'I wish I had a Tet bonus to buy my child a new shirt'

Every Lunar New Year, we teachers feel both happy and worried. Happy because we have extra time to rest after a year of hard work, to be with our children and family, and to make up for all the busy work we've had.

However, we were more worried than happy. We worried because teachers' salaries are already a constant struggle to cover daily expenses, and during Tet (Lunar New Year), there are so many unexpected expenses from both sets of grandparents to children at home – we don't know where we'll get the money from. Sometimes I wish teachers also received bonuses and a 13th-month salary like other professions so that Tet could be truly fulfilling.

Teachers don't receive salaries or Tet bonuses like other professions.

"Don't teachers deserve a Lunar New Year bonus?"

I've been a middle school teacher for almost twenty Lunar New Years, but I've never received a Lunar New Year bonus or a 13th-month salary, something that people in other professions happily show off at the end of the year.

During Tet (Vietnamese New Year), when my friends and I got together, I realized that everyone had received a bonus. Some received a few million dong, others tens of millions, and some who work for foreign companies even received hundreds of millions of dong – more than my entire year's salary combined. When my friends asked about it, I could only smile and reply, "That's just how teachers are."

At times like these, I can't help but feel disheartened. The issue isn't about the amount of money, but about the care and support. Everyone says teaching is the noblest profession, so it's not good for us teachers to constantly talk about our meager salaries.

My colleagues and I understand that, so during difficult times, we just encourage each other to balance our expenses, and everything eventually falls into place. Indeed, we are just human beings with basic needs that must be met, and the struggle for food, clothing, and money always weighs heavily on our shoulders.

It's a noble profession, but if you don't have money, no one will sell you a kilogram of rice, an ounce of meat, or a bunch of vegetables for free or give you a discount. This shows just how important money truly is, especially during times of high spending like Tet (Lunar New Year), when money becomes even more essential.

Even though we try to save money and cut back as much as possible during Tet, there are things we can't skip, like giving gifts to our grandparents on both sides. After a year of working, we might not even mention it on normal days, but how can we go without some gifts for our parents during Tet? Or buy new clothes for the children. Although children nowadays have plenty of clothes like in the past, a new outfit is still a joy for them during Tet. We can't let the adults' financial difficulties deprive them of this small joy.

All of those things require money to be done. Something that we teachers don't have much of, and the financial burden becomes even tighter during Tet (Lunar New Year), especially in years like this one when salaries are paid after the Lunar New Year, making the difficulties even more pronounced.

The Lunar New Year bonus is meant to encourage employees after a year of hard work and dedication. That's why I feel even more disheartened when I hear my friends talk about this money. Don't we teachers deserve a Lunar New Year bonus for the effort we put in after a year of hard work?

Many teachers are afraid to go back to their hometowns.

Although I didn't receive a Lunar New Year bonus, I still feel luckier than many friends and colleagues who work far from home. My Lunar New Year isn't financially large, so I manage to be frugal and spend less on shopping, but it's still warm and happy with my family. One of my colleagues, who teaches far from home all year, wants to go home for Tet but hesitates for a long time before deciding whether to return or not, given the amount of salary she receives.

One year, a student messaged me saying they wanted to go home, but the train fare, gifts, and other expenses for Tet (Lunar New Year) were too high, so they had to stay and wait for the summer break. They wished they received a Tet bonus. Reading their message, I felt a pang of sympathy for them. Even a small Tet bonus would help alleviate some of the difficulties we teachers face during the approaching New Year.

Every year, when Tet (Lunar New Year) comes around, to earn some extra money, my colleagues and I at the school have to take on various side jobs after work. Some sell fruits and pastries, others sell local specialties. Some years our Tet business is successful, helping us cover our expenses, but other years are so bad we barely break even, let alone make a profit.

Although I know that Tet bonuses are something quite unusual for us teachers, I hope that in the near future, teachers will also receive such rewards like other professions. This year-end bonus will help teachers like me have a warmer Tet holiday, or allow my friend to return home to her family for a reunion meal on New Year's Day without having to worry too much about money.

Hoang Nhan Tam (Teacher)

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