When the peach and apricot blossoms are blooming, signaling the approaching spring, Vietnamese people everywhere are eagerly preparing for Tet, but not everyone is lucky enough to celebrate Tet in their homeland. For those who live far away from home, celebrating Tet in a strange place is an experience that is both strange and familiar, leaving behind many unforgettable emotions and memories.

Le Cong Dung's family and Lao friends make a spring travel in the "Land of a Million Elephants" during the Vietnamese Tet Festival. Photo: TRONG HUNG

Connecting compatriots abroad

Tet is a sacred moment to strengthen family bonds and preserve national culture, especially for those who live far away from home. In Laos, a neighboring country, the Vietnamese community still maintains the tradition of celebrating Tet with full meaning, highlighting the solidarity of compatriots and the bond between the two nations. Despite being far away from home, Vietnamese people in Laos still prepare for Tet carefully with traditional dishes such as ‘banh chung’ (square sticky rice cakes), 'cu kieu' (pickled scallion heads), ‘cha bo’ (beef paste) and spring rolls. The necessary ingredients are brought from Viet Nam or purchased at Vietnamese markets in Laos. Vietnamese families together wrap and cook ‘banh chung’, and decorate their houses with fake peach and apricot blossoms to recreate the atmosphere of Tet in their homeland.

Mr. Le Hai Thanh hailing from Da Nang, an overseas Vietnamese living in the capital Vientiane (Laos), shared that local Lao authorities often attended and celebrated the Lunar New Year at Vietnamese families’ Tet gathering in the ‘Land of a Million Elephants’, showing their respect for the Vietnamese community. Tet gifts and good wishes from Vietnamese people to Lao people and vice versa have become a cultural bridge, strengthening the friendship between the two countries.

“Every year, we celebrate Tet very happily and warmly. Lao people also come to celebrate, so we feel close as if we were in our homeland. That shows that the brotherhood between Viet Nam and Laos is forever strong” said Mr. Thanh.

Mr. Le Cong Dung, hailing from Hue City’s Phu Loc District, who is living in Champasak Province, shared “Every time Tet comes and I cannot arrange to return home to celebrate Tet, I miss my homeland so much. But here, we wrap ‘banh chung’ together, and decorate the house, all making the Tet atmosphere as warm as at home”.

According to Mr. Dung, Tet in Laos is also the time when the Vietnamese community organizes cultural exchange activities, festivals and ancestor worship ceremonies, reminding descendants of their roots. All help Vietnamese people not only preserve traditional customs but also contribute to strengthening the friendship between the two nations. Many Vietnamese families also invite Lao friends to join Tet parties, sharing the meaning of the traditional Tet holiday.

Mr. Kham Phan, a close Lao friend of Mr. Dung's family, confided “I really like ‘banh chung’ and the warm family atmosphere of the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people here are always friendly and open, making me feel like a part of their family”.

Full of affection of Vietnamese people living abroad

Ms. Le Thi Tuyet from Da Nang has lived and worked in Japan’s Osaka City for nearly 5 years. For many years celebrating Tet away from home, in a foreign land, she has always preserved customs and practices such as decorating the house, preparing the five-fruit tray, and preparing for Lunar New Year's Eve offerings. Therefore, her family can have the traditional Tet atmosphere of the nation.

Ms. Tuyet shared "To me, Tet is the days of gathering with family surrounding a pot of ‘banh chung’, and chatting all night around the fire, or the image of my mother busying preparing the Lunar New Year's Eve tray, and going to the market with my father to buy apricot trees. Therefore, even though I am far from home, every year I personally prepare the five-fruit tray and buy ingredients to cook traditional dishes with the flavour of Vietnamese Tet".

As a habit deeply ingrained in the subconscious, when fireworks light up the sky of Viet Nam, Ms. Tuyet's whole family calls home to wish their family a Happy Lunar New Year to feel the breath of Spring in their homeland, through the sound of the phone call in the sacred moment of transition from the old year to the new one. Everyone wishes each other the best. Grandparents and children exchange glances and smiles happily through the phone screen and do not forget to make an appointment to reunite in their hometown.

Ms. Tuyet also does not forget to tell about how her family celebrates Tet in Japan, one side speaks, the other side answers, the crisp laughter in the two spaces seems to blend into one.

Mr. Nguyen Hai Binh, a worker at the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park based in Lien Chieu District, said that he was sent to work in South Korea by the company's leaders. Although he has lived in South Korea for 3 years, the first feeling of celebrating Tet away from home is still like yesterday. Due to work conditions, Mr. Binh has spent two Tet holidays away from home with new experiences and a deep nostalgia for the Tet atmosphere in his hometown, and the taste of family meals.

According to Mr. Binh, to celebrate the traditional Tet in South Korea, the Vietnamese community and workers here have to make plans in advance, then meet each other on the days before Tet. They together go to the market, buy ‘banh chung’ and flowers to decorate, enjoy dishes with the rich flavours of their hometown, exchange performances to welcome the Spring, and wait together for the Lunar New Year's Eve. These things have helped people far from home like Mr. Binh feel much less homesick.

In the US, the Vietnamese community not only preserves but also spreads the cultural values ​​of Vietnamese Tet, but for those celebrating Tet away from home for the first time, emotions are often mixed between excitement and regret.

Ms. Tran Thi Hong (Lien Chieu District, Da Nang) who recently settled in California, confided “These days, when I see people wrapping ‘banh chung’ and preparing trays of food, I miss home so much. On the first day of Tet, I call home to wish my family a happy Lunar New Year. Hearing the laughter of my parents and younger siblings on the screen, I couldn’t hide my emotions. But I also feel happy to organise a small gathering with Vietnamese friends here to wrap ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’ together and tell Tet stories”.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Binh, Chairman of the Union of Friendship Organizations of Da Nang, said that although in a foreign land there is not the same atmosphere and customs as in the homeland, Tet in a foreign land is still filled with the affection of Vietnamese people living abroad. The efforts to preserve culture, connect the community and spread traditional values ​​are proof of the strong love for the homeland of every Vietnamese child.

“Even though for various reasons people cannot return to their homeland to celebrate Tet, it is still an opportunity for each person to appreciate the values ​​that their homeland has cultivated. In the hearts of those who are far from home, Tet is always an occasion to think about the Fatherland with faith and hope, that wherever they are, they are still an inseparable part of the motherland Viet Nam. Wishing all those who are far from home a new lunar year of peace, prosperity and joy wherever they are” Mr. Binh said.

Reporting by TRONG HUNG - Translating by M.DUNG