Happiness for the poor in the Lunar New Year's days, Vietnam

Hanoi January 25 - February 3, 2013

Vietnamese Lunar New Year, more commonly known by its shortened name Tết, is the most important and traditional holiday and festival in Vietnam. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and decorating their houses. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết. In Vietnam, to celebrate Tết is to "ăn Tết", literally meaning "Tết eating", showing the importance of food in its celebration. Some of the food is also eaten year-round, while other dishes are only eaten during Tết. "Bánh chưng" (Chung cakes) are symbolically connected with Tết and are essential in any Tết celebration. Preparation is time-consuming, and can take days to cook. The story of their origins and their connection with Tết is often recounted to children while cooking them overnight. There are many poor families and children in Vietnam who can not afford to make Chung cakes because of their financial difficulty.

Local and international volunteers will work together at the Volunteers' House in Hanoi to make the traditional Chung cakes. They will also prepare special performances and gifts for disadvantaged children and adults. Then they will go to the Children's hospital and the Fisher Village to distribute the cakes, perform and spread happiness among the less-fortunate people.

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam with its ancient and modern features. You can enjoy Hanoi with its many museums and parks or just take a walk in the old square. Beautiful spots nearby are Halong Bay, Ba Vi, Mai Chau, Tam Coc ... Hai Duong is another big city 60 km far from Hanoi, Ha Long Bay is at about 180 km.

Full project details and other similar projects available at: www.cadip.org/volunteer-in-vietnam.htm