Foreign students in a lecture on Vietnamese history (Photo: Phuong Thao)

Palai said, "I think Vietnamese is neither too easy nor too hard. If you focus, work hard, and practice speaking often, it’s not that tough. But I’d say the hardest part of learning Vietnamese is pronunciation, especially the tones. Listening can be tricky too."

Haram said, "Vietnamese language is rich, but writing and grammar are tough for me because Vietnamese grammar is harder than Korean grammar. Also, one Vietnamese word can mean a lot of different things, which isn’t the case in Korean. Vietnamese people also use a lot of similes, like "black as ink" or "fast as a rabbit."

Ms. Dao Thi Thanh Huyen, the lecturer, told me that having students like Haram and Palai, who are so engaged and active, is one of the best parts of her job. After working with foreign students for years, she still finds it challenging to connect with them and help them connect with each other, especially when they come from different cultures and are in a new country. But even with these challenges, she finds the work really rewarding. She shared one unforgettable experience:

"When I first started teaching here many years ago, I noticed students would come to class feeling nervous, sometimes even scared, and surprised by some things. But they were always excited to see how the lessons would go and to learn something new. After 18 years of teaching, I’ve watched many students grow and change. Some got married to Vietnamese partners and had their weddings here. Seeing how far they’ve come fills me with so much love, pride, and honor."

Talking to me, Haram and Palai shared their amazing stories about how they fell in love with Vietnam. For them, learning about the culture isn’t just about classes—they love going out and getting into the local way of life.

As Tet was getting closer, they decided to celebrate their way and planned something they called “tour giáp Tet” (near-Tet tour) to show me all the lively and festive vibes. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to think. I thought, “Really? Two foreigners want to show me, a local, something new about Tet? That sounds impossible.” But the next day, they totally proved me wrong.

We kicked off the day with Palai’s usual routine: a trip to the nearby market. On days when she doesn’t have morning classes, she wakes up at 6 AM to buy ingredients for the next couple of days, since they’re cheaper and fresher at that time.

She said, "Today, I bought milk, candy, vegetables, apples, pork, and beef to cook dinner with my friends. I also bargained a bit with the vendors, and they didn’t realize I was Laotian. They said, ‘Oh, you’re from Laos? I didn’t recognize that. I thought you were Vietnamese!’ (laughs). Oh and I bargained successfully!"

To be able to speak a foreign language so fluently that natives can’t tell your speech apart from theirs is no easy task. Palai began her journey at a boarding high school for ethnic minorities in Xiangkhouang province, where she had just a two-hour Vietnamese lesson each week. But that wasn’t enough exposure or learning time. Driven by her curiosity about Vietnamese culture, life, and people, Palai earned a five-year scholarship from the Vietnamese government to study in Vietnam. When she first arrived, she spent a few months taking prep language courses at the Friendship School 80 in Hanoi. In addition to lessons in the class, Palai watched movies and listened to music to learn more natural ways of speaking.

"When I first got to Vietnam, I didn’t know any Vietnamese. I really wanted to learn, so I asked the ladies in the school canteen to teach me. To spend more time with them and practice, I started helping with the dishes. I’d ask, “What’s this called in Vietnamese?” and they’d kindly tell me. Over time, I got closer to them, and after school, I’d go to the canteen to eat and help with the dishes. It left a big impression on me because that’s where I met my foster mom, who worked in the canteen. On weekends, I’d visit her, and she’d teach me how to cook Vietnamese dishes. I often invite my friends over, and we cook and share meals together like a family."

According to the US-based Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Vietnamese is described as a “hard language” and is ranked in Category IV (languages that require approximately 44 weeks or 1100 class hours for an English speaker to achieve working proficiency). Many other Vietnamese learners, like Palai, struggled with the tones and words that have multiple meanings. For Palai, her Vietnamese teachers and friends would point out her mistakes and help her correct her sentences. 

Strolling around the market for about half an hour, we located all of the ingredients Palai needed. The breezy near-Tet weather, coupled with the mouth-watering smell of street food, made our stomachs rumble, literally. Without hesitation, we decided to warm it up with a good bowl of bún or rice noodle, the girls’ favorite Vietnamese dish. Haram insisted we try a local stall selling bún mọc (pork and mushroom noodle soup). 

From the way she skillfully introduced her go-to dish and ordered food, you can tell she’s a frequent customer. 

Haram said, "When I came to Vietnam, I switched up my eating habits—from Korean food to being a huge fan of Vietnamese food. I love noodle soup with crab and fried tofu, but this place is my top spot for noodle soup with meatballs. I probably eat it 3-4 times a week. The meatballs here are homemade, and I think they’re different—they’re not as doughy like the ones you get elsewhere."

After just a couple of hours hanging out with the two "tour guides," I was already impressed by how well they knew Hanoi. The next stop was the Hanoi Museum, which Palai—who’s really into Vietnamese history and culture—recommended.

Getting there was an experience on its own. The girls quickly hopped on their motorbikes and took the lead. What’s more Vietnamese than riding a motorbike through the crazy traffic, right? Back in South Korea, Haram’s hometown, people mainly use the subway to get around. But here they were, easily navigating Hanoi’s busy streets on their two Hondas.

Haram said, "In South Korea, it takes about 3 hours a day to commute back and forth from home to school, and when I get on the train, I just sleep, so I didn’t really like it. In Vietnam, the traffic is a bit crazy, but I’m still confident zooming around, going to school, and heading to the city. When I’m on the back of someone else’s bike, I feel more nervous, but when I’m riding myself, I feel much more relaxed and at ease."

Palai at the Hanoi Museum (Photo: Phuong Thao)

When we got to the museum, we were greeted by all kinds of cool artifacts, like ancient drums and bells from different dynasties. The nearby exhibit showed how Tet traditions have evolved, like saying goodbye to the Kitchen Gods, making traditional foods like chung cake (square sticky rice) cake, decorating the five-fruit tray, and buying peach/apricot blossoms and kumquat trees.

There was also stuff about first footing and playing traditional games like bamboo dancing, as well as calligraphy writing and making toy figurines. These traditions are still a big part of Tet today. To my surprise, some of these traditions are also part of Laos’ Pi Mai (New Year) celebrations in April.

Palai said, "When I first came to Vietnam and celebrated Tet, I was really surprised by how big the chưng cake is here. In Laos, we make it too, but it’s much smaller. The Vietnamese ones are huge! You also use a lot more meat here, while in Laos, we add peanuts, bananas, and just a little bit of meat. We’ve got similar traditions, like calligraphy writing and giving blessings. Families visit each other, and we have this tradition of tying threads around wrists. We tie threads around the parents' wrists to honor them and wish them a long, healthy life."

Photo: Phuong Thao

Other highlights at the Hanoi museum include a recreation of the architecture of old Hanoi and the poster exhibition of the iconic 36 streets. Before leaving, we visited an area dedicated to the legacy of President Ho Chi Minh. My jaw dropped at Palai’s mini presentation"

"President Ho Chi Minh was born on May 19, 1890, in Kim Lien village, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province, into a deeply patriotic family. Growing up under French colonial rule, he witnessed the poverty and suffering of the people. Seeing these hardships, he developed a strong desire to free the nation. He worked tirelessly, believing that little by little, you can achieve great things. Eventually, he succeeded in liberating the country. President Ho Chi Minh is one of the most remarkable figures in history, and I admire him a lot. He was not only intelligent and talented but also a person of great moral character."

Palai’s genuine enthusiasm and knowledge made it clear just how much she had fallen in love with the culture she now called her own.

Haram from South Korea and her Vietnamese boyfriend, Nguyen Khuong (Photo: Phuong Khanh)

 During our Tet outing, Haram surprised us with a guest. Curious and excited, we followed her and saw a tall, lean guy with neatly combed black hair, casually dressed in a light shirt and jeans. Turns out, he's Haram's Vietnamese boyfriend, Nguyen Khuong. Khuong looked at Haram with so much love and pride. He said he’s never thought of his Korean girlfriend as a foreigner.

Khuonng said, "I think Haram is basically 95.5% Vietnamese. If you want to talk about her most Vietnamese trait, it's definitely her Ao Dai. She looks stunning in it. Before meeting Haram, I thought I was a great cook. But after meeting her, I realized I can't make hot pot like she does. The sauce she mixes is amazing, and the dipping sauce is just as good. I even want to bring a bottle of her sauce with me to restaurants.

We hopped on a motorbike and headed to the Hanoi Old Quarter. Right in the middle of the area is Hang Ma Street, a must-visit for any festive celebration. It's famous for its colorful trade of paper products and votive offerings rooted in Eastern culture.

 Over time, the street vendors started selling festive items for occasions like Christmas and the Mid-Autumn Festival. When we visited, the street was decked out in vibrant red for Tet. Shops were packed with classic Tet items like flowers, lì xì (red envelopes), decorative fans, lanterns, and firecrackers. In Laos, people also sell festive stuff for Lao New Year Pi Mai, but it's a bit different.

Palai said, "During Pi Mai, vendors sell bright, floral-patterned clothes, just like in Thailand. They also have water guns and buckets since water is a big part of our celebrations. People fill their cars with water containers and drive around. Vendors even sell colorful wigs and costumes, but it's more scattered. There's no street dedicated to festive goods like here. Instead, you find these items all over town."

A corner of Hang Ma street (Photo: Phuong Thao)

We finally reached our last stop of the near-Tet tour, Hanoi University, to join 'Tet Viet 2025.' It's the biggest annual event held by the Vietnamese Studies department for international students

The air was filled with excitement. We all changed into áo dài to really enjoy the festive mood. You could hear Tet music and the rhythmic beat of drums for the lion dance. We were greeted by a beautiful gate made of bamboo and rattan, giving a rustic feel. Four bamboo booths were set up, each for a traditional activity like Đông Hồ folk painting, tò he or toy figurine making, calligraphy writing, and tasting tea and candied fruit. Each booth was packed with visitors eager to try out these activities.

Haram said. "During Tet in Korea, people visit each other's house, but it's mostly just relatives. Friends rarely come over. When guests do visit, Koreans usually serve taek, a chewy dish similar to Vietnamese rice cakes. The idea behind this dish is that with a new age comes a longer life."

Various activities take place during Vietnamese Tet  2025 event (Photo: Hanoi University)

Just around the corner, they had some old-school games set up, like the duck ring toss and bamboo dancing, where people take turns hopping through bamboo poles. In the nearby corner, there was a collection of tables piled high with everything you need to make chưng cake and fried spring rolls—those classic Tet dishes. Azzurra, an Italian student, was holding a chung cake that she had just made from scratch.

She said, "Tet is like a family uh event. Everybody comes back to their hometowns and enjoy time with a family is like Christmas in Europe, I've never been in a house with Vietnamese people and like eat bánh chưng that because it's the first time I came in Vietnam during that season. So I hope this this year I will enjoy."

Unlike Azzurra, Wat from Thailand was holding a what he called “a piece of art”

He said, "This is Tranh Đông Hồ. I knew it was going to be a traditional imprint. We have a really big store near Old Quarter. I went there a lot of time before. It's really beautiful. Not a lot of people like it nowadays. It's just that it didn't change much. I think. But still beautiful. Really good looking."

Photo: Hanoi University

As the day wrapped up, it hit me—these challenges of adapting to a new culture, language, and way of life? They really don’t matter as much as I thought. Palai and Haram, despite all the struggles with language and differences in tradition, had embraced Vietnam in such a genuine way. They weren’t just studying Tet—they were living it, sharing it, and making it their own.

By the end of the day, they weren’t just foreign students; they were part of the Vietnamese Tet experience. And that, I realized, is what really matters when it comes to adapting and connecting with a new culture. The effort, the openness, and the joy of shared experiences make all the difference. So, yes, foreign students may face some difficulties, but in the end, these challenges are what help make their journey here so memorable.