The moment the stage screen in the 700-seat auditorium of Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted showed the face of Lieutenant Colonel, Doctor Nguyen Thi Chien in a video call, many people burst into tears.

Bui Bao Ngoc stood on stage and was surprised to see her mother. Both mother and daughter burst into tears because of this unexpected encounter.

The meeting was arranged by the leaders of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training and the capital's education sector union before the Lunar New Year 2025.

Lieutenant Colonel, Doctor Nguyen Thi Chien is working in the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan. This year is the second Tet she is away from her family.

Due to the difficult conditions in Africa and unstable telecommunication signals, Ms. Chien was not able to regularly contact her husband and two children. Therefore, meeting her daughter again in such special circumstances made her constantly choke up.

"Mom, since you left, I've been doing what you taught me at home. At first, I had a little difficulty because I wasn't used to it, but gradually I got used to it. I also sat down at the desk to study every night. On weekends, I no longer wake up late, but wake up early to clean the house and cook with my dad and sister...

Another Tet without mom by my side. Dad, sister and I will decorate our peach tree so that even though you are far away, you can still feel the Tet atmosphere at home," Bui Bao Ngoc read the emotional letter to her mother.

Also at the Tet Sum Vay event, Hanoi teachers witnessed another unexpected reunion of the family of teacher Hoang Thi Thoan - Van Thang Secondary School, Ba Vi District. Her husband is Major Le Van Do, who is working at Squadron 515, Brigade 175, Naval Region 5, Phu Quoc Island.

This year, Major Do was able to go home for Tet. From Noi Bai airport, Major Do went straight to Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted to see his wife and children, still wearing his casual clothes without having time to change.

Meanwhile, Ms. Ngo Thi Thu Phuong, a school health worker at Dai Xuyen Primary School in Phu Xuyen District, and her daughter Phuong Anh were connected to her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Sang - Commander of DK17 platform in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province - via phone. Director of the Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong, on behalf of the education sector, spoke with the soldier on the remote island.

Also the wife of a soldier, Ms. Tran Hong Diep - Mau Luong Secondary School, Ha Dong - shares the feelings of a teacher who married a soldier of Uncle Ho.

"We've been in love for 1 year, married for 12 years, he comes home two or three times a year. Every Tet holiday, he buys a lot of gifts, takes his wife and children out, does all the work, from cooking, washing dishes, sweeping the house, taking care of his wife and children as if to make up for the months we were apart. At those times, I feel like I'm the luckiest and happiest person.

But every time I see other families together, soldiers’ wives like me can’t help but feel sad. The nights alone looking after a sick child, the mornings rushing to take the child to school for fear of being late, the holidays and childbirth, all without my husband by my side. But I am fortunate to have the support of my colleagues and family, helping me always complete my mission.

I understand that my youth only has family, husband and children. But his youth, besides family, also has people and country," Ms. Diep expressed.

The Tet Sum Vay program of the Capital Education Trade Union took place on the morning of January 16. In addition to bringing teachers, staff and students emotional spiritual gifts, the program also gave Tet cash gifts with values ​​ranging from 500,000 VND to 2 million VND.

Accordingly, 1,494 teachers and staff in difficult circumstances were supported from 500,000 VND to 1 million VND/person. 36 teachers and staff who are wives of soldiers working at the border and islands were given 2 million VND.

Children of teachers and staff who overcome difficulties, study well or win prizes in city-level cultural competitions for excellent students will receive a total of more than 100 million VND. In particular, 40 teachers and staff of 2 kindergartens under the Department of Education and Training will receive Tet gifts of 500,000 VND.

The total budget that the industry union spent to take care of Tet for teachers and staff was nearly 1.3 billion VND.