International students studying and living in Da Nang have recently soaked in the Vietnamese Tet atmosphere by trying to make ‘banh chung’ (square glutinous rice cake), prepare some traditional Vietnamese dish during Tet, or decorate ‘mam ngu qua’ (tray of five fruits).

Lao students perform a traditional dance at the Cultural Exchange Festival for International Student to welcome the Lunar New Year 2024. Photo: K.N

To confidently participate in the "Cultural Exchange Festival for International Students to welcome in the Lunar New Year 2024" programme organised by the University of Education, the University of Da Nang, Lao student Phetmeuangneua Thao has asked her friends to teach her how to wrap ‘banh chung’, and cook some simple Tet dishes such as stir-fried meat with vegetables, and bitter melon soup stuffed with meat.

Even though it is not the first time to celebrate Tet in Da Nang, Thao is still eager for Viet Nam’s biggest holiday like many Vietnamese students.

For the Lao student, this is a good opportunity to better understand Vietnamese culture and traditions.

According to Thao, if Laos' Bunpimay Tet has the custom of splashing water to pray for good luck, Vietnamese Tet has the custom of going to the temple to pick up fortune and pray for peace for the whole year.

She is also impressed with many rich customs and traditions of Vietnamese people such as lunar year-end party, Lunar New Year's Eve offerings, lucky money, and going to the temple on the first morning of the lunar new year.

This year, making ‘banh chung’ or buying some flower pots to decorate the room helps the Lao girl integrate more into Vietnamese Tet.

Thao said that the most difficult thing is the technique of wrapping and cooking ‘banh chung’, because the hands must be very skillful so that every corner of the cake is square, has a beautiful green colour.

Thanks to prior guidance from her friends, Thao was quite confident when participating in the ‘banh chung’ wrapping contest at the festival.

Sharing her plans to celebrate traditional Tet in Da Nang, Thao said that, aside from the Lunar New Year's Eve celebration on the beach, she and her group of friends had prepared ‘ao dai’ for going to the pagoda on the first day of the lunar new year.

Thao shared "Last Tet, I saw many Vietnamese women wearing beautiful ‘ao dai’ when going to the Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra District to burn incense. Therefore, I promise myself that this year I will experience wearing ‘ao dai’ in spring travel".

The recent Cultural Exchange Festival for International Students to welcome the Lunar New Year 2024 has attracted more than 50 Chinese, Laos, and Cambodian students studying at the University of Education.

In addition to fascinating competitions and folk games, the quiz programme with prizes have also shared knowledge about Vietnamese customs of celebrating Tet. Included are the preparation of a tray of five fruits, ‘Ong Cong, Ong Tao’ (Land Genie and Kitchen Gods), and Lunar New Year Eve’s offerings.

Associate Professor, Dr. Vo Van Minh, Principal of the University of Education, highlighted the necessity of spreading the good values of Tet to international students because the holiday was always a cultural beauty of Vietnamese people.

However, the activities during the festival can only outline a small part of Tet. Therefore, foreign students still need to experience and explore for themselves, he added.

Meanwhile, Kim Tae Kyu, a postgraduate majoring in Development Economics, the Da Nang University of Economics, felt very lucky when having the opportunity to experience the Vietnamese Tet atmosphere.

“This is the first time I have celebrated Tet in Viet Nam, so everything is new and exciting. With 10 days off, I plan for a spring travel with my friends and participating in some games and festivals in the city” he said.

The South Korean student expressed his delight to try ‘banh chung’ with ‘kim chi’ on the first day of the lunar new year.

The University of Da Nang is currently attracting more than 700 students and interns from 20 countries and territories around the world such as Japan, South Korea, Laos, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, the US, Russia, England, France, Australia, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Lithuania and Nigeria.

Master degree's holder Ho Long Ngoc, Deputy Head of the Department of Science and International Cooperation of the University of Da Nang, said that along with promoting cooperation policies to attract more international students to study in Da Nang, member universities have regularly paid attention to caring for their material and spiritual lives.

During this year's traditional Tet holiday, member universities have organised meeting activities, thereby creating conditions for international students and interns to experience and take part in academic, linguistic and cultural exchange activities.

"We want international students to have the opportunity to celebrate a happy Tet, hereby helping them save many memorable memories during their time living and studying in Da Nang" Mrs. Ngoc said.

​Reporting by KY NAM - Translating by M.DUNG