The Quang Trung multi-story building in the memories of former Lao students.

(Baonghean.vn) - My name is Vu Chong Cho, and I live in Pathom district, Xieng Khouang province, Laos. By chance, we met some Vietnamese friends who were visiting and learned that the Quang Trung high-rise building is about to be demolished to make way for a newer, more modern, and more beautiful building. Memories of my days studying in Vietnam suddenly flooded back...

We, Lao students, lived in building A5, Quang Trung area in the 1980s. Our group had over 40 students who came to Vinh City to study various fields: construction, mechanics, agriculture, and teaching. Most of us attended the Viet-Duc College and the No. 6 Construction Vocational School, while the more talented students went on to study at Vinh University of Education.

A corner of Quang Trung apartment building

We shared a room with four people, and for meals we went to the hotel in building A4. We cycled to school, and the hardest part was carrying our bikes up and down the stairs every day. Another worry was the lack of clean water; even though building A5 was prioritized with water pumped every two days, we still ran out in the summer. Every time we had guests, we were constantly anxious because we didn't have enough containers for clean water.

To ease our homesickness, we often played sepak takraw at the sports field next to building A5. There were many Vietnamese friends from buildings A5, A6, A3… whose names I still remember, like Long, Tu Thach, Tu Tuan, and Bac Son, who often played with us. We would meet up at the end of the afternoon, sometimes playing passing games, sometimes playing against each other, using sepak takraw balls we brought from Laos.

Back then, Vinh city often experienced power outages. We were equipped with kerosene lamps, but whenever the power went out, everyone would go for a walk along Quang Trung Street because it was unbearably hot at home. In front of building A5, there was a food stall with a famous ice cream stand. Almost every night, we would eat ice cream and mung bean powder with ice.

I also have a Vietnamese friend named Thuy, who lives in the same apartment complex. Thuy really likes Tam Maak Hung, a dish made from papaya. The papaya chosen should not be too green but not nearly ripe either. After the papaya is grated into strands, it is put into a mortar and lightly pounded. The seasonings include lime juice, shrimp paste, pickled eggplant, pepper, and chili.

On moonlit nights, Thuy and I would go up to the rooftop to admire the city of Vinh from above. I would tell Thuy stories about the Laotian tribes, and she would tell me about her student life. Until we heard the sound of running tap water and the clanging of buckets, we would quickly say goodbye so she could go home to "take care of the water business" with her family. Almost every night, people living in the Quang Trung area at that time had to stay up late carrying water. I remember Thuy loved wearing the T-shirt that I bought from Xieng Khouang and brought as a gift; it had a very large heart on it.

By now, I'm a civil servant in the district thanks to my years of study in Vietnam. Memories of the Quang Trung dormitory and my budding romance with my Vietnamese girlfriend have stayed with me throughout the years. I wonder if, when I return to A5 Quang Trung someday, I'll still have the chance to see Thuy again?

AT (recorded)