First Days in the Lahu Village by Zara and Addie

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 


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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, we managed to teach them to play card games; however they were also content just spending time with us. When the older kids returned from school, they took us to a field with a net for a game called Ta Krow, which is a bit like playing volley ball with your feet. It's challenging, but we're getting the hang of it. We also had a lot of fun taking photos together.

Addie













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