At the end of the year, special trains and coaches rush out of the city, carrying the excitement of those returning home for a Tet reunion with family and loved ones. Amid this joy, there are free tickets bearing the message "Everyone deserves Tet", provided through support programs from the city and various organizations.

The University of Danang, University of Education distributes coach tickets for students to return home for Tet. Photo: XUAN SON.

 A gift of sharing

As the clock signaled the end of her shift, Ms. Tran Thi Than (born in 1979, a worker at Central Seafood Import-Export Joint Stock Company) left work and merged into the bustling traffic of the year-end rush. Her home is in a small alley on Tran Nhat Duat Street (Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District), about 2 kilometers from her workplace. After quickly eating a bowl of rice, she revved up her motorbike to start her second job of the day, assisting at a food stall until 10 PM. “Tet is approaching, and there are many expenses to worry about. My husband and I are trying to work extra to earn whatever we can,” shared her husband, Phan Thanh Bao (born in 1975), about their family's struggle to make ends meet at the end of the year.

For many workers like the families of Mr. Bao and Ms. Than, the phrase "Tet is approaching" brings a sense of worry. They are concerned about preparing for Tet, managing meals, and securing coach tickets to return home. Amid their anxieties, they find joy in receiving support from the city's Labor Federation, which provides bus tickets for their journeys home as part of the "Union Coach - Spring 2025" and "Union Train - Spring 2025" programs. In total, 2,000 train and coach tickets will be distributed directly to members of local trade unions and associations.

Ms. Than is originally from Ky Anh District in Ha Tinh Province. Each year, she and her husband return home 2-3 times, with coach tickets costing around 300,000 to 500,000 dong depending on the time for the journey of over 350 kilometers. Last year, after the passing of Ms. Than's father, she made more trips home. If the whole family travels, the round-trip ticket costs nearly 2 million dong. This is a significant amount for a worker's income and her husband's cleaning job. Mr. Bao mentioned that his work at the temple primarily involves voluntary contributions, and any money earned is just enough for daily meals. For their family, a coach ticket supported by the city may not hold substantial monetary value, but it serves as encouragement for workers to have a peaceful Tet, as each additional ticket alleviates some of their worries about the holiday.

This Tet, Mr. Bao and the children will stay in Da Nang to celebrate, while Ms. Than will return to Ha Tinh on a coach scheduled to depart on January 25 (the 26^th of December in the lunar calendar). She is going back to her mother's home alone, but that doesn't diminish the warmth of the occasion, as the "Union Coach" not only provides safety but is also filled with love and sharing.

Lighting hope, bringing Tet home

When Duong Khanh Huyen (born in 2005, a student at The University of Danang, University of Education) received her first Tet coach ticket from the school, she eagerly shared the good news with her family. Scheduled to leave for home on the 25^th of December in the lunar calendar, Huyen proudly announced, “Now, I will use my savings to buy some sweets to bring back for Tet with my mother. In previous years, I usually bought my coach ticket early to go back to Quang Binh with my family and then travelled to Kon Tum.”

Living in the flood-prone area of Dong Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh Province, Huyen's family's economic situation fluctuates with the rising waters during heavy rains. Due to family circumstances, Huyen and her younger sister moved to Kon Tum to live with their aunt, while her older brother works far from home. Last year, Huyen's father, the primary breadwinner of the family, passed away after a prolonged illness, leaving her mother to live alone in the countryside, working as a dish-washer and helping with seasonal gardening. Since starting university, this young woman has been commuting back and forth on the Quang Binh - Da Nang - Kon Tum route. Each year, Huyen returns home about twice. Each time, she saves around 200,000 to 250,000 dong for a one-way ticket from Da Nang to Quang Binh or Da Nang to Kon Tum. This money comes from her tutoring job outside of her studies as a Mathematics Education major.

“This Tet, I get to go home on a comfortable sleeper coach, so I don’t have to worry about the crowds. My mother and aunt are happy and relieved to know that I receive so much support from the school while studying away from home, including the coach ticket for Tet. My family and I truly appreciate and are grateful for everything,” Huyen said. Setting aside the sorrows of the past year, Huyen carries hopes with her as she returns home to reunite with her mother, brother, and sister.

Huyen's fellow townsman is Pham Thi Hai Yen (born in 2004, a student majoring in Journalism at The University of Danang, University of Education). This year marks the second time Yen has received a coach ticket for Tet from the school. Before her departure, Yen spoke about her hometown with deep emotion. Last year, due to natural disasters, her family's fish pond in Duy Ninh commune, Quang Ninh district, Quang Binh Province suffered significant damage. Amid her worries about her family, Yen has been balancing her studies with part-time work to ease the financial burden on her parents. This Tet, Yen is packing some sweets and a few sets of clothes for her younger siblings.

“Even though the past year has been filled with difficulties and hardships, and my family still faces many challenges, I still hope everyone can return home and gather together—that is what Tet is all about. Tet begins with the journeys back home, and it feels even more joyful knowing that this coach ride is completely free for students like me,” Yen shared.

Huyen and Yen are two of the 200 students from The University of Danang, University of Education who received coach tickets for the Tet holiday in 2025, each valued at 300,000 dong. Sharing their joy, both hope to stay connected to Da Nang after graduation. For Huyen, her dream is to become an excellent teacher, while Yen aspires to be a journalist. On their journey of overcoming challenges while studying in the coastal city, students like Huyen and Yen view words of encouragement and small gifts, such as today's bus tickets, as motivation to strive for a better future.

Meeting the recipients of the free coach and train tickets for Tet reminds us of a line from a Vietnamese film that aired a few years ago: "There are two things in life that one should never miss: the last train home and someone who truly loves you." This sentiment resonates with those who are far from home as Tet approaches. For them, the most beautiful journey is the one that leads back to their hometown, filled with love and warmth.

Reporting by XUAN SON – Translating by HONG VAN