Speaking
Practice

An occasion when two of my friends had a disagreement happened during a group trip last year. They argued about how we should spend the final afternoon before going home.

One friend wanted to visit a museum, while the other preferred staying near the beach. Both had already spent money on activities they did not really choose, so each person felt it was finally their turn. At first, they were only explaining their opinions, but the conversation became tense because they both felt the other person was being unfair.

After a few minutes, they started to raise their voices, which made the rest of us uncomfortable. I suggested that everyone calm down and take a short break. Later, we sat together at a café and tried to clear the air. We checked the time and realised we could do a shorter museum visit first and still spend the evening near the beach. Neither person got exactly what they wanted, but the compromise worked. By dinner, they were talking normally again.

I felt awkward while they were arguing, but relieved when they sorted things out. The experience reminded me that disagreements are normal, but they become easier when people listen and accept a practical compromise.

A time someone gave me something I really wanted was on my birthday two years ago, when my sister gave me a pair of wireless headphones.

I had wanted them for several months because I listened to music and study audio almost every day. My old earphones had a damaged cable, and I had started saving up for a better pair. However, I had not bought them yet because I was trying to reduce unnecessary spending.

On my birthday, my family had a small dinner at home. After the meal, my sister handed me a wrapped box and told me to open it. The headphones came as a complete surprise because I had never directly asked her to buy them. She had noticed me comparing different models online and remembered which one I liked. I tested them that evening, connected them to my phone and immediately noticed that the sound was much clearer than my old pair.

I wanted them so much because they were useful rather than just fashionable. I still use them almost every day for music, calls and study. The gift also meant a lot to me because my sister had paid attention to something I wanted without needing me to say it directly.

A time I was friendly to someone I did not really like happened during a university group project. The person was another student in my class, and we had to work in the same group for about three weeks.

I did not dislike him for one serious reason. It was more that his habits got on my nerves. He often interrupted people, arrived late and sometimes acted as if his ideas were automatically better. Because of that, I normally kept some distance from him.

During the project, however, I decided to stay polite and keep things professional. We had an important presentation coming up, so an argument would only make the work harder. I asked for his opinion, shared my own ideas calmly and thanked him when he completed his part on time. On one occasion, he apologised for arriving late and actually helped another group member finish a difficult section. That made the atmosphere easier for everyone.

I was friendly for the sake of the group, not because my opinion of him had completely changed. I think being respectful is sometimes more important than liking someone personally. We do not have to be close friends in order to cooperate well and avoid unnecessary conflict.

An exciting activity I experienced with someone else was trying a zip line for the first time. I did it with one of my close friends during a weekend trip to Da Lat last year.

The zip line was part of an outdoor adventure park in a forested area. My friend had wanted to try it for a long time, but I was unsure because I am not completely comfortable with heights. In the end, I agreed because the activity looked well organised and all participants had to wear a safety harness.

Before our turn, an instructor explained the rules and checked our equipment twice. My friend went first, which made me feel slightly braver. When I stepped onto the platform, I could see the trees far below and suddenly became very nervous. Once I pushed off, however, the fear quickly turned into an adrenaline rush. The ride lasted less than a minute, but it felt much longer. At the other end, my friend was laughing and waiting for me, and we immediately wanted to talk about the experience.

I felt proud because I had faced a fear instead of avoiding it. The activity was thrilling but still controlled, so it felt worth the nerves. Sharing it with a friend also made the memory much more enjoyable.

A place I visited with friends where I had a very good time was Vung Tau. I went there with three close friends for a day trip during a long weekend last year.

We chose Vung Tau because it was close enough to reach without a complicated plan. None of us wanted a packed schedule, so the idea was simply to eat well, walk around and spend time together somewhere different from the city.

We left early in the morning and arrived before lunch. First, we walked along the beach and stopped at a scenic spot to take photos and take in the view. After that, we found a small restaurant serving local seafood. In the afternoon, we mostly hung around near the coast, bought drinks and talked. One friend brought a small speaker, so we sat together listening to music and having a laugh. Nothing particularly dramatic happened, but the day felt relaxed from beginning to end.

I think it was such a good time because the company mattered more than the place itself. We had no pressure to do everything, and everyone was in a good mood. The combination of good company, local food and a change of scenery made the trip memorable.