I remember that was my 15 years old summer time, my parent sent me to one of my dad cousin, an excellent Math teacher according to my dad, lives in HoiAn, central Vietnam. That was my first experience about the homesickness feeling, later on I didn’t have any kind of that feeling anymore, because I barely come home during my college.
I was just enjoy my second day on my summer break, my dad called me when I got home after my winning soccer game team, my friends and I was planning for our whole summer, playing a soccer tournament with all soccer teams in my town. During my dad announcement, that I was going to HoiAn tomorrow with my mom, I said “What?Why?”, my dad told me: “I have to learn and prepare for my college test after my high school graduation”. Yeah, that was a tough part when I was studying in Vietnam, every students have to learn hard to get in to the college or university. You have no free time to enjoy yourself after school, just study and study, just taking a short beak then going to the another tutor class from one of school teachers then another. You got home around 11pm and doing your homework then going to bed around 1 or 2am on the next day for awhile then getting up early around 6:30am eating breakfast on your way to school then tutor class then home. Days by days. Man, my free days was just over by tomorrow, so sad. I went to my friend’s house then told them my sad thing. He told me just cheer up my last free day and he was going finish the rest of our plan, so sad.
My mom told me to pack my clothes and go to bed early because the bus was going to leave around 5:30am. Oh, I forgot to tell you my story was in around 2002s, at that time we used Yahoo Messengers to communicate. No smart phone, the regular phone call using public phone or cellphone was expensive in Vietnam. Traveling from the Southern to Central Vietnam by the bus took 18 hours, too long to sit on the chair and do nothing instead of sleeping.
I was so sad when my mom left to go back home. I almost cried when she waved at me when my uncle drove her to the bus. My cousins, Bin and Vi, were laughing when they saw my eyes watery, but my tear wasn’t dropped off. I told them to stop laughing like crazy. They went to their mother telling her what I just said. Their mom just told me softly that I could be missed your family so much. Yes, very much, the answer was in my mind. It was uncomfortable in the first week there, I couldn’t sleep well, could’t concentrate to my study. My uncle told me I better stop being like that, if not he will tell my dad about it. I tried but the more I tried the worst more came. I really missed my family, missed my friends, missed my soccer team members. Every time I chatted with my friend by Yahoo Messenger, he told me about everything he did with our others friends, actually our favorite activities, about the winning series of our soccer team, etc. Honesty, that didn’t help me feel better, that made me wanted to end of this trip soon. Not so excited for this trip liked my parent expected to me.
Finally that day was came. My parent came to take me back home, that was surprised me and I was so happy to see them after almost three months apart. And that was more happier when I saw my fellow friends catching me at the bus stop. But the happier wasn’t last too long, because we were going to back to school tomorrow. Man, all my plans for the summers were gone, so sad. The other sadness was just coming on the next day: school day.
PS: The cover picture doesn’t state to my story. I just put it there, don’t too considering to it :), but I like its meaning.
TRNs 
When I read the your story, I remember that when I was high school student, I also finished after school 10 pm and then I went to the private educational institute. So I slept only 3-4 hours..Korean students also hard study for great university.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, I think most countries in Asia have a studying culture like that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think so…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Lam- That sounds like a horrible way to spend a summer- especially if you already had a lot of plans for things that you wanted to do. At least here in the US, most kids get to enjoy their summer off from doing school work. We have an opposite kind of idea about education- students don’t work as hard in middle school and high school, but by the time they get to college, they are expected to work very hard. I’m not sure which one is better?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me neither.
I was realized that when I came to the US and saw how my cousin enjoyed their school here. Not so stressful like I experienced in Vietnam even in the college too. My friend and I had a few college’s mates turned to a craziness in the first and second year. They got special treatments and forced to leave the school. Sounds like a dangerous studying tradition.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think your mom is very love u . When i was young, I really want to finish my school life . because i think school life have too much homework . but when i done with my school life ,I am very missing them. because there have many friends and i can hang out with them . i think went to school is a good thing in my life.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha, honesty, that was my wish too. Just wanted to finish my high school soon, and I could do whatever I wanted to. Unfortunately, the thing wasn’t happen like you thought. Sometimes, I wish I can get back to those past happy days, but the reality life pulls me back 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
How long have you been playing soccer? Are you playing it still? You must be a good player.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was from my childhood through to the college. Used to be a good right wing attacker, not now 😀 My friends, my cousins and I play sometimes whenever we can gather enough people for a fun match 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was went to school fare way form my home. But that is only for couple of months. I was crying and upset about it so my parents brought me back to home. So, i know how hard it is. I think people only start missing-home when they fare away from home.
By the way, How was yahoo message? I remember the first internet chat app i was used it is call Skype.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree, especially when you were young.
That was my very first internet communication program to chat with my friends. If you are familiar with Yahoo Mail you should know it. They just switched the Yahoo Messenger to the Facebook Messenger recently because of more people are using the Facebook now. Or maybe I thought depending on which country you are living they might have different programs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, i think in China we use Wechat
LikeLiked by 2 people
Most of student in Asia have the same study culture. I remember when I was high school. I always have to get up at 5:30 and left home at 6:00am and come back home usually at 9:00 something days by days.
LikeLiked by 2 people