Phoyphailinh Vilaysouk, 4^th year student majoring in Natural Resources and Environmental Management - Faculty of Environment - Ha Long University.

Phoyphailinh Vilaysouk, at the "9th Global Conference Of Young Parliamentarians"

Born and raised in the town of Luangprabang of the beautiful Lao People's Democratic Republic, Phoyphailinh Vilaysouk is one of 14 Lao K9 students among 247 Lao students living and studying at Ha Long University. The 4th year student with a small stature is highly appreciated by teachers and friends for her simple lifestyle, her diligence and enthusiastic participation in school activities and movements. Despite being a foreign student, she has held many important positions in activities and movements of the class and the school. She is currently the Head of the Lao Student Club - Ha Long University; a member of the UHL Volunteer Student Club; Member of UHL Green Recycling Club; Advisory Board of UHL Pedagogical Student Club; Member of the 2021 Sea Ambassador Group on the topic of “Marine Resources Management” sponsored by the US Embassy in Hanoi…

Becoming an international student in Vietnam is the dream of many international students today. In Vietnam, with an increasingly developed education system, the friendly learning environment has attracted many international students. Studying abroad brings about new things and wonderful experiences, but at the same time, there are also challenges. She shared: “When I first came to Vietnam, to study at Ha Long University, the biggest barrier for me was language. I am always aware that I must always try to study hard, practice and strive to be able to integrate and communicate well with teachers and students in Vietnam. During my time studying Vietnamese, in addition to class time, I always spend time studying Vietnamese every evening. Not only that, I often spend about 20 minutes every evening meeting the security guard to share stories to practice speaking and improve my communication skills. I always remind myself to be ready to learn new things, ready to learn about Vietnamese people as well as the culture here”. She excitedly shared: "I have the opportunity to interact with many Vietnamese students, learn many good qualities from them such as: diligence, responsibility, eagerness to learn, helping, caring for each other, polite greetings, ... thanks to those things, I have transformed from a quiet person to a mature, strong version of me”. She often tells her parents and younger siblings in Laos about life and learning environment in Vietnam, at Ha Long University. She loves the life of an international student in Vietnam, which has a cozy feeling as if this is her family. With her ceaseless efforts in studying and training, she has received many Certificates of Merit, Certificates and prestigious Awards during her time living, studying and working in Vietnam, especially at the beloved Ha Long University. Among them, we can mention: First Prize in the "Golden Hand" Competition in 2022 of the Union of the Faculty of Environment; Second Prize in the "Vietnamese Speech Contest for Lao Students" Competition in 2022; Encouragement Prize in the "Global Vietnamese Speech Contest for International Students Studying in Vietnam" in the Northern Region in 2023; Third Prize in the "Green World Creation" Competition in 2023 of the Union of the Faculty of Environment; Third Prize in "School-level Scientific Research" in 2023; Encouragement Prize of the 2023 “Students with Startup Ideas” Contest; Certificate of Merit “Individual with outstanding achievements in the Youth Union and Youth Movement in the 2023-2024 school year…

Although she has only been in Vietnam for 4 years, the Laotian student has set foot in many beautiful places in Vietnam, from the North to the South and the Central provinces. She attended many cultural and culinary festivals of the Lao people.

Outstanding Laos student, Phoyphailinh Vilaysouk at the Vietnamese Speaking Contest for foreign students, first from left.

In addition to studying and accumulating professional knowledge to be an excellent student, she is also a Youth Union-Association officer, a volunteer who is always enthusiastic in participating in extracurricular activities, club activities, and school events. She was a liaison officer of the national volunteer center serving the Lao delegation participating in the “9th Conference For Global Young Parliamentarians” hosted by Vietnam in Hanoi; a volunteer supporting Vietnamese - Lao and Lao - Vietnamese interpretation at school and province programs, activities, and events; avolunteer in the "Spring of Charity - Tet of Love" Campaign organized by the UHL Student Volunteer Club, a volunteer supporting blood donation events at Ha Long University... Moreover, in July-August 2024, she was honored to be one of 4 students to participate in training in the Federal Republic of Germany through the project " Prevention, reduction and recycling of fishing gear waste in Vietnamese waters”.

Student Phoyphailinh Vilaysouk, at the Vietnamese Speaking Contest for Foreign Students, first from left.

Although she has only been in Vietnam for 4 years, the Laotian student has been to many beautiful places in Vietnam, from the North to the South and the Central provinces. She participated in many Vietnamese cultural and culinary festivals, learned how to wrap banh chung on the occasion of the Lunar New Year with Vietnamese students at school... Right from the first years of studying abroad in the neighboring country, on the occasion of the traditional Lao New Year in April, she and other Lao students were organized by the school to visit Ha Long Bay, Cai Bau Pagoda, Cua Ong Temple, Quang Ninh Museum... In addition, during her studies at Ha Long University, she participated in an internship in the capital Hanoi, which gave her the opportunity to visit Uncle Ho's mausoleum, Hoa Lo Prison, Hanoi Museum, Hoan Kiem Lake, Temple of Literature... She was moved to share: "I feel very happy, surprised and moved when standing in front of the extremely majestic and sacred beauty of the places in Vietnam. I feel very honored when the school organized a trip to visit the Central region - Uncle Ho's hometown, this is a place that I am very impressed with, here I got to learn about the hometown, the family of Uncle Ho - the great leader of Vietnam, the historical site of Dong Loc T-junction and many other historical sites". With a clear goal in the process of studying and training at school, with the passion, enthusiasm and dynamism of the Laotian student, she has achieved commendable achievements, becoming a shining example in the programs and activities organized by the faculty and university. Hopefully, in the future, she will continue to promote the achievements she has achieved, continue to affirm her pioneering, proactive, creative role, inspiring foreign students studying in Vietnam in particular and Vietnamese students nationwide in general.