vietexplorer0028

The gentle sun caressed my face as I awoke on a mild February morning in 2014. “Just another day,” I mused, but the usual bustle of Saigon’s streets was eerily quiet. It was Tết, and I was about to embark on my first traditional holiday season in Ho Chi Minh City. Fast forward to 2025, and once again, the mild morning sun of January will herald the Year of the Snake. While the quiet streets of Saigon have transformed, the culture and traditions of Tết remain a cornerstone of Vietnamese life. With the completion of a zodiac cycle, I find myself back where I started, reflecting on the changes Ho Chi Minh City has undergone in the last 12 years and what the Year of the Snake signifies for expatriates in Vietnam. Swiss tourists embrace the 2025 Vietnamese Tết Festival at the Youth Culture House, Ho Chi Minh City, January 13, 2024. Photo by Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre To be frank, my initial Tết experience in Vietnam was less than ideal. As a teacher, the extended holiday left me w...

For many Vietnamese students studying abroad, Tet Nguyen Dan , or the Lunar New Year, evokes a complex mix of emotions. It is a time of nostalgia and homesickness, but also a time to celebrate and uphold traditions in a foreign land. The following stories from young Vietnamese students across the globe showcase how Tet serves as a cultural bridge, connecting them to their homeland and heritage. Ho Thi Nhu, a student at Hannam University in South Korea, has spent two Tet holidays away from her family. As the year draws to a close, her homesickness intensifies. To combat this, Nhu and her friends recreate the festive atmosphere by decorating their living space, preparing traditional five-fruit trays, and hunting for Vietnamese delicacies in local markets. However, as Nhu wistfully notes, “No matter how hard we try, it’s never quite the same as being at home.” Nhu finds solace in participating in community activities, such as making banh chung (sticky rice cakes) with oth...