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