สุขสันต์วันสงกรานต์ Happy Songkran Day!

Celebrating my first Songkran festival in Korat or Nakhon Ratchasima was an experience of a lifetime! The first day of Songkran was the most exciting and by far the most intense days of my life! I went with P'Boss, P'Beer, P'Sun, and P'Say. We walked around for a long time with water guns in one hand and powder in the other. The Thai children enjoy Songkran the most because of the water and being able to splash anything and/or anyone! As we were walking around we past my friend's house. Rika, an exchange student from Japan came with us because the first day she had no plans for Songkran. Around 1 P.M. or so we went to P'Boss's friend's house which was right next to the main road where Songkran was taking place. There we played loud music, splashed water everywhere, and ate till the late afternoon. The day was so hot but because of all the iced water it felt much more cooler. =) Some other exchange friends join us at the house too, Caity and Josh. Both are from America. Josh came all the way from Chantaburi for Songkran. Songkran last for three days in Thailand, but after that first day, none of the other days really compare. ;p The only thing about Songkran that I don't like is the crazy random Thai that come up to you and cover you in baby powder, ugh!

intro to songkran....

Songkran or the Thai New Year is celebrated every year for three days (April 13th, 14th, and 15th.) Water plays an important role in the Songkran festival because it represents cleanse and purification for the new year, that is why Songkran is also referred to as the Water Festival. During Songkran people with get buckets of water or water guns and drench each other on the streets. Many times they also use powder and cover each other head to toe with a mixture of water and white baby powder. I am regretting not having my mother bring me water proof cameras when she came to visit me because now I have to figure out how to keep my camera safe and enjoy Songkran at the same time...

วันมาฆบูชา....The First Instructions

Do good

Don't do bad

Purify yourself

The first instructions given by the lord Buddha to his followers on this day many years ago. The Thai people remember this day every year with prayer and celebration. My host family took me to a Wat outside of Udon Thani. Many people were there, some slept at the temple while others came just for the night. My host mother, father, and aunt all went this night to pray and later we lit a khom (floating lantern) into the sky.

The instructions given by the Buddha were, as best I can relate it to, similar to the Eightfold Path in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. For those who do not know, I am a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist and the eightfold path, for the most part, is similar to the first two instructions given, Do good and Don't do bad.

Loi Kartong Festival!!!

Loi Kratong festival was tonight! At the festival my friends all went to light the lantern that floats in the sky and the Kratong that floats in the water. It was so beautiful! I also saw the Princess! When we put the Kratong in the water you make wishes. I guess you could say that I made many wishes, like good health, good grades in college...and blah blah blah. Also the lantern in the sky is suppost to show that you will go to heaven... That is how my friends explained it to me. I saw a lot of my classmates at Nongpajak park (where the festival was held at.) It seemed like everyone from my school was there. I heard 7,000 people usually go to the festival but I think there was a lot more then that.