A taster of a nation

Thuy Pham, Landi Morrison, and Phuong Ahm are all dressed up in traditional Vietnamese dress.

It's a country known for its culture and traditions, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, delicious and diverse food, breathtaking landscapes, and history.

But if you haven't got the time or the funds to travel more than 9000km to visit Vietnam for yourself, maybe a taster of the country will suffice.

Living in Harmony will be hosting a Vietnam evening on September 18 from 7-9pm at the Senior Citizens Hall at 14 Norris St.

Organiser and ex-pat Landi Morrison says the evening will be a cultural feast for those interested in Vietnam.

'We will have a 15-minute presentation on the country and people, scenery and food, then we will have a couple of songs, one performed by children.

'The second part will be introductions for some people in the Vietnamese community that are living in the Bay of Plenty, what we do, and what we are up to.

'Then we have some food to share with everyone and we will have some items to display.”

Landi moved to New Zealand in 2002 and lived in Wellington for five years before moving up to the Bay of Plenty, which she says she loves.

'The Bay is a nice place, it's warmer and sunnier compared to Wellington! The Bay is a cosy sort of place, and it's good for kids to grow up here.”

Landi hopes to build a community for Vietnamese ex-pats here in the Bay of Plenty and says a support and social network for Vietnamese people would be a great addition to Tauranga.

'There are quite a few Vietnamese living in the Bay but I never really have much time to be social or hang out with them very much.

'So many Vietnamese girls are living here with no family. Sometimes we are pretty much on our own, so hopefully we can try to support each other somehow.”

Everybody is welcome to attend the Living in Harmony event – Vietnamese ex-pats or just curious wannabe travellers. Please bring a plate of food to share and a donation.

For more information search ‘Multicultural Tauranga' on Facebook.

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