AAEE and FIWC's Poverty Challenge Activity and Cultural Exchange Progam Nepal 2015 have already begun.

AAEE and FIWC's Poverty Challenge Activity and Cultural Exchange
Progam Nepal 2015 have already begun.

The participants along with AAEE coordinator and moderators are actively engaged in the program. These are the pictures when they were visiting Tansen, Palpa. The participants have now already gone to Maidan Village where they will be establishing water tank with the help of villagers.

AAEE and FIWC’s Poverty Challenging Activity 2015

AAEE and FIWC’s Poverty Challenging Activity 2015

With days coming near to mid-February, AAEE together with FIWC is preparing in the final steps for its poverty challenging and cultural exchange program 2015. The event will begin from February 23rd to March 10 where Japanese participants will be going to one of the remote area of Nepal called Maidan, Palpa and establish water tanks to help the villagers for the easier access of water supply. Besides, cultural exchange program will also be conducted so that participants will have better understanding of this new place. After, spending some days in Maidan particpants will also visit major urban areas like Pokhara and Kathmandu. The program will be beneficial for participants in sense that they will be getting to learn new culture, tradition, live life differently from what they have been living in Japan and it will also be beneficial for villagers as this need based approach will help to decrease their problem of water supply. Final preparations are done and now the participants from Japan are waiting excitingly to finally land in Nepal.

Lunar New Year holiday in Viet Nam (Tet holiday)

Lunar New Year holiday in Viet Nam (Tet holiday)

I would like to introduce you one of the most important holidays in Vietnam which is Lunar New Year holiday. Officially, the holiday includes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day in Lunar Calendar, but everyone often spend nearly a month to enjoy the holiday’s atmosphere. Tet holiday is an occasion for everyone for family reunite and celebration of the New Year together. All the best things are prepared during Tet holiday so that people can ensure the life during this year is good.
On the New Year’s Day, the first ones who come to visit household are called first foot and are very important so they need to be chosen carefully to ensure that they will bring good lucks to the family. There is a saying in Vietnam: “First day is Father’s Tet, Second day is Mother‘s, Third day is Teacher’s”. On the first day, Vietnamese will visit their parents on husband’s side on. On the second day, they turn to the parent on wife’s side and lastly, they spend their third day to visit their teachers.
During Tet holiday, Vietnamese will give lucky money to each other to wish for happiness and healthiness. Also, they go to pagoda to pray for a good year to come. All in all, Tet is the time for all coming back to origins, wishing for all best things to each other. Next week, the New Lunar Year will come in Vietnam. If you stay in Vietnam during that time, you will enjoy the Tet ‘atmosphere.

DRAGON BRIDGE

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DRAGON BRIDGE

Officially inaugurated in 2013, the Rong Cao (Dragon Bridge) has put Da Nang City on the map not only for its unique structure but also for the intangible values converged in this architectural feat. With the length of 666 meters (2,185 feet), the bridge features the shape of a dragon, which is a sacred symbol of Viet Nam as well as represents the prosperity of Da Nang city. The intriguing events take place here every weekend, which appeals to both local residents and tourists. The most breath-taking one is the pyrotechnic show held after 9 p.m with the performance in which the dragon will breathe fire in tandem with clouds of water. Besides, there are also the LED light shows every night, making the whole area colorful and dazzling.

Gradually, the Dragon Bridge becomes an iconic landmark of Da Nang and reserves a solid stance in the heart of Da Nang`s people. Furthermore, this dragon-shaped bridge also encapsulates the historical and cultural aspects of Vietnam. It depicts the dragon, which is the emblem of power, nobility and good fortune and commemorates the legend about King Ly Thai To, who moved the capital of Vietnam to Ha Noi and named it “Thang Long” (The Flying Dragon). At present, the Dragon Bridge is deemed to be a core element in the development of local tourism industry and attract more attention from the authority. To sum up, the Dragon Bridge is a fantastic and awe-inspiring destination that will burn the most frozen heart.

Water puppetry (Puppets dance on the water)

Water puppetry is a special kind of art on the stage. Water puppetry is full of joys, colors and lighting, charms and surprises. It is the feeling of people who are watched the performance of water puppetry. Nowadays, you can watch it on CD, youtube and so on. But no one of them can’t inspire you as much as a real time performance – when you sit near the water surface. Colorful puppets dance and perform numerous interesting actions with animated music and singing. Especially with the effects of light and sound, all of them combine with each other to give you amazing moments. Even puppets can perform many hard art actions that robots can’t do. One more special thing is that you won’t see any puppeteer, machines or any strings or ropes. You only see the puppet on the water. The content of the show is about the traditional stories of Vietnam or the life in the past of Vietnam. Awesome moments are waiting for you at Vietnam with water puppetry. So, why don’t you visit Vietnam and see it?