Hot Tub Thaim machine

Let's go back a month, into the past.  Before I was a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Back when I was just a trainee, living in SiPrachan with a wonderful Thai family of farmers and good cooks.  This was me then-

This is a copy of a journal entry I typed up after one of the most interesting and fun weekends I had.  It was also the last weekend I lived with my host family in Si Prachan, Suphanburi, and the weekend of my BIG Thai language test and interview for readiness to be a PCV- words in italics were added today to help with clarity.  This picture is the thousand words-

Monday March 17, 2013

I feel so blessed to be in this moment right now.  This past weekend had perfect timing, as all of life is in perfect timing.  (the monk ordination gave me enough to talk about that the interviewers had little time to ask questions)  Thursday, when I came home from school, my family had set up many tents outside of our house.  My windows no longer opened because of the tents.  There were about 20 family members there cooking.  I helped for a little bit, but not too long.  On Friday, when I came home, Nong Jay was there, home from University, still with his hair and mustache.  We played UNO with the children.  Jas Mine was giddy with excitement as she made her mom “Draw 4” and nearly shrieked with excitement.  Saturday morning, the music started loudly at 5:30am.  I did not realize it, sadly, but Jay was getting his head shaved at this time.  Before his head is shaved, family and community members cut off locks of his hair.  (I have since done this in my community)  I wish I could have seen that.  I had my big Thai Language test that morning so I was very nervous and could not enjoy the party.  Once I took the test, I could go back to the house, to enjoy the party.

  As I approached my house, after my test,  there was a parade coming down the road.  A band on wheels was playing ska music, while people danced in front of the cart.  My bag, and my bike were taken from me.  They insisted.  Dance, “Dten”, Dance they said.  So I danced.  It was a lot of fun dancing with the ladies and the music, and a few of the men.  Someone took my bike and my backpack and took off toward the house.  I swapped hats with the uncle who likes to drink and he danced around with my helmet on, while I danced around with his hat with neck wrap.  We danced all the way to the house.  Jay was walking under an umbrella and not smiling.  This is the custom.  Once we got to the house, Jay went upstairs to the big room.  There was a band that was playing drums, and a few xylophones.   Also, a man was playing a flute like thing with a reed.  He had a few different flutes.  There were a few men who were also playing glong mai or the wooden blocks.  In came the yais. (Thai word for Grandmother)  Many Yais came upstairs and surrounded the mom and the dad and the son, who was ordaining.  My mom was crying a little and dressed so beautifully.  Dad looked nice also.  At a few points Jay put his head into his mom and dad’s laps like a small child.  It was very beautiful to watch.  People, even family members, rarely show physical affection towards one another. 

There was a man and woman who were chanting, all in white, and leading the ceremony.  There was a marigold tower with 9 levels.  There was a tower of flowers with an alms bowl and lots of donations for the monks and some neon lights in a triangle shape.  Many of the neighbors brought bags of bows that they had folded around baht coins.  There were stars, roses, and we also did just orange cellophane around a baht.  Saturday night Jay and his friends, and others stayed up late drinking and having fun. 

The next morning the blasted music started at 4:30am.  The live music started at 5.  We ate breakfast and got dressed up nicely and then rode to the wat.  Once at the Wat (Wat Pang Muang) we danced around the wat with the dancers in the front of the procession.  Behind the dancers was the sound cart playing ska music.  A drummer and a cow bell, a lot of horn players.  Behind that was about 20 people carrying gifts for the monks.  Once we went around the wat 9 times we stopped and Jay threw out the baht coins and candy.  Next, he went into the wat with his parents and we all went back to the house to feast with about 60 of the neighborhood and family members. 

                Soon, the monks came to the house in two pick-up truck loads.  Nong Jay was now Phra Jay and he had exchanged his white robes for the orange robes of a monk.  He would be ordaining for three weeks during his university break.  I unfortunately had to go to an interview, ON SUNDAY!, and missed the monk tamboon at the house.  When I returned home the tents were quickly coming down.  Jay was sitting on the platform under the house where he stayed for the whole day and was taken home that night.  Many of my PCV friends came over and we drank many, many beers.  And had a lot of fun while the family cleaned up the giant mess left over from the Naang Bowat  or ordination.  Later, I helped wash dishes as all of the Peace Corps Trainees must be home before 6pm.  Jay was put into the truck and taken back to the wat. 

I have read that newly ordained monks are not allowed to leave the temple (wat) for a few days, but, the next day I and my cousin offered alms at the end of our driveway to an elder monk and Phra Jay.  It was a beautiful morning, the sun was rising over the rice paddies, and the monks blessed us.  I gave almonds I had brought from the US.