Foreigners who celebrate Vietnamese New Year just once are fascinated.

During her first time teaching in Vietnam, Hong Ha Young (a Korean national) was invited by her students to return to her hometown in Binh Thuan to celebrate the Lunar New Year with her family.

Ms. Hong Ha Young (right in the photo) experiences making traditional rice cakes with her student's family - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Korean girl impressed by Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year)

Ms. Hong Ha Young is currently a volunteer lecturer at the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. She said she has been in Vietnam for six months.

She said she really likes Vietnamese culture and people. In particular, she feels very beautiful when wearing the traditional Vietnamese ao dai.

"In Korea, they're also preparing for the Lunar New Year. When I was little, my family used to gather at my grandmother's house to celebrate the New Year. Now that my grandparents have passed away, things aren't like they used to be."

"This year, returning to Quế Như's hometown for Tet (Lunar New Year) brought back old memories. I'm truly very happy. Everyone here is so friendly and affectionate. Quế Như's family welcomed me warmly and always had a bright smile on their faces," Ms. Hong shared.

Ms. Hong further shared: "It's truly peaceful and happy here. Nhu Que's parents treat me like their eldest daughter, and Nhu's younger sister treats me like the eldest sister in the family. If I have the chance, I would like to return to this place and celebrate Tet with the family again."

"In the past few days, I've participated in many Tet-related activities such as decorating the ancestral altar, making traditional sticky rice cakes, going to the Tet market, preparing the year-end offering tray, having a year-end feast, and traveling with my family."

Ms. Hong said she really enjoys going to the Tet market because of the lively atmosphere - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Trinh Que Nhu (a student at the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology) said that during her studies and work with Ms. Hong, she felt like she was her older sister.

"Knowing that she wouldn't be going back to Korea for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), I invited her to come and experience the traditional Tet customs in her hometown. I've told my family a lot about her, so everyone was very happy when she came back."

As a Korean language student, I always actively participate in Korean-Vietnamese cultural exchange activities to learn about the culture of my neighbor and promote the image of Vietnam, its culture, and its people. I always hope to contribute even more to building a good friendship between Vietnam and Korea in the future," Như expressed.

Zach Moffatt (a language teacher at EMG Education) said this is his second time celebrating Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) in Vietnam - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Helping families reunite.

Zach Moffatt , an American language teacher at EMG Education, said he has been living in Vietnam for over a year and a half. This is his second time celebrating the traditional Lunar New Year in Vietnam.

"When teaching in Vietnam, I often celebrated Lunar New Year through my work. The schools where I worked would organize events and celebrations. I learned that Lunar New Year is a very important holiday in Vietnam, the longest and most celebrated of the year."

"What's great about Tet is that it helps family members reunite and gives everyone a break after a busy period of work," shared teacher Zach Moffatt.

Teacher Zach Moffatt said he went for walks and took pictures of places decorated for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). "I think if I go back to the US and my friends ask about the traditional Vietnamese Tet, I'll have a lot of positive things to tell them. For example, it's a time when everything is vibrant and colorful, something you definitely can't find where I was born," said Zach Moffatt.

Warren Bisset (British) poses for a Tet (Lunar New Year) photo with his girlfriend at the Independence Palace (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Understanding Vietnamese Tet

Warren Bisset (a British national) said he has celebrated the Vietnamese Lunar New Year five times. Twice in Phu Quoc and three times in Ho Chi Minh City.

"I think Lunar New Year is very special in Vietnam. Vietnamese people celebrate it very solemnly and have specific rituals and customs to prepare for it. The importance of Tet is also reflected in the time spent with family."

In England, our New Year is celebrated on December 31st, and we all attend a party on that day. When the party is over, I always wish it could last for many more days.

"This year I didn't decorate for Tet or take many photos. I bought enough food before the supermarkets and shops closed. I saw that the supermarkets were very crowded during this time. I went to a very large market with my Vietnamese friends and saw many interesting Tet activities," shared Warren Bisset.

Warren Bisset shared: " I really love the traditional Lunar New Year and want to share this aspect of Vietnamese culture with my friends. I also have quite a few friends who have lived in Vietnam for a long time, and some have married Vietnamese people. Therefore, we have a very good understanding of Tet."

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguoi-nuoc-ngoai-don-tet-viet-chi-mot-lan-la-thay-me-20250127153552927.htm