my story
‘Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it’s gonna take
Oh a million dreams for the world we’re gonna make.
– Hugh Jackman
Hi there!
I’m Nguyen Hoang Thanh Truc (Alice) – a 20-year-old girl who has big passion for media. As Harriet Tubman once said: “Every great dream begins with a dreamer”, at the age of 18, I stepped out of my comfort zone, decided to go all the way to the Netherlands to study Communication and pursuit my dreams, but my heart always belongs to Saigon, Vietnam.
Media madness
Media is a passion of mine. I grew up watching Disney movies and other films while my parents busying working. I love documentaries and street photography. I love how meaningful, how genuine, how inspirable it can be. I love how it captures the moments, motivates and brings people together.
Same destination, different parts
The best part about a Communications degree is that it’s flexible in terms of careers. It can be applied to almost anything. Media, marketing, branding, advertising or anything to do with Communication, I can experience and learn from them all.
SO... WHY ALICE?
“Hi, my name is Truc but you can call me Alice.”
Have you ever met an Asian person with two names? Ever since I moved to the Netherlands for my study abroad, most of my friends and professors have known me as Alice. But, yes, my real name is Truc, from which my Grandfather gave the meaning of “a little Bamboo”, “youth” and “truthfulness”. Of course, I am really proud of my name. And, the more I am proud of it, the more I don’t want people to mispronounce it. Therefore, whenever a foreigner asks me for my name, I would just use Alice, which is named after a character that inspired me a lot when I was a child. It’s no longer a name that my family gives hope in me anymore, it’s a name that I choose for myself.
Upon turning 18, I decided to become Alice, a young girl who never stops "curiouser and curiouser" and has a lot of fascinating adventures. I found myself in her.
There is magic in your dreams.
Alice experienced possibly the coolest daydream in history. Alice in Wonderland taught me that a dream and a little curiosity can take us far; just consider all of the individuals she met and destinations she explored. As a twenty-something, I believe many of us are curious about life and ourselves. We have dreams and aspirations. Do not be afraid to explore them. Now is the moment to do so. We are a young and energetic. Allow the magic of your dreams to carry you. You never know what you’ll discover about yourself or where you’ll end up.
Sometimes you will feel lost. Risk has rewards.
Not all who wander are lost, and to know which way you’re going does not matter if you only walk long enough, like Cheshire the Cat said. Alice is not just an adventurer but also a dreamer. She doesn’t bother herself with the ordinary but instead lives her life exploring the impossible.
Sure, it could be too risky to fall down a rabbit hole in the real world, but Alice’s decision to follow the White Rabbit ends in a magical journey. It’s not all smooth sailing, as she encounters obstacles, gets lost, and the Queen of Hearts becomes obsessed with taking her head, but by the time Alice awakens from Wonderland, she’s armed with new experiences to help her navigate real life. Though taking risks can be scary (like crawling down a rabbit hole), but standing still can be scarier. Without taking risks and challenging ourselves, we don’t grow.
Dream that will change the world.
And here is the interesting facts about dream: it doesn’t have to involve social justice or politics or even stereotypical acts of service. All it has to be is yours – your lifelong dream. Dreams are visions that thrill, intrigue, inspire, and even fear you. I started following my exciting, ‘scary’ visions many years ago, and I would not have considered such dreams to be particularly ‘change-making’ at the time. They were dreams like this:
- Get a Scholarship
- Study Abroad
- Travel around Europe
- Make money with my photos & videos
- Study Media in the USA
The moment you say yes to your dreams, no matter what they are, you are saying yes to creating a better world.
Following dreams
- Find an internship in the Communication & Media field
- Create a film/ movie that can touch people's feelings
- Volunteer in a NGO for children, vulnerable & animals
Values & Missions
- "Curiouser and curiouser"
- Help & inspire people
- Strive for achievement & excellence