“When I stayed, land it was,

When I left, part of my soul it became”

Only in recent days I clearly understand these sentences of poet Che Lan Vien. I didn’t think it would be this hard to leave this place – where I worked for more than 15 years. Memories of those working days keep coming back to me…

I remember my first days at VNA as if they were yesterday. The busy and professional working atmosphere, everyone assisting another enthusiastically – far from what I thought of a government owned business. I learnt a lot from brothers and sisters here, both in work and life experience. Months and years working at the Northern region branch gave me a wide range of experience and emotions like the time of utmost stress when tomorrow would be the time for passengers to board their flights but the charter flights had not yet to be approved by foreign authorities. It was the never-before-seen solidarity to protect VNA when hackers attacked or a sense of pride when we rushed to prepare the charter flight for fans departing to Changzhou to cheer up for Vietnam’s U23 soccer team…

After that many years, I personally see that VNA has changed a lot. Prestigious titles such as “Asia’s Leading Airline – Economy Class”, “Asia’s Leading Cultural Airline” by World Travel Awards, top 20 World’s Leading Airline – Premium Economy Class 2017, top 50 World’s Leading Airline and specially the 4-star certificate by Skytrax, a United Kingdom–based consultancy which runs an airline and airport review and ranking site. These titles are objective evaluation and recognition of organizations and customers towards VNA. Someone might not be satisfied when they have to handle customers during Special Circumstances, but if they knew that VNA’s on time performance is higher than the average of the majority of 4 or 5-star airlines in the world then we must acknowledge the efforts of the whole system. Or somewhere there are still people complaining about the service quality in one phase of the whole service chain, but, according to Skytrax’s evaluation, currently 90% of VNA’s service criteria reaches 4 and 5-star standards, I think we’re confident enough to convince customers to sympathize.

Leaving this place, I will leave a compassionate work environment. I remember when I was temporarily transferred to support another department. During my first lunch at the canteen, the Deputy Director asked me: “Have you had a place to rest for the afternoon yet, Tan?”. I froze for a few seconds after that question. I was really moved for I was just a new employee who she hadn’t been working with much but she remembered my name. Not just that, even though she was very occupied but she still cared about the afternoon rest of a newly transferred employee. Even when she was retired, she still took part in the branch’s group to regularly update on the current situation and give helpful advices. I think, other than this place it’s rare too see the current Leader and employees to come and wish happy birthday to a retired Leader. And I can’t forget my coworkers’ stories that she was grateful for the days the branch let her off to take care of her sick child. Worrying that her long leave might affect the branch’s operation, she considered quitting to care for her child. But leaders of the branch came to visit and encouraged her: “Take your time to care for your kid, brothers and sisters will help you to handle the office work, we await your return”. Those were the heart-warming words that would touch anyone. That was also the motivation for her to return and dedicate herself for work.

I also could never forget the letters of the branch’s leader during hard times or traveling peaks. In those letters, beside acknowledging the achievements of outstanding individuals, calling for the efforts of all staffs in upcoming times, the care for staffs’ harsh working conditions was never missed, either it was blazing sun during the summer or freezing winds during winter. Every time reading those letters, I firmly believe that every worker would feel like they’re an integral part of the branch and they would put more efforts in overcoming hard times, completing their assigned missions and contributing to the success of the branch.

Good bye, I will forever remember those familiar faces, deeply engrave the compassion shown by my co-workers, the ID and low-budget tickets envied by many outside of the aviation industry. Oh, what would become of my family’s next trips…

– Wake up! Wake up, baby! It’s 7AM!

– Oh, am I dreaming?

– What dream? It’s 7AM.

– Oh, lucky me!!!

My husband didn’t understand what I was saying, looking at me as if I was possessed but I smiled then hastily prepared so I wouldn’t be late for work. Luckily I woke up, but I’m also grateful for that dream. It made me understand a lot of things, made me more appreciative of what I have, made me love what I’m working on with my co-workers in my beloved Blue Team.

“Thanks life for each waking dawn,

As I have another day to love”

Phan Nhat Tan-NRO