American veterans celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) in Nghe An.

(Baonghean) - On the morning of the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year), the people of Tay Ho village, Nam Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district) were surprised to see a tall, imposing "Westerner" leading a buffalo to the field with a friendly look and a constant smile on his face. His name is Paul Gheorghe Harding, a former American soldier who returned to Vietnam after nearly 40 years. He volunteered to open a free English class (in Trung Hoa ward, Cau Giay district, Hanoi). This Tet, he came to the hometown of one of his students to experience the warm and festive atmosphere of Tet in Nghe An province.

Paul shared: “For me, Vietnam is like a second home. Vietnamese people are warm, tolerant, and generous. I really wanted to do something good for your country, so I came here to learn more. I learned that there is a great demand for English among Vietnamese people, while the cost of learning English is still quite expensive, so I decided to open free English classes for people living here.”

Paul's free English class is open to everyone, regardless of age or education level. Students not only receive instruction in speaking and pronunciation skills but also gain knowledge about the socio-cultural aspects of Vietnam and the world. On his desk, he always keeps a copy of "Dang Thuy Tram's Diary," a diary that motivated him to return to Vietnam and inspired his lectures that portray Vietnamese patriotism. He says: "After reading Dang Thuy Tram's diary, I felt compelled to do something to correct past mistakes. I want to incorporate her example into my lectures so that the younger generation of Vietnamese people will remember and appreciate the patriotism of this woman."

Mr. Paul takes care of the buffalo.

To gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese rural culture, Mr. Paul asked a student to take him to his hometown in Tay Ho village, Nam Thanh (Yen Thanh district) to celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year. He stroked a buffalo and smiled, saying, "I arrived here on the 28th of the lunar month. This is my first time celebrating Tet in a Vietnamese village. The village is beautiful, and the people live in close harmony with nature. I love the close-knit, warm family reunions during Tet in Vietnam. During these days, people visit ancestral graves, prepare offerings for their ancestors, and spend a lot of time visiting relatives, neighbors, meeting friends, and lighting incense at ancestral temples. Meanwhile, Americans use the time to rest and relax. That's a big difference. I really enjoy traditional Vietnamese dishes, including banh chung (sticky rice cake), which has a very special flavor. Having interacted with these kind, hardworking farmers, I've always had a special affection for them." Paul also didn't forget to praise the buffaloes: "I couldn't believe how adorable these huge buffaloes are; they are so supportive and helpful to Vietnamese farmers."

Paul only stayed in Yen Thanh for three days, but his friendly and down-to-earth nature endeared him to the locals. Every household invited him to celebrate New Year's Eve and to be the first visitor of the year. Nguyen Tho Ha shared: "During the Tet holiday, Paul visited almost every family in Tay Ho village, took the buffaloes to the fields, and when students, including elementary school children, came to ask him for English lessons, he enthusiastically explained. He also sought out former soldiers who fought against the Americans to chat and share stories." Nguyen Tho Bac, a veteran of the 1972 resistance against the Americans, said: "I told Paul that we were enemies before, but now that we meet again, we are friends. Vietnamese people are always tolerant and magnanimous…"

In the warm spring sunshine, the old veteran enthusiastically taught English to the children, then clasped hands and greeted former Vietnamese veterans who had fought on opposing sides. From the bottom of his heart, he said, "We lost our youth in Vietnam, but now that we've returned, we've found the youth we lost, and we've learned so much from you all..."

Van Truong