“Spring Journey” - bringing students of Ho Chi Minh City National University back to their hometown to celebrate Tet

The launching ceremony of the "Spring Journey" program took place on the morning of February 3, 2024 at the Truong Sa Archipelago Landmark Square, Area B of the Ho Chi Minh City National University Dormitory (Dong Hoa Ward, Di An City, Binh Duong Province). This is the first time that VNU-HCM has organized the "Spring Journey" program to bring students and workers home for Tet.

This is a meaningful and practical activity to promptly care for and support cadres, lecturers, civil servants, workers and students in difficult circumstances during the 2024 Lunar New Year; contributing to educating students on the spirit of humanity, responsibility and sharing with the community.

It is known that since December 2023, through the information channel of the Student Affairs Committee, the Youth Union Executive Committee and the Dormitory Management Center, VNU-HCM, the program has attracted great attention and sharing from training institutions and students.

After nearly 2 months of implementation to grasp the support needs of students and deploy for students and workers to register to participate, the "Spring Journey" program brought 06 cadres, lecturers, civil servants, workers and 225 students back to their hometowns to celebrate Tet. The students participating in the program come from member universities, affiliated with Ho Chi Minh City National University and some from universities and colleges outside Ho Chi Minh City National University, who are residing at the Ho Chi Minh City National University Dormitory.

The journey will pass through 17 provinces and cities with 02 main routes: the Central route through the provinces of Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Hue, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa; the Central Highlands route through the provinces of Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai.

In addition, VNU-HCM also gave bus tickets to 12 students to return to the provinces of Kon Tum, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau.

Also in the program, VNU-HCM organized a meeting and gave gifts to 225 students celebrating Tet away from home, including 58 boarding students at VNU-HCM Dormitory (45 Vietnamese students, 13 foreign students) and 178 non-resident students who did not return home to celebrate Tet. Taking care of students celebrating Tet away from home is an annual activity that the Party Committee and Board of Directors of VNU-HCM pay close attention to and direct.

Speaking at the ceremony, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Hai Quan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Director of VNU-HCM shared: With the desire to help students, especially those with difficult circumstances, have the conditions to return home to celebrate Tet with their families, the Board of Directors of VNU-HCM has implemented the program "Spring Journey" to bring students and workers back to their hometown to celebrate Tet and meet students to celebrate Tet away from home in the Spring of Giap Thin 2024.

Comrade Vu Hai Quan wished students returning home for Tet and students staying to celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the dormitory, VNU-HCM a warm and happy Spring.

“The Spring Journey is a journey of love connection for students. Although you study at VNU-HCM, live and work in the dormitory of VNU-HCM, you may have never met or known each other. Therefore, on the bus trips, from Ho Chi Minh City to Thanh Hoa, from Ho Chi Minh City to the Central Highlands, I hope you will meet and share about your student life, your learning process at VNU-HCM and your dreams and aspirations” – Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Hai Quan expressed.

Student Dao Cong Loc of the University of Agriculture and Forestry (VNU-HCM) from Do Luong, Nghe An, shared: “Every year I still go by bus to my hometown. Even though I book tickets early, the ticket price on Tet is usually higher than normal days and there are still crowded conditions, jostling each other, very tiring. Tet Giap Thin 2024, I was lucky to receive free bus tickets from the dormitory, VNU-HCM, to go home for Tet and food money during the trip. Thanks to that, I can give my mother the money I earn from my part-time job to buy Tet for my family.”

Nguyen Quynh Huong, a third-year student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCM), said: This is the second year I celebrate Tet in Saigon. When I see my friends returning home to celebrate Tet, I also feel sad and homesick. Luckily, the dormitory also organizes many spring and Tet activities for the students staying behind, which makes me feel comforted. Along with that, my roommate and I have also planned to go to exhibitions and spring flower markets in Saigon to feel the spring atmosphere./.

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