Internationalmatt's Blog

This blog is about my international friends and their inspiring stories

Chuc Mung Nam Moi Party at Andre Dung Lac Church

This afternoon a Vietnamese Catholic Church here in Lincoln had their Vietnamese New Year party. It was my privilege to be able to join them for their special celebration. It started with the Lion Dance to welcome the New Year. The Lion was decorated in bright colors of red and gold. We stood in the hallway together to watch the Lion Dance.

After the Lion Dance we went into the party. There was plenty of delicious food to sample and some fun entertainment. The lunch began with presentation of the flag of the U.S. and a Vietnamese flag with the National Anthem of the U.S. playing.

The entertainment included some singing and also some dance routines to music. It was great to see one of my former students in a dance portraying Vietnamese farmers. There were a few dance routines of children. The entertainment started with some men dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing making what seemed to be some proclamations. One of them seemed to be humorous based on the response of the audience. I only know a few greetings in Vietnamese, so I am not sure what they were saying, but it was a lot of fun anyway.

Performers of Vietnamese Dance about Farmers

cute kids :)

more cute kids :)

The entertainment was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed it, but the highlight for me is always being able to see my friends and students and in a small way bless them in their lives here. I try to remember when I go to special functions that it is not about me at all. It is about my friends and students and being a blessing to them. It is about trying to reflect the love of God to them and others gathered for the occasion. One thing my father instilled in me was “be nice to the older women and help them”. It was meaningful to me to be able to greet some of the senior citizens with Chuc Mung Nam Moi, Happy New Year, Chuc May Man, Good Luck, and Chuc Vui Ve, Be Happy. It was meaningful to me to do so since I am very aware of the fact that they have lived through the horrors of war and lived through the refugee experience. If my simple greetings can bring a smile to their face, it makes my time worthwhile.

When I see my former and current students with their families, I like to share my simple greetings in their language to show my respect and admiration for them. I also try to take a little time to express to their families how proud I am of my students. It is a blessing for me just to be able to see them have fun, laugh and smile. With all of the stress they have in their lives, I am glad for them when I can see them experience a special occasion with their families.

Today is the last day of Tet, Vietnamese New Year, and I am blessed to have been able to spend time with my friends and their families. I would like to say CHUC MUNG NAM MOI to them and all my readers :)

January 29, 2012 Posted by | Cutural Celebrations, Experiences of international friends, Holidays, International Friendships, international students, Internationals, Vietnamese friends | Leave a Comment

Kim Bop- Lunar New Year Gift of Korean Food from Vietnamese Students :)

One of my friends from Vietnam in my Saturday group has some Korean friends. Linh and I have shared about out mutual appreciation for Korean food. She has been able to enjoy some Korean food with her Korean friends. For three years I helped with a Korean church on Sunday afternoons. I would teach the children bible in English while their parents worshiped in Korean. Afterward we would sit down together to dine on various Korean dishes. On Saturday after our study group Linh told me she had made some Kim Bop for me.

my three chefs :)

Linh told me the Kim Bop was from her and our friends Thao and Tram. The simple gifts made by hand many times have the most meaning. It was a blessing to receive Kim Bop because I love it, but even more so because my friends took the time to make it for me.

Kim Bop is made of of rice and vegetables rolled in seaweed and cut into small round pieces. Some people will put fish, meat or egg inside. I tried to make some once myself when I was at a Korean friend’s house, but it fell apart. My Kim Bop chef days lasted all of 10 minutes as my friends and I laughed at my inept chef skills. I was proud of my friends Linh, Thao and Tram for being to make Kim Bop.

Kim Bop

Thanks for the Kim Bop Linh, Thao and Tram. Happy New Year to all of my friends from China, Korea and Vietnam. Or as they say in Vietnam- Chuc Mung Nam Moi, in Korea- 새해 복 많이 받으세요, in China- 新年快乐.

January 23, 2012 Posted by | Cutural Celebrations, food, Holidays, International Friendships, international students, Internationals, Korean friends, Vietnamese friends | Leave a Comment

Vietnamese New Year Party with my Saturday Group- Chuc Mung Nam Moi

our group today :)

This morning in my Saturday group we celebrated Tet, Vietnamese New Year, for our class. My Saturday friends all come from Vietnam. I appreciate them so much that I wanted to try to bless them a little for their biggest holiday of the year. They are diligent with their studies and in building their new lives in America, so I try to find ways to create some fun for them and give them a bit of a break from life.

We had pizza, tiramisu, and ice cream cake. Chuong one of our newest members brought the gift basket of snacks. It was a blessing to watch my friends laugh and have some fun. I know how hard they work in school and to learn English. That was why I wanted to surprise them with a cake. I went to the bakery in the HyVee store and asked them to write Chuc Mung Nam Moi in red and yellow on the cake. Chuc Mung Nam Moi is Happy New Year. The colors red and yellow are for Luck and Money, so I asked them to use red and yellow, closest to gold, for the cake.

I also bought some special envelopes at the Vietnamese Market to give them Lucky Money. The idea is to put some money inside and expressing wishes and blessings when giving the envelope to the person. I put a $2 bill inside each envelope and one by one walked around the table to say to them Chúc Mừng Năm Mới -Happy New Year, Chuc Vui Ve – Be Happy, and Chúc May Mắn- Good Luck. I also shared with them what I pray for when I pray for them and wishes for them to grow with God.

some of my friends with their Lucky Money

Being a blessing to my Vietnamese friends at Tet is something I look forward to each year. I was glad to share Tet with my friends a little this morning. It actually begins on Monday January 23rd this year, so if you have any Vietnamese, Chinese or Korean friends wish them a Happy New Year. I would like to say to all of my Vietnamese friends Chúc Mừng Năm Mới :)

January 21, 2012 Posted by | Cross Cultural, Cutural Celebrations, Experiences of international friends, Holidays, International Friendships, international students, Internationals, Vietnamese friends | Leave a Comment

   

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