My colleague... is my teacher.
There is a saying of Confucius that: “Three people walking together. There must be my teacher there.” For me, in the common home of Quang Binh Newspaper, I found many teachers who are my colleagues.
Imagine, when a bachelor from Hanoi returns, holding a good university degree in hand, with so many ambitions and plans for the future... life is always rosy.
You continue to imagine... a trainee reporter at a local Party newspaper with a rich tradition like Quang Binh Newspaper, where there are many "veteran" journalists in the national press, such as The Thinh, Minh Toan, Tung Lam... then with just a few "nailed" works pinned to the front page is not a big deal. When I first started my career, I had such an "illusion"... and was immediately doused with a "bucket of cold water" to wake myself up. Because, there is a folk saying "Without a wife, the market is still crowded". The first lesson, which has resonated with me until now: All activities are still normal, life continues according to its own rules, with or without me!
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In the years 2000-2005, life was still very difficult, contract reporters like us had a monthly salary of just over a hundred thousand dong plus a few pennies in royalties. Every time we went on a business trip, we had to borrow money for travel expenses. In such difficult circumstances, there were senior colleagues who opened their arms wide. At that time, Mrs. Le Thi Tuat was the treasurer. Seeing us "parading" back and forth in front of the office, she understood, sometimes she put one hundred thousand, sometimes two hundred thousand in our hands, and lovingly scolded: "Please pay, when will you pay me back!". Journalists Cao Truong Son and Pham Thi Tra, although in the situation of "running to the market, renting a house", every time they saw us appear in front of their rented room... of course they understood. That means more rice, more bowls, more chopsticks! Second lesson: Love! Love helps us overcome difficulties, overcome hardships, and survive in this profession until today.
When becoming a reporter who is okay in his profession, he still cannot avoid making mistakes in his work. I was once "suspended from writing" for a month because of professional errors. Many times I wrote explanations about the problems with my published journalistic works. Occupational accidents, in a journalistic career, no one can avoid. I remember that journalist Dinh Tung Lam (currently Editor-in-Chief of Quang Binh Newspaper and Radio-Television Station) at that time expressed his praise and criticism towards me very "sparingly". If my article was good and highly appreciated by the public, he said: "You are good!". If my article was of poor quality, he would say the same three words: "You are bad!". The third lesson to remember: Do good things for everyone, for life! Even though now journalist Dinh Tung Lam "forgets" to no longer use those three "specialty" words of praise and criticism.
People... are the mainstay
After 25 years of working for Quang Binh Newspaper, I still remember clearly the words of Uncle Ta Dinh Nam, Editor-in-Chief of Quang Binh Newspaper, who advised me when I first came to the office. He sincerely said: “My child! Whatever you do, it is the same. But when working in journalism, you should put the collective interest first. For the sake of responsibility, for the sake of society, for the sake of the people, it is okay for an individual to suffer a little. Everyone needs money to live, but don’t crave money. “If you don’t get what you want, you suffer.”
Journalism helps me get closer to the people, especially ethnic minorities, mountainous areas, remote areas. In the 25 years I have been associated with Quang Binh Newspaper, I have spent up to twenty years working with the mountainous areas and the people. I was once considered as a child by ethnic women, village elders, and village chiefs. Even village elder Ho Van Thuong in Khe Day village, Truong Xuan commune ( Quang Ninh ) adopted me as his adopted son, giving me the surname Ho and the first name An. The pen name Ho An has been with me ever since.
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Journalism has fascinated me... from real life and sharing, I have formed volunteer movements with friends and colleagues across the country for people in remote areas, disadvantaged people in society. Happiness when sharing and being shared, will always be happiness, belief, and a solid support for me to continue my journalism career.
And faith lights the fire
On April 2, 2025, the Executive Committee of the Quang Binh Provincial Party Committee issued Decision No. 2091-QD/TU merging Quang Binh Newspaper and Quang Binh Provincial Radio and Television Station into Quang Binh Newspaper and Radio and Television Station. From May 1, 2025, Quang Binh Newspaper will go down in history after 62 years of accompanying the homeland and the country.
In the new home of Quang Binh Newspaper and Radio-Television Station, I continue to live and contribute to the profession, the belief always burning in the loyalty, love, and companionship of the dear faces who have "worked together" for decades, the "veteran" journalists: Dinh Tung Lam, Cao Truong Son, Dang Minh Quy; the journalists of the same era that we affectionately call each other "old friends": Phan Anh Tuan, Bui Thanh, Pham Thi Tra, Tran Minh Van, Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, Nguyen Huy Hoang, Ngoc Hai; the next generation of reporters: Ngoc Luu, Thanh Hai, Lan Chi, Van Minh, Xuan Phu, Xuan Vuong, Phan Phuong, Cong Hop, Thanh Hoa...
Dragon Fruit
Source: https://baoquangbinh.vn/xa-hoi/202506/lon-len-trong-mai-nha-chung-bao-quang-binh-2227051/
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