Day 14--Village Life

As we entered the Mae Hon village on elephants, the children of the village all came out to witness us clumsily dismount our beasts. I bid farewell to Hannibal and washed up for lunch. A delightful lunch of red curry, rice and vegetables was laid out in the middle of the village. The Mae Hon are a matriarchal society so the women do all of the bossing around. For lunch, the women ordered us around and seated us accordingly.

After dinner, we set out to do some chores around the village before dark. I was in charge of rebuilding a thatched roof that needed repair. The children of the village were a distraction as I looked down on them drawing and playing in the dirt. Before long, I went over to them to see what they were up to. I couldn't help teaching them some simple arithmetic and some kid's song and dances (like the macarena). The village matriarch scolded me for being so distracted from my roof building duties. I don't know if it was a punishment or a supposedly easier job, but I was sent to grind corn and then feed the pigs. Now, I'm a city slicker from Pasadena, California. Grinding corn, feeding pigs, and building thatched roofs is all a little out of the ordinary for me. It's only in the throws of a different culture that we can step outside ourselves and grow. Soon dusk was on the horizon and we had to prepare for bed. I, the lone and rogue ranger of the group, was moved into the chief's house. It was probably so he could keep an eye on me. With a small simple ceremony that involved fire, chanting, sacrificing a chicken, and drinking some village moonshine, the highlight of the evening was sitting around the fire with everyone. The broad smiles that came from the villagers faces will live with me for the rest of my days. Where they lack in material wealth, they make up for in spirit and kindness. Learning to appreciate local ways, customs, and ettiquette is an important life lesson.