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Today, we put down our mud mixtures and pointed our efforts to our next project: designing bathrooms. We split into three groups and scouted out the bathroom our group would be designing and building. We had to think of all of the components of a nice bathroom like lighting, ventilation, and privacy. Then we thought practically about the constraints that we were working with, like the direction of the wind and sun, and the preference of the person whose home we were building for. I'm excited to see an entire project like this from start to finish. On another note, something that I've noticed is that there is a strong age hierarchy in the village. I first noticed it while playing Takraw with a mix of kids ages 9 to 20 years old. When the ball was sent down the hill next to the playground, the youngest child on the court was always responsible for retrieving it. I offered to do it instead a few times, but everyone, even the young kids shook their heads no. After that, I started n

Breaking down the food in the village by meal, we'll start with breakfast. Upon waking up, our host families are already preparing a family style feast with a base of rice and various dishes dependent on the day. Mine often include eggs, stir-fried vegetables, and a form of soup or curry (chicken or vegetable based). Additionally, these pink mochi-like textured sausages are a common asset to most meals and dishes. To bring us to the worksite, our host families prepare our lunches in stackable tins to create the perfect lunchbox. When it's time to eat, we all hurry to take a peek at what unique dishes are hiding inside the tins. Everything from Fried chicken to curry to even things like French toast have been uncovered in these - it's truly like opening a surprise present every single day. On the side, we also often find fruits and special treats. The bananas and mangoes have been some of, if not the best tasting, ever. If only we could take some home with us! After lunch an

As part of the ceremony for the spiritual leader, the village took a half-day off of work. A period of rest is an important part of the ceremony, and we weren't allowed to do hard work or leave the village until noon. In the meantime, we prepared for our next bathroom project, walking around the village looking at existing bathrooms for inspiration. After lunch, we continued work on the roastery walls, and I went with a small group to collect more clay. Covered in dirt, sweating hard, we filled sacks until heavy and heaved them onto the truck. Fat rain drops began to fall, and we all paused to look up at the sky - a drop my head, one on my arm. Then in an instant, the clouds collapsed and countless drops soaked me to my underwear - loud rain turning the clay we were shoveling into mud. Because of the rain, our short day got cut shorter still, and we enjoyed our down time together at the leader house. We played card games and made bracelets for the village kids. Krit went to the loc

Imagine playing volleyball, except you can't use your hands! Take the rules of soccer and volleyball, put them together, and you will find yourself playing "kick-volleyball". I first stumbled across this unique game as I was walking down the twisting road that cuts through the village. On top of a hill to my right, a teenager shouted, "you! come here!". Without hesitation, I raced up the makeshift steps and was greeted by the smiling faces of four men, ages ranging from 17 to 20. After our quick salutations, two of them quickly returned to their intense match. The men leaped through the air, their bodies twisting as they juggled the ball on their heads, chests, and feet, finally sending the ball plummeting to the other side with a powerful kick. All the while, they continued cracking jokes and practicing English with me as they rallied the ball for eternity. Their effortless skill made the game look easy, yet my attempts to play resulted in an eruption of laught

We are summoned to the dance ground in a ceremony to promote the expedient recovery of the village's spiritual leader. The mood is far from somber. As the sky melts to black and the stars freckle the night, the children are the first to gather. They grab us by the hands, begging us to be swung in circles, unbothered to learn our names or ages. The adults of the village emerge from their homes. Generations come together to dance, following a musician who plays a song on his flute and stomps in rhythm around a lit candle. I am dragged into the circle by my host sister, and I concentrate on her feet to learn the steps on the fly. The task is daunting - we are foreigners thrown into a community that has done these dances their whole lives. But with extended hands and forgiveness for our initial clumsiness, everyone is more than welcoming. In our Lahu attire, bathed in dim lighting, we fade into the scene. -Lucy

 "I just peeled my mango with a spoon" -Addie Today we stated our service! We split into 3 groups and each tackled a different project. The first group was tasked with taking down and replacing walls on the village's roastery. The second group worked on building bamboo scaffolds for a partially built bathroom. The final group prepared materials for the next steps of construction. After lunch and a quick power nap, the Lahu team showed us how to mix clay, straw, and water into paddies called cob. We hung the cob in the bamboo scaffolding, to make a beautiful natural wall. We all had a great time making cob, and by the end of our work day we were all tinted orange from the clay. The bucket shower never felt better! During our free time we played games with the local children and spent more time with our host families. After another delicious dinner, we all went to bed exhausted, well fed, and excited to go again tomorrow!

Today we left Chiang Mai and drove to the Lahu village, where we will be living for the next four weeks. I met my host mom and spent some time at my homestay unpacking before meeting the group at the village head's house. We were warned that a pig would be killed in a ceremony meant to celebrate our arrival, and a few moments later three Lahu men walked over carrying a small, squealing pig. The sound of the pig squealing made my stomach turn, but the men worked with efficient, practiced movements and the pig quickly went silent and still. The still pig was carried to another spot up the hill to be butchered, and we played in the street with the Lahu kids. A few hours later, a bowl of delicious pork soup was placed in front of me. I've never eaten meat so fresh. Zara  ------------------------------ Playing with the kids of the village was the best part of my day. When we arrived, there were already children lined up, eager to latch onto our hands. With gestures and broken Thai,