Turkish 'uncle' celebrates Vietnamese New Year for 5 years: Loves going to pagodas and Tet markets

Since marrying a wife from Ho Chi Minh City, every year Mr. Huseyin Karakas (51 years old), a Turkish man, has been excited to celebrate Vietnamese New Year. On New Year's Day, he enjoys going to the flower market with his wife, taking his wife to the pagoda at dawn on the first day of the New Year... and then he 'falls in love' with Tet.

On the days before the Lunar New Year of At Ty 2025, in a warm house on Thoai Ngoc Hau Street (Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City), a Turkish man is still working hard at his sugarcane juice cart in front.

Turkish "uncle" sells sugarcane juice and then… becomes famous

Mr. Huseyin's sugarcane juice cart has been known to many people since its opening in October 2024, when the image of a happy and enthusiastic Turkish "uncle" selling the familiar Vietnamese drink spread across social networks.

Mr. Huseyin and his wife are happy with life in Ho Chi Minh City.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

On the front of the car is a sticker that reads: "I am Turkish. I sell all kinds of drinks. I don't know Vietnamese, I hope everyone will support me. Thank you!". It is the support of customers that has made the foreign man's business more and more favorable.

"Turkish bread is well known in Ho Chi Minh City, many people also think that as a Turkish person like me, I should sell this dish. But I don't like selling salty dishes, I prefer selling these drinks. Before selling, I also spent time learning how to mix them," he shared.

It all started in 2017, when Mr. Huseyin was working as a construction worker in Tunceli City and accidentally met Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung (48 years old, living in Ho Chi Minh City) through social networks.

After a long time of texting and getting to know each other, because he found a harmony in soul and personality, in 2019 he decided to go to Ho Chi Minh City to meet. Not long after, they got married and he decided to live in Vietnam.

The Turkish man who became famous on social media recently with his sugarcane juice cart in Tan Phuc District

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

This year is the fifth year the Turkish man celebrates Tet in Vietnam because since moving to Ho Chi Minh City to live and work, he has not had the opportunity to return home. In the past, he helped Mrs. Chung with the business, but in recent months he decided to start his own business with a small water cart with enthusiastic support from his wife.

After many years of living together, the wife said that what she appreciated most about her husband's personality was his gentleness, diligence, and affection. The language barrier did not affect their married life because they always understood, shared, and sympathized with each other.

On the contrary, for the Turkish man, his wife is a thoughtful person, who knows how to care for her husband. Thanks to the love and support from his wife, life in Vietnam is not too difficult for him to adapt.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Mrs. Chung said the most memorable Tet was probably the first Tet she and her husband had in Vietnam. At that time, Mr. Huseyin was extremely excited to experience the Tet activities in Ho Chi Minh City.

Every Tet holiday, the man often takes his wife to the pagoda.

PHOTO: NVCC

He also likes to go home to celebrate Tet with his wife's family.

PHOTO: NVCC

"On the days before Tet, my husband and I went shopping at the market. After the New Year's Eve fireworks, he took me to the pagoda near our old house in District 8. During Tet, my husband and I went for a walk on the flower street and went for spring outings. At that time, we bought paper firecrackers to shoot off. He really liked this type of firecracker. When he saw the firecrackers shoot off, he smiled brightly," the wife excitedly said.

One year, a Turkish man followed his wife back to her hometown in Quang Ngai to celebrate Tet. He said that the first time he went back to his wife’s hometown, people curiously surrounded him and asked questions, which made him both surprised and happy. He gave lucky money envelopes to his grandchildren in accordance with traditional customs.

For Mr. Huseyin, celebrating Tet in Vietnam is one of the most wonderful experiences, completely different from his country. Each year that celebrates Tet, he loves Tet and Vietnamese culture more and more and wants to live in this country forever.

He is happy with his job.

PHOTO: CAO AN BIEN

"This year, my husband and I plan to continue celebrating Tet in Ho Chi Minh City. Like every year, my husband and I will still go to the pagoda and the Tet market together. We plan to visit a flower market near Tet to visit an acquaintance who sells flowers in District 8. He will also help her sell flowers because last year he also had a lot of customers," Ms. Chung said with a smile.

The couple sent special New Year wishes to Thanh Nien Newspaper readers with all the best. They hope that each year that passes, they will be together again, happy in their married life and continue to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ong-chu-tho-nhi-ky-5-nam-an-tet-viet-nam-thich-di-chua-me-cho-tet-185250106163310667.htm