Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes!

First off, I'm just going to touch on a few observations that I've made. I know I already mentioned the fact that I take cold showers....as in, there isn't any hot water, it's not by choice! But, also after every meal we do our dishes in this sink next to the dining area, and it is only cold water. I'm starting to think that they just don't have hot water at all. I have not encountered a washer yet, but I will when I move into my new place...I wonder if that has hot water. Not sure what the reason is for this. I will investigate.   Next, I don't think I've mentioned that there are roughly 5 billion dogs running around here everywhere! Now, for those who know me...you know I don't mind dogs...as long as they are outside...but this is too much to handle! When I walk the 2 blocks to the Internet place, I see roughly 20 dogs. Maybe it's the fact that I'm in a foreign country that makes me uneasy of these dogs, or it could be the fact that they all look quite gross and scary. I think they are all muts. They all look sickly and like they have diseases. I knew I should have got my rabies shot before I came here! Bah.

I have walked through probably a hundred markets in the almost 2 weeks I've been here...and I'm shocked every time. All of this food is just out in the open. Some things, that's fine. But all of the fish, meat, eggs...things that should probably be refridgerated or cooled a bit, is what bothers me. I know this is their cool season, but it's still hot...and I'd have to ask my grandma Carrie for backup...but she's dealt with chickens for longer than I've been alive...and I think she would agree that eggs should be refridgerated after a period! Right grandma?? Right! I had a thought today that I would not eat meat while I was here...because of what I've seen....I definitely won't eat the beef...sorry dad! 

The only thing that they have cold or on ice at the markets is the bottled water and pop. P.S. when you get a glass bottle of pop, they pour it in a bag with some ice and give you a straw. I guess they keep the bottles to recycle?? That one puzzles me as well!

Everything is just out in the open. Even most of the houses...it's like there are no doors or windows...it's just open to the outside world. It's just very weird to see because it is soo amazingly different from America.

 Okay, so yesterday we traveled to yet another temple. After getting a tour, we got to sit in on the evening chants of the monks. I guess it usually goes an hour...but they cut it short for us! Next, we were taught the 4 different ways to meditate: sitting, standing, walking, and reclining.

The only one that I could truly relax and calm my mind was when sitting, otherwise I wasn't comfortable. During meditation you are only supposed to think about good thoughts. Thinking of good things will make you do good things. If you think about bad things...well, you get the picture! You need to find peace in your mind. Control you body, speech, and mind. The monk also talked about giving up the comforts of life, so as to not clutter your mind. Well said, sir monk! We stayed at the temple that night in an adjacent building, in which we slept on mats on the floor, with small, hard pillows, and a small blanket. It was probably the worst night of sleep I've had here yet! And the best part...we had to wake up at 5AM the next morning!

We got up early to participate in some morning chanting and meditation. I tried to meditate about not being tired and finding energy in the days activities of helping others. I think it worked because

I wasn't tired for many, many hours later!

 We then set out with the monk with his cart and traveled around town, collecting the alms of food and drink, from the people that were giving. We collected soo much food! There were only 6 monks and a few nuns at that temple, so I'm not sure who eats all that food! After arriving back at the temple we did some sweeping in front of the temple to tidy up. There happened to be this group of school kids that came to the temple and they saw us and wanted to meet us. They were doing some song, so they wanted us to teach them a song. One of the girls in my group piped up and said, "Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes!" So....that's what we taught them! Once we taught them the words and actions, we went through it a few times and then went faster and faster! They loved it! Then they taught us a song...some chicken dance song! They really enjoyed watching us act like chickens!

That afternoon, we went to the temple and offered these buckets of goods to the monks. We had to do a little chanting in the process. I think I said this earlier, but no one is allowed to touch the monks, so we had to hand the baskets to them by putting it on this linen, which they then could take. It's strange to me. The monk gave us another talk on Buddhism and meditation and then we took some pictures and called it a day. It was funny to me when the monk pulled out his camera to get a picture as well!

So they have these things here....they are kind of like crepes....made with a very thin dough...on a hot skillet....and then they drizzle a bit of sweetened condensed milk and sugar on them and roll them up. WOWSWERS! Yummy! It kind of reminds me of the doughnuts we would make as a family every year for my birthday as well. I thought I would possibly be able to lose some lbs. here....but I don't think so! Tomorrow is my first day at my new school, so I am very excited!