The author of that special letter is teacher Quàng Thị Xuân (born in 1990, of the Thái ethnic group), the Deputy Principal of Mường Lạn Ethnic Boarding Primary School – a school located in a particularly disadvantaged commune of Sốp Cộp border district, province.Son La.

The recipient of this special letter is Ms. Quang Thi Thu Cuc, a teacher at Thanh An Kindergarten (Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City).

Ms. Quàng Thị Xuân poses for a photo with her students.

According to Ms. Xuan, for many students here, going to school, learning to read and write, and discovering new things is a great opportunity.worldOut there, it's not just a dream, but a challenging journey. However, it is precisely these challenging conditions that motivate the female teacher and her colleagues to strive their best, so that their students can access a better education.educationadvanced.

With a desire to better understand teaching and learning in remote island areas, as well as the difficulties and challenges on the journey of spreading knowledge, Ms. Xuan decided to write a letter to her colleagues there.

"Dear colleagues! As far as I know, teaching on remote islands is very difficult for teachers. Amidst the vast ocean, constantly battered by waves, I know you have to face challenges and hardships, including the most basic necessities like fresh water and electricity… But I know that you persevere in staying on the islands to continue nurturing young minds in this distant, salty sea region of our homeland."

I'm writing this letter partly because I want to better understand teaching in remote island areas. Is there still a problem of students dropping out of school where you work? Are the facilities on the islands adequate? Are there any temporary classrooms left? How have teachers overcome difficulties to contribute to the cause of educating future generations?, Ms. Xuan wrote in the letter.

A handwritten letter from teacher Quàng Thị Xuân. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

The female teacher from the highlands didn't forget to ask how teachers on remote islands usually receive their students' affection on Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20th."As for us in the mountainous region, every November 20th we receive so much affection from our students through bouquets of wildflowers like cosmos and sunflowers… but we feel warm-hearted because of those genuine and simple gestures.""Ms. Xuan happily recounted.

At the end of the letter, Ms. Xuan expressed her wish to work together with her colleagues, overcoming all the difficulties and hardships of the region, and striving wholeheartedly for the cause of educating future generations that the teachers have chosen.

Expressing her emotion upon receiving heartfelt messages from her colleagues, Ms. Quang Thi Thu Cuc said that through the letters, she felt the distance between the border and the islands had narrowed.

"The letter helped me understand more about the work and difficulties that colleagues like Ms. Xuan are facing while working in remote areas. This has somewhat eased the challenges that teachers like us on island communes are facing.""That's what Ms. Cúc said."

According to Ms. Cúc, the difficulties she faced in her teaching journey were far less significant than those experienced by her colleagues on the frontline islands and border regions of the country. After 10 years working in Ho Chi Minh City's only island commune, what she is most proud of is this statement:"I am a teacher!"

Kim Nhung