Just Another Day in Thailand

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It has been three months on my adventure in Thailand and I really can't believe how the time really does fly by. I'm glad to report that I am not sick of Thailand in the slightest and instead have come to love it even more with every passing day. There are those days that I would just crave a sandwich or soup or CHEESE, cheese sandwich, cheese flavored snacks, basically anything that even slightly resembles cheese flavoring would be a delight but besides the food issue and the occasional (haha) mis communication my time here has been fantastic.

I've been at my site for a month now and what I have come to learn is that don't ever expect well pretty much anything. My days have yet to be routine and I love that. On the weekdays I do wake up get ready and head to work at the local government office, but that is when thing can go one way or another, either option a delight.
I either enter the room where there's a group of lovely ladies that chit chat with me about food, because that is still the only thing I can communicate pretty well about OR any number of things can happen.

For example the ceremony I spoke about in my last entry finally came and oh what a ceremony it was. As I walked out to the many people sitting there on the ground staring at me all Thai language seemed to evaporate from my mind. You know even the simply Hello, My name is was suddenly gone, but as the mick was tossed into my hands the suddenly reappeared thank God. I gave my little speak which was received with applause although I'm sure I butchered the Thai language. I then sat uncomfortably for quite some time while an elderly fellow chanted. I later found out it was about 45 minutes of wishing me good luck in Roi-et. Lovely I know but as my legs screamed in pain and then feel completely numbed, I wondered if good luck could have been said in 5 minutes instead of 45. When the chanting was done, I held some sticky rice and bowed and had water tossed over me and then the stampede. Again it was a lovely thought but rather intimidating to have everyone practically charging at me. What they were now doing was tying string around my wrists until I had about 50 on each arm. The ceremony was really very nice and it was a great opportunity to meet many of the big heads within my community

Now that I had been witnessed by all the big heads of the community (if they hadn't already seen me before) I was free to roam around the community, but even this has been limited. One day as I sat at my desk, my own counterpart came up to me and told me I was going to visit another volunteer. If I looked confused it was because I was, the closest volunteer was nearly an hour away. But as luck would have it, the Nayok had a meeting near by and I might as well tag along and go and visit my friend. Sometimes I think I am taken on these excursions as the token farang but I don't mind. In my mind we were dropping off the Nayok and moving on, but that just wouldn't be very Thai at all. Instead we all got out and there was a party going on, traditional Thai dancing and some AMAZING food. Again don't ask me what it was because I have no clue, but I do know I loved it. There was also an announcement to proclaim that the farang was here and after a quick wave we headed off to the middle of nowhere to visit another volunteer.

I've also spent a few days roaming around the fields of Ku Ka Sing. My family works at one of the rice fields and on several occasions I've made my way out there. Lost in translation as so many of my conversations go, I dressed up ready to work, thinking I was going to be helping out in the fields as they gathered rice. Little did I know that the huge machine was all they needed and my only attribution was to make people laugh as the farmers spoke to me in Isan purposefully because they know I don't know it. It's a good time anyway, the foods always good the people are always nice and the fields are really quite beautiful. I enjoy spending time out there, but what I enjoyed even more was the monkey field trip after the fields. We left the farmers behind and headed over to a little park where my sister and cousin claimed there were monkeys. We had driven through before to no avail but this time we got lucky. A whole little family could be seen hanging out, babies and all. And because one family of monkys is never enough, we headed to a wat not to far away that was covered in monkys. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera and missed all of this, but I have considered making the 17km bike ride at some point if I don't make it out there again WITH a camera.

As Song Kran (Thai New Year) approached yet another bpi tiao (site seeing <can I just say I couldn't remember the English translation to bpi tiao oi!>😉 experience arose. Again my counterpart came up to me and asked what I had planned for the day. I thought it was a trick question because it was the day before Song Kran which means if I was to venture out of the office it would result in me getting drenched in water. (We'll get back to Song Kran in a bit). I told here I had no plans and she simply said good, we'll be leaving in an hour. Now Thai time is a funny thing because an hour turned into two but eventually I piled into the car with the Nayok, his adviser and my counterpart. We were off to Roi-et to get pizza, at least that was what I was told. But I was now becoming an expert at Thai bpi tiao and knew that it wasn't that simple. And it wasn't. We stopped at some random office, where I was introduced to a number of people and then sent to pour water on an elderly fellows hands, another part of Song Kran. From there we moved onto the amphur meung (city centre), where the government office was popping. Everyone was dancing around with baby powder smeared on their face, but we weren't there for that. Instead we dropped off the Nayok and went for pizza. Now I just got over being sick so I regrettably only ate two pieces, which normally would suffice anyway but when pizza is a luxury I devour the pie when I get the chance. I also got the opportunity to explore a bit, visiting a huge man made lake and placing flowers before a Buddha statue. When time was up, we picked up the Nayok and the biggest water gun I have ever seen in my life and headed on home.

Since your interest in Song Kran has now been peeked let me get to the good stuff. Song Kran is the Thai New Year and perhaps one of the best holidays I have ever celebrated. It is a three day, water festival where you basically get drenched and covered in baby powder. I don't know what this has to do with the New Year but it is awesome!
Day one began as early as any other day here in Thailand, with the wailing of the lovely rooster outside my window. I got up, hung my mosquito net up and dawned my new and oh so awesome blue Hawaiian shirt, because you see a Song Kran shirt looks very much like a Hawaiian shirt with absurd colors and patterns. To make mine look even more attractive, it was about two sizes to big. But still I was told that my shirt was beautiful and that I really fit the part of a Thai. After a hearty meal of rice with a mixture of random meats, with baby powder already covering my face and being shot with a water gun multiple times all before 8, we grabbed a bucket of water and walked around my village. My sister, her son and her boyfriend explained to me that on the first day of Song Kran we are to pay respect to the elderly by pouring water over their hands and that was what we did. While walking from place to place we were bombarded by more powder, more water, and more fun. By the time 9am came around I was drenched from head to toe and loving every moment of it. After paying respect to the elderly we headed off to Ku Ka Sing we're we set up a few things, sat around a bit (actually getting a little cold from the buckets of water that had been poured on me) and then headed over to a friends house to eat. The party was started! Strange foods, strange liquor, and conversations that I only understood about a third off continued on for several hours. I was then told to hop into a car, then hop out, then hop back in, then hop out, then to put my hat on, to put my water bottle down, where was my phone, make sure they can get your face, ok we're ready. What we're we ready for? Well the massive parade that was now making its way down the street. Every person in Ku Ka Sing seemed to bout out, and the parade consisted of a float from each village decorated beautifully and with a lovely young lady decked out and looking rather uncomfortable on top. My group soon joined in the parade dancing around to some crazy Thai music and getting baby powdered every two seconds. Any part of me that had dried in the few hours of eating was instantly wet again and that was ok. The farang (ME!) was a big hit as they all knew this was my first Song Kran and thought it was hilarious every time I got more powder on me or got nailed with another bucket of water. Once the parade was finished, we headed back home we're we relaxed a bit before dinner time. Everyone came over as we ate another hearty meal of weird foods and then called it a night. I suppose when the party starts at 7am it only makes sense that it ends just as early.

The next day I didn't really know what to expect. Was there a second parade or do people do something completely different, but as I awoke it appeared as if nothing was going to be happening at all. My family was headed off to the fields to work and they told me that I should stay home. I didn't argue, mostly because I only understood a little bit of what was going on, so I was sent to a neighbors for babysitting. I sat around as they played cards and then went to a little hut we're I sat around and listened to music and then finally we started chit chatting about different things. Somehow it came up that I wanted to go to the beach and I had told them I had plans for that in the future. They asked if I wanted to go today and thinking it was a joke (I'm in Isan, VERY far away from any beach) I said sure. In seconds a truck was being loaded up with mango and a huge bucket of water and we were all piling in. Still lost and confused I took my seat and we set off. I realized what we were doing was headed somewhere but mostly enjoying the SongKran festivities. We were throwing buckets of water at people and they were reciprocating so that just ten minutes into the drive every one of us were soaked. People would walk out into the street and make the truck stop just to throw more water or baby powder onto us, and again the Farang was a big hit. Eventually we made it to the "beach". A huge river lay before us with little huts scattered along the shore. We got in one, began eating and eventually we all went for a swim. It was amazing, we all had a lot of fun snacking on mango and floating in big inner tubes and after hours of this we headed home with the same experience of being nailed with water and powder.
And because one day at the "beach" isn't enough we did the same thing on day three of Song Kran. There was less throwing of water and application of powder but there was no shortage of fun. We went to a different part of what I can only assume is the same river, snacked on the same types of food and swam around for hours, obtaining a pretty awesome sunburn. Everyone seemed shocked by this sunburn, why I was turning red instead of brown and why my beautiful white skin was no longer beautiful. As my little nephew put it, my nose was se daang (red).

Saturday rolled around, and although Song Kran was technically over it didn't mean there was nothing going on. The throwing of water and powder had stopped but fishing was going to be happening. I didn't understand why this was so interesting, but when do I understand anything really? We headed over to the large pond near my house and sat under a tree. Again that Thai time thing that one has to get use to occurred, because we sat and sat and sat some more and nothing was happening. If I understood Thai I'm sure the voice over the loudspeaker would have explained what was happening, but a las I still have no clue what is going on. Finally we get up and I thought we were going home, and I could think was why on earth did you drag me out on this day that is so hot to sit under a tree and do nothing? But my frustration ended seconds later when literally hundreds of people walked down to the shore of the lake surrounding it. And moments later they all jumped in with their nets and started catching fish. Not a few fish, hundreds of fish so many fish that to try and escape the fish were flying through the air! To my misfortune as I snapped pictures my battery was slowly dieing, only to totally expire as my friends were bringing in a net loaded with fish and one man had a fish in his pants! Yes I know hard to believe (which is why a dead battery hurts to much) but it was truly amazing and crazy to watch. When it was done can you guess what we did the rest of the day? If you said eat fish you were correct! Fried fish, boiled fish, baked fish, mashed up fish, fish in soup, fish on a stick and guess what I'm still eating fish! Oh how I wish I loved fish.

So folk there you have it, a few days in Thailand that have really stuck out and a holiday that will never be forgotten. Personally I think I'm going to bring SongKran back when I return to the states, so Jersey be prepared for a three day water festival, although I think I'll make it in July instead of April because its way to cold to be soaking wet in April!

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Comments

[Sharon]

Never a dull moment!!
You can't make this stuff up. Really fascinating. The Thai people seem like they are so much fun.

[Linda F]

Song Kran sounds wet & wild. Sounds like you had fun. So interesting to see how other cultures live. Wouldn't have known if it wasn't for your informative & fun blog. Admire your sense of adventure & your ability to roll with the punches. Not knowing where people are taking me & not understanding the language would make me very nervous. Keep up the good work. Linda (work with your Mom in PACU)