Computer class has allowed me to be more confident in my abilities, specifically in overcoming the fear of falling behind on recent technological developments. I would like to express to deepest gratitude to my teacher, Mr. Thinh. Hopefully, the pandemic will be over soon for me to physically attend school at Thang Long. As I put great effort into learning, I hope one day I will be able to reap the fruits of my labor and meet the expectations of everyone that has put trust in me and allowed me to attend this Computer class free of charge. I hope for Thang Long school to be more successful in the future and hopefully continue to help disadvantaged youths like myself pursue their dreams. I wish for everyone from the school, as well as people from the Saigonchildren organization, to stay healthy and safe to overcome this deadly pandemic. Thank you!