My OperaJunior high school - class reunion
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 7:19:15 PM
Going out for junior high school class reunion and seeing off T. Truc to Japan(by last minute notification).
Everybody is so different - from what they were, and from each other. I recalled, on teacher's days, we all cycled around the town (now known as the city)and even outside. Thirty bikes on the yard of dear teachers' small house; make it twice if two classes happened to stop by at the same time. Now... everyone is riding a motorbike.
And seems like they all got into universities.
We had dinner altogether. I was told that Tuan Anh is now living in New York, and was asked if I had met him (as if we were the only people in the whole America).They brought up so many things and many names that, if not reminded, I would totally forget about. But it was fun! I didn't expected the guys to be this humorous, I mean, I knew that they are, but they were just downright amusing. We had a small, very small, a tiny... food fight, and Trang and I couldn't stop laughing. A great time it was.
It started to drizzle as we'd done. Afterwards all went for karaoke, after which I and Trang had to hit the road cause Trang had to be home at 9. The rest later floated to a cafe.
Great fun I had.
And, now thinking about it, I do want a elementary school class reunion.
Years later, when we gather at a university, or UWC reunion, most likely everybody would have decent jobs, family, some will be well-known and maybe pursuing something great.
High school reunion in Vietnam? Perhaps they all would have reliable jobs and family. After all, they would be holding a high school/ bachelor diploma.
Junior high school reunion, again? Years later, many of them would also have their own family, their own decent jobs. Some would't have jobs as "decent"... but at least they would be doing something. Many wouldn't have any idea what "class reunions" are. Many would again be trapped into those traditional rice paddies or vineyards. Manual work, get married, have kids, take care of them, and work. Uh huh, that's also life. That may also be happiness.
But, honestly, if it weren't for we had be junior high school classmates, who among those 20 people would I befriend with?
Chances are, it wouldn't be with such a rascal like Khoa. Actually, let me rephrase it, if it weren't that I had known him before, then through what I had heard of him during my senior high school years, I wouldn't know that he is more of a good guy than a bad one,... wouldn't know that he could become a good friend of mine.
Chances are, it wouldn't be with Uyen and Tram. Had I not know them before, I would think that they are too "stylish" and "fashionable" for me to develop some likings.
Chances are, it wouldn't be with Tuan or Dieu.
How amazing (or weird?) it has been, when those in my "not interested" list are all here, sitting at the same table with me, all friends, knowing each other ways to well through 4 years being classmates. These people once had a same denominator, now have differed too much from each other by the numerators of time. But they are bound to each other by memories.
Elementary school class reunion? Let alone years later, even now, I can see the differences. Some go to universities, some go to colleges, some is studying oversea, some have quited school, some died, some are imprisoned...
Look how many crossroads there are in life.
And after each such crossroad, we are separated by the walls of society. Walls between the successful and losers. Between the rich and the poor. The intellectuals and manual workers. Those who follow the rules and those do not. Good guys and bad guys. Those outside and those behind the bars. The living and the dead.
Perhaps that's why I'm wishing for an elementary school class reunion. Elementary students, being equally childish and ignorant. The class that has been witnessing most crossroads. How would it be at the reunion? The successful and losers sit together. The rich and the poor share dishes. The intellectuals and manual workers talk. Those who follow the rules tease those who don't. Good guys and bad guys shake hands. And many be somewhere among those reminiscences being told and recalled, the living will revive the dead.
Those people scattered around in every classes of society, separated by the walls of society, now are connected and bound together by memories.
Isn't it amazing? Isn't it good?
Everybody is so different - from what they were, and from each other. I recalled, on teacher's days, we all cycled around the town (now known as the city)and even outside. Thirty bikes on the yard of dear teachers' small house; make it twice if two classes happened to stop by at the same time. Now... everyone is riding a motorbike.
And seems like they all got into universities.
We had dinner altogether. I was told that Tuan Anh is now living in New York, and was asked if I had met him (as if we were the only people in the whole America).They brought up so many things and many names that, if not reminded, I would totally forget about. But it was fun! I didn't expected the guys to be this humorous, I mean, I knew that they are, but they were just downright amusing. We had a small, very small, a tiny... food fight, and Trang and I couldn't stop laughing. A great time it was.
It started to drizzle as we'd done. Afterwards all went for karaoke, after which I and Trang had to hit the road cause Trang had to be home at 9. The rest later floated to a cafe.
Great fun I had.
And, now thinking about it, I do want a elementary school class reunion.
Years later, when we gather at a university, or UWC reunion, most likely everybody would have decent jobs, family, some will be well-known and maybe pursuing something great.
High school reunion in Vietnam? Perhaps they all would have reliable jobs and family. After all, they would be holding a high school/ bachelor diploma.
Junior high school reunion, again? Years later, many of them would also have their own family, their own decent jobs. Some would't have jobs as "decent"... but at least they would be doing something. Many wouldn't have any idea what "class reunions" are. Many would again be trapped into those traditional rice paddies or vineyards. Manual work, get married, have kids, take care of them, and work. Uh huh, that's also life. That may also be happiness.
But, honestly, if it weren't for we had be junior high school classmates, who among those 20 people would I befriend with?
Chances are, it wouldn't be with such a rascal like Khoa. Actually, let me rephrase it, if it weren't that I had known him before, then through what I had heard of him during my senior high school years, I wouldn't know that he is more of a good guy than a bad one,... wouldn't know that he could become a good friend of mine.
Chances are, it wouldn't be with Uyen and Tram. Had I not know them before, I would think that they are too "stylish" and "fashionable" for me to develop some likings.
Chances are, it wouldn't be with Tuan or Dieu.
How amazing (or weird?) it has been, when those in my "not interested" list are all here, sitting at the same table with me, all friends, knowing each other ways to well through 4 years being classmates. These people once had a same denominator, now have differed too much from each other by the numerators of time. But they are bound to each other by memories.
Elementary school class reunion? Let alone years later, even now, I can see the differences. Some go to universities, some go to colleges, some is studying oversea, some have quited school, some died, some are imprisoned...
Look how many crossroads there are in life.
And after each such crossroad, we are separated by the walls of society. Walls between the successful and losers. Between the rich and the poor. The intellectuals and manual workers. Those who follow the rules and those do not. Good guys and bad guys. Those outside and those behind the bars. The living and the dead.
Perhaps that's why I'm wishing for an elementary school class reunion. Elementary students, being equally childish and ignorant. The class that has been witnessing most crossroads. How would it be at the reunion? The successful and losers sit together. The rich and the poor share dishes. The intellectuals and manual workers talk. Those who follow the rules tease those who don't. Good guys and bad guys shake hands. And many be somewhere among those reminiscences being told and recalled, the living will revive the dead.
Those people scattered around in every classes of society, separated by the walls of society, now are connected and bound together by memories.
Isn't it amazing? Isn't it good?
