Vietnamese New Year of international teachers and students

Elina attended an event of the International University on January 13. Photo: NVCC

Elina Chan Lamovna, 20 years old, is a second-year student majoring in English at the International University, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. This is her first year celebrating Tet in Vietnam, and the Russian-Vietnamese female student is unfamiliar with the scenery of Hanoi on the days before Tet.

"The streets and houses are beautifully decorated. Kumquat trees, vases and flower pots are displayed everywhere, the atmosphere is joyful and bustling," said Elina, who was surprised to see people carrying peach blossoms, kumquat trees and large potted plants on motorbikes, not understanding how they could keep their balance.

Having a Vietnamese father, Elina often heard stories about Vietnamese Tet every New Year. Through her father's stories, Elina knew that Tet is an occasion for family reunion. During Tet, children receive lucky money from adults to wish them good luck in the new year. "What I like most about Tet is eating banh chung and wearing ao dai," the female student shared.

Elina said that in Russia, on Vietnamese New Year, her parents often cook Vietnamese food and buy banh chung from her father's friends. The whole family also calls relatives in Vietnam to wish them a happy new year.

This year, her parents in Russia cannot return home, so Elina went back to her hometown in Hai Phong to visit her grandparents. She has prepared lucky money and candy to give to the children. "I don't know how to cook Vietnamese food, but this Tet I will learn to cook a few dishes," Elina said.

Unlike Elina, Adamu Mahdi Mamani, 31, a first-year student majoring in management information systems at the International University, has experienced celebrating Tet in Vietnam. Adamu followed his family from Nigeria to Vietnam last year after his father took a job here. "I was offered betel and areca nuts, banh chung and pickled onions. Everything was so strange. My first Tet here really opened my eyes," Adamu said.

Sophia spent two years celebrating Tet in Vietnam. Photo: NVCC

Khamla Intaphom, 32, a graduate student in journalism at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, is celebrating Tet in Vietnam for the third time this year. Despite having two weeks off, the Laotian student chose to stay because the round trip travel time was six days.

Coming to Vietnam in 2020, Khamla spent a year studying Vietnamese at the T78 Friendship School in Son Tay. During her first Tet here, Khamla was guided by her teachers in wrapping banh chung. Khamla said that Vietnamese banh chung is similar to a type of cake in Laos but is square and larger.

This year, Khamla stocked up on drinks and food early because the stores would be closed during Tet. As Tet approaches, he plans to go to the flower market around the school with his Lao friends and buy new clothes. "I plan to visit my teachers and celebrate Tet at my classmates' houses," Khamla said.

For many foreign students and teachers in Vietnam, Tet is an opportunity to learn about Vietnamese culture. Coming to Vietnam in August 2022 and currently supporting the Vinh Phuc Pedagogical University 2 to design an English curriculum, Professor Patricia Sutherland, Faculty of Education, University of North Texas, chose to take a Vietnamese cooking class. The Vietnamese community in Texas is large, so before coming to Vietnam, she knew about Tet. But when she arrived in Vietnam, the professor was truly immersed in the Tet atmosphere. Her apartment in Hanoi these days is decorated with the main colors of yellow and red. She placed a kumquat tree, a gift from a friend, in the living room.

Tet Quy Mao 2023 is also the first year that Ms. Suvi Miekk-Oja, 50 years old, celebrates Vietnamese Tet. The Finnish teacher, who currently teaches at the Vietnam - Finland International School in Ho Chi Minh City, said that understanding more about the Vietnamese people and culture is very helpful for her when teaching students.

Ms. Suvi's school closed for the Lunar New Year from January 13. During the first week of the holiday, she and her husband traveled to Phu Quoc. Just before Tet, she and her family returned to Ho Chi Minh City.LakeWillBrightto welcome the new year with friends and relatives. The female teacher said she bought flowers to decorate her balcony and prepared lucky money to bring joy to her friends. "I am interested in the flower street in the city center.LakeWillBrightas well as the New Year fireworks display. It was wonderful to see how families gathered together," Ms. Suvi shared.

Sophia Laroma, 48, a Finnish woman, found Tet in Vietnam "different and more wonderful than other holidays". The teacher was confused when Saigon suddenly became strangely deserted during Tet. "Then I realized Tet is a family festival, as important as Christmas in Europe. Most people leave the city because their older family members live in the countryside," Sophia said.

Mr. Anthony Hickey participates in school activities before Tet holiday. Photo: NVCC

Tet is also a favorite time of year for Mr. Anthony Hickey, an English teacher in Ho Chi Minh City.LakeWillBright. The Irish teacher likes the Vietnamese way of celebrating Tet with family, because to him, family is very important. Anthony often travels to provinces and cities in Vietnam during Tet. "I like the way people decorate, perform customs, music, traditional dishes, especially banh tet and most importantly, the positive atmosphere," he said.

During the days leading up to Tet, Mr. Anthony wears Ao Dai to participate in Tet activities at school. This year, he plans to go see the flower street, the cat mascot, and watch dragon and lion dances in Saigon.

According to VnExpress