Souls Day - Day 2

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Woke up at 8am, which of course was horrible late since the entire household had been up since 5:30am. Really felt like the lazy foreigner who couldn’t get out of bed (an do remember that back in PP I am having trouble getting up at 8am, normally a roll out of bed about 8;30-8:45am, just in time to get to work on time).

Since this was the day that we were to visit the Pagoda and do our ritual offerings, the family had already cooked food which should be offered to the monks. Apparently the food that is offered goes through the monks to the ancestors, or it gives them sustenance to pray harder to their ancestors or something. I didn’t really understand the whole food to the monks when it was for the ancestors.

Anyway, since we left in such a hurry to Kampong Cham, I totally forgot that you have to dress a certain way when going to give offerings in pagodas, so I had of course nothing to wear. But, Damay and her family gathered up this and that so I was covered from top to toe. I was wearing a horrible blue skirt which did nothing for my figure (which I was later offered to take with me seeing that it was too big for everyone else - I politely refused), and a t-shirt. And then off we went to the pagoda.

The first thing that was on the agenda was to give the food to the monks. There was a big table with lots of empty bowls which you were supposed to empty your food containers into, which of course we did. Or, they did, while I was watching, trying to look like I knew what I was doing. Then, it was over to the Buddha statue and light incense. You are supposed to light incense, and then sit in a very uncomfortable position (not kneeling, but kneeling sideways, so your calves are next to your thighs. Then you hold up the incense preferable in front of you face and pray to your ancestors. Apparently Damay thought I was doing it for a strangely long time, and probably was a bit confused of what I was doing. So, she through the corner of her mouth tried to explain that you were supposed to say something to you dead loved ones. But, as I thought, these people do this at least once a year, if not more often. I never do it, so I guess I had a lot to say to Gunvor, Holger, and Margot. Well, if I am wrong, and there is some sort of afterlife after death, they now knoe everything that goes on with me. I think Margot at least will appreciate that, seeing how fond she was for gossip. The whole incense ritual ended with putting the incense in a vase and then bow to the Buddha three times.

Next on the agenda was to go over to the monk and to offer him food personally. After that we were blessed, again sitting uncomfortable and looking serious. Then, off we went to a another guy (which I didn’t really understood what was really doing there). Anyway, to him we offered money, and then we got blessed again. Next, over to some old nuns which we also offered money to, and got some more blessing. It was all very interesting I must say.

Finally it was time to go home, as I felt totally blessed out or over or whatever. Then we had breakfast, which was some sort of fish soup and pork with vegetables - really yummy. Felt tired after that, so we had a quick nap. When we woke up, Damay and I had a beer while looking at the traffic. Damay’s brother had some friends over which of course thought it was hilarious to practice their English on me.

Then Damay asked me if I wanted to come with her to visit the neighbors, which I of course I did. Before we went we had some ‘cake’ (this is a special cake which is only made for special occations). I put cake in ‘’ because Asians seems to have a very different meaning of what cake is than westerners. It was a riceroll with beans and pork inside. Really good, but I would never have called it cake though. Of course, when we came to the neighbors we were offered more cake, this time it was no pork inside, but rather some sweet beans. More cake like.

Everyone was so interested in me, and thought it amazing that I was there, and that I was a foreigner and all that. And of course, everyone told Damay how beautiful I was. If you need a confident boost, skip the therapist, just go to the countryside with a local and let everyone fall over themselves with telling you how beautiful and interesting you are. The neighbors didn’t speak English at all, so Damay had to be the interpreter. Which was sometimes odd, because I would say something really short, and then Damay would go on an on in Khmer. I guess she had to explain a few things as well. I was even offered a boyfriend there. So hospitable people (“,)!

After that we took the motorbike again, and went to a place close to the Mekong River to just chill out and have a snack. We had some beers and some duck eggs. These eggs weren’t as bad as the ones I have tried before, as they didn’t have a whole little duck inside them, but they were still a bit too developed for my taste. But, I had one, and they weren’t too bad. Then Damay’s friend turned up, and we decided to go for karaoke.

The karaoke place was a blast until Damay’s friend had a fit and suddenly left. Leaving Damay and me with the entire bill, which we didn’t have enough money to cover. So, Damay - angry as you know what - called him up and demanded of him to come back and pay for his share. Which he did after a while. Damay was quite upset, which was understandable, so I drove us home. That was an interesting experience, since I had no idea which way was home, and Damay in her state sometimes forgot to tell me which turn to take. But, we arrived home, just in time to go to the pagoda again for another party.

The party was a replica of yesterday’s one, and I now knew my steps. Had a lot of fun, and got lots of compliments for my dancing - both western dancing and the traditional Khmer dancing. Got to know that a couple of guys quite fancied me, which was quite funny. Love here, or falling in love, is very different from in the west. Here you see a girl you think looks pretty, you might get to know her a bit and you like her, and then you love her. Nothing of getting to know the person properly or suchlike. And again it was home at 11pm. Fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. If only it could be like this when I am in PP, where I am having a really difficult time falling asleep, even if I am dead tired.

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