I had difficulty leaving the city to return to my hometown

Model Oanh Yen said her family "left the city to return to the garden" and was not as successful as expected, however, they persevered in their dream of farming.

In 2020, the model left showbiz to settle in Dong Nai and set up a farm. She also took her six young children with her because she wanted them to be close to nature. Earlier this year, she decided to bring her children back to Ho Chi Minh City due to many difficulties. On this occasion, she talked about her life.

- What made you bring your children back to the city after living in the countryside for a while?

- Four years ago, my boyfriend and I bought a 12-hectare piece of land in Dong Nai worth 20 billion VND with the desire to invest in agriculture. I left showbiz, sold two apartments in Ho Chi Minh City for more than ten billion VND to pay for hiring workers, improving land, and building a garden and pond model. I hired good engineers to advise and help me build the initial model. The more I work, the more I find I love farming because of the fresh air and peaceful life. Every morning when I wake up, I put on a hat and boots to water the plants and feed the animals. I raised pigeons, fish, chickens and had success with the first batches of termite mushrooms. I also learned how to raise silkworms, make cordyceps, and grow lingzhi mushrooms. My children also recognize many animals, plants, and learn how to garden.

However, from the end of last year to the beginning of this year, my farm continuously encountered power outages, disrupting everything. Water sources for domestic use and irrigation depend on pumps and filters from drilled wells. Lack of electricity and water makes our lives difficult. Many vegetable gardens, cucumbers, corn, and potatoes all died. Some perennial fruit trees such as mango and jackfruit are still maintained.

We also don't have enough water for living. Adults can endure it, but children look very pitiful. We used electricity from a local household, but it was intermittent and weak. When the dry season comes, the weather is dry and hot, there is no air conditioning, and my children often get sick. Not to mention last year, I took my two stepchildren to the village school along with the four children I share with my boyfriend Tan Long. Both could not integrate into the new learning environment and became taciturn and quiet. Therefore, my boyfriend and I decided to bring our children back to the city to live and study.

Oanh Yen taught her children farming last year. Video: Provided by character

- How do you and your family get back into the rhythm of urban life?

- We have been living in my sister's apartment in Thu Duc city for about three months now. I am also taking care of the procedures for my children to attend international schools. Fortunately, my children obeyed and understood their parents' situation, so this change did not cause difficulties for them. My boyfriend and I will balance our budget, buy a house soon, and give our children a stable life.

- From what source of income do you take care of the farm and educate your children?

- I am fortunate to have supportive families, especially my children's grandparents. Before, when living on a farm, food was not much because all food was self-sufficient. I don't have to worry about education costs for six children because my boyfriend's parents will pay. In addition, every month they give each child 10 million VND. I don't use this money for shopping, I only use it to invest in the farm. Currently, my whole family is supported by my family, so it's okay.

- How are you trying to handle the current difficulties?

- My boyfriend works in real estate so he has accumulated a lot of valuable land. Previously bought for tens of billions of dong, now worth hundreds of billions. We are looking to sell part of the land to deal with the problems we are having.

I still travel between Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City, maintaining my farm and not abandoning it. Last year, I was admitted to the high-tech agriculture major at the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Ho Chi Minh City and still continue to study. I have more knowledge about agriculture so I can reduce the number of gardeners. Previously, I hired three or four people to take care of the trees and livestock, but now I only have one person left to take care of everything. I hope the current difficult period is only temporary and will definitely pass.

- How is your boyfriend accompanying you?

- At first he did not support me farming because it was too hard. He felt sad when he saw my skin darkened by the sun. However, he knew I loved this job so he gradually supported it. When the farm encountered difficulties, he encouraged me not to be discouraged, "If you lose this glue, try another one". He and I tried to contact local units and authorities to solve the problem of electricity shortage. He also handed over all the ownership documents of the real estate to me so that when needed, he could sell them to have investment costs and regenerate the farm. Thanks to that, I have more strength to continue.

Before, I was too arrogant, thought I was good, confident I could do everything, and didn't observe comprehensively. Through this time, I feel the need to improve my knowledge. Even if I stumble, knowledge is still a tool to help me succeed in the future. I don't consider the recent difficulty a failure because I appreciate the effort I put in. I didn't lose anything, and I also understood the value of life in many aspects. Most importantly, I always have relatives by my side