LookAtVietnam – On the evening of January 17, a moving meeting between 30 former Soviet teachers and 3,000 Vietnamese students, took place in Hanoi.

“The Russian soul and Vietnamese soul have been escorting us all of our lives,” former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan

The meeting, initiated by Vietnam National Television, was an opportunity for Vietnamese students to express their gratefulness to Soviet teachers, who helped Vietnam train a lot of leaders, intellectuals, politicians, educators and military officers.

It was also a chance for Vietnamese students to recall their memories about the country and the “Russian character” of Soviet people.

Chi Linh, a woman aged 60, and Professor Hoang Dao Kinh were among the 100 first Vietnamese children sent by the Government in 1954 to the USSR to attend Inernat School. They have fond memories of Nina, a “beautiful baby-sitter.”

“She showed us how to take care for our health, Linh offered. “She remembered everything about us, about who had difficult conditions and who had lost parents in the war. She showed us the Russian culture and Russian character.”

A lot of Vietnamese students who returned from Russian universities now hold important positions in the Government and Communist Party. These include National Assembly Chair Nguyen Van An, former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Member of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Do Quy Doan and Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Television.

These Russian teachers traveled more than 10,000 kilometres to Hanoi to meet their Vietnamese students. They also offered recollections about students who were very clever and enthusiastic. Professor Sivokobulenko Vitali Phedorovic, Lecturer of the Donesk Polytechnical University, was the teacher of Nguyen Van An. He told interesting stories about his special student, such as when he was surprised that An brought a basket of fruits to the teacher. An explained that the fruits were bought with money he earned from a job that Phedorovic had recommended.

“I am so happy that my students have been succeeding in their lives,” he exclaimed.

Renowned Vietnamese poet Tran Dang Khoa shared with the audience his wonderful memory about Nina, a Russian teacher, who he called the “wonderful Russian culturist.”

Khoa, after watching a video clip, where the Russian teacher invited the special student to visit her in Russia, expounded upon how she showed him the way to become a good person and a writer.

“I wish you could return to Russia and visit the school. I will continue living to wait for you,” the old teacher stated.

“When I was preparing to return to Vietnam, she raised a lot of questions about my family members, and, to my surprise, she prepared many gifts and souvenirs for every member of my family,” Khoa recollected.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan explained that his teacher led him to the wonderful world of the Russian culture. “Thanks to her, we know about Pushkin, Lev Tolstoy, and about the ‘Russian soul,’” Khoan revealed.

“The Russian soul and Vietnamese soul have been escorting us all of our lives,” Khoan added.

VietNamNet/Dan tri