As spring is just around the corner, officers, soldiers and residents on Truong Sa’s islands in the central province of Khanh Hoa are busy preparing for the Lunar New Year (Tet) – the biggest festival in a year of Vietnamese people.
Phan Nguyen Xuan Thuy, a resident on Sinh Ton island, said that Tet essentials in remote Truong Sa are sufficient to manifest the traditional features of the Vietnamese people. Everyone is busy preparing traditional foods and five-fruit trays, and decorating apricot trees to welcome guests who are officers and soldiers on the island.
The most exciting are the making of ‘banh chung’ (square sticky rice cake), art exchanges, and participation in traditional folk games by both soldiers and residents, Thuy added.
Fresh in his mission on Sinh Ton island, sailor Truong Ngoc Quang said that this will be the first time he celebrates Tet away from home but in a very special place.
Putting aside his homesickness, the young soldier said he is determined to complete his mission and preparing to celebrate Tet with his comrades-in-arms on the island.
Truong Sa officers, soldiers and residents are not left lonely, as ships from the mainland keep visiting them one after another on the approach of Tet.
Unloaded from the ships are not only Tet gifts and necessities to serve their daily life, but also the affection and attention of people nationwide towards Truong Sa.
All these have been making Tet in Truong Sa warm and special so that officers and soldiers on duty there can fulfil all assigned tasks
