bloom
LE QUY DON A confession that is “through railings”... “Le Quy Don was small enough for us to see each other clearly”. Wherever I go, I always meet you by chance. Your class is in block A, mine is in block C. There is the distance of the whole schoolyard between us as I stand from the railing, but I can still see you so clearly. And then one day, I …
Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace page 1
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NGUYEN THI MINH KHAI Shy? Embarrassed? Forget it my dear friend, turned out God gave me an extremely crackbrained deskmate. I cannot believe that it took me one week worrying how to start a conversation with him because I was scared that he was someone else boyfriend... Eventually, he is just as crazy as I am. And our high school journey started with all the days we had been together‌ Sometimes I wonder how could I stand his craziness for the last three years? Now that we are not deskmates anymore, I started to miss those times. Don’t know if I could find someone like him ever again...
Choose what helps your heart bloom page 3
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PHU NHUAN If you are bored of traditional Tet, you should try Phu Nhuan’s Tet. Every year, we have Spring Tree at the time being, which is the biggest festival of Phu Nhuan. Its name is inspired by the tree next to our side gate that has heart-shaped leaves. There has been a lot of memories being kept underneath the tree shade, and it has become a symbol of our school. All the stories related to the place have gone with many generations of Phu Nhuan’s student.
Happiness blooms from within page 7
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NGUYEN THI DIEU - There are yearly two special days to honour woman, which are 8th of March and 20th of October. But there is no such “International Man’s Day”. Do you find this somehow unfair? - Hmm, I think that woman have sacrificed for men a lot, so it neutral for them to be honoured on those two days. But then again, I suppose a seven-day week to have four days for female, the other three days for male, which is quite better.
Live life in full bloom page 9
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NGUYEN CHI THANH Every single classroom here is like our home since each generation will build their memories of youth in the same classroom for three years. Therefore, there are some students wanting to mark their journey by decorating a whole universe for the classroom. The most crowded place in Sai Gon is not Nguyen Hue walking street when the Vietnam’s football team won, but it is our school’s canteen every break time. However, it has a positive side because it is where we can come across our crush. I once heard that someone got accepted by his crush because he gave her the last rice box at the stall in the canteen.
Live simply, bloom widely page 13 page 13
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GIA DINH As Gia Dinh students, you would have wasted your youth if you had not swum in Gia Dinh waterpark. Whenever it rained, the classrooms were flooded. Back then, nobody knew whether the water level here was higher than that of Sai Gon river. On rainy days, Gia Dinh was just like a small apartment with raincoats of all colors hung on railings and classroom windows. Therefore, Gia Dinh waterpark became something so familiar that those students who were born in the 2002s and after wished to enjoy, whenever they are told about it.
Where flower blooms, so does hope page 16
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TRAN DAI NGHIA - It’s almost the end of highschool, do you want to say anything? - I’m thankful to myself for growing up wondefully in the last three years. I was, am and will be proud of being a part of this one big family. Now that I cannot put on Tran Chuyen’s uniform, I treasure it more as it had been a part of my youth.
In order to grow, you must bloom page 18
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NANG KHIEU At Nang Khieu, there were days that made us happy, days that cheered us up. Nevertheless, sometimes we desired a peaceful corner where no one passing by. What for? Actually there were not any specific reason, sometimes we just needed to sit (or stand), close our eyes and think (or look at some friends playing soccer and hit someone’s license plates with the ball) was peaceful (or entertained) enough.
We hurt, we burn, we bloom page 22
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BUI THI XUAN The girl: “We first met each other when I played “Liên Quân” with him. At that time, he would always back me up. But as we get closer, he doesn’t support me anymore. Every time he almost loses, I would always jump in and help. But as soon as he sees me, he would run away, leaving me fighting alone against the other team.” The boy: “Last year’s Valentine, I told her how I felt but she rejected me so this Valentine day marks one year since I set out to pursue her.”
May my soul bloom in love for all existence page 26
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LE HONG PHONG When mentioning about the extreme of style, you cannot miss the difference between the normal uniform and sport uniform of Le Hong Phong. The pure white shirt with no logo on two sleeves makes people wonder if it is from a rural school, but it still has the school’s name “Le Hong Phong” on it. Guess where it is? It is surprisingly placed at the shirt pocket for boys and on the collar for girls in small size. On the other hand, our sport uniform is a blue t-shirt with the three words “LHP” printed in a very big size on the back. Just wear this sport uniform can make you feel happier than wearing dress and vest. Because no one knows what brand you are wearing but with the three words “LHP” on the back can prove that you are a “professor”.
Everything blooms in its own time page 28
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Now let’s forgive ourselves Our lives are long, Trust yourself when in a maze. When winter passes, Spring always comes.
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/blu:m/
A beautiful process of becoming