Ngo My Linh, a tiny framed girl from the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has not let anything come in the way of her dream to become an agriculture scientist, and for testament to her determination, she became a student last year at the age of 32.
Fourteen years ago, Ngo My Linh had passed the university entrance examination for Nong Lam University ( the University of Agriculture and Forestry). Unfortunately, she could not pursue her studies as her family was too poor to pay for her tuition fee. However, she continued to nurture her desire to one day become a university student.
Her mother, a woman of Asian descent who thinks woman shouldn't achieve academical background, told her not to study so much as she was a girl and instead find a good man to marry and settle down. Ignoring her mother’s advice, she decided to come to Ho Chi Minh City to earn money as a worker and prepare for higher education in the university.
She applied for a job at the Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in District 7 for a salary of VND1 million a month. She remembers the difficult times of working in Tan Thuan when she even worked overtime to save money. However, her efforts were futile.
After 10 years in Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, she returned to her hometown to help her family in farming. While working at the farm, her desire to become an agriculture scientist once again rose within her and she decided to come back to Ho Chi Minh City to fulfill her wish, this time with deeper determination.
She worked hard to earn money to attend a preparatory class for the university entrance examination and cut down on all spending, concentrating only on her studies.
Finally, her dream to become an agriculture scientist came true and this March she was admitted as student in the university.
Currently, she is renting space at a workers accommodation in Linh Trung Industrial Park in Thu Duc District in Ho Chi Minh City. She is determined to work hard for the next ensuing four years to fulfill her dream.
