Ron Mai?

Are you hot?

The temperature has broken a hun-ded, but the Thais have a solution for this: a national holiday called Songkran. During this joyous time, people pour into the streets to pour water all over each other for a week.

Ron mai? No problem!

Skills

Combing through my friends' hair to detach lice from their follicles is not a skill I envisioned myself mastering while studying abroad. BUT, people are dropping like acid to these small critters. Thai insects like farangs (foreigners). I think to mosquitoes, scorpions, and now lice, our student group is like one fat ethnic cuisine buffet. The first case was discovered by the security guard's wife who lives next to our office; she combed through the girl's hair locating one egg, than two, then the whole nest, dying with laughter along the way. Then another one had an itchy head, then another, and yet another. One of the things Thai people excel at is using their hands. Anything doesn't work or has to be stitched, cemented, dug, or grown, they can do it. As an American whose had everything placed in front of him or replaced as soon as it breaks down, I'm starting to realize that my hands don't realize what beauty they can produce, other than a blog entry or maybe a good massage. So, I'm putting the little guys through a training regiment, beginning with lice removal. It's a win-win; my friends have their itchiness relieved while my fingers become more nimble- how could I do otherwise? Unfortunately, I don't have time to cover how much going to the bathroom in this country has aided my progress. Until next time, take a good look at your hands. Have they been limited of their capacity because of the way everything is handed to you in your snug home? What's up with this? Let your digits loose before it's too late.