Foreign students of VVSU celebrated the Thai and Laotian New Year

Laotioan students of VVSU from preparatory department and first-year students majoring in Economics joined the celebration of the Thai New Year - Songkran and the Lao New Year - Boun Phi Mai Lao. The holiday brought together foreign students from different universities of Primorye and made children studying far from their culture feel like home.

Historically, Songkran or Boun Phi Mai Lao is a Buddhist festival of purification and the change of seasons, the transition from the dry season to the rainy season. Thais and Laotians strive to celebrate this period with their whole family, friends or loved ones. The holiday marks the beginning of a new life.

“During the celebration of Boun Phi Mai Lao in Thailand, various fairs, flower parades, beauty contests and processions in traditional costumes are held. And for wishing you a good mood and good health, you will definitely be poured with water as a sign of respect,” Sisouphan Nutda, the student of the Institute of International relations, business, economics and management told about the traditions of her country.

The organizers prepared several thematic stations for the students, at which the children drew symbols of Thailand or Laos on their hands. The students were asked to answer quiz questions that were related to the culture of the countries, and helped to make New Year cards.

  “We gladly took part in the holiday. Our students from Laos prepared a New Year’s dance and sang a song in their native language. They met Russian students who are studying the Thai language,” said Viktor Egupov, the officer of the department of social and cultural adaptation of the Institute for the Training of Foreign Citizens of VVSU. – We also discussed issues of further cooperation with the Department of Pacific Asia of FEFU. It is very important for us that foreign students make Russian friends and not feel lonely away from home.”

For those who want to look into the future, the organizers have prepared Thai fortune telling on numbered sticks. To find out your destiny, you need to shake the mortar and sticks and get a “number” to which the fortune sheet will correspond.

“Happy New Year in Laos and Thailand! We feel very grateful and happy. We were glad to communicate with Russian and foreign students and professors. We hope that next year we will be able to take part in such a good event again. We wish everyone health and happiness!” Panisa Kettavong and Mingkhuan Saechao, students of the preparatory department of the Institute for the Training of Foreign Citizens of VVSU, shared their impressions.