Village Life

Try to recall the longest day of your life. Recall how you looked at the clock, certain that 30 minutes had gone by since you last checked only to realize the a mere 8 minutes have passed.

Now imagine reliving that day everyday for a month and a half.

You just got a glimpse into my last 45 days.

Now you might say "that's rough" and I would say "it is...sometimes."
You might say "that sucks" and I would say "it does...sometimes."
You might ask "how in the world do you do it?" and I would answer "I ask myself the exact same question...sometimes"

Over the past 45 days I've had moments where I've found the pace of life in my village to be too slow for my liking. On such moments, I've said things like "this is rough" and "this sucks" and I've questioned whether I could continue living like this for 22 more months. Fortunately, these moments have only occured sometimes.

MOST of the times, I've found myself ENJOYING my life in the village.

I've enjoyed how what would normally be a 15 minute bike ride becomes 30 minutes because I am stuck in a narrow road behind herded cattle but I don't mind because the landscape is absolutely beautiful.

I've enjoyed how the village kids will pause playing their games or riding their bikes and scream the only English they know "what is your name?!"

I've enjoyed how the village kids have invaded my home and found ways to squeeze themselves into my comfy chair to root for Manchester United

I've enjoyed playing home made board games with my neighbors using the last number from the pages of a book instead of dice because no one has heard of dice (if the book is opened to page 47...that means you can move your board piece seven spaces)

I've enjoyed all these and so much more! Life in the village, while agonizingly slow at times, has been consistently fascinating.

From watching the monks collecting food in the morning to realizing that what I first thought to be a huge block of moss turn out to actually be a lake with fish (and a few snapping turtles) underneath all the greens to witnessing a fishing frenzy like no other to enjoying festivals like Songkran (and all the water soaking) and Bum mung fai (and the funky home made rockets...one of which was in the form of a giant male organ) to the meals I've been invited to partake in to the crazy personalities I've encountered... the village life has provided for ALOT of wonderful sights and experiences.

Hmmm...maybe having long days isn't such a bad thing after all.

Some pics

1) Enjoying songkran with kids from the village

2) Nong Gong lake

3) Day of fishing at Nong Gong--the village leaders designate one day of the year to be fishing day and it's quite the spectacle. People from other villagers partake as well.

4) Lunch with some friends

5) The Rocket

6) Nong Sim lake...doesn't it look like a carpet of moss?

7) Snapping turtle...alot of excitement surrounding the capture of this one. 20 minutes later, all that was left was the shell.