[Photo] A cozy farewell meal for the old year on the sidewalk.

NDO - Every year, late on the evening of the 29th of the 12th lunar month, Environmental Team 5 of the Hanoi Urban Environment Company Limited, Dong Da branch, spends time together for a New Year's Eve dinner on... the sidewalk.

Friday, February 9, 2024 - 09:39

At 7 PM on the 29th day of the Lunar New Year, the workers of Environmental Team 5, Hanoi Urban Environment One-Member Limited Company, Dong Da branch, were still diligently working on the streets.

According to Ms. Ngo Thi Quang, head of Team 5, from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month until the night of the 30th, the amount of trash increases every day. The closer it gets to Tet, the more work there is. "There are days when we have to work until dawn to finish the job," Ms. Quang said.

During the peak period of Lunar New Year service, Environmental Team 5 has become accustomed to working late into the night. "On the night of the 30th, there will be even more work. But the team members have done this so many times that they've gotten used to it," said Ms. Quang while diligently sweeping the streets.

Withered peach blossoms are left behind by locals on heavily laden garbage trucks.

At 8 PM, the temperature outside was only around 13 degrees Celsius. But the sanitation workers were still diligently working to keep the city green, clean, and beautiful.

To date, Ms. Quang has worked in the environmental sector for 21 years. "Only in the year I had an accident... was I able to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) at home. For the other 20 years, I spent New Year's Eve on the streets with my broom and trash can," the female team leader said with a smile.

Around 9 PM, during a break, the whole team gathered together on the sidewalk. At this time, a simple New Year's Eve meal was laid out right on the deserted sidewalk.

"We're all from different hometowns, but we share the same hardships as sanitation workers, so we support each other and treat each other like family. With only one day left until Lunar New Year, we all gather here late at night to cook and chat after a year of hard work," Team Leader Quang confided.

The "dining table" was made from a few old styrofoam boxes, covered with tarpaulin. Each person brought their own chair. In just about 10 minutes, the New Year's Eve dinner for the sanitation workers on the 29th of Tet was ready.

The food was also brought along by the team members, who took turns bringing clean water spinach, sticky rice cakes, beef, chicken, and so on. Together, they made a decent year-end feast...

The New Year's Eve dinner on the 29th of Tet was simple but filled with laughter.

Wishing each other strength and resilience...

Simple joys during a break on the streets in the days leading up to Tet. The farewell meal on the evening of the 29th of Tet has become a "small tradition" of Group 5.

When asked what their wishes were for the new year, Ms. Quang said, "We just need a few words of encouragement from the people, like wishing us a happy new year or sharing our work, and that would be enough to make us happy."

After this shared meal, the whole group will disperse again, pushing their rickety carts into the night. The night at the end of the year is still bitterly windy…

SUCCESS - SON BACH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/anh-am-cung-bua-com-tien-nam-cu-ben-via-he-post795797.html