I'm Dreaming of a Thai Christmas...

Last weekend we and some of the other volunteers made a leisurely trip to Bangkok for a few days of sightseeing and, of course, Harry Potter viewing. We visited the King’s Palace, avoiding the many touts who annoyingly kept telling us it was closed and tried to steer us towards other places of business, and wandered around the grounds and museums and the stunning ‘Temple of the Emerald Buddha.’ The statue of the Buddha has three ‘outfits’ depending on what season the country is in. This being the cold season (lows of 23 degrees!) he had on a gold winter coat. During the rainy seasons he sports a large golf umbrella. I’m joking of course. The palace, including the temple, has a strict dress code and people caught in strappy tops, above the calf skirts or tight trousers are quickly shepherded off and lent more respectable garments before entering. So of course every tourist that stepped through the gates was met with ‘No short pants!’ or ‘Please borrow a free shirt!’ We volunteers, being members of communities who dress like that anyway (well they’re a bit more liberal) had much less trouble and caused much less offense.

The less cultural aspect of our trip was watching Harry Potter in a Thai IMAX cinema. Although this is not a particularly Thai experience, it was a new one to me and one which cost about the same as a one way ticket to the town centre back home. IMAX is amazing. If you’ve seen the latest Harry Potter film when I say that I thought I was going to be eaten by the snake. Seriously. The screen was so huge I almost fell over when I saw it.

Back in Lerng Noktha, we’ve been teaching the lyrics to Jingle Bells to children (and other teaches) so many times, I’m beginning to resent all one horse open sleighs though they provide some amusement when the students mispronounce the phrase. And it’s funny when they’re only interested in yelling ‘Hey!’ at the end if each rendition. I also taught one class to make Christmas cards and gave them stickers which they got very excited and quite violent over (the boys especially) at first but then seemed at a loss as how to use them. After showing them how to peel the backs off and stick them on things they produced some very lovely cards.

Our home has turned into a veritable Christmas grotto after we attacked it with tinsel, fairy lights Christmas trees and paper chains (thanks Mum!) and we’ve built up a respectable pile of presents each.  On Christmas Day, some of the other volunteers are coming over so we wanted to make it as festive as possible. (though we may have gone overboard as the tree is now more decorations than fake pine needles.) Christmas here is an odd feeling, like celebrating On Christmas Day, some of the other volunteers are coming over so we wanted to make it as festive as possible. (Though we may have gone overboard as the tree is now more decorations than fake pine needles.) Christmas here is an odd and feels like having Easter in November or happily celebrating your birthday alone. It’s wrong. But hopefully we’ll make it work.

Stuffing and noodle soup anyone?

Banana Leaves, Body Paint and Ladyboys

Last weekend saw the Thai festival of Loy Krathong (the ‘h’ is silent) when Thai people apologise to the river goddess for polluting the rivers. Now this is a bit ironic as they say sorry by floating little boats made out of polystyrene and banana leaves with candles and incense in, on the river which inevitably adds to the pollution. Anyway, while this is going on, big paper lanterns are and floated up to the sky and people perform traditional Thai dances in traditional Thai dress. Anna and I included. Thai dancing consists of a lot of walking around in group circles, making pretty hand gestures and tilting your head this way and that. It’s harder than it sounds, believe me! Your wrists and fingers are bent in unnatural and often painful ways while you have to smile away and step in time to the music. We’d been having dance lessons at the primary school, and all the children kept sneaking out of their classes to watch the two farang stumble around trying to appear graceful. Performing in front of big audience was going to be daunting.

The day finally dawned and we arrived at the dress shop to be transformed. The place was chaotic as pretty much every girl (and a few boys actually) in the town was getting dressed up for Loy Krathong. First, our arms, hands, shoulders, upper backs and upper chests were covered in a kind of flesh coloured body paint. On Thai people, it makes them look pale. We on the other hand looked a little like Morph. Next, ladyboys piled heaps of foundation on our faces and led us away to get changed. Thai traditional dress consists of a tight, ankle length skirt and a one shouldered top. After trying (and failing) to find skirts the right size, they ended up being altered in the shop which was fairly embarrassing. Then more ladyboys set to work on our hair. It was all backcombed ‘til we looked like flintstones and pinned up on our heads. They added fake, bun-shaped extensions which unfortunately (but of course logically) were only available in black so my appearance was just getting odder by the second. Add a fake lily and a tiara and the next step was complete. Another team of ladyboys (man, those guys are skilled) finished our make-up and the finishing touches of earrings, belts and beads were added before we were driven off to the river.

The performance went well (though my clip on earrings fell off) and my lovely male dance partner kept issuing words of encouragement. Afterwards, practically everyone in the entire town wanted photos of us and we obliged while watching lots of little banana-leaf boats drifting down the river. And because it was dark, this was quite a spectacle.

Also this week, we got a visitor from Project Trust (the charity we work for) and it was nice hearing another English accent for once. (Anna of course is Scottish) Nick,-that's his name- came bearing the beth gift ever. What was it you say? News from back home? Better teaching materials? The meaning of life? It was none of these. It was a jar or Marmite. I've never been happier!

Sawat Dee!