(VOVworld) - First we’d like to welcome a new listener, Stu McLeod of Napier City, New Zealand. He listened to the VOV World service on Sunday, April 5. Stu told us our news section was well understood and the song about Hanoi was very relaxing. Reception on his 1936 Philips Vintage Radio was very good with SINPO rated at 55545.

B: Tug-of-war is a folk game that appeared in Vietnam long ago and is often organized during spring festivals to pray for favorable weather, a good crop, happiness and prosperity. The tug-of-war game symbolizes the strength and unity of farmers.

(VOVworld) - Have you looked at the weather forecast for Hanoi this week? It’s going to rain until next Thursday.

Sending us a beautiful postcard with warm greetings, Joseph Mulvihill of Ireland wrote: “Greetings to you all at the Voice of Vietnam. Thank you all for the beautiful New Year card, pocket calendar 2015, and program guide. First of all, may I wish you all at VOV a very happy New Year 2015. I have no internet. I have a shortwave radio. Could you send me a radio report form so I can report my reception to VOV?”

(VOVworld) - This week we received an interesting guest from Russia. He is Maxim Kochergin, a listener to VOV in Russian and English. Maxim is a broadcaster on a radio channel specializing in traffic information in Novosibirsk. He hosts a 3-hour program every morning. During a vacation trip to Vietnam, Maxim visited VOV’s station at 45 Ba Trieu, Hanoi. During his short visit on March 6, we had an interesting talk about our programs and his experience of listening to VOV.

A: Mitul Kansal sent us a multi-page entry showing his understanding of Vietnam through VOV broadcasts and his love for VOV. Mitul wrote: “VOV has inspired me to view things in a positive way. It has brought a positive change to my character, my attitude and my outlook. I fully believe that VOV is providing me knowledge, information, awareness and entertainment. A lot of thanks to the VOV World Service. It has undergone spectacular changes. Beginning with traditional media, the journey of VOV today has now gone digital with net surfers browsing through the world wide web’.

(VOVworld) - Happy New Year, dear listeners. We’re very glad to be back on the Letter Box segment after one week off for the lunar New Year holiday. We wish you a year full of good luck, good health, and success. Thank you very much for sending us so many warm wishes and encouraging feedback on our Tet programs.

(VOVworld) - Dear listeners, since we started to advertise the contest, we have received some questions from listeners. Ralph Perry of the US asked “Do prizes include airfare to and from Vietnam and the US?” “For the last question, are you looking for a guess of the total number?’

A: First on our show today, we’d like to thank you all for your regular feedback to our broadcasts. As shortwave broadcasting is fading out amidst the explosion of digital media, your feedback has become a source of encouragement for us to continue broadcasting on shortwave.

(VOVworld) - I’d like to remind you again that VOV’s English program is now broadcast on the internet at the same time as on shortwave. Please log in to our website at www.vovworld.vn to listen to our program with stable quality.