HAPPY NEW YEAR! 4 in 1

Wow, have I been busy this past week. The locals really know how to partay! I've been to parties everyday for about 4 days straight. When I say party, I don't mean some silly drop-in that you stop by and bring a gift to in the states. I mean... THROW DOWN! Sorry for my slang, but basically it means to party hard and long while giving partying utmost effort.

I'm talking about 10am-1am bashes. That's intense when it's happening for 4 days straight! Good thing I love a good party. The locals love to drink, dance, and eat together. So, we fried up some chicken feet and blared music all day long. I think I lost about 15% of my hearing in the process. SO MUCH FUN!

So, the tradition here is to pour water down the back or front of your friends for the New Year and wish them health, wealth, luck, and prosperity for the year. I h
ad wet clothes... underwear and all... for 4 days. People even rode around in trucks with buckets of water and water guns and had water wars around town. LOOK OUT if you're on your motorbike!

Speaking of motorbikes, I'm officially a BIKER CHICK! Look out Myrtle Beach! Summer 2015, I'm joining the fun!

 Before the big shabang partying began, I got a chance to go to the temple or "wat" with one of my good friends. We are both wearing the local dress. I don't have a shirt like her's because I'm too chunky! HE HE HE! In those baskets, there are dollars, snacks, drinks, sticky rice, and flowers for the monks. I just borrowed a basket for the picture. But, this experience at the temple was pretty amazing.

All of the people stand in 2 extremely long lines. They await approaching a set of long tables that have many bowls and baskets on them. In each basket, they place a ball or rice, a snack, or money. First, they pinch off the rice. Then, they touch the tip of their forehead with the rice and say a little blessing. Lastly, they drop the rice in the basket. They repeat the ritual until all the contents of their basket have been given. 

STRANGE????.... yeah. But this ritual is common here.