Celebrating Tet on a remote island

(Baonghean.vn) - On the outpost islands, everywhere you can hear the familiar voices, the steadfastness and courage of the Nghe people amidst the storms. There, they celebrate Tet and welcome Spring while watching each wave, each sweep on the radar screen to firmly protect the sacred sky and sea of ​​the Fatherland.

Setting foot on Ly Son island district when the apricot trees and chrysanthemum pots were showing off their bright yellow color under the spring sunshine, we crossed nearly 200m of steep road to reach the highest mountain peak (highest point 169m) on Ly Son island, where Radar Station 550 is located. Although we were very tired after crossing more than 180 nautical miles from Ly Son island district in conditions of big waves, strong winds and steep slopes, when we arrived, we were all very excited.

That's right, because at this peak, you can feel the sky and earth blending with the sound of the waves. And even though Tet has arrived everywhere on the beloved S-shaped land, even though the atmosphere of welcoming the New Year is everywhere in the country, you, the navy soldiers, are still diligently following every slice on the station's radar screen.

Decorating the altar to celebrate Tet on Ly Son Island. Photo: Canh Nam

To our surprise, a very familiar voice said: “Hey! Hello guys. When did you come?”. Recognizing the Nghe An accent, I went to ask him and learned that he was Lieutenant Dang Van Xuan, born in 1983, from Dien Thang commune (Dien Chau). Xuan enlisted in the army in 2003. He was previously stationed in Phu Quoc, then worked at the 3rd Region Command and was assigned to Ly Son island in the first month of 2016. So celebrating Tet away from home has become very normal for him.

Mr. Xuan confided: “On the days before Tet, if we only hope to have someone from our hometown in the delegations come to visit and congratulate us, we will feel like we are seeing our hometown. Moreover, having a fellow countryman gives us the opportunity to send a few small gifts to encourage our families. Everyone here wants to celebrate Tet with their relatives and friends. But we all feel the need to put aside our personal feelings for the common mission, which is to protect the sacred skies and seas of our Fatherland.”

Saying goodbye to Mr. Xuan, we continued to meet the soldiers of the Search and Rescue Station of Ly Son Border Guard Station. Welcoming us right at the gate, after a friendly handshake, Lieutenant Nguyen Minh Son - Station Chief led us on a tour around the station.

Living in Dong Vinh Ward (Vinh City), Lieutenant Son confided: "Tet is coming, I just want to go home with my wife and children to Lenin or Phan Dinh Phung street to buy some peach blossoms and some fruits to give to my grandparents and decorate the house, that's enough... But it's okay, I've called home to encourage my wife, children and family. My wife even said she's proud of her husband. So I'm very happy and feel my responsibility is even greater."

We said goodbye and did not forget to wish Mr. Son a new year with a steady hand on the gun and a steady hand on the wheel to return to Radar Station 550. Upon arriving, the New Year's Eve meal had been prepared by the officers and soldiers with all the flavors of Tet from the mainland, including green sticky rice cakes, pickled onions, ham, chicken, pork... all prepared by the hands of the unit's young soldiers. At the dinner table, they told each other about the warm Tet in their hometown, about their beloved girls, their foolish love affairs during their school days, and sang each other folk songs from their hometown, songs about naval soldiers. Their singing voices mixed with the sound of the ocean waves made the Spring atmosphere of the Station more vibrant and warm.

Corporal Le Van Chuong and his teammates decorate apricot branches for Tet. Photo: Canh Nam

Corporal Le Van Chuong, 19 years old, from Nghi Loc district, who had just arrived on the island 3 months ago, suddenly stood up and asked his commander to let him sing the song "The Vi and Giam melody is you". With the still broken voice of a young man, Chuong boldly sang: "Then one afternoon, I suddenly remembered my homeland/ I heard you sing folk songs from Nghe An/ The lullaby was like a time when I was a child/ Taking me back to the old childhood shore/ The Vi melody of my homeland amidst the hustle and bustle/ My homeland is still very poor, my dear!/ Why is the Vi melody so meaningful/ It makes the heart of a child far away flutter/...

Listening to Chuong sing, the whole space seemed to quiet down, everyone's emotions surged with intense nostalgia for their homeland, observing that many people knew the song and hummed along. That's right, in Nghe An and Ha Tinh alone - the cradle of the smooth and profound Vi and Giam folk songs that are the material for the song the young soldier is singing here - there are nearly 20 officers and soldiers.

Then when Chuong finished singing, everyone gave him a round of applause and it was also the time we said goodbye to the pearl island of Ly Son, carrying with us our wishes, hastily written letters and messages from our brothers to return to the mainland.

New Year's Eve on Ly Son Island. Photo: Canh Nam

Saying goodbye to the island soldiers, we all had the same feeling that, although life in the units still had many difficulties, with the comradeship and team spirit; responsibility for the homeland and the Fatherland. Besides that, there was the special attention of the unit and all levels of the industry for the children living and working on the remote islands. Most specifically, the organization of Tet and Spring celebrations on the island, as warm as in the homeland, would help the soldiers to ease their homesickness and their longing for their loved ones, so that they could firmly hold their guns day and night to protect the sky and sea of ​​their homeland./.

Southern Scenery