(VOVworld) – The traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet) is the biggest festival in Vietnam. It’s awaited by all Vietnamese people and also foreigners who live here. VOV has a story about how foreign expats celebrate Tet in Vietnam.

A lion dance welcomes the lunar New Year in Hanoi's pedestrian street. (Photo: VNA)

Lou Vargas began to love Vietnam through books, newspapers, and films while she was living in France. She then chose Vietnamese studies at the Hanoi University as her academic major to learn about Vietnamese people and culture. Lou was interested in her friends’ stories about Vietnamese Tet and traditional dishes so she stayed here for this special occasion. Lou said: “I want to learn about the traditional customs of Vietnamese people during Tet and how they celebrate this festival”.

People enjoy calligraphy demonstration at the Temple of Literature, Hanoi. (Photo: VOV)

Lou shares an interest in Vietnamese culture with Hitomi Okamara from Japan. Hitomi told VOV: “I want to experience a Vietnamese Tet. I will try traditional dishes such as sugar coated fruits, green square sticky rice cake, bamboo shoot soup, and pork paste. I’m fond of the Vietnamese custom of “xuat hanh” or leaving houses on New Year’s Day to seek luck for the whole family”.

A tray of traditional Tet dishes includes Chung cake, pork paste, pickled onions, bamboo shoot soup, and spring rolls.(Photo: VOV)

Shehan Ruwanma Perena considers Tet a chance to get an insight into Vietnamese culture and to introduce his Sri Lankan culture to Vietnamese friends. He elaborated: “I prepare curry for my friends. You know, in my country, people like to consume food with high amount of sugar, salt, and spice. I know that people here don’t like much spicy food so I will season the dish when I cook to suit my friends’ taste.” 

Many foreigners chose this occasion to visit Vietnam, including Soren Drott from Australia, who is in Dalat. His best impression of Tet is family reunion. He shared with us: “I’m keen on Vietnam’s traditional customs during Tet. I love Vietnamese food. The cylindrical sticky rice cake tastes so good”.

Tet cake (cylindrical sticky rice cake) is popular in the south while Chung cake (square sticky rice cake) is common to the northerners. (Photo: VOV)

Frenchman Bobby has visited in Vietnam several times. He says that during Tet, streets are quiet and most restaurants are closed. What he loves most about Tet is that Vietnamese people, even those who don’t know each other, exchange wishes as if they were acquainted. He is also delighted that colorful flowers are everywhere in Ho Chi Minh city at this time. Bobby said: “I like Saigon, especially during Tet. All the families gather together. It’s warm. I know it’s a special moment for Vietnamese people. I love all the colors, the activities, the flower, and the people.”

Spring flower festival is annual event to welcome a new year in Ho Chi Minh (Photo: VOV)

Colin, an American visitor said experiencing Tet in Ho Chi Minh city is the best thing he has done during his Vietnam trip. He shares his feeling about Tet: “It’s exciting. It’s special. It gives the feeling of cultural difference between the US and Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is a lovely city. People are lovely and friendly. This is an adventure as what I expect”.

A new year has already arrived, bringing great joy to Vietnamese people and their international friends. Tet has made everyone closer, no matter where they are from.