New Faces in Old Places

By Pham Tuan Ahn

Photos by Lim

This is Anh Pham, a student of Vietnam National University waiting to graduate, full-time marketing executive and part time ballroom Latin dancer, and somewhat Student Guide-in-Chief. I write this at 3 am in the morning from our temporary accommodation at Mai Vy Hotel, and I hope I can do justice to this piece.

Time sure flies, with the speed of light (especially when you’re a having good time). It’s already been a week since the day the Monash students landed in Saigon, and from that day on, I know my life has turned to a new page.

Everything started about 10 months ago, when I first met Dr. Yeoh from Monash University Malaysia. After the set up, I just went back to my normal life without being warned that I’m going to meet the most awesome people who will turn my life up-side-down (for better of course!). The very first impression turned out to be a strange one. A spot of miscommunication with the Vietnamese Immigration Department left 2 students in a huffy state trying to get visas from the airport, after they arrived at Saigon. Thankfully, after an hour of waiting, running around and making various arrangements,  the problem was solved. The group finally came out at 11.00 am, and having seen Bats’ face (the chaperone of the trip) on her passport, the first thing that came across in my mind was ‘so this is the girl who caused me all the trouble!’.

For these awesome students, a little trouble means nothing

Thanks to the ice-breaking introduction game (where we each had  to say our name and an interesting factoid about ourselves) that brought us closer, the students’ names & hobbies were gradually revealed. Two days after being together, I could paint a more detailed picture of all the Monash students’ characteristics. Despite having walked & traveled all day long , I just wished to walk and travel a little-lot-more with these interesting people. In all my life, even though I’ve never quite walked that much I wished to keep on walking. Everyone is so special just the way they are! Simply unique and complete excitement guaranteed anytime you spend time with them!

If I were to describe Monash students in one word, it would be ‘great’. They have come here not only to travel and have fun but also to do research and work. The students film the documentaries daily, take photos and note down everything they’ve seen and heard. At the end of each day, their journal blog insearchofsaigon.blogspot.com is updated with the events of the day. Therefore, I hope it wouldn’t be totally inappropriate to confess that I spent half of day at work reading the blog avidly. I’ve never read a blog more carefully before this- all of the articles are well written, the blog is updated daily despite hurdles. The blog is proof to show that the Monash students are hard working, have good time management, co-operate well with each other and are all smart! I believe that this is where I can take a lesson from the Monash students, by trying to imbue the professional working attitude they exhibit.

Sometimes I wonder if Monash students are wizards, because if they are, they’ve surely succeeded in using the Charming Spell on me! Due to work obligations during the day, I passed my role as Student Guide-in-Chief onto another student and instead played the role of a vampire- disappearing during the day time and showing up at night to help students out with whatever they needed done. No two nights of going out with my Monash friends were the same- every night was a different experience. My roommates were Fei the Photographer and Cyren the Singing Siren. Since being an only child, I’m slowly getting used to living alone on my own, and as time passed by, I can now proudly and happily pronounce them as ‘my brothers’!

To my new found friends- you have made the same old street neon lights feel so alive, and made me feel emotions I’ve never felt before. This is also the first time I moved out and slept in a hotel in my home city, to be totally honest.

“Where are you? You are here, in my heart”

As I type this line, all the good times we have had just came back and I’ve started missing the Monash students already; I can even feel water-in-my-eyes. I’m thinking of hiding your luggage or stealing your flight ticket so you could stay here with us longer. You have brought magic to my life, believe it so! For me, I believe faith brought us together once, and it will again. Do you?

Pham Tuan Anh, a prominent student of the Vietnam National University, Anh is a 22 year old male who loves food- so much so he eats 5 times a day. Currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in International Relations, Anh’s hobbies include reading books, doing volunteer work and having a great night out with friends.