Songkran Festival

The weather here gets pretty miserable in April and May.  April 13 to 15 of each year is the Thai New Year.  In conjunction with that they have the Songkran festival.  Part of that is a country wide water fight!  I think it's a great way to try and beat the heat.  People line the streets with hoses, buckets, water and squirt guns.  Others ride around with water in the back of trucks.  

We went to the temple and watered the buddha one day.  All the water is symbolic of washing away bad luck.  Some people also make a mixture of water, flour and perfume to rub on people's faces.  We had a lot of people put that on our faces!

  We spent one day out in front of a building getting people wet as the ride by.  We spent another day riding around in the back of a truck getting splashed and splashing other.  Some people get ice and their water is frigid cold.  When we got doused with that I didn't love it as much as the normal temperature water.  I didn't get many pictures since my phone isn't waterproof.  But I did get a few.

**A big thanks to Lindsley and her GoPro for pics!**

The Monks Came Again

They have special days here in Thailand where the monks stay in the temples and don't leave.  A lot of people go to the temple since the holiday means there is no school and no work.  When this happens the monks go out the day before and collect food and donations.  They will come to the school and the kids and parents give them offerings.  The monks do some chants and prayers with/for the kids.

A Whole Year

I have been in Thailand a whole school year!  Summer school just ended and now I have a week off before our next school year begins.  The last day of school we had ASEAN day.  The kids presented reports for each of the south east asian countries.  Everyone dressed up in the clothing for their country.  I dressed in traditional Thai clothing.  The kids did a great job and I loved seeing everyone all dressed up.  They go all out for stuff like this!

At the end of the day we had an end of the year party.  There was music, dancing, ice cream and food galore!

They have a different idea of what ice cream sandwich means...

The kids love sitting on our laps.  Don't mind my red face... I was just dancing like crazy!

The volunteers fly out Monday.  I've been listening to them talk about what they miss, what they are going to eat, the amazing internet they'll have at home, the first things they plan on doing once they get home, etc.  I can't help but feel a little homesick.  Tanner and I would be heading home now if we hadn't decided to sign on for another year.  I feel like we are supposed to be in Thailand so that provides a lot of comfort, yet at the same time there is a lot that I miss in the states.  But for now I am going to keep teaching this cuties and loving on them!  I am going to keep enjoying my simple, slow paced life.  I am going to remind myself that I won't always be able to have quiet evenings with just my husband.  I'm going to thoroughly enjoy sleeping as much as I want on the weekends.  I will do my best to enjoy my time here so that when I do go home I will have amazing memories.

Sukkothai

After our time in southern Thailand Brad flew out to Cambodia.  Tanner and I got back to the school where I started teaching summer school.  That next weekend Brad joined us one last time and we went to Sukkothai (the old capital of Thailand).  Sukkhothai isn't too far from our school (a couple hours), but we hadn't ever been.  We decided we'd make a short trip up there.  Brad took a train up from Bangkok and we met him in Phitsanulok around 3:30.  We hired a taxi to drive us there, wait, then take us back.  It wasn't the cheapest option, but it was fast, cool, and convenient.  I'm really glad that we went that route.  Some of the volunteers at the school who have gone told me the bus took 2+ hours.  Our taxi ride was 40 minutes and more comfy than a bus would have been.  We got there a few quarter after 4 and told our taxi driver we'd be back at 5:00.  We walked around the ruins and had fun.  We were only there about 45 minutes, but it felt like just the right amount of time!