If my want is strong enough, I could find all the way to realize it.

3 meaningful hours on a 7˚C day_behind a challenging time

On a sunshine day in Saigon, it suddenly struck on me a strong desire to hold a sharing event in my high school about what I have learnt and experienced during my gap time year. I posted a sincere status on my Facebook about my honest want to ask for attention and support from those who are interested in the event. I had a firm belief that my mom, my school’s vice rector, would allow me 100% to make it.

I had no marketing tool as a professional businessman but contacted the only student of the school to introduce my event to her friends.

I turned out to be not that smooth when explaining further my idea to my mom about Gap Year. Most of the teachers and parents of the students harbor the dream to get their students pass the entrance exam into university with flying colours. Thus I was required not only to share about my personal stories but also inspire and motivate the students about major, kinds of school, and career path. I failed at controlling my emotions at that moment, I texted my mom seriously in great length, about which I thought it was my perfectly convincing ideas to persuade my mom to change her mind. In the end, she still said her educational principle can not be changed and is always true. I said: “You always told me as a conservative child but have you ever seen yourself as a person with such a conservative mindset?” and much more confession. She stopped continuing the conversation. I said you are trying to escape from the truth, eventually you still have to face with it...

After one week, I did not lose the hope to cancel the event, 10 online forms got registered. Though I was not allowed to use the facilities of my school as the mission of the event was out of track and unnecessary. I sought for advice from my friends and some seniors, I realized at the end of the day, the only difficulty was to get my mom’s admission so that the event could be totally supported. My mom was right, I have a good idea to spread the new concept for the students in my hometown because I am on that way and it never crosses their mind about that risky decision- Gap year. Meanwhile, the expectation of parents and teachers on the young remains so high and unchanged, my event’s content can be considered as against the educational philosophy of the school. That sounds so serious and disrespecting to me!

I thought profoundly back home and gave my mom more detailed explanation: Gap year does not mean unschooling but choosing right time and right path to start a university journey by spending time exploring ourselves and life first. She actually misunderstood me and I was also really angry at that moment. Our talked did not seem as serious as I thought. I talked to the Youth Union leader and made a request of popularizing the event to more students because I created a group of human resources about different aspects of pathway to share with me, an attracting factors to the students.

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The evening before the event, we were confused due to a large number of registers the unclear timeline. My close friend did ask me about the back-up plan in case of over-expected amount. I did not think much about that risk in the time dealing with other stuff. He asked me back yesterday and received no answer. Somehow, I felt my organizing skill is still at at low level...

In total, I received 18 online answers and 80 real ones, ending up 55 official participants. Today ran so well! The most memorable moment for me was the students’ answer to my question that have you ever been shared such a conversation as this is “no-all-together”. I thought back about my past- my innocent youth without any guidance or orientation. 2 short orienting times I joined were not effective and clear enough and even strengthened my confusion. That is the biggest motivation for me to bring a practical opportunity for the community in need and in my ability to do. We all felt satisfied and grateful through our interaction and our-best-sharing, still it was hard to really share all of what we want to express. The young these days appear to be more determined and bright. Some are enthusiastic, some are quiet but firm, some are creative and deep, some are shy but all are young and curious to learn. I appreciate their commitment and effort to make it to today-event under the toughest coldness this year. I am happy to look at their opening ears-eyes-mind. I am happy to sense their energy-consideration-admiration to us. I am happy to meet all of the young students-my friends-my teachers today.

In the end, if my want is strong enough, I could find all the way to realize it.