Conductor Dong Quang Vinh and his healing journey with the children in Lan Nong village.

Conductor Dong Quang Vinh and his two children, Dong Tuan Hy (11 years old) and Dong Mien Mien (8 years old), have just completed a special journey as part of the "Father and Son's Journey" program. Their destination this time was Lan Nong village, a small village nestled amidst the vast mountains and forests of Lang Son Geopark. This was an opportunity for the conductor to leave behind his daily worries and immerse himself in authentic village life.

Authentic life in a village of 13 households.

Lan Nong Village is home to 13 families with over 70 inhabitants, mostly Nung ethnic people. Due to the unique geological features, the main crops here are corn and peanuts. Everything in the village still retains its pristine beauty, with large wooden stilt houses surrounded by majestic mountains and forests. For a family accustomed to city amenities like conductor Dong Quang Vinh's, this simplicity initially caused considerable anxiety.

During their three-day, two-night stay, the father and his two sons were completely isolated from the internet, phones, and computers. Instead, they focused on communicating and engaging in local activities together. On the first day, they learned to make artwork from seeds. Although the final product wasn't perfect, the process brought joy and a lesson in simplicity to the conductor.

Experience real-world work in nature.

The journey continued with real farming activities. The father and his two children joined the locals in harvesting peanuts at the foot of the mountain. This was the first time Tuan Hy and Mien Mien had seen peanut plants in real life. The atmosphere became more lively as the three of them worked and sang amidst the vast mountain landscape.

Notably, all three also participated in picking custard apples on the mountainside – one of Lang Son's specialty fruits. Despite the treacherous path, conductor Dong Quang Vinh's children made an effort to harvest the last custard apples of the season. Enjoying ripe custard apples right from the tree and transporting the fruit using a pulley system were unforgettable experiences for these city children.

A change in the father's mindset

The following day, the conductor's family joined in wrapping black sticky rice cakes, a specialty of the Nung people. From mixing the rice with wood ash and picking banana leaves to watching the cakes cook, Dong Quang Vinh admitted that he didn't usually like cooking, but now he found it incredibly enjoyable.

The short trip brought about a significant change in the father-daughter relationship. Mien Mien and Tuan Hy shared that their father became "different" compared to when he was in Hanoi. Instead of focusing solely on work and being easily angered, their father, Vinh, was gentler at Lan Nong, knew how to play and share with his children like friends. This made the two children extremely happy.

At the end of the journey, conductor Dong Quang Vinh drew his own lesson about balancing work and family. The simple experiences at Lan Nong helped him realize the value of the small but important things right beside him. Viewers can follow this entire journey in the program "Father and Son's Journey," airing from Tuesday to Sunday at 7:10 AM on VTV3.