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Vietnamese Heritage Still Celebrated Around the World

Pop-crackle. Pop-crackle. Bright sparks shimmer. A steady drumbeat, along with ear-blasting cymbals, tap out the rhythm of a lion dance. The crowd gasps, stares and admires in awe.

After the show, everyone gets a delicate paper lantern lit with bright candles, and children dance to the melodies of traditional songs.

These are all symbols of belief in the Asian festival Tet-Trung-Thu (tet-troong-thoo), more commonly known as the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Children’s Festival. This is a time when family and harvest time are deeply honored. Although many Vietnamese were raised outside of Asia, we all still strongly believe in our culture.

The Vietnamese, Chinese and many other Asian cultures use a lunar-based calendar, so the Mid-Autumn Festival starts on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, or August. Other Asian festivals and celebrations, such as the Lunar New Year, follow this same timetable.

Aug. 15 became a festival in Asia because of a so-called myth. The story begins in Vietnam with a man named Chu Coi, who discovers a banyan tree with magical healing powers. He uproots the tree and plants it in his yard. When Chu Coi tries to harvest the magical tree’s leaves, it uproots itself. He then grasps one of the tree’s limbs, but the tree grows until it hits the moon.

Now on Tet-Trung-Thu, many people look up to the moon and try to spot the shadow of the magical banyan tree and Chu Coi.

Holidays may come and go, but no matter what country you were born in, the roots of ancestry from your family will always be inside your heart.

Lessons for a Brighter Future

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “I do not look upon these United States as a finished product. We are still in the making.” And that is exactly what 60 seventh-graders from Rancho Solano Private Schools discovered in the nation’s capital—Washington, D.C.— this March. Even frigid weather and heaps of fluffy snow weren’t enough to stop us!

“Even when our fingers and toes were about to fall off, the chaperones kept on pushing us along from monument to monument!” Maya Patel, a fellow “trekker,” comments.

After a visit to historic Jamestown and colonial Williamsburg—where some icicles did plunge onto our heads—we moved on to the main attraction, Washington, D.C. We all held our breath in anticipation of a visit to the White House, but we were somewhat disappointed once there. The Capitol, though, exceeded our expectations. From the famous dome to the hidden chambers within, we were awed at the home of the legislative branch of government. We saw every detail, from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s chambers to the spot where President John Adams’ desk stood.

Arlington National Cemetery was a sight to behold, studded with thousands of marble tombstones stretching out in every direction. A chilly wind wafting through the cemetery heightened the already eerie mood.

Representatives from our school laid a grand wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We also stopped by the graves of presidents John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), and Sen. Robert Kennedy.

There were so many memorials for us to visit in such little time. At the Jefferson Memorial, the statue of President Thomas Jefferson was so tall that our photography skills were put to the test. At the Washington Monument, we rode up to the 50th floor and took breathtaking pictures from high above. All of us were excited to visit the Lincoln Memorial and the steps on which Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have A Dream” speech. It did not fail to amaze us. FDR’s Memorial was a path through the two terms he served, highlighting the significant points of his presidency through engravings and baffling statues. Lastly, Albert Einstein’s Memorial soaked up any tinge of grief, as we had a “conversation” with this genius.

We honored fallen soldiers at a few war memorials—World War II, Iwo Jima, Korean War, and Vietnam War. The Vietnam War Memorial especially dismayed us. The seemingly ceaseless list of names engraved on the elegant, black wall portrayed the courage of thousands of soldiers, nine of whom were women, who risked their lives for this great nation.

We were obliged to visit two museums that evoked entirely different emotions. The first one, the Newseum, infused us with insatiable curiosity and endless laughter as we investigated journalism throughout the ages. Next was the Holocaust Museum, which brought up more than just a few tears, but also thoughtful and woeful reflection. Some images were too graphic. Some of us, however, propelled ourselves to confront these detriments as an opportunity to face the cruelties of mankind and learn from past mistakes.

We also took a trip to the National Archives, where we viewed the first written forms of government in America, including the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. All these precious documents were kept inside secure, bulletproof cases. If we merely touched the glass, the glass case would send off a small signal from the heat generated by our touch!

Our journey to Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital, was “time travel”back to our roots, back to where our founding fathers built this magnificent nation, back to where freedom was established for all men and women, back to where the United States first began to take shape as a great nation among many. Just like Roosevelt said, we still have a long road ahead of us. But this winding path is built of rising leaders and empowering ambitions, and it leads to a place where the grass is greener and the sun is always shining! It’s all about living in the present, learning from the past and working towards the future.

FDR also said, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” We mustn’t cower from the broad differences in people, the terrors of our past, the arrogance of man and the callous truths the world has to offer. Instead, we should face them in an attempt to join hands and rid the world of all its detriments. After all, if man metamorphoses into a worm, he must not complain when he is trodden on, for his cowardice lies in his own hands.

Photo courtesy of Maha Ahmed

The Lincoln Memorial...this is the place where hopes of freedom for all men and women, black and white, were vocalized through the perspective of Martin Luther King, Jr.

School Is Cool

School is a place for kids to go to learn, be good and have fun. School is a place to spend time on the weekdays. Students wear normal clothes at some schools and uniforms at others.

Kids can have lunch in school. Kids go to different classes, like music, computers and library. Schools have rules. It’s important for the kids to follow them.

Albertsons a Dog’s Dream

Do you need to shop for your new dog, or do you just need to replace Fido’s stuff? Then Albertsons supermarket is the place to go! I had my dog Mini, a Chihuahua, do the review. For this review, Albertsons donated everything a dog needs— like bowls, toys, food and shampoo.

Play Time: Mini’s favorite item is the Hartz rope/squeak toy/stuffed animal. Mini slept with it, played tug of war with it and made it squeak! It was under $4—a good value! Mini also played with her new Air Kong stuffed toy. I’d throw it, and she’d pick it up and bring it back. That cost $4 as well.

Mini gave an A+ to the toys.

Feeding: Mini had a bowl of Puppy Tails ($6.99) out of her new bowl, which was just a buck. She loved it so much, she had seconds!

Walking: When Mini was done, we took a walk and brought along the Hartz Quick Wipes ($2.50) and the Pet Nation pet waste bag kit ($5.99).

Mini stepped in some mud, so I took a Quick Wipe and wiped her down until she was as good as new—like she just took a bath!

Mini got thirsty, so I got the Pet Mate Portable Water Jug (under $7) and gave her a drink. Carrying water for your dog is a good idea. Now I can take Mini for longer walks instead of heading home to get her a drink. As I rested on a park bench, I got out the Meow Moments Cat Tie for cats and dogs ($1.75). I used it to tie Mini to a tree so she could walk around and sniff the ground.

Bath & Bedtime: After the walk, I went home and gave Mini a bath and brushed her teeth with her doggie toothbrush ($4 on sale).

Then Mini went to bed—she had a very fun and full day. She was exhausted! Albertsons has a great pet supply selection for all kinds of animals. To learn more about this store, go to www.albertsons.com and find one that’s near you.

Swivel Chair Goes Where You Do

When you go to do an outdoor activity or watch a sports game, don’t you want a comfortable chair to sit in?

My dad’s friend, Mike Obolewicz, has made a Portable Swivel Chair that is somewhat like a camping chair but is comfy and plays music, too! It comes in three different colors—red, blue and black—and it is designed so you can hook up you iPod or MP3 player to it and listen to your favorite songs on the attached speakers! The chair can support up to 300 pounds and is very easy to use!

“It is perfect for camping, sport games, vacation, fishing, etc!” says Obolewicz, whom I interviewed at Tempe Town Lake. It was a perfect day to sit, relax, and talk to people about this exciting new chair! I got to sit in one of the first three in the world!

“I hope that the Portable Swivel Chair will become a part of top selling companies,” Obolewicz explains So how much would a Portable Swivel Chair cost? “I’m thinking of selling them in the range from $80 to $90,” Obolewicz says. He hopes to be an inspiration to other inventors of all ages. For more information about the Portable Swivel Chair, please visit www.portableswivelchair.com.

New Program Makes Horse Sense

I’m so excited about our new program, TRRFCC Horsemanship. T.R.R.F.C.C. stands for trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship— the “Six Pillars of Character.”

We built an arena at our school. We’re going to have a class once a week for all third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders. We will learn the Pillars of Character while learning how to ride horses. It really is going to be terrific!

We have been raising money for a year to pay for the arena construction. There was a big BBQ dinner at Harolds restaurant in Cave Creek. Some of the students helped serve drinks and clear tables. I played free games with the little kids. It was a great way for the community to help us raise money. We are going to do it again this year!

I have been riding horses since I was 5. Horses have taught me a lot about leadership. When I am around a horse, I have to be my best. I still learn something new every time I ride. My favorite thing to do is to go really fast!

My principal, Janeine Marlow, is excited that students have the opportunity to work with horses. “I grew up around horses and know that they made me a more patient learner,” she says. “Horses have a way of making their handlers better communicators.”

A clear, consistent and gentle message is necessary when working with horses, Marlow adds. And the same is true for a classroom for young learners.

“I cannot wait to start this innovative program,” she says.

I am so excited to have horses at my school. It's really cool to have something special at Horseshoe Trails. I'm looking forward to reporting more about TRRFCC Horsemanship to you this year.