On a sweltering summer day, I was in complete shock when my 8th grade English teacher said to me “You’re lazy and stupid. You will be nothing but a loser”. Her words along with my classmates’ laughter were so hurtful that they almost froze my heart and created within me a burning desire to improve my English as an act of revenge. I studied day in and day out with the hope to join Bac Giang Gifted High School (CBG) – a high school for gifted students in my province so that I can have a better learning environment. Despite my teachers’ doubts about my competencies and my parents’ impediment, I finally became the first student in the commune to study at CBG. Being a top 10 – student, I thought my English was excellent enough. However, a visit to Hanoi in 12^th grade made me realize that…

My name is Nguyen Thi Tuyen. I graduated from Hanoi University in July 2018, and my major is English Interpreting and Translation. I am writing to seek further opportunities to pursue my Master’s degree TESOL at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) this fall semester. Growing up, I was confident in my abilities and never tolerated insults. However, I was shaken when my 8th-grade English teacher told me: “You’re stupid. You will be nothing but a loser”. Her comments, along with my classmates’ laughter, were so painful that they sparked a deep determination within me to excel in English, earning me the admission to Bac Giang gifted High school – the most provincial prestigious school – to reclaim my confidence. However, even there, I encountered a challenge familiar to many provincial students: a strong foundation in grammar and test preparation but limited practical communication skills…