As I approach the school I am swarmed by a flock of my primary school English students wielding water pistols and dripping buckets, bottles and bowls of all sorts. "Big sister!" they call to me with the look of ravenous dogs in their eyes, "can we get you wet?" "Go ahead!" is my laughing reply, and before the words are even out of my mouth I am under fire. What ensues is the most intense water fight of my life; just me against 50 overexcited children, each one eager to ensure that their English teacher is as wet as wet can be. After I surrender, the children surround me once more but this time to offer me their water guns and old Pepsi bottles so that I can symbolically pour water on each of them in turn.
The water offers more than just relief from the sweltering heat; it is the beginning of the Lao New Year celebration and the water represents the blessings that the people hope to receive in the coming year. For the next week, the daily goings in of the country will grind to a halt as Lao people return to their natal homes to feast, pay homage at the neighbourhood temple, and of course, play with water. In the temples the devout sprinkle perfumed water on the Buddha images and the monks, while teenagers with buckets line the streets waiting for an unsuspecting passerby to douse with brilliantly dyed liquid.
Back at the school, my fellow teachers call to me to join them at their shaded picnic spot. We dine on spicy papaya salad, fried rice, barbecued beef and tiny, live "dancing shrimp" that do indeed squirm and squiggle all the way down my throat. (One problem with refusing the constant offers of rice whiskey is that I then feel compelled to overcome this rude gesture by eating anything and everything that is offered to me as food...) After our meal the teachers take it in turn to tie bits of string to each others wrists accompanied by their blessings for the new year. When it is my turn I am wished health happiness and a very rich husband in the year to come. This traditional bassie ceremony is common to Thai and Lao people and is held at every possible special occasion.
It's a special day for me too. Not only is it my 20th birthday, but today marks 8 months since I left Canada to start on this big adventure "Beyond the Mekong River". It's hard to believe that before 4 more months have past I will be home on the farm once again.
1 comment:
You are braver than I to be eating those dancing shrimp! Jay in Markham
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