Selling drinks, 88-year-old woman can speak 4 languages

Few people expected that Mrs. Ba, who has a hunched back and is a water seller at the corner of Pham Ngu Lao - Tran Hung Dao (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), can speak Chinese, English, French and Cambodian. Her image is being shared on social media.

Work many jobs, know many languages

Mrs. Tran Thi Dinh (born in 1928), living in District 4 (Ho Chi Minh City), has been selling water at the corner of Pham Ngu Lao - Tran Hung Dao, opposite 23/9 Park for 38 years. Mrs. Ba is the affectionate name that small traders in this area use to call Mrs. Dinh.

Saigon has many surprising things, such as the case of Mrs. Dinh with her ability to communicate in 4 foreign languages. Passing by Mrs. Dinh's small shop, you will be surprised to hear the old lady inviting customers to come in for a drink in Vietnamese, then "broken" English, French, Cambodian, and even Chinese.

Mr. Dinh's tea shop is located in the central area of ​​District 1, where many foreign tourists come and go. Knowing many foreign languages ​​used to be a special advantage for Mr. Dinh's shop to be crowded.

Many people think that because most of the customers are foreigners, they communicate a lot, and after 38 years of opening the restaurant, Mr. Dinh has "learned" many languages.

Actually, no. Before opening the coffee shop, Mr. Dinh had worked many jobs. And each job required him to know a foreign language.

Mr. Dinh shared: "I used to work as a beautician for American and French ladies, so I had to know English and French to serve them. My hometown is Ben Soi (Chau Thanh district, Tay Ninh). My family hired Cambodians to help with the work, so naturally I knew their language. In Saigon, my family also lived on Dien Bien Phu street, and had a lot of contact and business with Chinese people, so I learned Chinese."

Mr. Dinh's studiousness makes many people admire him. In addition to Chinese, English, French, and Cambodian, Mr. Dinh also studied Korean, but "that language is too difficult, I can't learn it," he joked.

With his foreign language skills, Mr. Dinh also works as an "interpreter" for many motorbike taxi drivers, water vendors, guava and sugarcane sellers... near his shop.

Then he also worked as a "tour guide", showing the way to many foreign guests unfamiliar with Saigon. Saying greetings like "What do you buy?", "Coffee, Coca or Water?", charging like "fifteen (15 thousand)", giving directions like "Ben Thanh market over there"... was extremely simple for Mr. Dinh.

He said that he was blessed by God so he has not suffered from any illness until now - Photo: Linh San

38 years of watching the ups and downs of Saigon

Mr. Dinh has two sons and a daughter, all of whom are successful and have stable families. Despite his advanced age, his children and grandchildren have repeatedly advised him to rest at home, but Mr. Dinh is determined to maintain the tea shop.

He said: "When I go out to sell water, they are more tired than me. At 5 am, my son has to take me here, and at 5 pm, he comes out to pick me up. I'm old, so if I can still do it, I'll keep doing it. Coming out here to sell goods, I'll have someone to talk to to make my old age more enjoyable. If I stay at home, I'll get sick very quickly."

Six years ago, when Mrs. Dinh's husband had not yet passed away, the two of them still drove each other to sell goods every morning and evening. She said: "My husband and I lived a loving life, and for 60 years we never argued. He was very indulgent with me. I only didn't talk to him when I was angry, but he always called me "anh" and "em". He's been gone for six years, but I still cry."

Mr. Dinh said that God loves him and does not make him sick, so even though he is 88 years old, he is still healthy, clear-headed, and moves quickly. So, even in the rainy season in Saigon when the streets are flooded, or in the hot season of 38-40 degrees Celsius, he still maintains his simple tea shop.

38 years of selling water is 38 years of Mr. Dinh watching the changes of Saigon, from when September 23rd Park was still the Saigon - Nha Trang train station, the roads changed, the Western quarter was formed, and high-rise buildings gradually sprung up.

"Probably no one has been selling water on the street for 38 years like me. Before, business was booming, earning 500,000 - 600,000 VND per day, but now it's only 100,000 - 200,000 VND. But many people love me. People come here to drink water, and when they see me getting old, they keep giving me money."

The image of Mrs. Dinh with white hair, freckled skin, hunched back, small body, selling goods quickly, welcoming, fluent in many foreign languages, adds to the picture of Saigon many new things, friendly, generous and truly hospitable. As shared by British tourist - Mr. Graham Ward: "This old lady is my friend. Every day I come here, I see her smile!".

According to thanhnien.vn