 Le Do Tuan Hung learns Vietnamese at SAPA commercial center in Prague. (photo:VOV) |
Every week many children of different ages join a Vietnamese class at the SAPA commercial center in Prague. People of all ages and educational levels learn Vietnamese as they want to communicate with their parents in Vietnamese and better integrate into the local society.
Le Do Tuan Hung said: “My parents are Vietnamese. I learn Vietnamese to communicate with many Vietnamese relatives and friends. In case my parents are sick, I can help them talk with doctors in Czech language.”
Le Hong Nhung has been teaching Vietnamese in Czech for 17 years. She said that students don’t have much time to talk in Vietnamese. Classes open on weekends for students of different ages, so it’s difficult to prepare lectures suitable for each age group. Nhung and other teachers try to help them learn Vietnamese at the easiest and most effective way.
“I teach Vietnamese in the Czech Republic for the 2nd and 3rd generations of Vietnamese who were born in Czech and speak Czech as their mother tongue. They have very few opportunities to interact with Vietnamese or speak very little Vietnamese. If we can't keep the language, we won't be able to keep the Vietnamese culture. Therefore, I participate in the program to help the children learn Vietnamese so at least they can communicate with their parents and then write in Vietnamese,” Nhung said.
 Teacher Le Hong Nhung teaches Vietnamese for the Vietnamese of the second or third generation. (photo: VOV) |
Nguyen Van Son, one of the founders of the Vietnamese Center in Prague said that together with families and the community, teachers kindle the love for Vietnamese to the children.
“Teaching Vietnamese for the children here is an art. Teachers need to inspire them to love Vietnamese, remember Vietnamese, and want to go to class,” said Son.
With a community of 80,000 people living in the Czech Republic, raising their awareness of learning Vietnamese plays an important role in preserving and spreading the Vietnamese culture.
Nguyen Duy Nhien, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in the Czech Republic, said: “A mother language exits in parallel with the nation. As long as Vietnamese is spoken in an overseas community, the Vietnamese culture and tradition are preserved. Speaking Vietnamese in the family will tighten the bond among generations and promote national traditions. Teaching Vietnamese needs cooperation and determination of society and families. I’m very touched that the Vietnamese State designated September 8th as the day for honoring the Vietnamese language in Vietnamese communities abroad. It shows the Party and State attention for overseas Vietnamese.”
Speaking Vietnamese in the family is the wish of Vietnamese people abroad. It is also the motivation for them to continue to promote the Vietnamese culture while integrating well in the host country.