Meet Quang Le and Thao Thu Ngo - who taught me a valuable lesson on my unconscious biases. Quang Le, who looks very much like a rock star with short ruffled hair, street-style clothes, and giant sneakers, used to leave an unpleasant impression on me. I was even scared of him and reluctant to communicate with him sometimes. However, when listening to him that night, I was so surprised by who he is. Turned out, Quang is sweet, gentle, passionate, and optimistic. No questions why his friends adore him that much. Thao Thu Ngo, who I used to think of as a carefree, chilled, and naive little girl, actually has many complicated and prudent thoughts about life. She is also the one who planned this whole trip, took care of everything from choosing the place, preparing food and drink, booking the van, and dealing with the service providers. How incredible this little woman is!
Meet Tran Truong - the first person who introduced to me the perks of being underrated. Truong is a real go-getter, who once sets his mind on something, will do everything he can to achieve it, no matter how challenging it is. However, though he is so determined and intense with his work, Truong is often underestimated by other senior colleagues at his workplace.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that!" - I said.
"No, don't pity me. I don't feel bad about that at all. In fact, I quite enjoy being looked down on and rejected. Those feelings boosted my performance better than any other factor. Many ground-breaking ideas were born when I tried to prove my quality to those who looked down on me. If you keep focused on improving your competencies, the day you get the recognition you deserve will eventually come." - Truong said.
Meet Vananh Trinh and Trinh Phan - two flawless girls who can make any other girls feel insecure and irritated to communicate with. With their fair facades and talents, they belong to the stage light, to the center of attention, to praise and desire. Though we're all students, Vananh is also working as a model and singer, while Trinh is a professional MC for plenty of important events. Everyone, I included, used to think they have it all, that they have to be the happiest people on Earth. That's understandable, but that's not true. No one is perfect. Vananh and Trinh have their own insecurities and battles to fight. Their stories remind me of a swimming duck's image: the duck looks smooth and calm on top of the water, but under that, there is restless pedaling.
What I've told you about them here is merely an introduction to who these people are. There is so much more for me to say about them and so much more for you to learn about them. Guys, many fascinating, amazing people out there or in your social circle have stories to tell that they don't even know are fascinating. The stories are endless, so are the lessons. This time I told you about my friends, hopefully, you can share with me about yours next time.
Comments