HELLO TET 2024

On February 1, 2024, the Hello Tet program was successfully held with the enthusiastic participation of international students from diverse countries such as Laos, Philippines, Indonesia, Mozambique, Nigeria, France, Liberia, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, etc... Students from these countries formed 9 teams to participate in the "Exploring Tet" competition (including Chung Cake packaging contest and Quiz contest) within the framework of the Hello Tet program.

In the morning, the teams gathered at the Hoang Yen area to participate in the “Chung Cake Packaging” competition. Everyone meticulously focused on the teacher’s instructions to create a delicious and visually appealing Chung Cake. Despite this being their first time experiencing making Chung Cake, international students completed the task perfectly. With the cold winter weather, sitting beside the Chung Cake pot became an indispensable activity for Vietnamese people during the Tet holidays. Therefore, after completing the Chung Cake packaging, the teams placed their products in the pot to cook and took turns monitoring the Chung Cake pot. This demonstrated solidarity as international students cooked together to create their perfect Chung Cakes.

In the afternoon, the program's focal point unfolded, featuring a vibrant array of cultural performances and the Quiz competition. Bedecked in traditional and red-hued attire, international students enchanted the audience, infusing the event with the richness of their diverse heritages and contributing to the lively atmosphere of the program. After that, in the Quiz competition, the teams worked together to answer questions related to Vietnam's Tet holiday, such as the ingredients for making Chung Cake, the kind of trees to decorate the house at Tet, or the traditions of Vietnamese people during Tet. Through these questions, international students had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Tet and discover more about the activities surrounding this significant celebration. They also enthusiastically engaged in the Cheraw dance (or Nhảy sạp in Vietnamese), adding vibrant joy and lively rhythms to the atmosphere.

Following that, the teams presented the Chung Cakes they made in the morning to the judges. After a period of scoring and combining scores from both parts of the competition, the program identified 4 winning teams representing 4 countries, including Third Prize (Indonesia and Philippines); Second Prize (Mozambique); and First Prize (Laos).

A special highlight of the Hello Tet program was the gifting of lucky money, or "Lì xì," to international students– a heartfelt gesture from the lecturers at the Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry. Symbolic of Vietnamese cultural tradition in Lunar New Year, Lucky money (or called Lì xì) on Tet has been preserved for generations with the desire to wish for good things in the new year. Therefore, when giving these gifts, the teachers at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry expressed their sincere hopes that international students will encounter many lucky things, have good health, and continue to achieve success in their academic and future careers.

The conclusion of the program was a small party with various sweets, drinks, and, notably, international students got to enjoy the Chung Cakes made by their own hands. Music filled the air, and everyone joined in the lively Tet atmosphere, marking the successful and triumphant conclusion of the Hello Tet 2024 program.