Amazing Vietnam

• Int'l friends highlight Vietnam's National Day

Paul Wilson, from England, feels that National Day on September 2 is a special and significant event for every Vietnamese. He says, “There is no Independence Day like there is in Vietnam in my country. Leading up to the day I have noticed that local people are very excited, there is a buzz in the air, and I find a cozy atmosphere everywhere. Flags, flowers, banners, and slogans decorate all the streets, which makes visitors to Hanoi during this time easily recognise that Vietnamese people are welcoming a great event”.

Paul says that English people only decorate their houses and streets for Christmas, but Vietnamese people enjoy putting up decorations for many events, including festivals, Election Day, National Day and Lunar New Year.

Paul Wilson

Before arriving in Vietnam, the image of the country in his mind was one of an S-shaped land where local people were struggling against foreign invaders for national independence and freedom. “When coming to Vietnam, I was struck by the natural beauty and the friendliness of the people. Vietnam nowadays is a peaceful country which is on the fast track of development. The pace at which the country seems to have grown over the past ten or fifteen years really is mind-blowing. The capital city of Hanoi has progressed rapidly, to a much stronger point than I ever imagined,” he elaborates.

Paul is living with a Vietnamese friend‘s family and will celebrate National Day with a small party. He confides, “I know this is a significant event for Vietnamese people as it marks the country’s national independence and freedom. I want to join my friend’s to gain a better understanding about Vietnam’s history and share my feelings with them”.

Paul is waiting for a friend who will travel to Vietnam in the next two weeks. They will visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which he says, is a holy and respectful place.

Mayu Takeda, a Vietnamese Japanese student, comes to Vietnam to visit her relatives on this occasion. She expresses her happiness and pride of being born in a country with glorious history and rich cultural tradition.

Mayu Takeda

Mayu was born in Vietnam and left the country at the age of 4 to reside in Japan with her parents. She is interested in talking about Vietnam, especially her sweet memories of her childhood in Hanoi.  She continues to learn Vietnamese so that she has no language barrier while talking to her relatives and friends in the fatherland.

The Japanese student likes made-in-Vietnam handicrafts and wants to know more about Hanoi’s special features, including its cuisine, life style and street shops.

Tawit, an editor of VOV’s Thai language programme, says that he does not have to work on Vietnam’s National Day so he will take his family to some places in Hanoi to enjoy the cheerful atmosphere and share the happy feelings of Vietnamese people.

Tawit set foot in Vietnam for the first time in 2004 and soon fell in love with the beautiful country. He decided to stay, and is now living in Hanoi with his Vietnamese wife and son.

According to him, Vietnam is a simple country where he can have an easy life. With his fluent Vietnamese speaking skills, Tawit shares his good sentiments toward Vietnam and his special feelings about the country’s National Day. “I will take my son to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on September 2 to help him understand more about the nation’s glorious history,” he says.

Tawit

He adds that Vietnam’s National Day is different from Thailand’s which is dedicated to the King’s birthday. He says that Thai people often decorate and light candles to congratulate the King and the nation.

Tawit usually takes his friends to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum as soon as they land as he thinks that coming to Vietnam without visiting the famous shrine means that you have not yet officially arrived in the country.

He has travelled to different regions across Vietnam, such as Hue, Hoi An, Sa Pa, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh and Phu Tho, and each place he has set foot in has left a deep impression on him.

Tawit says, “I love Vietnam. The country is endowed with beautiful long beaches, wonderful people and delicious Pho (rice noodle soup with beef or chicken). In Vietnam, everything is convenient, from shopping to living to transport. Hanoi is experiencing dramatic and strong development, especially suburban areas. However, there should be more changes in the transport system in Vietnam”./.