University of Languages and International Studies

On Wednesday, October 16, the Resource Center at ULIS/VNU hosted a book launch event for 60 students, mostly foreign language majors with a second major in English. The event was organized by Ms. Dương Khánh Linh, librarian of the resource center and her staff and Ms. Nguyễn Thị Lan Hường, vice director of General Administration. Ms. Nguyễn Thị Thuỳ Linh, English instructor used the event as a field trip for several classes of students. Diana and Jerry talked about the book, about her cancer story, and about how cancer has been a positive pressure in their lives. Students had the opportunity to ask questions in order to receive a book. They asked thoughtful and reflective questions like, “How do you deal with the fight inside yourself?” and “How do you deal with struggles like depression?”

Launch Event at Hanoi University

An intimate launch activity was held in the English Department (ED) of Hanoi University (HANU), Vietnam’s premiere foreign language university, on Friday October 18th. It felt like a homecoming. The current ED administration — Mr. Đoàn Quang Trung, ED Dean; Dr Nguyễn Quang Vịnh, Vice Dean; Dr Ngô Văn Giang, Vice Dean; and Dr Nguyễn Ngọc Tân, Head of International Affairs — were Jerry and Diana’s students in a 2001 to 2004 teacher development project at HANU. 

Twenty eight second-year English majors and ten teaching staff attended the launch event organized by Ms. Ms. An Thuỷ Tiên, also Diana and Jerry’s former student. Special guests included Mr Lê Thanh Dũng, former ED dean who served as Diana’s translator for this memoir project and Mr Bùi Văn Cất, former ED Vice Dean.

After a short video of photos from the past, Diana introduced the book and read a few excerpts. Audience members teared up as she read about how Jerry came to meet her at school after she got the call, “It’s cancer.” A highlight was when her translator, the former ED dean, described how he translated Diana’s use of the terms “disease” and “dis-ease” in her memoir.