Thai New Year = The Most Fun Holiday Ever
April 13th we not only celebrated Ashley’s 23rd birthday but also the Thai New Year Festival. This is the legendary hottest day of the year, but the mode of celebration seems to remedy the problem. It all started t
hat morning when I walked out of our hotel to get a water at the little shop next door. As I came back I noticed the hotel owner had a cup of water ready to soak me with. I screamed and attempted to run up the stairs, but wasn’t quick enough as my back got completely soaked.
That’s right Thai New Year involves huge country wide water fights in the streets. It is tradition for businesses to close and people to line the streets. Trucks fill will people armed with buckets and barrels of sometimes iced, sometimes dyed water. It is impossible to walk or drive down the street without being completely soaked (people on motorbikes are exceptionally doomed). To make sure we were ready for action, Gary and Katherine bought Ashley and I buckets for our birthday. I’ve never been so excited to get a bucket in all my life.
My second experience with a random water attack was when the team ventured out down the street to attempt to catch a taxi or tuktuk in order to meet the other teams for a day of water fun. As we were walking, we saw an ambush up ahead of younger guys and girls with a huge barrel or water (which later we witnessed an old man being thrown in). As I was trying to plan out my route of least possible wetness, all of a sudden an older white man jumps out of the bushes to nail me with a bucket. For a minute I thought, “What is Seth Barnes doing here?”, but realized the guy was way too old. (Just kidding Seth!) So much for attempting to stay dry.
After walking maybe a mile or 2, we finally got a taxi to stop. Most thought we were too wet or had passangers already. We finally met up with the rest of the crew and had a day of fun, throwing water, avoiding attacks, ambushing natives and our own. People were every where, and traffic was so backed up. Ashley basically ha
d the coolest birthday party ever and even got a special birthday attack. I definitely had my fill of fun and wished the U.S. had such a holiday. However, it was rather nice to by dry at the end of the day!
Right now we are at our ministry site. We are assigned to research and observe the Kathu region of Phuket. These are the traditional Thai people with some Chinese influence. It has been fun wandering around the village and meeting people. The family that runs our hotel has been especially nice, even leaving us jack fruit in our fridge in the morning. I have also made friends with the girl at the coffee shop right in front of our place. This morning she gave me a gift, a bracelet she made. The people here are so welcoming and warm. Tonight Ashley, Kim Lynch (from the blue team who has been staying with us because she has been sick), and I have an invitation to go to dinner with the man who owns the hotel. He has been very kind and speaks really good English. We hope to interview him and get some information needed for our project.
Tomorrow we will meet up with the other groups to share info. Then we will be sent out on other assignments we have not yet been told. Overall Thailand is hot, but I am loving it!
