Thanksgiving in Thailand, Loi Krathong, and lots of updates

Hello everyone, sorry that it has taken sooo long to update, I got really sick up until about my birthday, and then was swamped with finishing up this semester. Thanksgiving in Thailand was pretty strange. It was the first Thanksgiving for any of us away from home, and away from the cooks in the family. We went shopping at Tops for our feast (for those of you from WNY, it is so strange having Tops, the same Tops, out here). We ended up making sweet potatos (which were nothinng like sweet potatos from America, they were light yellow and not very sweet), mashed potatos (which were very good) roasted chicken, bbq steak and pork, corn, garlic bread (home made by Brad), cranberry sause, and a fruit salad (the only dish that I was rightfully allowed near). The dinner was surprisingly good, and new cooking talents were found (although we did rely a bit on lots of butter, salt and garlic). We ate at Brad's host's house, which is this goregous house just outside the city. It was also my first Thanksgiving eaten at a table outside under the stars which was nice (espically since at home for Thanksgiving, it is usually snowing or hailing at that time). We had our secretary, two friends, and Brad's host at the dinnner, and the Thais seemed impressed with our efforts (even if our food is a little blander than tradititional Thai fare). Following Thanksgigving we all sat under the stars on the lawn, and then sent a floating latern into the sky (these are used in the Northen Thai celebration of Loi Krathong, which coincidently takes place Thanksgiving weeked) you write a wish onto the paper latern, and then light a fire under it, and send it into the sky.

That weekend, Loi Krathong was on. This holiday comes from India, were they float offerings into the river to thank the river goddess. In Thailand, all over the country, Krathongs are made out of bannana stumps and decorated with flowers, incense and candles, and then let into the water. We all made our own and went to the Ping River with our friends to float them. other than floating laterns, there was also all of the laterns going up into the sky, which can get crazy when thousands of people around the river are lighting fires under paper laterns (espically when the laterns don't take flight like they should, and there are always some house fires around the city during this holiday). THere are also tons of fireworks being set off at the same time (and of course none of them are legal) so all over the city people (many of whom have been drinking) are setting of illegal fireworks, many of them pointed right at you as you walk. There was also a giant parade with lots of big floats made. It was a very fun night, but one was enough, and I didn't go to the river for the Sunday celebrations. All in all, the celebrations remind me of the Fouth of July times twennty, with all the fireworks, drinking, and craziness.

I also got to go to the Sumo World Championships in Chiang Mai, the sport is very fast pased, and some of the guys are surpraisingly tiny.

My field work project is finally really getting started, and last week I interviewed a woman who works to improve the status of informal workers about women subcontract home workers who do piece work, and then yesterday went to a confrence about informal labor and listened to migrant workers talk and other representatives of the informal sector. After the New Year, I will begin oberservations with one NGO and travel to a near by city to go to their workshop with the women workers about developing their union and stratigies for mading demands from their employers. All of this is activity is being done solely in Thai, so my language skills are definatently getting tested and improved.

My Mom and Dad come tommorow, and I am super excited, then Philip and Carissa come, and then Holden. I can't wait to show everyone around and have my first visitors.

I also had my 21 bday recently. It was a little strange, because here the drinking age is 20, and bars never check ids of foreigners, so it wasn't really a big deal. I was also still sick, but I drink my champagne my friends got me (even though it was bad) and had a bite of my cake (even though that was REALLY bad), but it was just a nice, relaxed celebration filled with candles and bday hats. My real 21 will have to wait until my 22 back in the states. I am definatley going to follow my mom's suggestion and order my first legal drink of alcohol in the Kennedy airport bar on the way home in June, that will finally be the time when I really feel 21.

Thanks, sorry it has taken so long, and hopefully I won't take as long next time