n
culture
Text: Alfredo de la Casa Photos: Huynh My Thuan
From the view of an expat
N OT JUST ABOUT BEAUTY
Tet or Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in Vietnam
which gets the attention of many foreigners. Let’s see how a
Spanish expat whose wife is Vietnamese talks about Tet.
I
had just been in Vietnam for few months when I started
hearing about Tet, Tet holiday and the Lunar New Year. At that
time, I was teaching at a university, and as the key dates were
approaching, Tet seemed to the most popular subject shared by
almost all of my students. Many of them were far from Ho Chi
Minh City and what they were looking is not only a break from
class but also a great time together with their families.
As I had never experienced Tet before, I asked around a lot, to see what
the excitement was about, and to know what to expect. And if there is
one word that defined it, that word was positive. Without any exception,
everyone was very happy about the Lunar New Year, being with the
family, and enjoying the overall experience.
Tet is definitely the most important holiday in Vietnam, where towns
and villages all over the country are the scene of vibrant celebrations.
Every street dresses up with beautiful flowers and decorations. Every
effort is made to gather all family members, no matter how far away they
may be. Together they will bid farewell the old year while welcoming
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TRAVELLIVE