Aspiration beyond borders
Born in Khong District, Champasak Province, a peaceful rural area in Southern Laos, Xayyakhan Vathee joined the military in 2014. Even then, he dreamed of one day studying in Vietnam, a country he admired for its resilient history and warm-hearted people. He began learning Vietnamese on his own through books and social media, hoping the dream would someday come true.
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Sr. Col. Nguyen Van Hai (second from the left) presents books to Lao soldiers. |
In early 2020, he was selected as one of more than 200 Lao officers and soldiers to study in Vietnam. The news brought joy to his mother and sister, who held a traditional baci ceremony to pray for his peace and good fortune. But then the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Borders closed, flights were canceled, and his study plans appeared to collapse. Fortunately, by late August 2020, as the pandemic was brought under control, he was finally able to embark on his long-awaited journey.
On September 1, 2020, Xayyakhan arrived in Vietnam for the first time, overwhelmed with joy. Yet as he crossed the Cau Treo Border Gate, the thrill of realizing his dream quickly gave way to feelings of emptiness and homesickness. In Ha Tinh Province, he and his fellow students were quarantined for 15 days. During that time, he tasted fried squid with fish sauce for the first time, an unfamiliar yet delicious dish, and wished his parents could try it too.
Living far from home at age 24, an age when he thought he had grown mature, he realized how vulnerable one could feel in a new land, far from family, like a child lost at sea.
After the quarantine period, Warrant Officer Vathee and his peers were taken to Unit 871 under the General Department of Political Affairs to study Vietnamese. As the vehicle stopped, his quarantine friend Thum Mi exclaimed, “Oh my gosh, we’re here! Unit 871 is huge!” Xayyakhan stepped off the bus, stunned by the clean, spacious campus. He thought to himself: This will be my second home.
In September 2020, he officially began a 10-month Vietnamese language course. Just as everything seemed to be going well, tragedy struck. Xayyakhan learned that his father had passed away. At the time, he was preparing for his final exam and the pandemic made travel impossible, so he couldn’t return home for the funeral. The news devastated him.
In those difficult days, he wasn’t alone. His teachers, student supervisors, and friends stood by his side, offering support and encouragement. Their sincere care helped him endure the grief and find the strength to carry on.
Challenging journey, meaningful beginnings
Xayyakhan completed the language course with excellent results and decided to pursue a degree in journalism at the Military University of Culture and Arts, beginning in September 2021. With strong academic performance, he received two certificates of merit from the university. To him, these awards were not just recognition of his efforts, but also of the quiet perseverance he maintained while living far from home.
In February 2025, he and five fellow students began an internship at the People’s Army Newspaper, where they were warmly supported by the editorial board and journalists.
He recalled that Senior Colonel Nguyen Van Hai, Head of the Culture and Sports Division, shared valuable journalistic experience and touching stories from his visits to Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Udomxay, and military units such as Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, Air Force Regiment 703, and the Kaysone Phomvihane National Defense Academy.
Xayyakhan remembered one day when Colonel Hai invited him to his office and said, “I have a book I’d like to give you!” Surprised, the young soldier asked, “Why a book, sir?” Colonel Hai smiled and replied, “In Vietnam, giving books is a way to show respect. When people value each other, they give books.” The book was Spreading the Glorious Reputation of Uncle Ho’s Soldiers, published by the People’s Army Publishing House in early 2024.
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Reporter of the People's Army Newspaper sharing experience with Lao trainees |
That was the first time he encountered this beautiful Vietnamese custom, simple yet profound. Though he had lived and studied in Vietnam for nearly five years, he realized he had yet to fully grasp the depth of the culture. Even the language he had worked so hard to master still held many layers of meaning that sometimes confused him. He reminded himself to continue learning, not just to speak Vietnamese fluently, but to truly listen, feel, and understand the people and values of the land that had welcomed him like family.
Over the past five years, Xayyakhan said he learned how to rise after loss, how to face and overcome adversity, and how to embrace differences. He discovered that true strength lies not in muscles, but in inner resilience and determination. He learned to open his heart, to love, to accept, and to grow.
At the end of this month, Warrant Officer Xayyakhan Vathee will complete his course and return to his beloved homeland of Laos. Reflecting on the past years, he said he truly believes that if a dream is strong and persistent enough, it can overcome all barriers, not just national borders, but also those of language, culture, and even self. For him, the journey of fulfilling a dream is ultimately a journey of becoming the best version of oneself.
Translated by Tran Hoai