Tet in the eyes of international students

Students from Cuba, Russia, the US, and China participate in a program called “Tet Viet” (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) co-organized by the ‘Dinh Lang Viet (Vietnamese Communal House) Club and the Old Quarter Management Board.

They visit Phung Hung mural street, the Hang Luoc flower market, and a number of historical relics in downtown Hanoi.

The “Tet Viet” event gives foreign students a mixture of fun, facts, and direct personal experience of the way Vietnamese people prepare for and celebrate Tet.

Traditional Vietnamese art forms like Chau Van (spiritual singing), Xam singing, and poetry recitations are performed. Here, the students are enjoying a performance of Xam singing in Phung Hung Street. Xam was traditionally performed by blind artists who wandered from town to town and earned their living by singing in common places.

Russian students are interested in Tet folk paintings.

The students appear surprised that the busy, crowded Hang Luoc street has turned into a Tết flower market with thousands of flowers blooming in the spring sunshine.

After learning the Tet tradition of displaying peach blossoms, many of the students decide to buy themselves a peach branch.

The students pose for photos in front of the ancient Quan Chuong gate.

At the Hanoi Old Quarter Cultural Exchange Center, 50 Dao Duy TuStreet, the students examine artifacts related to the capital city’s history and traditional culture.

They are introduced to Vietnamese traditional culture

including the making of square sticky rice cakes called Banh chung.

The students explore the custom of writing calligraphic words that carry wishes for longevity, good health, good luck, and prosperity. A scholar is explaining the meaning of each word.

The educational program leaves students with unforgettable memories of Tet in Vietnam.