VietNamNet Bridge – Holding a commemorative photo taken at the summer camp for overseas Vietnamese youth, Mai Huong, a Vietnamese origin girl in Cambodia, said: “Though I live abroad, my soul will be always directed to Vietnam”.
This is Huong’s second summer camp in Vietnam. This year’s camp for overseas Vietnamese youth was held in HCM City from July 19 to 22. Huong and over 40 Vietnamese origin youngsters from many countries in the world visited historical relics, where President Ho Chi Minh stayed during his journey to seek the path to liberate Vietnam 100 years ago.

Huong said that all places where she and other overseas Vietnamese young people visited – the Temple of Hung Kings, Vietnam History Museum in HCM City, a fish sauce processing village in the central region, a sandy painting workshop of disabled youth, etc. – left deep impression and brought about valuable knowledge about the history of her home country. She said she was impressed the most by the warmly and sincerely welcome of local people in every place she passed. She also loved folk games and group games held during the camp.
Thai Duong, 16, from the US, said by Vietnamese which is not very influent, that this was his first time in Vietnam. Before this trip, Duong only knew about Vietnam through his relatives’ stories and through television and books. Suggested by his aunt in Vietnam, Duong had registered to join the summer camp, which turned out a very meaningful time for him.

Duong said the most memorable time was the visit to a centre for the disabled and Agent Orange child victims. “When I witnessed by my eyes the sequels of Agent Orange and Agent Orange victims’ efforts to overcome their fates, I was touched to my heart,” Duong said.

Like Huong and Duong, other camp members were very sad at the closing ceremony on July 22. After four days together, they were no longer strange to each other.

“When I return to the Czech Republic, I will surely tell my friends that Vietnam is very beautiful and let’s go to Vietnam. We will warmly welcome you,” Bui Thuy Duong said. Duong left Vietnam on July 24. She said that she will return to Vietnam two years later, with her friends, to participate in the summer camp.

Nguyen Phuong, from Sweden, said: “I would like all friends in the world know about Vietnam like what I know about Vietnam through this trip”.
“Wherever you are, whatever you do, we are people of the same home,” said Phuoc Thuong, 25, from Cambodia at the closing ceremony. “We will keep the best of our origin and introduce the best of Vietnam to friends where we live,” Thuong said.

At the closing ceremony, Dinh Thi Phuong Thao, a representative of the organizing board, said: “Your tears on the farewell day is our motivation to organize more meaningful camps in the future”.

With the theme “Following the footsteps of Uncle Ho”, this is the 6th summer camp for overseas Vietnamese youth, held by the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese and the HCM City Youth Union.

PV