Super Soaked at Songkran (สงกรานต์)

For us (as in Westerners), December 31st is the date that marks the end of one year and the beginning of the next by getting completely hammered and forgetting all the crappy things that happened to us over the past 12 months. For Thais however, they have a much more traditional and beautiful outlook on the end of the year. Known as Songkran, which derives from the Sanskrit word for "Astrological Passage", this three day celebration rings in the new year and is celebrated with mass street parties, food, music, and LOTS OF WATER.

All ready for Songkran!

Held between the 13th and 15th of April each year, Songkran sees Thailand come to stand still. Everyone heads back to their home provinces (as if it was a Thai Thanksgiving of sorts) to be with their families and will party, feast, and enjoy festivities for the following 72 hours. This is perhaps my favourite holiday I have witnessed so far whilst in Thailand; not just because I got to celebrate it with my best friend Harriet, but because it was the one holiday that I have truly felt special to be part of something so uniquely Thai.

After coming back from Chiang Mai, which I have learnt is the place to be for Songkran, Harriet and I headed back to my home sweet home of Korat to see in the New Year. What was nice about staying home for it is that I got to bow in and out of it as much as I wanted, I was familiar with the surroundings, and I got to see other friends and my students throughout the celebrations! A massive plus for me is that Korat is not really tourist central...far from it in fact, so it was really nice seeing a true Thai celebration being celebrated by Thais!...not just by a bunch of drunk westerners running around with water guns acting like its some sort of mass battle...

Celebrating Day One of Songkran with First and Harriet.

Oh yes, the WATER. The most important part of the festival. The water (ice cold at times!) is thrown over you to represent a cleansing of all the bad things that had happened to you and to wash away all of the sins you committed in the past year and to start afresh. In addition, many people would come up to you and put (ok, more like caress) powder onto your face, which I believe stems from chalk that is used by Monks when they bless people. It was a very surreal and exciting experience. Strangers in floral Hawaiian shirts (how ironic) would constantly come up to me and throw water, rub powder on me, and wish my Happy Songkran; it in no way felt invasive or callous - I really felt welcomed to the celebration which I really had no idea about. The first day was spent with my friend, who's appropriately named First! We hung out near his Grandmother's restaurant and threw buckets of ice cold water at passers by, drank lots of free beer, and danced in the street. Korat has shut off a massive section of its downtown area, and although cars and bikes still passed through, pedestrians swarmed the area and made a 5 minute journey into about a half hour/hours trip. Due to Harriet and I being exhausted from our trip, we decided to bow out early that day and take a break for the rest of the night.

Korat came to a standstill to celebrate this giant water festival!

On the second day, I decided to venture out mid afternoon with Grace to what was utter choas in Yamo; The usually empty had been transformed into a giant pool full with water shooting from practically every direction thanks to a massive party that was being hosted by Pepsi. Grace and I got into the full swing of things -- jumping into the pool and dancing to trashy EDM. On the way home, Grace and I were yet again bombarded by Thais who were just in awe of the fact that white people were walking past their homes, I was offered multiple glasses of whisky, and (as always) asked to be in photos upon photos. As tiring as those two days were, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

"I'm soaked!" doesn't come close...

The last day of Songkran was spent going back to Bangkok to take Harriet to the Airport. But, I am thankful for that as I don't think I could have handled Bangkok Songkran as all I wanted to do was eat Mexican food and sleep haha.

As I FINALLY finish off this post, Summer School is now finally coming to a close and that means I finally get to enjoy what is left of my summer break. The last week has been spent preparing exams for the children, a field trip to the zoo with all my students (super fun!) and preparing for the last day of school this coming Friday where Grace and I have been "chosen" to sing John Denver's "Country Roads"...yikes.
But more importantly, I'll be turning 24 this Sunday (May 3) so I'm really excited as the prospect of ringing in my birthday in Bangkok with some friends! Fingers crossed I will have some money to do so as my trip with Harriet left me completely skint! Haha. So here's to the next few weeks of adventures, travels, and celebrations. I (promise I) will keep y'all posted.