Tet at home, Tet at school is full of love

Lunar New Year is both solemn and intimate. Tet comes, so many memories come flooding back, so many feelings of deep longing.

Lunar New Year 1983

In November 1982, I returned to teach in B'lao (now Bao Loc City, Lam Dong Province) for a few months before Tet. At that time, school was closed on December 29th and classes resumed on January 5th.

The first Tet away from home, away from Hue, on the night of the 30th, my brother LXN, a teacher at the same school, and I lit cigarettes to welcome the New Year. We told each other stories about Tet in our hometown and at home. On the morning of the first day, after setting off firecrackers, we raised our glasses of lemon wine (a state-owned specialty of Hanoi at that time) to celebrate the new year.

Tet in Bao Loc at that time was simple, but the schoolmates loved each other, every house was bustling with fatty meat, banh chung, pickled onions...

On the 5th day of Tet, teachers and students seriously returned to school, with some lingering "melon seeds" but still teaching as usual.

Tet is the time for reunion

Tet Binh Dan 1986

After the last lesson, I returned to my hometown. On December 29, the Bao Loc - Nha Trang route was crowded, thanks to a student taking a cultural supplementary course who was the stationmaster, I "neatly" got a seat on the bus. When I arrived at Nha Trang station, there were no tickets, so I accepted to pay a ticket penalty. The train was packed with people and goods. I sometimes stood, sometimes sat on the floor. Through the window, I saw people setting up the pole, my heart was excited about Tet so I didn't feel tired.

I returned home on the afternoon of the 30th. It was cold and rainy in Hue , but the whole family was happy to be together. At the moment of New Year's Eve, my mother wore ao dai, I stood behind the altar. In the sacred moment of the new year, my mother prayed for the family's health and peace.

Now our family has 8 more families, my parents are far away, New Year's Eve is still the same as before, I just miss my parents so much...

Lunar New Year 2014

During the days before Tet, as the principal of a high school, I take care to make the teachers of the school happier, and give each disadvantaged student a gift, including sticky rice, cakes, instant noodles, jam... with all my love.

After the last class of the year, the children went to the auditorium to receive their Tet gifts. I invited teachers, parents and Father Vu Dinh Tan (Saint Heart Parish, Loc Phat, Bao Loc City) to come and wish them a happy new year. Seeing the children receive their neatly wrapped Tet gifts, with all their heart from their teachers, I was both happy and moved.

There is also a gift due to the absence of HL, a problem student. HL's father left the family when he was young, his mother worked far away, HL lived with his grandmother. HL is stubborn, he only plays with friends outside of school. Fighting with friends is a daily occurrence at HL's school.

On the afternoon of the 28th of Tet, the teachers came to HL's house to give Tet gifts. HL was surprised and said thank you. At that moment, everyone's eyes filled with tears, hoping HL would change. Although we know the school still has to try harder to educate L., but looking at her at that time, I felt more joy celebrating Tet to persevere with the career of "growing people".

Family together on Tet holiday making banh chung

Lunar New Year 2025

This is the fifth Tet I have retired. I "let go" of school work, came home to teach, write, take care of my health, and enjoy my family. My wife is also retired, my two sons have their own families, and are currently working in Ho Chi Minh City.

On the morning of the 26th of Tet, V., a teacher at the school, came to my house to wish me a happy new year. V. graduated from university, and I contacted her at the school to ask her for a job. I read her profile and found out she graduated with honors, so I signed a teaching contract. After that, through the civil service exam, V. officially came to the school. She was enthusiastic, responsible for her work, and taught well. A few years later, she got married, and her husband was a teacher at the same school. On the wedding day, I was busy going to China, so I asked the departments at home to prepare everything. Now they have two sons, and the family is filled with love and happiness. She told me that in addition to teaching, she sells products online to earn extra money for milk for her children. Hearing V. wish me a happy new year, I was happy...

At the end of the year, talking with the director of a Department of Education and Training, the two brothers shared the same opinion about the local specialized schools, in the past two years teachers have "stagnated", students are not interested in joining the team. I think, to have students have aspirations, teachers need to inspire through in-depth, extensive lectures, and must work hard. If we want many sweet fruits, we teachers must be "passionate" about cultivating. That's what teaching is!

On the afternoon of the 26th of Tet, my children came from Ho Chi Minh City to Bao Loc to celebrate Tet with their family. These days, the old couple has a lot of work to do but there is nothing happier than being together during Tet.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tet-nha-tet-truong-dong-day-thuong-yeu-185250130154057406.htm