Orphaned girl washes dishes to pursue her dream of university

(Baonghean.vn) - Orphaned at the age of 9, having to help her mother work as a porter to make a living, Dinh Thi Phuong Linh never gave up on her chosen dream. The dream of going to university.

Stormy days

I met her when the sun was at its peak, the sun was beating down on the road with gusts of southwest wind as if trying to dry the woman in her 40s. During the hottest days of the year in Vinh city, Ms. Nguyen Thi Mui (Hung Tay, Hung Nguyen) still sat there hoping that someone would call her to load and unload goods, transport construction materials to earn more money to pay for her 3 children's education.

Across the street, there was a cheap restaurant. Every time there were more people coming to the restaurant, she would look over with worried eyes. Because that was where her daughter - Dinh Thi Phuong Linh was washing dishes for hire to earn money to pay for her tuition, to ease the burden on her mother when her father died early.

Talking about her child, she considers Phuong Linh as her consolation because since childhood she has been a girl with outstanding academic achievements compared to her peers. Going back in time when she had both parents, life was not much better when her father was only a construction worker, her mother was a petty trader to support Linh and her two siblings. The 5 family members had to live in a rented room less than 20 m2 wide.²with facilities lacking in every way. Realizing my situation early, after school, I had to take care of the housework and take care of my younger siblings instead of my parents.

Ms. Mui (second from right) has to work as a porter to support her children's education. Photo: Thanh Quynh

When Linh was 7 years old, when her youngest sibling was only 6 months old, her father decided to go to Russia to work in the hope of reviving the family economy. However, only 2 years later, in a foreign land, her father had a work accident and died.

The day my father left, my mother and I hoped for a future where our family would no longer be plagued by poverty. I never expected that on the day my father returned, I would only be able to see his face through a small glass window on the lifeless coffin. From that moment on, I understood that I would have to be stronger and more diligent after losing my most solid spiritual support.

After my father passed away, my mother had to work as a porter, earning around 200,000 VND on a day with work. But there were many people and little work, so the amount of money my mother earned became increasingly limited. Seeing that life was difficult, and being the eldest sister in the family, I decided to work as a dishwasher and house cleaner by the hour after school.

Dinh Thi Phuong Linh in her study corner. Photo: Thanh Quynh

The rickety bicycle has been her companion on the 10-kilometer journey from home to work all this time. Sometimes when the tire is punctured or broken, Linh has to walk the whole distance. The money she earns is just enough for her to pay for school fees and help her siblings have a little extra to buy more notebooks and pens.

She confided that because her family was near-poor, she was exempted from half of her tuition fees. That was also a great encouragement for her to continue on her dream path: the path to the university door.

Dream of the lecture hall

It has been almost 10 years since her father passed away, Phuong Linh has now become a mature and strong 17-year-old girl. She is also the pride of her mother and two younger siblings as she has been an excellent student at school for many years in a row. In particular, with her outstanding talent in block A, her total score for the three subjects of Math, Physics, and Chemistry has always been over 8 points. In Chemistry alone, she has always been among the top students in the class.

In the family’s small house hidden behind the canal of Cho Gia hamlet, every night Linh used the incandescent lamp to study, never stopping before 1am. During the days of studying for exams, there were nights when she stayed up all night with only a pack of instant noodles to fill her stomach. Because she had to worry about making a living during the day, it was only at night that she could devote herself to her passion for studying.

Phuong Linh and her two siblings next to the portrait of their deceased father. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Although I know that university is not the only way to achieve success in life, I always have a burning dream of becoming a student of Foreign Trade University. For me, it has always been a great motivation, a desire that has never stopped since the autumn many years ago when my mother took me to school.

Talking about myself, I always believe that without the difficulties and disadvantages that I have experienced, there would not be a strong Phuong Linh like today and there would not be a Phuong Linh who knows how to appreciate what she has. I always consider all the joy, happiness, and success that I have achieved, in addition to my own efforts, there are also the sweat and hard work of my mother who sacrificed her youth to raise me.

Outside of class, Phuong Linh takes care of her two younger siblings at home. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Along with her mother, the person she cherishes most is her homeroom teacher who has accompanied and shared with her throughout her 4 years of secondary school. Sharing with us, Ms. Le Thi Kieu Anh (Hung Tay Secondary School) still has a strong impression of the exemplary class monitor for many years in a row. She is a girl with a gentle appearance but very strong personality. She always sets goals for each semester and carries them out according to a strict plan. Until now, she has always followed and shared the difficulties she has faced in life. And she always has a strong belief in Linh: that she will realize her dream.

Saying goodbye to you when the land of Nghe An is still scorching hot. At this time, Linh is probably struggling to wash each dish, rushing back and forth to serve customers in the restaurant to collect each bit of money to continue on the path she has chosen. Although I know that the path will not be easy, but above all, it is the path that has helped me live fully with the passion of youth and given me the strength to overcome the thorns of life.

Thanh Quynh