We came to Ha Giang in the cold season. The weather made adults like us shiver because of the harshness. However, the children in Ha Giang did not seem to feel that way.
Seeing us, the children always smiled and cheered, making the other person feel the rays of sunshine radiating from their smiles.
Amidst the vast mountains and forests and the early morning mist covering the hilltops, the highland children appear like wild flowers – simple yet brilliant. Their cheeks are flushed red from the cold wind, their eyes sparkle as clear as the source of the stream, their faces and bright smiles have become an undeniable part of Ha Giang’s charm.
The children here possess a pure natural beauty, of souls that have not been obscured by the dust of the city. That beauty lies not only in their appearance but also in the way they live – innocent, active, and extremely sincere.
While the city is still sleeping, on the mountainside, the children of the highlands wake up early, barefoot climbing up each slope to go to school. Their little fingers help their parents pick vegetables, carry firewood, look after their younger siblings... as a very natural part of life.
Despite the lack of material things, the children always know how to play, creating joy from the simplest things: a banana leaf, a bottle cap, a wooden spinning top whittled from a forest branch. Lunch may be just a ball of white rice, but their laughter is always crispy. It is that resilience and optimism that makes us cherish and admire them.
Interacting with the children of the highlands is a special experience. They do not talk much, but every look, every smile, every small action makes adults slow down - to look deeper into their hearts.
We learn from them how to love without demanding, how to live simply but fully. Their politeness, shyness, but also curiosity and sincerity remind us of the primitive values that we sometimes unintentionally forget in the modern pace of life.
These children, today are students, are the ones who help their families, but tomorrow will be the ones who preserve the highland identity - the bridge between tradition and the future.
In the picture of the country's development, they are the beautiful but easily forgotten colors. We can see in them the potential, vitality and difference - if supported, they will be the ones who continue to write a new story for the mountains and forests, in a very unique and very proud way.
The day we said goodbye to Ha Giang, the pretty little faces left behind, the waving arms, the sparkling eyes made us feel like we owed them a promise - a promise to meet again on another cold, misty morning to see their rosy cheeks, to see their eyes smiling warmly like the sun…
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CREDIT:
- Photography: Luan Nguyen
- Content: Giang Huynh
- Design: Phuong Nguyen