One of my favorite preschool teachers, PiNi, invited me to visit a few temples to make merit with her family one afternoon for Wan Pra. It had been awhile since I had experienced a good ol' fashioned Thai-knapping so I agreed to go. Why not, right?
About 3-4 times a month following the cycle of the moon, it's Wan Pra (literally translates to Monk Day). This means that the monks can't leave the temple and people prepare food and serve the monks and stay at the temple, usually just the elderly stay at the temple and wear all white. Monks aren't allowed to eat food after 12pm each day, so when it's Wan Pra, the people who are staying at the temple, also cannot eat after 12pm, although they are allowed to drink milk, water, and apparently Ovaltine.
Anyway, it was Wan Pra and PiNi and her family, including her husband, son, daughter, and her daughter's friend, picked me up and off we went. Actually, first, we had to stop and pick up her daughter from high school in Wapi. They rolled down the windows of the car so I had to do my ridiculous obligatory wave and smile at all of the students like I'm on some parade in a float (flashback to me sitting in a lotus flower with 10 pounds of make up on my face). Then we drove over an hour to a very small temple out in the middle of nowhere. It was actually really neat because PiNi and her family like to help temples that don't have much money or support. She told me the temple in our village has lots of support from the community, but this particular temple needs much more help. Before we prepared Ovaltine to serve to the old people praying at the temple, the family and I went on a walk through the woods with a monk to dig up bamboo. Why, I have no idea, but that's what we did. They even had me dig up some bamboo.
Then we made a big pot of Ovaltine and served it to the old people. I must have been the first foreigner many of these old people had ever seen because it was a mob of old ladies around me. There was even an impromptu good luck ceremony for me in which the old ladies lined up to tie white string around my wrist, granting me happiness, good health, and good luck.
After all that was over, I assumed we would head back home, but alas, the real Thai-knapping begins. We then drove to an even smaller temple even more in the middle of nowhere. Compared to where we were, it made my village feel like a bustling metropolis. We made merit again and gave more Ovaltine to the monks.
After the second temple, we drove to a farm. At this point it was getting dark, but we spent a long time walking around walking around the farm, checking out where they grow vegetables and rice and raise fish and cattle. At this point, PiNi was gifted a tree, which was then set in the back of the car. Again, I have no idea why.
I was convinced it was time to head home, but no. We stopped at another temple, but this time we didn't get out. We just circled the temple and prayed as PiNi's husband drove. Again, no idea, I just went with it.
We finally stopped for dinner - noodles at a food stall on the street, which were quite tasty. In my mind, I'm thinking that we will head home after this, right?
Nope, then we drove the hour or so back to Wapi and stopped at the hospital where PiNi's daughter and friend got out and went to go check on something or talk with someone in the hospital while we all sat in the car and waited in the parking lot. I couldn't quite understand what the deal was.
Then we had to drive all the way to the friend's house to drop her off and of course chat with her mother. Her mother was hoola hooping, which is the newest craze taking over Thailand, so of course much conversation ensued about hoola hooping.
And finally, 6 hours later, I made it home. It ended up being a really fun afternoon and evening, and I really enjoy hanging out with PiNi and her family, but of course it was a serious of random events that I can't quite explain. I was sort of feeling in a funk about site, but this was exactly what I needed to get back into the swing of things.
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