happy new year, take three

Sabadee Be Mai or Happy New Year! I can't believe I've gotten to experience three different New Year celebrations this year, all in a different country. I spent western New Year in Manila, the Lunar New year in Korea, and now the Laos New Year in Laos, which follows the Indian calendar.

The past few days have left me soaking wet. According to New Year traditions, people use water to wash their homes and selves for the new year, in hopes for a long, healthy life. People everyone have water guns and buckets out on the curb, waiting to soak people that walk or drive by. I spent all day yesterday throwing buckets of water on everyone that came by our guesthouse, it was so fun! Luckily, it's so hot that the water feels great and you dry off quickly. I climbed in a jeep with 18 other people randomly yesterday and went down to the river to join the local celebration. It was really amazing to see so many local people out celebrating. There were people everywhere, most of them soaking wet, eating food, dancing, swimming, and splashing people.

So I've been in Laos for a few weeks now. It's been hard to get blogs in because the power isn't consistent, which is frustrating when always having to rewrite a blog! I would just like to say that I think Laos is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen! The landscape is amazing, with beautiful rivers and great mountains. The people are genuinely sweet and laidback. I didn't know this before coming to Laos, but it is the most heavily bombed country on Earth! I don't have a factbook in front of me, but basically during the 60's the US military launched a hardcore attack on the country, dropping tons of bombs everywhere! Even today there are a ton of bombs that haven't gone off yet that are laying around in random spots. I will get my facts straight for sure and then finish telling the story, because I don't wanna screw it up. Anyway, the attacks and a civil war have left Laos in rough shape and it is still a very poor country. Driving through the country the poverty is evident and it makes Laos seem so untouched by society, which it really is.

Ok, I just found out the computer cafe is closing...so I will leave you with this unfinished blog, just to give you all something to read! I will write more when I can.

Be well!