VietNamNet Bridge - The Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh these days is packed with overseas Vietnamese returning home for the country’s most celebrated holiday.

 
Tran Phuong Lan, a Vietnamese – American was in tears holding her daughter’s hand when they stepped out of the airport’s luggage check room.

 

“Finally, I am home after 25 years. Finally, I have made it to bring my daughter home,” said her of Alice Tran, the 19-year-old girl who had never been to her mother’s homeland until now.

 

More noticeable in the crowd at the airport lounge was the 8-member family of Trinh Viet Hung from Canada, headed by his 83-year-old father.

 

His sister who was waiting for the family with a dozen close relatives burst into tears upon seeing and embracing her wheelchair-bound father.

 

“My family migrated to Canada 20 years ago and my father joined us 10 years after that. We come back this time also to make his dearest wish come true, which is to live the rest of his life in Vietnam taken care of by his daughter,” said Hung.

 

Tran Phuong Lan will take her daughter to the central province of Nha Trang to meet family and relatives still living there. Her parents has not for once seen their granddaughter since she was born.

 

“Then we will go visit pagodas to let her know more about the Buddhist culture in Vietnam, and to wish for a year full of blessings and good fortune,” smiled the proud mother.

 

Bich Hanh from Switzerland and her Swiss husband made it their usual habit to come back every Tet. They have celebrated six Tets in the 8 years in the central European country.

 

“We really enjoy celebrating Tet at my homeland, the southern province of Kien Giang. Country fairs selling Tet commodities are especially interesting.”

 

“It is also important that my children can speak Vietnamese. I hope direct contacts with the culture and language each time we come back will help my children learn Vietnamese better in Switzerland,” said the mother.

 

Over half a million overseas Vietnamese will head home for Tet, well up on last year partly thanks to economic recovery, according to the National Committee of Overseas Vietnamese. 

 

The Committee will organize a special program called “Spring on the homeland” January 28 in Hanoi for nearly 1,000 overseas Vietnamese, with the participation of state leaders and head of foreign embassies in Vietnam.

 

Dang Bui Viet, Head of the Youth Association at Tan Son Nhat International Airport said the organization has deployed 40 members to help with airport procedures and luggage checks on peak days. 

 

Source: Tuoi Tre