Since arriving back in Bangkok Brad and I have had the pleasure of celebrating our third new years of 2012- Songkran! We celebrated the first in January in Iowa and then again for the Chinese new year and I must say the third time (Songkran) is a charm. The Thai follow a solar calendar and therefore celebrate the new year in April, when the sun moves into the sign of Aries. Songkran is a time to celebrate the vernal equinox and one of the most anticipated Thai holidays. Most people take time off of work and often travel home to spend time with friends and family. This three day long festival involves the bathing of Buddhas, cleaning for the New Year, blessings, and most fun of all a massive water fight. I'm not talking a little water here- I am talking thousands upon thousands of people with water guns, buckets, hoses, and ice cold water. It's almost indescribable- no one is safe from the water. Well thats not completely true I guess because you don't throw it at monks or really elderly people but kids and adults are fair game. People throw it at tuk tuks and motorbikes riding past and bicyclists and pedestrians also get drenched. There is also a chalky mixture of talc that people put on one another as a sign of blessings- mostly on your face. We all walk around dripping wet covered in a white film and a smile. The water is a symbolism of washing away the bad but also helps to cool everyone down as April is one of the hottest months of the year.
The most amazing thing is the spirit of Songkran- it's all just fun and love. In America I know this would result in fights and riots (hey, bro, you just shot me in the ear with water I'm gonna fuck you up!) but here everyone just jokes and laughs as they get blindsided by a watergun or giant ice cold bucket of water. Brad and I bought big water guns and joined in the fun which the Thai people just loved. We stood on the corner blasting random people riding by and cackled with glee as we hit our targets. We danced in the streets with thousands of others down on Khao San road and threw bubbles at the foam party in front of Central World. We got into water fights with police officers at the Big C super center and sprayed people from inside a speeding tuk tuk. All in all Songkran has just strengthened my love for the Thai culture. It kicks America's New Years ass in the cool competition- they have booze, warm weather, and a three day water fight! America just has booze and cold weather. I vote we make 4th of July a country wide water fight.
My wicked side did come out a bit during Songkran though. Some farang (foreigners) get really upset about the whole water thing, like they are above it and don't want their mascara to run or something. I would especially enjoy squirting them and their dry clothes and then if they got mad or gave me nasty faces I would let them walk away and then squirt them in the back while yelling, "happy Songkran!" If you don't like it...go home! At least wear a poncho. Brad and I were a great double team when it came to messing with people- one would shrug innocently while the other one sprayed the angry pedestrian. The angrier they got the more I enjoyed myself. Yet, not one Thai person ever got upset with the fun. Thai people- 1. Angry farang-0.
On a side note I recently learned America follows a Christian calendar that was determined by Dionysius Exiguus who was trying to figure out a date for the church to celebrate Easter. He instituted BC and AD (in Thailand the year is currently 2555) and for a period they used the Julian calendars as well for days/months. The days were not quite adding up however so we now use the Gregorian calendar introduced by the Pope Gregory the XIII which accounts for leap year and keeps the calendar more consistent with the seasons. Thanks to colonialism and economic structuring most countries use this calendar as well, although the dates of new years celebrations varies. Thailand also considers January to be the start of the calendar year. I would like to give the Internet a shout out for that knowledge and helping us to learn something new today.
I would also like to wish you a very happy Songkran and hope you have a merry new year! Sawasdee bpee mai!
R.I.P to my ladybug backpack squirt gun who was broken during battle at the end of the day. Thanks for the memories and sorry I got carried away and broke you.
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