Expats soak up festive Tet atmosphere

William Badger, Director of Community Outreach, Concordia International School Hanoi

William Badger

I was enthralled by Vietnam after my first trip, and felt at home here, and so I came back in 1995 and again in 1997, and have lived here ever since.

As a lover of Vietnamese culture, this is a time to really immerse oneself in the festivities-all the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds, enjoy the (hopefully) cold weather, and reconnect with family and friends, as we hope for a prosperous year to come.

I love the way things slow down right before Tet, and the unique, once a year atmosphere of the first morning of the new year.

In the past, I used to enjoy motorbiking during Tet, and celebrating in the countryside. But since I started my family it has become very important to enjoy not only the first day of the year, but also the full Tet period.

While it is easy to reminisce about the charms of the past, I would say that Vietnam is a much more dynamic place today than 30 years ago. With the TPP, the FTA with the EU, and the ASEAN trade agreement, Vietnam has done a very strategic job in setting up trade deals that give it access to most of the world. This bodes well for all of us who live and work here, and so the future looks bright.

For me personally, as an American, I am very excited about the growing partnership between Vietnam and the US, and the welcoming comments I get as the general public becomes increasingly engaged in this relationship.

I am also very proud to have a US Ambassador who is engaged culturally and socially, as well as politically, and this reflects well on each and every American who lives here.

There are also many exciting cultural changes. Young people have access to music from around the world, and also many students have studied overseas, bringing new ideas back to Vietnam and integrating these ideas into the overall culture. This has led to unprecedented collaboration in art, music, and events between Vietnamese and expatriates, which has created a large art and music community.

Kenneth M. Atkinson, Executive Chairman, Grant Thornton (Vietnam)

Kenneth M. Atkinson

My first few years were mainly spent in Hanoi, and my first impression was that people were very open and friendly, especially compared to mainland China, where I had been working since 1979.

I also thought Hanoi was one of the best tourist destinations in Southeast Asia, with its quiet, tree lined streets, old French buildings, and the numerous lakes and parks.

Actually, I first came to prepare a feasibility study and assist with the licensing for a five-star hotel project in Hanoi. Shortly after my first visit, I decided to refocus my business from China to Vietnam, which I did over a two-year period.

I have spent many Tet festivals in Vietnam over the last 25 years, and more recently, as I am married to a Vietnamese woman, I have spent several Tet holidays at my wife’s family home.

I really enjoy the time and effort that goes into preparing the flower markets around the city and the obvious excitement, particularly amongst the children, as Tet approaches.

It is good to see that the family unit and the first days of Tet are still culturally important, although for a number of city dwellers it seems overseas travel is becoming more common during Tet.

The thing I really used to dislike has now been curtailed, which was the setting off of fireworks in the streets-I found it both noisy and dangerous.

I think Vietnam has made amazing progress over the last 30 years. However, I also believe that in many areas progress could have been a lot quicker had there been more transparency and had the authorities been prepared to adopt more liberal policies.

I am pleased that Vietnam has managed to a large extent to preserve the family culture, as this is fundamental to avoiding many of the problems experienced in developed countries, particularly with crime and drugs among the youth.

I think it is important that Vietnam maintains its strong culture and heritage, preserves the national heritage sites, and develops sustainable and responsible tourism and policies to protect the environment.

Vietnam should preserve the ancient aspects of cities such as Hanoi and Hue as well as facilitating modern development.

Charles Herman, Project Management Director of Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam

Charles Herman

The very first feeling was one of astonishment, something that impressed me the most in the first few days. Astonishment at everything, beginning with the first taxi ride in the traffic from Tan Son Nhat Airport into District 1. Astonishment at the heat! The average temperature in Atlanta in January is about 15 degrees C, so the heat was a shock.

Of course, the natural beauty of the countryside is one of the most impressive things about Vietnam. We had the opportunity to visit Hoi An very early in our first days in Vietnam, and we were blown away by the beauty and the people there.

As a relative newcomer to Vietnam, the pace of change is staggering. Everywhere you look there are tower cranes building high-rise apartment towers, airport expansions, metro lines, public infrastructure, and so on.

The physical changes are everywhere, some good some I don’t clearly understand. Another impressive aspect of the changes in Vietnam is the young people. I continue to be impressed by their desire for knowledge and their willingness to consider different ways of approaching problems or issues. Vietnam is positioned to gain huge economic benefits in the years to come.

There are a number of challenges for the government to overcome, and I hope that they will continue to take steps to address these issues. The people of Vietnam are tremendously adaptable, and they seem to be adapting to the changes of the past 30 years without losing their cultural heritage or identity.

The single strongest traditional characteristic I see in Vietnam is that of family. Most societies around the world have strong family bonds, but I can say I haven’t seen any stronger than those here in Vietnam. And not only family at home, but I believe this value spills over into most Vietnamese people’s work life.

Relationships with co-workers are very important, and keeping the family traditions at home and in other areas of life is critical to keeping these traditions a part of the culture.

Cosimo Jencks, Chief Representative of Hong Kong Land (Vietnam)

Cosimo Jencks

Tet for me is a time of peace and quiet and catching up on personal matters, a time for fun with friends and family, a time to distress, and a time of tradition.

Ho Chi Minh City becomes quiet as many people return to their hometown, the traffic decreases, and people slow down during the holiday (but are frantic and energized beforehand)-these are all tremendous positives and should not be lost.

The airports are a nightmare, and when Tet officially ends some people find it hard to get back into the work mindset, it unofficially drags on until it runs out of its own steam, which can be annoying.

To celebrate the traditional New Year festival of Vietnam, we are refurbishing my house, it would be ideal if I could celebrate it in my own home.

I plan mostly to be in Ho Chi Minh City, but may go to either Da Lat or Ho Tram/Mui Ne.

The change in Vietnam is inspiring, and, being driven by a younger population, it is full of energy. But something has been lost along the way, and hopefully Tet is a time for the Vietnamese people to reflect on some of the quality of life issues they now face.

I feel quite optimistic for Vietnam over the next three-five years, but I wish the external environment was more supportive, allowing Vietnam the time to develop properly.

Vietnam, similar to many other Asian countries, needs to find a way to make its own culture and traditions contemporary and able to withstand the constant floods of other international cultures and traditions. It is not about preserving the culture, but enhancing it and making it relevant to the younger generations. We must keep the traditions which remain valid, create new traditions, and jettison what is no longer relevant.

I notice that many people during Tet genuinely look forward to their time with the family, but do not want to spend a whole week at home, families should work on this. I would suggest people have a constructive, not critical, dialogue in society about this.