Recorded from the evening of May 2nd, at the gateway of Can Tho City, a bustling atmosphere enveloped the flow of vehicles pouring towards Can Tho bridge. Rows of motorbikes from Ca Mau, An Giang provinces and communes and wards of Can Tho City lined up to move.
According to observations, unlike the usual fatigue of long trips, the faces of many workers are still radiant with joy after days of reunion.
Behind the saddle, next to the clothes backpack, there are also boxes of goods containing specialties from home. For many workers, it is not only food for the upcoming days in the city, but also affection, a message from parents and grandparents in the countryside.
Stopping to rest on the access road to Can Tho bridge, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Thanh (Binh Thuy ward, Can Tho city) quickly wiped away sweat, while adjusting the backpack tied behind the motorbike. Mr. Thanh recounted that his family circumstances were difficult, he had to leave his hometown with his mother to Ho Chi Minh City to work as a worker at a garment company. With an income of about 20 million VND/month, both mother and son saved up to return to their hometown to take care of their family.
Mr. Thanh shared that this year's April 30 holiday, he has 3 days off. Although the time is not too long, for him, that much is more than enough for a "completion".
When I get home, I immediately go to buy fruits, cakes and jams for my grandparents. During the holidays, I don't go anywhere far, just stay at home, go to the kitchen with my mother to cook rice, eat a proper family meal. The feeling of sitting and eating rice with loved ones after months of hard work in the city is really heartwarming" - Mr. Thanh confided.
Before returning to the city, he also did not forget to send wishes for good health to his loved ones. The male worker's dream is to have good health and a more stable income so that he can prepare for the upcoming September 2nd holiday to visit home again.
Sharing the same flow of people returning to Ho Chi Minh City is Mr. Thach Dol (from former Soc Trang province, now Can Tho City). With 5 years of experience working at a leather shoe company in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Dol is very familiar with this journey.
For him, whether the holiday is long or short, whenever there is an opportunity, he chooses to return to his hometown because homesickness is always present. During this holiday, he spends time visiting a few tourist attractions near his house and then spends most of the remaining time reuniting and visiting neighbors.
Speaking about his upcoming plans, Mr. Dol could not hide his worries: "Working in the leather shoe industry, I just hope that orders are stable so that I can make more products and increase income. Now market prices fluctuate too much, and living expenses in Saigon are expensive, so I hope everything is stable to reduce the headache of monthly money.
For the purpose of accumulation, Mr. Dol plans to stay in the city for the September 2nd holiday to work overtime to save for the Lunar New Year trip next year. Like Mr. Thanh, Mr. Dol hopes for a smooth and favorable year of work and increased income, improving life.
