It’s a bit crazy to think that I’ve spent 20 weeks in Thailand and have been able to maintain weekly posting throughout. I’m so thankful for each and every one of you and for all the emails, comments, and viewership. It’s a bittersweet announcement to make, but there are now only 5 weeks until I’m stateside. Obviously I’ll have to quit the weekly reports then, but I still plan on regularly posting some reflections and stories about this experience. After all, I have over 200 pages of journal entries to give me inspiration. Nevertheless, thanks again for all your support, and I hope you enjoy reading about this week’s adventures.
Another Step in the Rice Process
Before this Thailand expedition, not once had I thought about all the work that goes into selling a bag of rice. Now, after months of exposure, I can confidently say that there are numerous steps involved, none of which are particularly easy. The rice activity I got to participate in this week involved sorting through rice grains. On paper, this sounds like an easy task: sort through the rice one pan at a time, making sure to remove foreign debris. In practice, it still isn’t a particularly difficult job to do, but I have a feeling it would become monotonous very quickly if it were my daily job. Of course, that’s assuming that I wouldn’t get fired after a few days. Compared to my “coworkers,” I was terribly inefficient at the task.
Almost every afternoon, a group of older ladies gather under the shelter and get to work sorting rice. They’re not really concerned with quotas or speed; they just sit down and sort at their own pace, all the while chatting and laughing. Whenever one of them gets tired, they lie down, take a quick nap or break, and then get right back to it. From what I gather, it seems to be their version of a sewing circle. However, be sure not to let their leisure fool you. Even with their conversations, laughter, and breaks, they still ran circles around me. One lady was a total expert and was able to sort large quantities of rice by shaking a pan, tossing the grains in the air, rotating the pan, and repeating. I’m still not exactly sure how it works, but it was effective, efficient, and mesmerizing to watch.
Unsurprisingly, most of my time here is spent around children, so it was nice to be able to spend some time with the older people from the village. I learned a lot about Thai culture from interacting with them and gained a much deeper appreciation for the work that goes into processing foods. In turn, they were very excited to hear me try to speak Thai and even learned some English words as well. Specifically, they really loved learning the word “watering.” I’ll admit that it’s a strange first word to teach, but now whenever I go water the garden, they happily shout the word in my direction, to which I usually shout back “rót náam pàk!” (watering the vegetables in Thai).
Despite all the fun I had with these awesome people, a part of me is a bit saddened to know that I’ll never be able to get to know them beyond a superficial level. Sure, the brief interlingual banter and exchanged smiles can tell a lot, but there are so many things I want to ask and learn about. Unfortunately, the language barrier is too large to overcome with the time I have remaining, so I’ll just have to accept the fact that I’ll never get to truly learn about their lives, values, and passions. Paradoxically, my rice adventure made me feel both like an insider and an outsider looking in. I suppose that’s a fact I must accept and find other ways to convey my appreciation and adoration.
Thai Ice Cream
We may have ice cream trucks back home in the States, but here in Plaboo Village, we have something better: the ice cream cart. Every weekend, the “ice cream man” rides around the village, ringing a bell in his modified motorbike with an attached food stand, selling fresh ice cream, coconuts, and other goodies. His ice cream is homemade, using khati (coconut milk) instead of milk, and has little candies sprinkled throughout. It only costs 10 baht (around 30 cents) and is extremely delicious and refreshing.
There are also many different ways to order the ice cream. Of course, there are the classic cups, cones, and toppings, but the ice cream sandwich is by far the most unique option. It isn’t like the processed chocolate wafers and vanilla ice cream Americans know and love. It’s literally a slightly sweet bun with ice cream stuffed inside and topped with roasted peanuts. I’ve never had bread with my ice cream before, but I have to say that after trying it, it’s a great way to soak up the melted cream in the heat and avoid sticky fingers.
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