Songkran Festival

One of the biggest holidays of the year is about wrapping up here in Thailand. Songkran is the Thai New Year's celebration. It's most well known for getting to soak everyone with water all day! I think it started with using water to cleanse the body and spirit for the new year. It's also a huge family holiday, so people flock back to their hometowns to celebrate. I've heard Bangkok is a barren city during this period.

I didn't get to play with water though, because I was invited to participate in the Miss Songkran parade. I would have rather not, but it was a good way to meet new people in the village, so I did it anyway.

Getting ready in the morning (makeup):

Getting my hair done:

With my friend, waiting for the parade to start:

With my host mom:

This is a ceremony where everyone pours water into the older people's hands. The older people wish you happiness, luck, health, or whatever good things they want.

I mostly got people saying (in English): "Happy, happy, happy" but my uncle told me that he wishes me to be happy and healthy because he cares about me like his own daughter.

On my "float" (back of a pickup truck):

I'm not sure who the two kids are, but they were only 5-years old, and no reasonable person would expect them to be able to sit still for 2+ hours (the time it took us to go all around the village). So I played games with them and we sang and danced. Sitting still was too much for me too. All the other contestants just sat and smiled!

Everyone that wasn't in the parade stood by the road and played with water.

Baby monks (boys who become monks for a few weeks):

So that was my weekend! There were at least 20 people at my house this weekend, so it's been a little nuts. But everyone has been great, and they are really excited that I can speak Thai somewhat. They leave today though, so I should get back to them.

Happy New Year!

Love,

Alex