Among the graduates of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology in June 2022, there is a very special bachelor – Vu Thi Hoang Thy. This female student overcame her own shortcomings to receive an excellent degree in graphic design.
A strong girl
Looking back at the time her daughter has passed, Duong Thi Kieu Chinh shared that it was a journey of a lot of tears and efforts. She still vividly remembers the feeling of being dumbfounded when the doctor announced that her less than one-year-old child had a grade 4 congenital hearing loss – the deepest level of hearing loss. Next was a series of days when she took her child to a development support center. Developing inclusive education for people with disabilities to practice listening and speaking.
Seeing her small child getting an ear infection every few days because she had to wear a hearing aid continuously, the mother was heartbroken. As if trying to cling to find a miracle, every time someone said that there was a teacher who could cure deafness, she would take her child away. To the North, to the South, mother and daughter are hard at work on journeys trying to find even the smallest ray of hope. But hopeless!
Little Hoang Thy kept growing up with a hearing aid that was always beside her ear. Because of difficulty in hearing, my reflexes and language ability are very limited. Therefore, during her high school years, many times Thy was misunderstood by friends because she did not speak clearly, or said simple sentences, so it was understood as an order for you. Especially the stage of going to high school, entering the age of physiological and psychological changes, sensitive, difficult to share, so there are times when I have a mental crisis. “My wife and I are heartbroken, love our children, do not want them to have to go to deaf and dumb schools but let them learn to integrate. Because I only have a hearing impairment, but my mind is completely normal. However, parents are only trying to get their children into a good school no matter what, but cannot fill the emptiness in their children’s hearts. Everything still has to be overcome by myself, “said Kieu Chinh.
Little Thy was very resilient and made great efforts. Rain or shine, I never missed a class. Every day, Thy comes to class early and sits at the front desk. Hearing aids only help me to hear “the sound is good, the voice is lost”, Thy must combine looking at the mouth to understand part of the teacher’s lecture. After each class, I borrowed a friend’s notebook to copy the lesson. During 12 years of high school, little Thy never knew when it was time to play, because while her friends took a break, she sat in class diligently copying the lessons of previous lessons. Even in the evening or on the weekend, I still read, copy, and research until I understand the new lesson. To go on the journey of an ordinary person, she has to work many times more than her peers.
Right from kindergarten, Thy showed an endless passion for drawing, she can draw anytime, anywhere. During the years of I and II, Thy always excelled in drawing, consecutively winning the city-level drawing prize. Ms. Le Thi Cam Huong – the teacher of Thy’s 12th grade at Nguyen Trai High School (District 4) – recalls: The first impression of Thy was a quiet student but a bright face with big round eyes that always looked straight at her. to the opposite person as to absorb all the things you want to hear and discover. “The wall newspaper of the class to celebrate the Vietnamese Teachers’ Day decorated by myself was awarded the first prize in grade 12. Thy is very happy with her contribution to the class movement. Later, I also met many integrated students like Thy, but she left the most impression on me”, Ms. Cam Huong shared.
Where is the heart, the treasure is there
With a passion for drawing, Thy cherished and actively chose to major in graphic design. Entering the university environment, students are mainly self-study and self-study, but Thy is very diligent and has never missed a single class. I also boldly exchanged, asked for support from teachers and received enthusiastic help from the Faculty of Communication – Design. Among them, is Ms. Hoang Thi Cuc Phuong, who directly guided her to do the graduation project. “If it’s not Ms. Cuc Phuong, I don’t know if anyone has the patience to check our work progress every week, give each student feedback, remind the deadline,” Thy said gratefully.
Or teacher Dao Duc Khoi, also loved by students by the name “Dad Khoi” also wholeheartedly supports the deaf student. According to Mr. Khoi, for art subjects in general, talent is an important factor. Graphic design (also known as visual communication design) too, the aptitude helps learners to absorb the background knowledge and thereby create newer, more attractive graphic publications. As for Thy, a little girl was born with no normality. But in return, Thy has talent, passion and perseverance in the learning process.
Remember the first day in the basic art and design class, Mr. Khoi saw a female student listening more attentively than the other students. At the end of the lesson, Thy met to ask to explain some issues that she did not understand, then the teacher knew that I was deaf. After that, if there’s anything you don’t understand, Thy actively messaged the teacher to ask, and he always enthusiastically supported me with brief content with actual pictures. At the end of the course, Thy’s score was in the top of the pretty good students in the class. As with other subjects, Thy always ask what I don’t understand, about layout, colors, how to put letters and typefaces appropriately, ask about ideas and develop ideas…
“Being in a class with students who are passionate about learning is a great joy in a teacher’s life. I remember a line from the great work The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho): “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be.” Thy has put her heart, passion and desire into the art of graphic design, I believe that, despite difficulties, she will still be successful,” said teacher Dao Duc Khoi.
Thy said that she is trying to practice her communication skills, listening and speaking more fluently so that she can find a job in the profession she loves. In the future, when I’m good at my job, I hope to have the opportunity to teach and teach my design-loving friends, those with difficult circumstances and disabilities like me.
