People from Hung Yen celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year abroad.

Despite being thousands of kilometers away from their homeland, the Lunar New Year remains a sacred time in the hearts of every Vietnamese person living abroad. For those from Hung Yen living, studying, and working overseas, Tet is not only the beginning of a new year but also a strong bond connecting them to their families, hometowns, and national roots. In a foreign environment with cultural differences, traditional Tet customs and the unifying role of hometown associations have helped them share their homesickness and preserve their Vietnamese identity...

Despite being thousands of kilometers away from their homeland, the Lunar New Year remains a sacred time in the hearts of every Vietnamese living abroad. For those from Hung Yen living, studying, and working overseas, Tet is not only the start of a new year but also a strong bond connecting them to their families, hometowns, and national roots. In a foreign environment with cultural differences, traditional Tet customs and the unifying role of hometown associations help them share their homesickness, preserve their Vietnamese identity, and nurture love for their homeland in the younger generation.

The Vietnamese community (including those from Hung Yen) celebrate Tet together.

Having celebrated Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) in South Korea seven times, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung, originally from Nhu Quynh commune, shared: “Although we don't have the opportunity to return home every year, my family always tries to fully recreate the atmosphere of Tet back home. Every Tet, we make sure to prepare a full meal with banh chung (traditional rice cake), gio (pork sausage), xoi (sticky rice), chicken, etc., and decorate the house so that my children can feel the spring atmosphere as if they were back in our hometown.”

Even far from their hometown, people from Hung Yen still make banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung's family is preparing a tray of five kinds of fruit and banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) to celebrate the traditional Tet holiday.

The Tet (Lunar New Year) meal features traditional dishes such as banh chung (sticky rice cake), chicken, gio (pork sausage), nem (spring rolls), and bamboo shoot soup, prepared by the family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung, who lives and works in South Korea.

According to Ms. Nhung, in a multicultural environment, preserving the Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) tradition is how her family maintains their national heritage. “We do this so that my son understands he is Vietnamese, knows how to speak Vietnamese, knows how to greet and address people respectfully, and knows the customs of Tet. If we don't preserve it, he will gradually forget his roots. Tet is the best time to teach him about his homeland's culture,” Ms. Nhung expressed. Not only within her family, Ms. Nhung also actively participates in activities of the Vietnamese community and local hometown associations. Year-end gatherings, reunions, making banh chung (traditional rice cakes), and exchanging New Year greetings have become familiar meeting points for Vietnamese people living abroad.

Vietnamese people spread their national culture to their Korean friends during the Lunar New Year.

Every year, on the morning of the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year), after offering incense, Nhung's family, along with many other Vietnamese families, usually spend time calling their grandparents and parents to wish them a happy new year. Even though it's only through a phone screen, it's the most touching moment. Hearing the voices of loved ones and seeing the gray hair of their parents, everyone feels a pang of emotion. These calls help Nhung ease her homesickness and feel the strong bond of family even more deeply.

In Japan, where most people celebrate the New Year according to the Gregorian calendar, the atmosphere of the traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year becomes even more special. In Osaka, a city with a large concentration of Vietnamese workers, Mr. Tran Quang Phuc (from Chau Ninh commune) and his family have celebrated Tet away from home for the past four years. Due to the complicated procedures and high costs of applying for leave to return home, they decided to stay and work, saving for the future of their two children. Mr. Phuc said: “Tet in Japan is not as long or as lively as in Vietnam, but we still try to maintain our hometown traditions. At the end of the year, fellow countrymen usually gather to make banh chung and banh tet (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), prepare the five-fruit tray, decorate peach blossoms, and set up an altar to the Fatherland. The atmosphere is very warm and cozy.”   According to Mr. Phuc, the Vietnamese expatriate associations and groups in Japan play a very important role in connecting the community. He shared: "If it weren't for the expatriate associations organizing and calling for celebrations, each family would probably celebrate Tet separately, which would be very sad. Thanks to these gatherings, cultural and sports events, people have the opportunity to share, encourage each other to overcome difficulties, and alleviate homesickness." For Mr. Phuc, preserving the Vietnamese Tet tradition in a foreign land is not only to satisfy homesickness but also to help his children understand their homeland, speak Vietnamese fluently, and be proud of their roots.

The Vietnamese community, including those from Hung Yen, celebrated Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) in the Federal Republic of Germany.

In Europe, Tran Thi Cam Van, originally from Dong Hung commune and currently studying in the Federal Republic of Germany, is experiencing Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) away from home for the first time. Van said: “In the days leading up to Tet, I feel very nostalgic, unfamiliar, and homesick. The atmosphere here isn't as lively as in Vietnam. But thanks to the Vietnamese community and student association organizing gatherings, making banh chung (traditional rice cakes), and celebrating Tet, I feel much warmer.”   According to Van, in an international learning environment, maintaining the Vietnamese language and traditional customs helps young people feel more confident about their cultural identity. “We always remind each other to speak Vietnamese during gatherings, cook our hometown dishes together, and listen to Vietnamese spring music. This helps us avoid being ‘dissolved’ and always remember where we come from,” Van said.

Not only in South Korea, Japan, or Germany, but also in Poland, Australia, and many other countries, the Hung Yen community actively organizes activities to celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year. Hometown associations have become a "common home," a bridge connecting people, supporting each other in life and work, and together preserving traditional customs. Through community New Year programs, cultural and sports exchanges, and spring gatherings, Hung Yen people living far from home not only share their homesickness but also promote the image of their homeland and country to international friends.

Amidst modern life and globalization, preserving the Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) in foreign lands is not simply about recreating the traditional spring feast, but also about preserving memories, traditions, and cultural identity. For those from the land of longan, no matter where they are, Tet remains a spiritual anchor, a reminder of their beloved homeland. And it is this sense of camaraderie and community bonding that makes spring in a foreign land even warmer, strengthening each person's belief in their roots and working together to preserve the Vietnamese spirit among the world.

Huong Giang

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/nguoi-hung-yen-don-tet-co-truyen-o-nuoc-ngoai-3191635.html