$1,200 for a bitter trip back to hometown on Tet Lunar New Year holiday

$1,200 for a bitter trip back to hometown on Tet Lunar New Year holiday

Our family’s Tet trip back to our hometown is costly and stressful, with VND30 million (US$1,222) spent on flights, not including gifts for relatives.

Many believe the essence of Tet is gathering and reunion, suggesting we can simply go back to our hometown without financial concerns. But is it really that straightforward?

Consider this: you arrive in your hometown empty-handed, with no gifts or lucky money for parents, siblings, and relatives, as your entire budget was allocated for family flight tickets. How many can actually do this without feeling embarrassed?

If you do, relatives might still criticize you for not bringing gifts, despite that you may have spent all you have on the journey to reunite.

Moreover, you spend VND30 million on flights for a mere few days’ stay, given the week-long duration of the holiday.

Ultimately, returning to your hometown for Tet entails more than just travel costs. For the wealthy, this is manageable. However, for those with just enough for daily needs, each Tet homecoming is a bitter ordeal.

These are my reflections, and I am curious to know if others share similar sentiments. What do you think on this?