Work and Play by Oliver and Anabelle


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 local convenience store to buy us all ice cream and snacks.

Even though we're halfway around the world, we still appreciate the small things. Things like discovering new snacks in our lunch pales, learning new Lahu words, bonding and making memories with the village kids and teaching our families games. It's the small things that have passed through cultural differences and language barriers and leave a lasting impression of our stay here in Thailand.

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