Tet for Foreign Teachers: Prepare, Participate and Return Thoughtfully

Tet, Vietnam's Lunar New Year, can change the rhythm of an ordinary teaching week. It is a time associated with family visits, preparations and celebration, but there is no single experience shared by every household or workplace. For a teacher new to Vietnam, the most useful approach combines curiosity with practical planning. Ask about arrangements early and let people describe their own traditions.

Start with the school's calendar

Ask for the confirmed final teaching day, return date and any meetings or training around the break. Do not infer your leave from a public-holiday headline or another school's timetable. The Gregorian dates change each year, and workplace arrangements need to be checked for the relevant year. This guide intentionally does not provide a reusable set of holiday dates.

Clarify how the break affects your own contract and payment schedule. If classes will be rescheduled, ask when and how this will be communicated. Find out who remains available for urgent administrative questions. Resolve time-sensitive document matters before offices close rather than assuming someone can complete them during the holiday.

Finish the term thoughtfully

Prepare a clear stopping point for each class and note what learners will need when they return. If you assign practice, make the purpose and expected effort explicit. Avoid assuming every student will have internet access, a quiet workspace or spare time during family visits. Ask the academic team about its approach before adding extra holiday tasks.

A classroom conversation about celebrations can invite learners to share, but participation should not require disclosing family circumstances, religion or spending. Offer alternatives, such as describing a fictional gathering or a favourite seasonal food. Do not present one student's answer as the definitive Vietnamese tradition. Protect privacy when sharing classroom photographs or activities.

Plan transport and daily essentials

If travelling, confirm tickets, check-in requirements, cancellation terms and the journey back before committing to accommodation. Leave a buffer before your first obligation after the break. A route that normally seems straightforward can be less convenient when schedules or availability change. Do not rely on an old blog's prices or opening hours.

If staying home, check the holiday hours of shops, pharmacies and services you depend on. Arrange necessary prescriptions through a qualified clinician and keep insurance and emergency contacts accessible. Buy ordinary supplies without stockpiling. Ask your landlord or building manager about access, maintenance support and rubbish collection during the break.

Accept invitations without assumptions

If a colleague invites you to visit, ask about the time, address and whether bringing something would be welcome. Follow the host's lead on shoes, seating, food and photographs. A small question asked politely is usually more considerate than confidently following a rule found online. You can decline food or alcohol courteously without giving a detailed personal explanation.

Gift-giving and lucky-money customs vary by relationship and household. Ask a trusted colleague privately rather than guessing an amount or treating a gift as an obligation. Respect school policies on gifts involving staff, students and families. Do not promise presents to a class before understanding those boundaries.

Return with a manageable first lesson

After the break, build in a brief reconnection and review before introducing demanding new material. Some students may be tired or may have missed a lesson; check rather than assume. Keep personal travel stories optional. A short activity comparing plans, routines or favourite moments can practise language without turning the class into a competition over who had the most elaborate holiday.

Tet does not need to become either a perfect travel opportunity or an etiquette test. Confirm the practical details, leave room for changes and approach invitations with gratitude. That balance is more useful than trying to memorize a universal list of things every visitor must do.