Vietnamese readers now have access to the Diary of Trips, a book chronicling the volunteer experience of Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie. The book has been translated by Hoang Anh Kapi and is now available for purchase.
Angelina Jolie, the famous actress and special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has been sharing her personal experiences as a volunteer through her diary. This diary provides an intimate insight into Angelina’s thoughts, emotions, and perspectives when dealing with refugees or areas that have suffered from the aftermath of war. Angelina’s candid diary entries, written on flights across different time zones or on basic buses amidst heavy storms, capture the essence of her encounters with people who have touched her heart. Her words emanate the spirit of kindness and compassion that she embodies, making her diary a compelling read.
Vietnamese readers can now enjoy reading Angelina’s Diary of Trips, a newly released book that details the travels and encounters of an American movie star with impoverished communities in Africa, Cambodia, Pakistan, and Ecuador. Despite her elite status, Angelina has chosen to meet and help those who are often overlooked. It’s clear that her actions are not motivated by obligation or duty, but rather by a true desire to volunteer and make a difference. The word “volunteer” itself embodies the spirit of selfless commitment. No one can force Angelina to embark on these journeys; she does so willingly and with great passion.
In July 2005, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt traveled to Ethiopia to adopt their second child, Zahara. It was during her time in Africa that Angelina’s commitment to volunteering for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees began. Shocked by the living conditions of so many of her fellow human beings, she couldn’t help but care. The statistics that moved her included the fact that one-sixth of the world’s population lives on less than a dollar a day, 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, and over 100 million children are out of school. These diary pages were born from Angelina’s compassion for people, which is the common theme running through them all.
In September 2006, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt established the Jolie/Pitt Foundation by contributing $2 million to charities dedicated to helping orphans in developing countries and families affected by AIDS. Over time, the couple expanded their philanthropic efforts to various corners of the world, supporting a range of projects in places such as New Orleans, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Haiti. Although Angelina admits to being no writer, she keeps a diary that captures her evolving understanding of the world around her, which she feels cannot be fully described in words alone. As a UN High Commissioner, Angelina expresses her concerns about the fact that more than 800 million people go to bed hungry every night despite our collective awareness, capabilities, and resources. Rather than merely asking questions, however, Angelina takes it upon herself to reach out to refugees and underprivileged individuals affected by war with a heart full of compassion and a desire to share and understand their circumstances. Ultimately, Angelina believes in the power of solidarity—coming together to eat, live, and work alongside one another—to help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Angelina documented several accounts in her diary during her time in Cambodia. Her words appeared calm and collected, yet they were shocking at the same time. One of her entries read, “We stopped at a school next to a minefield.” This raised several questions – why would anyone build a school near a minefield? Or did someone intentionally plant the mines near the school? The answer to this perplexing situation came to light soon after. Angelina’s diary revealed that the teachers in the elementary school did not receive any salaries. Moreover, there were only four teachers responsible for educating 240 children. Upon inspection, HALO discovered that when the government built the school, the area was still rife with mines. Shockingly, they found five landmines situated perilously close to the path the children took to school.
Actress Angelina Jolie recently made a visit to a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, but this is not the first time she has gone out of her way to help those in need. In fact, Jolie has visited remote areas of Cambodia where people could only travel by bicycle and had no access to paved roads. She even rode a boat to the town of Battambang, braving the rain to meet with families who were hungry and shivering, yet still determined to learn and take notes.
Despite the different locations and circumstances, one thing remains the same for refugees everywhere: the suffering caused by hatred. But for volunteers like Jolie, their mission is not just about providing tangible aid. They also come with open hearts and love, sharing their experiences and emotions with others to raise awareness about these oft-overlooked communities.
