Nguyen Ngoc Linh Dan – March 8
If my life is a colorful painting, then Duc Tri is the brightest and most vibrant colors I have.
Twelve years of attachment, a long enough time for Duc Tri to become an indispensable part of me. During the twelve years of studying here, there were countless memories, beautiful memories that made me gradually change and mature a lot. And the thing that left the most impression on me was probably one of my most precious memories at that time, the memory of the blue sky on the day of the Camping Festival in my sixth grade - an extremely unforgettable day.
My school's camp is held every two years, in March. Every time this occasion comes, my whole school is covered with a strangely fresh atmosphere. I still clearly remember the excitement of my class when the homeroom teacher announced the news of the camp, everyone's eyes lit up with joy that was hard to hide. When walking in the hallway or passing by the classrooms, if you pay attention, you can easily hear many heated discussions, but all have the same topic: the traditional camp "Following the Father's Steps". The buzz about this topic even spread to the lunch table, when the students, despite being urged by the teachers to eat quickly, still tried to ask each other which class performed what act, what the class uniform was like, whether it was the same as their class or not... All of these things have given Duc Tri school a fresh, bright color, just like the color of this time of year - the color of the ripe spring days.
For me, the preparation stage was definitely the most exciting part of this occasion. Every class was very busy, everyone was running in and out, making Duc Tri School seem like it was never quiet. Some people were busy setting up tables and chairs for performing arts practice, others were busy finding props and materials to design and decorate tents. The scene was truly bustling. In addition, there were some mischievous students from some classes running around to "spy" on other classes and then eagerly running back to report to their class what they had just "heard". In addition, this was also an opportunity for the "stylists" of each class to show off their skills in choosing clothes for their class. That was also something that made everyone excited and expectant every time the Camping Festival came. In contrast to that joyful atmosphere, as the class monitor and team leader of my class, I was a bit nervous and worried. Partly because at every Camping Festival, the team leader of each class has to lead his class to perform the “Team Ceremony” – an indispensable part of a festival. Partly because I still don’t really believe in my ability to lead my class. I don’t think I have the ability to lead my class to complete this part of the competition in the best way. However, the trust that the whole class and the teachers have seems to give me more strength. That is what has increased my confidence a lot.
That morning was a beautiful morning. The sky was blue and extremely clear. I woke up quite early, since the birds were still sleepy and the morning dew had not yet evaporated. I was also sure that all the students of Duc Tri School were the same, it was difficult for anyone to sleep well when the next day a very special event took place. Because I was in the ceremonial team, my outfit was a bit different, instead of wearing the usual school uniform, I wore the school's ceremonial outfit. It was a set of white pants and a white shirt, with red on the shoulders and chest. When I changed into this outfit, my mother told me that I looked much more mature, which made me feel extremely happy.
When I arrived at the campsite, I was overwhelmed by the extremely bustling scene here. Everywhere we could easily hear the clear, pure laughter of students playing with each other. Near and far, there were colorful flags fluttering in the sky and many tents decorated with different designs, colors and names such as "Ra Khoi" or "Vuot Song" - highlighting the personality of each class. All combined to create an incredibly beautiful harmony.
It took me quite a while to find my class tent. My class decorated everything in the main color tone of green. The camp gate was wrapped with green ribbon, in front of the gate there was a strip of sparkling green lights that gave a very warm feeling. The back of the tent was for us to rest, the front had a picture of Uncle Ho and a tray of five fruits right in the center as required. In addition, we were also creative by sticking pieces of paper with wishes from each class member on the tent wall, creating a really big boat, which looked extremely pretty and lovely! Our purpose was to let that boat carry our dreams and ambitions across the ocean.
When I entered the tent, I saw that all my friends had arrived, and everyone was busy preparing for the Parade - an important part of each Camping Festival. The parade is considered the signal to start the special activities and games here. Because I was in the honor guard, I had to go right in the front row, which was opposite the judges' table, which made me a little nervous and scared. However, the parade ended very smoothly. Looking at the solemn faces in the parade, few people could imagine how worried and elaborately prepared we were, which also showed the effort and determination that everyone put in. When the parade was over, Principal Le Thi Nga, on behalf of the whole school, read the opening speech. Right after the words: "This year's Camping Festival, please allow me to begin!" ended, the students ran around, shouting like a swarm of bees. Although the atmosphere was a bit chaotic, we could still easily see how much joy, excitement, and anticipation filled everyone's eyes.
That day, we participated in many meaningful activities and had a lot of fun. Every game and activity that took place in that festival was truly precious, because they brought many good and truly valuable lessons. The "Big Game" helped us understand more about solidarity and how the smooth combination between members would create great results. Not only that, through that, I and everyone else also learned many other interesting skills such as wound bandaging, reading signs in the forest, deciphering secret letters, etc. But for me, the thing that surprised me the most was when the classes performed. There were many special performances; such as dancing, contemporary folk dancing, bamboo dancing, and even drama. Looking at the stage of the Festival now, it is no different from a professional stage of talented artists.
Since then, I have never been able to forget the crackling fire of that night, the laughter and chatter of my friends, or the familiar melody of the song “Happy Fire” of that day. Right now, right here, I still clearly remember the heroic atmosphere, the spirit, or the emotional, touching feeling when I realized that all the students here are brothers under one roof. Duc Tri School is now not simply a place for me to come and go every day, a place for me to play and study. It is also a place that gives me a feeling that no other place but my family can give me. That is the feeling of being protected, loved, and embraced, just like the feeling that blood relatives have for each other.
Finally, I just want to say thank you Duc Tri, thank you Duc Tri for being an indispensable part of my life, for helping me grow up and mature. Thank you Duc Tri for the bright colors that add to the picture of my life, so that now, I am always as radiant as the vivid palette of my memories. And my future self, no matter where I go or what I do, I will never forget Duc Tri, never forget my beautiful memories here.
