(VOVworld) - Spring has come to Tho Chu island, covering the area with cool pleasant weather. Around the island, hundreds of boats are at anchor in the peaceful blue water. At this time of the year, the local islanders are busy selling and buying pork, vegetables, fruit, and confectionery to prepare for Tet.

Tho Chu is a border island commune in Phu Quoc district, Kien Giang province. It consists of 8 islets including Hon Tu, Hon Cao, Hon Xanh, and Hon Nhan. There are now some 500 households living on Tho Chu. The local people live mainly on fishing, aquaculture, and fishing services. Though economic conditions are a little bit more difficult this year, this doesn’t seem to dampen much the exciting atmosphere of the Lunar New Year. Everyone is eager for Tet. Mr. Chin Binh is a local: “The island is rather remote. Everyone looks forward to welcoming the new year. We decorate our houses and  buy a lot of new things to prepare for Tet”.

Though transportation is not as easy as on the mainland, the local market offers a variety of goods for Tet. In the 300 meters between the pier and Hoang temple, there are dozens of vendors selling essential goods like mini supermarkets. They have everything from confectionary and beverages to fruits and flowers. The area is bustling with sellers and buyers. Ms. Thieu Ngoc Dung has witnessed great changes on the island in the 21 years she has lived there: “Different kinds of goods for Tet have been transported here. It not only caters to the local people’s needs but also to the soldiers. This year, more goods have been brought here. Essential things like fruits and other food are transported from the mainland to the island 3 or 4 days before Tet”.  

Though the lives of the local people are getting better, the islanders still look forward to the ships carrying Tet goods from the mainland. The new year’s cargo ship comes only once every 10 days, so Tet’s approach on the island is more exciting and full of anticipation. Having only fish available, islanders depend on goods from the mainland to meet their daily needs. Nguyen Thi Hong Hai is Chairwoman of Tho Chu commune’s Women’s Union: “We can only grow vegetables here. We lack pork, chicken, and fruits. So we depend on goods brought from the mainland to meet our daily needs”.

Fresh vegetable is best seller on the island (Photo: VOV)

Decorative items like silk flowers, pictures and twinkling lights are also best seller at Tet. Everyone wants their house to be well-decorated for Tet. Every family has a small apricot branch in their living room. Ms. Ngoc Le said unlike the apricots on the mainland, apricot trees on the island have a brighter color and greater resistance to the severe weather here: “We take  apricot trees from the forest.  We only buy other kinds of flowers and fresh foods from the mainland. We have everything for Tet. Square sticky rice or Chung cakes and tet cakes are usually made the day before Tet”.

Tet often creates a feeling of nostalgia on the island as most of the people who have settled there come from other areas in Vietnam such as Ca Mau, Hau Giang, Thanh Hoa, or Nghe An. Ms. Hai again: “Fishermen and others who are far from their homeland join the islanders to celebrate Tet. We consider each other family sharing a common home”.

First batches of fish in the new year (Photo: VOV)

Having lived far from their homeland for more than 20 years, people like Ms. Nhung, Ms. Le and Mr. Binh now consider Tho Chu island their second homeland.