"Meeting again" the Vietnamese people who rose from disaster

Mr. Phan Tan Phat, founder of Travel Booking Company in Taiwan, said that after the earthquake that occurred in Taiwan (China) last year, the Vietnamese community in this area quickly stabilized and recovered.

Mr. Phat said that when he had Tet holiday, he took the opportunity to go to the tangerine garden to pick and take pictures. Photo: character provided

As the administrator of the "Taiwanese Fun" group on Facebook, at that time, Mr. Phat continuously issued warnings and quickly updated information about the earthquake area, to help the Vietnamese community feel secure and take preventive measures.

Hualien was the most seriously affected place in the earthquake, many houses collapsed forcing people to evacuate.

Mr. Phat participates in the program "Spring Homeland" with the Vietnamese community in Taiwan (China). Photo: Provided by the character

He said that although the earthquake was quite strong, fortunately the damage was insignificant and there were no casualties. Notably, in the Vietnamese community, no one was injured by the earthquake and the material losses were also insignificant.

However, the psychological fear of aftershocks still affected some people in the early days. But with optimism and high adaptability, most Vietnamese people quickly returned to normal life.

On the eve of Lunar New Year, the atmosphere in areas with a large Vietnamese population has become more bustling.

Night market bustling with shoppers ahead of Lunar New Year in Taiwan (China). Photo: provided by character

Supermarkets and traditional markets selling typical Vietnamese Tet products welcome a large number of customers. From banh chung, gio cha to Tet jams, all are sought after by Vietnamese people to welcome the new year according to their homeland's customs.

Meanwhile, in Türkiye, one year after the devastating earthquake in February 2023, the Vietnamese community here is gradually recovering.

According to Mr. Duong Nam Phuong, who has lived in Istanbul for 16 years and is one of three administrators of the Facebook page of the Vietnamese Community in Turkey, Vietnamese people directly affected in the epicenter have received significant support from the Turkish government in terms of accommodation and home reconstruction.

At the time of the earthquake, Mr. Phuong called on the community in the Vietnamese Community in Türkiye group to organize relief activities, mobilizing acquaintances and benefactors to contribute.

Mr. Duong Nam Phuong (left cover) celebrates Tet with the Vietnamese community in Istanbul - Türkiye. Photo provided by the character

Notably, the local government has implemented a new resettlement program to improve earthquake resilience for residential areas.

Many Vietnamese families living in old apartment buildings have actively participated in this program. They agreed to demolish their old houses to rebuild more solid structures, ensuring safety against the risk of earthquakes in the future.

Mr. Phuong said that his house has just been demolished to prepare for rebuilding according to new standards. With support from the Turkish government and a spirit of solidarity, the Vietnamese community in Türkiye is looking forward to a peaceful and prosperous new year.

The Vietnamese community in Türkiye give each other lucky money. Photo: Provided by the character

Mr. Phuong added on January 25 that a large Tet celebration was held in Istanbul, creating an opportunity for people to reunite, share memories of the old year and together preserve Vietnamese cultural identity in a foreign land.

Phuong’s family, along with several other families, also celebrated New Year’s Eve in Istanbul. These activities not only brought the atmosphere of Tet to a foreign land but also strengthened solidarity within the Vietnamese community in Türkiye.

From the temporary market to the warm human affection

On the days before Tet, I returned to the temporary market Marywilska in Warsaw - Poland. The snow had stopped falling but the sky was still the typical gray, silvery color of winter in cold countries.

The 1-2 degree cold makes people not want to go out unless necessary. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why the market is not as bustling as the past Christmas and New Year. But it is okay, everyone is waiting for the warm spring , customers will be bustling to buy again.

Through the terrible fire In the Marywilska shopping center , many small traders were left empty-handed. Now, looking at the full range of goods in the store, everyone felt somewhat reassured. Certainly, the material relief from associations, overseas Vietnamese and mutual love had a great effect. No one had to go hungry in times of trouble.

Goods are full in the temporary market. Photo: Mai Tho

The fire broke out on May 12, 2024 , and on August 31, 2024 , the temporary market Marywilska Warsaw opened. Especially in the 3 months from the opening of the temporary market, all traders received unprecedented incentives and promotions , such as free of all costs, except for the lowest cleaning fee . After 3 months , each store only had to pay less than 300 euros / month for 1 year. Thanks to that, everyone had a stable life during the traditional New Year.

All the traders are waiting for the Marywilska shopping center to be rebuilt in 2025. The organizations and associations continue to help those in especially difficult circumstances. The Vietnam - Poland Heart Association alone, on behalf of the kind-hearted people, went to the hospital to donate money to support the unfortunate sick sisters: Ms. Hoang Thi Nhung ( an amount equivalent to 320 million VND) , Ms. Vu Thoan (about more than 47 million VND and a wheelchair ).

Photo of gift giving at the hospital provided by Vietnam - Poland Heart Association

The business life of Vietnamese people in Poland has faced many difficulties in recent years. With the spirit of " helping each other" , the Vietnamese community always helps and encourages many situations that seem impossible to overcome . Far away, during Tet , the children are able to ease their homesickness.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/gap-lai-nhung-nguoi-viet-vuon-len-tu-tham-hoa-196250126213218038.htm