OPPORTUNITY COME WITH POSSIBILITY
For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of science. Biology, in particular, has always aspired and interested me. Where others see the insects, worm or plants as trivial and boring, I see the excitement. Even as a child I constantly sought it out, first on television, then later in person in every museum exhibit and safari I could go. Life in all its forms fascinated me.
By the time I attended secondary school, simply obtaining knowledge did not satisfy me anymore, I wanted to verify it, experiment it and use it for my fun. During those time, I learned how to create snake-shaped plants using phototropism. However, despite my inquisitive, I had hardly gotten any changes to attend official practical courses during my school years due to the class schedules that consisted of mostly lecturer lessons. Because of that, the biggest achievements in those years were the second place at the Hanoi Biology Contest, along with the acknowledgment and admiration of teachers and friends.
To be able to further pursue my dream of biological research, I had enrolled Hanoi University of Science, one the top universities in Southeast Asia for scientific study, and was qualified to enter the Talented Program for Biology. Working and studying in a dynamic and professional environment with people with same interests made me excited. I usually express my opinion and discuss actively with colleagues and instructors. We often organize seminars for students in class presentations on topics of interest, in which I can captivate them with my own. At the end of the second year, I have officially joined the Practical Lab of Microbiology and quickly became acquainted with the work there. I am currently conducting my team research about Actinobacteria, which has realized part of my dream since young.
Of course, my days are not just about learning and researching. I still often attend exhibitions with friends. Wildland trekking is my favorites. At university, I am an active member of the Biological Club and Volunteer Club. There I had the opportunity to go to different regions, help many people and learn lots of new things. I am also a senior part-timer at a bonsai cafe, where I learn lots of experience and soft skills that useful in life. It is not a cliché to say that my youth has been quite fulfilling.
However, I gradually realized the limitations of studying domestically. Being educated in the same education system, we tend to have similar ways of thinking, which restrain the creative mind. The equipment in Vietnam are rudimentary and rear, I am very good in the manual operation thanks to that, yet I still want to try the advanced equipment. We also have difficulty accessing up-to-date study materials. Therefore, I always sought after opportunities to study overseas.
That is when I got to know Global UGRAD, which provides one semester scholarships to undergraduate students from around the world for non-degree full-time study combined with community service, professional development, and cultural enrichment. There will be comprehensive gifted students who can be a great example to learn from, both as a student and as an individual. With a new environment, new people, new radical ways of thinking, new teaching method and new equipment, I am certain that I will improve a lot. A foreign country with unique ecosystems and organism also enthrall me, as a researcher and a nature enthusiast.
I may not be an outstanding individual, but I have confidence that I can make the best out of this overseas semester. An endless possibility awaiting me ahead.