As his time in New Zealand draws to a close, Trung Nguyễn (left) decides it’s time to brave his first ever chip sandwich, while his twin brother Thanh offers moral support.
When twin brothers Trung and Thanh Nguyễn return home to Hanoi in Vietnam this month, they’ll have more than their newly acquired sustainable business and finance knowledge to deploy; they also plan to school their friends in the finer points of Kiwi slang.
“I love the slang! Sometimes you ask ‘aye?’ at the back of questions. I was so confused when I first heard this. But ‘sweet as’ is my favourite. We try to apply it when we go to the coffee shop. I also like ‘cheers’,” Thanh says.
The brothers have been undertaking postgraduate studies at the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka courtesy of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship programme – with Thanh opting for a Master of Sustainable Business, and Trung a Master of Business in Finance.
They’re convinced fate had a good hand in this.
“We feel we’re just meant to be here – especially as we both had the opportunity to come here on a scholarship. It’s like there’s a special bond between me, Trung and New Zealand,” Thanh says.
That bond had its beginnings 26 years ago when their mother travelled to New Zealand while pregnant with the pair to undertake a six-month English language programme in Wellington. The photos from this trip – of her and her future sons on Cuba Street – have long exerted a magnetic pull on them.
Their mother’s wanderlust and educational aspirations clearly rubbed off on her sons.
“Mum had lots of opportunities to travel and every time she returned, she’d always tell Trung and I that if you want to open your minds, remember to study and opportunities will open and you will get the chance to travel and grow as a person,” Thanh says.
The twins were also pointed in the direction of Aotearoa by their mentor – Dr Mai Hoang Pham, from Vietnam’s Academy of Policy and Development, Ministry of Finance. They met him when they were studying finance in Hanoi.
“He inspired me to learn more about green finance – he’s currently the leader of that sector in Vietnam. It’s quite hard for students to study such a specific topic in Vietnam because we’re still in a developing period. He said we need to learn from the best and that no one else is better than New Zealand. He really loves this country and what you do with green finance”, Trung says.
Thanh (left) and Trung in front of one of their favourite campus buildings - the Clocktower. "I just love it. I’ll never forget it," Thanh says.
Thanh, meanwhile, was encouraged to follow the sustainable business path.
“Our mentor said that after Covid, opportunities opened for developing countries like Vietnam to have green technologies and sustainable development. That got me really motivated. When I was researching every single programme in the world, the Sustainable Business programme at Otago appeared on my screen and I thought, yeah, I need to apply for that scholarship,” Thanh says.
Otago appealed for more than just its educational offerings though. Once the brothers heard about Dunedin’s ‘fresh’ climate, they were thoroughly won over. The prospect of escaping Hanoi’s heat, which can sit at around 36 degrees Celsius in the summer, thrilled them.
“We cannot handle hot weather! When I heard about Dunedin I thought, ‘this is my place’. The cooler weather is so nice,” Trung says.
In fact, they were so smitten with Dunedin that they only listed the University of Otago on their Manaaki Scholarship application.
“When they asked us what our second choice would be, we said we didn’t have one, we only wanted to go to Otago,” Trung says.
The Manaaki Scholarship interview panel had never met such resolutely Dunedin-centric applicants before, so the twins had to explain their hankering for a non-clammy climate.
“They were surprised that these southeast Asians would really like the cooler weather!” Trung says.
As the pair’s postgraduate studies draw to a close, they’re contemplating how their studies will translate into action back home.
“In New Zealand, you put really high standards on sustainability. I think it’s a perfect example for Vietnam to follow. I want to go back and work for government agencies and improve the environmental and economic conditions with the knowledge and skills I’ve gained here,” Thanh says.
Trung, meanwhile, wants to contribute to greening the private sector.
“I came to Otago to learn how to turn green finance into reality. I want to help banks adjust their policy and procedures when they’re assessing the risk of projects so they can help to promote green investment in Vietnam.”
Asked what they’ll remember most about Dunedin, they say the friendliness of the locals surprised them.
“As soon as we got off the shuttle bus, a guy jogging past asked us if we needed a hand with our luggage. He didn’t just pick up the small suitcases either – he grabbed the big boxes too,” Thanh says.
Then there’s the serenity of not living alongside millions of others, as they do in Hanoi.
“It’s so peaceful here. People are more into camping, going to the beach and enjoying the sun than going to a bar or sitting at home. They want to live with nature – I love that,” Trung says.
They’ll miss the food too. Trung says he’s become addicted to pies and milk, and Thanh is fascinated – and perplexed – by the exhaustive possibilities of the Aotearoan sandwich.
“You guys are always putting a slice of bread with everything! I watched a Kiwi friend crush up a bag of chips and put it on bread. I was like, are we on the same planet?” Thanh says.
When the concept of a chip butty is explained to him (hot chips wedged between two slices of buttered bread) Thanh shakes his head and says, “I don’t know what to say.”
Maybe just ‘sweet as’?
-Kōrero by Claire Finlayson, Communications Adviser (Otago Business School)
Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships
Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships help build prosperity, security, and sustainable growth in partner countries and fosters a lifetime connection to Aotearoa New Zealand and the leaders of tomorrow.
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