Greetings, Family
Our class will begin this week, I hope that we will have a smooth sailing journey together.
A Personal Note
First, this is deeply personal for me, and I trusted you guys to keep this between us, so DO NOT share with anyone, okay? Even though it’s on public domain :D
Typically, I would jot down these reflections in my journal but for this occasion, to motivate you guys, to hopefully ignite a flame of undying passion for learning, I would like to share a snapshot of my life. First, one of my early mottos:
My thirst for knowledge will never be quenched.
If you don’t like it, then tough luck, take this as a reading task, and I’ve highlighted the vocabulary that you’ve learned, not the new ones.
So, to mark the commencement of our learning endeavor, here are your first tasks:
This week's tasks
- First-level of recursion for new words on this reading task.
- Your comments/remarks (at least 3), send me personally or via group chat, suit you.
- Extra 2 points for those who note grammar structures used as well. An exhaustive one.
⚠️Note Minus 1 point for each vocabulary word you miss if asked. Missing means that you haven’t noted it yet.
Autobiography
People often tell me how “a normal person” would behave differently than I do, so I guess it’s only reasonable that my school life wasn’t typical either, lol.
Compared to my peers, I didn’t study as much, playing most of the time and often doing the bare minimum or finding unconventional shortcuts to keep pace with them. But lucky me, the so-called “peers” were all geniuses, so I got put in place a lot. Even if I fooled around, the baseline level of effort to keep up helped me pass almost every important test entry.
My life has been the complete opposite and will probably become of this quote:
You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
Without any intervention, wandering with perplexity and curiosity, I turned into a bad, but meticulous kid that no one seemed to notice.
I believe the duality of one’s nature will always be present, but my poor decisions were taken lightly, or more accurately, went by unawares.
I’m not proud, but thankfully, I could get back on the right track without much of a fight.
Primary School
This period was what I called “A Dark Era,” a time filled with confusion and all sorts of emotions with no self-awareness and restraint.
I was a perfect role model student and, better yet, a bully.
Too sharp for my own good, excelling at anything I picked up, so naturally, I got things in my favor.
People’s attention and praise probably took a heavy toll on me, feeding an ego that I didn’t know how to process, but that was no excuse. I was led astray, blinded by the rewards and recognition.
Maybe subtle blame for uncontrollable primal instincts—aggression, violence, and the desperate need for validation.😌
Let’s not delve further…
Secondary School
The Muted Aftermath
A got-away-with-it-somehow spoiled brat ended up in the top class of the top secondary school. I came to my senses only much later on, back then I was still feigning ignorance and acting on impulse, as most children would.
The school wasn’t too far from my house, but still far enough for a kid to go on his own, and my parents couldn’t drop me off either.
Therefore, I got this uncalled-for luxury of going to school by taxi—yep, a taxi, alongside my neighborhood friends. Truly a story to be bragging about, for bourgeois families.
The academic life went south from here 😅 as the impetuous desires got the better of me. I skipped classes more than I skipped meals.
I would told the cab driver to stop by the net on the way to school =))) and he would happily do so, since he was paid. Not my kid, not my problem 😂😂 Gotta respect that attitude. Had a lot of fun and a lot of bad grades… Everything was on a downward spiral, yet funny enough, I never got caught or confronted.
Underappreciated Youth
I formed bonds with most of my closest friends here with the most unfiltered, raw, and rough version of myself. The same goes for them.
These low-maintenance relationships, I believe, will stay unstained, growing stronger yet unaffected by time and distance as it has always been.
We were not only in the best but also the wealthiest class. We could go on weekend trips if any of the generous parents were happy that their kid scored a 10. A local prize would almost guarantee a trip and a national one!? We’d have back-to-back class holidays! Without spending a dime.
This seemingly chill class turned out to have the highest unprecedented acceptance rate at Lam Son Gifted High School.
I doubt I’ll ever have as many extravagant field trips as I did back then. I got to see so much of Vietnam’s beauty and historical richness — things I had long taken for granted.
But it wasn’t just the scenes and places I overlooked; it was the people too. I discovered so many new emotions—ones that were pivotal, inevitable, but bitterish—regret, sorrow, rage, and that heartbroken feeling, or whatever you’d name it.
Most of these feelings were directed at myself: for the decisions I left unmade, for the precious people I failed to cherish until they quietly walked out of my life forever.
Though painful, these realizations became the compass points guiding my future path and were the turning point for me.
High School
Getting into Lam Son has been my most significant cornerstone, though I didn’t realize it only until recently.
It wasn’t the school’s prestige or education (which, in and of itself, is remarkable) that made the difference—it was the people here who changed me for the better, forever.
My typical day here would start like this:
I’d wake up late and rush to school, couldn’t make it on time, thinking “screw it,” and go buy breakfast with extra, extra toppings, leisurely enjoying every bite.
I was the class secretary, so it was easy for me to make up a lot of excuses for my 15-to-30-minute tardiness. I did this so frequently that everyone gradually stopped questioning my legitimacy.
Getting away with it almost every time - the pinnacle of gaslighting, huh?
The daily inquiries were rather simple:
What should I eat next?
Where should we hang out after school?
Should we play Werewolves, Ribbit, or Exploding Kittens today?
What rhetorical questions should I ask to make it more impactful during the debate?
Would the Literature teacher let us play board games instead? I probably shouldn’t be the one bringing it up since she wasn’t particularly fond of me.
We were in the middle of the game so it would suck if the flow is broken like this.
A board game session typically lasts around 2 hours, but some teachers were flexible enough to let us play through. That’s why I had the Audacity to consider asking in the first place, though not all were as accommodating.
A Regime That Should Have Been Universal
The educational autonomy level I got was unprecedentedly and inimitably high, along with a hefty budget for students.
We had the freedom to decide how to spend our time, with a monthly salary exceeding a million —a huge amount back then, far more than one student could reasonably spend— for basically existing.
Students who lived a bit off the beaten track would earn almost twice as much.
Big monetary rewards were given (around 9.000.000₫ per semester per student) for getting an 8.5 GPA, which was not hard, at all.
The school’s monthly budget for us was roughly 2 billion VND, as stated by the headmaster.
Amidst all this, the school policy was:
If you wanted to play, play. If you wanted to learn, learn.
By all means, that was the best thing since sliced bread for me.
I got the habit of playing truant since the regulations are so flexible and open. You got to decide what’s next for you; the temptation level is obviously off the chart for a student, you see.
I could attend only half the lessons (usually two) in the morning, go to the net to play video games, skip the afternoon lecture, and go to the coffee shop with my friends, who would skip as well.
When I first got admitted, I did this a lot, with leading repercussions, of course… Still, I am lucky enough to have many friends of the same frequency who would do those silly stuff with me and make so much memories, yet I could recount them like the back of my hand.
Each class is financially independent, covering its own bills for electricity, water, and cleaning.
We had a 65’ touchscreen TV, 2 pairs of JBL Speakers in the name of learning listening 😂, and lots of mics 🎤🎤🎤.
We even bought a pine tree and snow-dry ice dispenser for Christmas.
Every day was either karaoke or movie day with mixed board games and debate contests (a type of roleplay with two opposing teams in parliamentary style, regarding local issues to international dilemmas).
Karaoke was almost an indispensable daily activity, or at least I made it so.
We all shared the same music taste and could jam to the beat forever, do headbang, and even pull off dance covers. The stage was almost always overcrowded.
Despite all the temptations that might have been, the biggest one was not coming to class and missing out on something. I stopped playing truant, more or less.
We traveled a lot, even by plane once, to various provinces in Vietnam. We even got to spend 4 days in Da Nang during the fireworks season; that’s when I won my 3rd girlfriend, a.k.a current bff, over as well, making it kinda memorable for me. Needless to say, looking back, everything is full of laughter, thrills, and endless singing 🎵 🎶🎵.
That’s probably why I love karaoke; it feels like stepping into a bittersweet simulation. Though it’s never quite the same, the experience always brings back those core memories subconsciously in the best way.
Nostalgia hits hard 🥺😢
Bittersweet Epiphany
From what I can recall, everyone was innocent and carefree in a sense, embracing every passing moment without the slightest care in the world.
The inquiry of what would become of us, or what our hopes and dreams for the future were, never crossed our daily train of thought. Yet I’m certain they will become the brightest people I know; some already are and are on the brink of refining their identities.
I can still remember that feeling, vaguely - the way dreaming came as naturally as breathing. Just now, I remember someone from those days gave us a name: 🌱Lámer.
For me, high school was when the seed of my fantasies and aspirations was planted, and the mold of my true self was finalized, all stemming from those naive and untroubled experiences. None of what I have achieved, or will achieve, could have happened without those everlasting moments when we could afford to be dreamers. Those fleeting, precious days shaped our dreams and life trajectories, allowing us to envision a future filled with endless possibilities.
Why do I tell you all this? Why not?
I realized some time ago that the privileges I received should not be taken for granted, as I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Now, I see them as something I have to bear on my shoulders, my responsibilities. The spark of life 🌟I received is something I long to share, driven by both my sense of obligation and wholeheartedness.
Passing The Torch 🔥🔥🔥
Back in the days, my mother brought up the idea that I should take on teaching as a profession. I used to despise that so much, claiming I hated teaching without any real reason—I still don’t know why I said that.
Ironically enough, I started tutoring in 12th grade, have had more than 100 students, and now you guys are my next endeavors.
With hindsight, my mom was quite a prophet, nhỉ?
I often tell students about my teachers, who put me on the right track even when I had strayed far from it—which fact never mattered to them.
I owe a great deal to my life sabers for guiding me during times I needed it most, even without realizing it at the time.
I realized that many kids would have been a lot better off had they met the teachers I once had, those who have the most unconventional methods that I can somewhat fathom now.
My very first students were forced upon me as favors asked by relatives, leaving me with little room for decline. Slowly but surely, teaching had crept up on me and intrigued me as I saw the growth and influence it can have on both parties.
Even though I’m still learning, I feel like I’ve got a lot to share.
Sharing Is Caring.
Knowledge isn’t meant to be hoarded like treasure — it’s meant to flow freely, like water. I’ve been fortunate enough to stumble upon this cheat code, and it would be selfish to keep it to myself.
Cheat Code For Life
I believe I possess a wide spectrum of emotions and strong knowledge utilization and I attribute this sort of accomplishment largely to learning languages.
Out of all the skills I’ve learned, learning English has been my ultimate cheat code. I see it as a bridge that connects me to anywhere, any souls across cultures.
I still remember the first time I heard lyrics in a language not my mother tongue, yet they resonated deeply. I had butterflies in my stomach, a sadness so profound that it wrenched my heart. That feeling when words echo straight to the heart, not the brain — I felt like discovering an entirely new part of myself.
Then, the new refreshing experiences kept flowing: breaking down in tears watching movies, giggling at random jokes in the comments, discovering beauty hidden between the lines, having words spiraling out of your mind that you didn’t know were in your possession, and finally seeing the payoff of your efforts.
From the moment I can proudly claim English as my second language, I felt like I got a master key that unlock virtually every door. I’ve walked in the shoes of people from different corners of the world, sharing nothing but a common language, yet it was enough to foster both sympathy and empathy.
Each conversation, each perspective shared, reshapes my understanding of the world. With the advent of the Internet, it’s like having multiple lives in parallel: experiencing countless joys, struggles, triumphs, and so many unnamed emotions through the eyes of people I’ve never met. Truly a cheat code.
While this might seem commonplace to some, we fell into the category of those who weren’t entitled to it.
It upsets and frustrates me to see so many may forever remain ignorant of the potential of their growth had they known a few more things.
The foreign viewpoint that reduces a language to merely a subject exists only because they haven’t witnessed its miracles — how it can transform your outlook overnight.
What they dismiss as “just English” is actually a portal to infinite glitches: to friendships that span continents, to knowledge that hasn’t been translated or better yet translated into this most accessible language, to perspectives that challenge everything you know, to opportunities that others can’t ever fathom.
They haven’t yet realized that a language isn’t just a tool for communication—it’s a lens through which to view the world, a key to unlock different versions of yourself simultaneously, to experience the cultural and personality subtle shift as you switch language, and ultimately to a more prosperous eye-opening life.
If you have faith in yourself and trust in me:
Those desired objectives will become your realities.
여기까지 오기를 잘했어, 다들. (Good work for reaching here)
What’s Next?
Now, you have familiarized yourself with your teacher. Let’s move on to the class guidelines.
- Weekly Routine