Teachers' Day

Teachers' Day is a special day only celebrated in Vietnam on the 20th of November every year. This is an occasion for students show gratitude to their beloved teachers. On that day, teaching career is specially respected as the most noble job. Teachers receive lots of best wishes, grateful words from their students and their colleagues as well. Having these wishes, teachers have more passion and motivation in their teaching career. The celebration of this special day is prepared carefully by both teachers and students.
Flowers cannot be missed in this occasion; in the early morning, hundreds of flowers'stalls are built in the school gate even on the sidewalk; a big red panel " HAppy Teachers' Day" is hang in the annoucement's location; Flowers are decorated everywhere. All of these create a particular view only seen on this occasion. In the school yard, students prepare for the cooking contest that is the annual constest celebrated for student from all faculties. The fans excitingly support their friends while these contestants extremly concerntrate on their dishes; try to trim the flowers from the carrots. The meeting hall is colorfully decorated with lots of balloons, flowers, panels to welcome teachers to the meeting in the late morning.
After the cooking contest, a music show joined with the meeting of all teachers is celebrated in the meeting hall. Teachers wear their most beautiful clothes; female teachers look very lissome in the Ao Dai; male teachers seem younger in the veston. Their faces are radiant with happy smiles. The teachers' day meeting programme has many parts. The first one is the speech of the head-master. He speaks something about the tradition of teachers' day; encourage the common in teaching career. The speech is stoped by beautiful songs. Affterthat, they wish each other; share feelings and teaching experiences as well.Many noble awards is given to person has good record in teaching and practising. These awards are as encouragement for them to try more in teaching career. Affter the meeting, they have lunch together to tighten the solidarity in the community.
In the evening, the faculty meeting is celebrated among teachers in each faculty. This is a good chance for teachers in faculty talk and share experiences with others. They sing, dance and enjoy music together. Finally, a sweet party is held in faculty office. The rest time, they spent for their students, and prepare new lesson for the next day.
Teachers'Day of Vietnamese people has special meanings. It is celebrated in different way in each village, each school, but it is still a chance for students show gratefullness to teachers. We should keep it as a good tradition of ours.

The Sen Dolta of the Khmer

Sen Dolta_one of the most important festival of the Khmer_is taken place on the 29th, 30th and 31st of the August every year. "Sen Dolta" in Khmer tongue means "worshiping the ancestors", so it is celebrated to pray for the spirits of their ancestors. Beside that the Sen Dolta is also a good occasion for the whole family to reunite. In three-day festival, the Khmer have chance to exchange relations and tighten the bonds of friendship with others through many activities and ceremonies.
On the first day, each Khmer family prepare for the reception ceremony by tidying and cleaning their ancestors' braves. In the early morning, they visit and decorate these braves with lots of flowers. At home, an altar is built in the most soleumn place of the house. Four bowls of rice, three cups of wine and some traditional dishes are laid on the altar; the incenses are burn; candles are lit. Afterwards, the head of the family pour the wine to welcome the spirits of their ancestors. The Khmer believe that their ancestors will visit and stay with them in three-day festival. After the ritual, the whole family have meal together. In the evening, the pagoda yard is lived up by the traditional arts; Khmer women in colorful dresses dance the Lam-thol while the men whistle and sing the Five Notes song. They sing, dance, drink and enjoy the festival all night.
The second day is very special with the buffalo raking contest_the annual contest celebrated for people in that area. The preparation for the contest must be done carefully before that. Each contestant choose two of buffaloes and train them in one month. During this time, the buffaloes is taken special care and menu to have health secured. For example, they drink fresh coconut milk, and eat eggs every day; take a shower, and be dried by a soft towel. The raking contest is extremly fascinating. The buffaloes in the control of their driver try to defeat their enemies in order to take the colorful tintinnabulum as an award for the winners.
The final day, people prepare for the farawell ceremony. A boat made from the ochrea of the banana tree is the most necessary thing in this ceremony. According to the Khmer's belief, this boat will drive their ancestors to the hades, so it is decorated colorfully. The family also have a farawell meal. The head of the family take some food put into a small bowl and lay it into the boat. He also scatters some salt, rice on the boat. After the ritual, the boat is dropped on a river or a lake near their house. Then the whole family enjoy the meal together. From that time, the festival ends; people go on their normal life, and prepare for a new crop.
Sen Dolta is special occasion of the Khmer in the South. This is a good chance for them to show the appreciation to their ancestors, and relax after a hard havest. Beside that it is also vary the Vietnamese's culture; make our culture more diversity than ever.