Life Story: The People Here Appreciate You For Who You Are, They Never Judge You Based On Where You’re From

I am from Vietnam. If there is one thing you should know about Vietnam it is this: peaceful and happy are the only two words to describe the atmosphere of this country and the people of Vietnam. The people here appreciate you for who you are, they never judge you based on where you’re from, and they’re engrossed in making the best out of whatever little time they have in the world.

“What are we living for?” This has always been one of the biggest questions in my head. Every day, I see people asking for help, for money, and for guidance. Even children who deserve to go to school like others, or elders who should rest after a lifetime of hard work, or differently-abled people – everybody has to work to live there own life. And people still suffer, still need help, and still seek guidance.

I was looking for the answers

I joined a volunteer club in my school and we sold things like flowers, teddy bears, etc to raise funds for social causes. We came to a social protection centre in Danang, Vietnam on 19 December 2015. Here, I had an opportunity to interact with differently-abled people. We brought them milk, some clothes, and some food. We don’t have much money to afford for more as we are all student and all the money we earn, we contribute to the fund.

I met many people there, and the strange thing was that most of them smiled joyfully; they were genuinely happy despite the several problems they faced in their lives. We also worked with orphans and the differently-abled. Because most of them could not eat on their own, so my friends and I fed them.

It was not an easy job, honestly, and we did not have much to give them: only a box of milk and a dumpling for one. Yet we have such a wonderful afternoon together, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, without concern for the future: we were merely living in the moment.

It was the happiest I had ever felt in my life – because, finally, I had the answer to my question. We live in the moment, we live to live life to the fullest.

This story is a part of the travel series The Adventures of Arjuna and Bheema.