Tết Tết Tết Tết Đến Rồi! (Tet is coming!)

Tết, as the Chinese New Year is known in Vietnam, is fast approaching! This year will be the Year of the Golden Snake and it falls on Saturday night. It is basically a combination of the Japanese New Year (see my blog post here), the Western-style Christmas and everyone's birthday rolled into one.. so it's a pretty big deal!!!

日本風なお正月＋洋風なクリスマス＋みなさんの誕生日みたいな大きなエベントがやってきます。。ベトナムのお正月です！

Interestingly in Vietnam, everyone ages by one year at the Lunar New Year and not on their date of birth (though personal birthdays are still often celebrated Western-style, because, why not!?)

昨日天気がよくて出かけました！！
This weekend brought AMAZING summery weather (mid twenties and elusive blue skies!), and determined not to waste it, Toshi and I headed to Hoan Kiem to seek out Tết preparations following the recommendation of a student's parent.

Maple Bear End-of-the-Year Party
35 of the 70-or-so staff at our school gathered and pooled resources to fix up a hot pot in one of our classrooms! It was great to bring the staff together and my assistant cooked up such a yummy broth!!!
メープルベアで開いた鍋の忘年会 ！海老うまかった！

Veg, shrimp, chicken, tofu, beef and oysters! Don't forget the yummy MSG!

  Chicken foot- abundant with wrinkle-preventing collagen and elastane!

From this Friday Toshi and I will head to Osaka over the Lunar New Year holiday period until the 16th, including a brief trip to the Island of Saipan over Valentine's. This will be my first time to America.. though as it's not the mainland, not sure whether to count it or not! I'm sure you can guess I'm very excited!!
金曜日から吉田家によろしくおねがいします！