Hello family and friends!
We left our homestay families yesterday morning. The night before we had a celebration that was heartwarming and very sanook (fun in Thai). Activities included but were not limited to:
A performance of “Take me out to the Ball Game”
About a quarter of Journey’s “Don’t StopĀ Believin’Ā ” with coreography
Making flower boats with insence and a candle that we sent out with our families
Lighting paper lanterns and letting them go into the night Ā (They are constructed from oiled rice paperĀ on a bambooĀ frame, and contain a small candleĀ or fuel cell composed of a waxy flammableĀ material. When lit, the flameĀ heats the air inside the lantern, thus lowering its density causing the lantern to rise into the air. The sky lantern is only airborne for as long as the flame stays alight, after which the lantern floats back to the ground. Thais believe they are symbolic of problems and worries floating away. *This is from Wikipedia*)
Took lots of pictures so we can remember them
Our parents tied string around our wrist to help ensure our body and soul stay connected (I think)
Leaving our parents was very sad, but we are moving on to otherĀ extraordinaryĀ things….hopefully….see news below:
International: Steve Jobs, co-founder of apple, died at age 56
National: Thailand, the world’s biggest rice exporter, launches a new pricing scheme today. The government is offering to buy unmilled rice at a 50% premium to the current market rate. It says the measure will boost the incomes of farmers and help alleviate rural poverty.
Local: The death toll in Thailand’s worst floods in five decades rose to 244 on October 6. The current flooding in Chiang Mai has shut down the railways through the city and have been inaccessible for over a week.
(News courtesy of the lovely Rachel Parks)
Other news: there is a bout of pink eye circulating, but no worries! The hospital in Chiang Mai is legit.
We love you guys!