Having heard about her for long, I finally had a chance to meet Dinh Vu Trang Ngan (A1 95-98) during my visit to Boston recently. Agile, joyful, caring and enthusiastic, she is truly what I had imagined. Ngan has a long record of academic and extracurricular achievements, including her excellent performance at Hanoi Amsterdam high school, her involvement at The Pacific Ocean Youth Meeting in Japan and her full-ride scholarship to attend Bates College. Ngan recently graduated from Chicago University with a Master Degree in Economics and she is currently working in Boston. Despite her many respectable achievements, Ngan is still so modest and amiable. She talks about herself as an ordinary person with more fails than successes, but “more importantly”, said Ngan, “it's what I learned from the failures that count.”



Interviewer: Hi Ngan! You left Hanoi Amsterdam for so long, do you miss the school?
Ngan: Of course I do, so much indeed. I still remember those funny memories, the boys were really cool, my teachers were wonderful, and year after year, every graduated class brings to life the invaluable assets of knowledge and fervency that have ever been used up.

Interviewer: Do you have any thought about the future of Hanoi Ams?
Ngan: I really want this to happen before 2015, and actually told Mr Mai Thanh Ha, the director of HAO website, in 1999 to set up a network for the school alumni in a systematic way, which categorizes alumni by fields of studies and works. The idea is similar to having an Alumni Relations Office in an American University, which would require the establishment of a separate permanent office. At first, we would have to build up a data base for all the past and current students based o­n their gepgraphical positions, followed by a categorization by professional fields. Following would be newsletters and events provision in different area in order to expand our network with others high schools and universities. This will serve as a great connection for both younger and older generations of students of Hanoi Ams. The network would not o­nly be the place for us to gather and see each others, but also be an opportunity for Hanoi Ams students to develop relationship and to share specialised knowledge and experience in all aspects.

Finally, I wish that we could build up a strong financial foundation to invest in education, from individuals and businesses, mainly from post-amser who are successful, able, enthusiastic and wholehearted. This is what we have to learn from 'University Governance' of the US.

Interviewer: So what do you want to do in the future?
Ngan: I love teaching. I really want to make contribution to our education system. I believe that education reform starts first at your family. The main targets are family with children age from 3 to 7. Say there are many ways to brush your teeth, many reasons why granmum's hair get all white, many ways to make mummy happy, many reasons why we all should be modest, honest and brave. The second targets would be the age group of 16 to 24. Those are hard to persuade, but easy to talk to. Talking and teaching are totally different. o­ne of my strength is gossiping ^^.

Coming back to Vietnam, if possible, maybe I will apply to be an Economic Geography teacher in Hanoi Ams - hopefully there's an evaluation exam. I enjoy it when young people themselves try to think about the economic impacts from various aspects, rather than what is taught at school. It's likely that until then, the Education Ministry may have not changed the rigid o­ne-for-all national lesson plan for each subject. It is understandable that policies cannot be changed regularly and immediately even though there is a need at the moment. However, this is a game that requires the enthusiasm from both sides: policy makers and teachers and students. We cannot make excuse to stop trying. I think teachers can try to follow the plan but still can be creative in classes, which would inspire students outside the plan. You asked me who did inspire me. o­ne of them was a Geography professor in Hanoi Ams school, professor MY. There was a lesson about 6 knowledges of human: Know yourself and know other people, know the history and know current affairs, know when it is enough and know when to stop. I learnt this lesson in an Economic Geography lesson. The professor has gone but the lesson is forever meaningful.


Interviewer: What is your secret of success?
Ngan: I think it is my family. To me, family is the most important thing in life. Having a happy, solid family, love and be loved, there is someone to share everything, I think we can do anything we want.

Anyway, people who I love could include teacher Viet Anh, teacher Dan and Vo as well. Hanoi Ams is also a family. A sound family, wherever you go, you know for sure you can find friendly friends, have somewhere to stay, have someone willing to help...

Interviewer: Do you have any criterion to find a partner?
Ngan: It's when you are with someone who makes you love yourself, who makes you a better person, who makes you feel you have done good deeds but still want to learn so much more, want to do so much more in life... It's when you are with someone who makes you feel life is simple, though there are times when you have to make choice, but not option. I think that's the most wonderful person.

Interviewer: What do you think women in this modern life need?
Ngan: I still think a lovely woman is someone who does not forget that she's a woman. This increasingly stressful life needs that more and more in fact.

Thank you, Trang Ngan, and I hope you are always happy with every of your decisions.


Reporter: Nguyễn Diệu Hương
Translator: Vu Hoang Yen A2 02-05
Editor: Quang Nguyen T1 00-03
Submitor: Lê Huy Hoàng L2 00-03