Jack's Diary

Sports group.

The sports day is really a party for the whole village. I follow the preparations daily. Our garden borders the school grounds. Not that we can easily walk across. A river flows between the school and our house, currently about 10 meters wide. In the rainy season that doubles and if a lot of water flows in from the mountains near Nan, the roads and gardens are flooded. Like in October 2011. We have been able to keep the garden dry so far due to raising it by one metre.

The school has a music band. Every day we hear the school marching band announce the start of school. The signal for the classes to form groups. This is apparently followed by announcements, sometimes there is applause. At some point the marching band starts again at full strength. The classes disappear into the school in a hurry, starting with the youngest. When everyone has left, the music band marches off to the building where the instruments are stored. So we usually have breakfast on our balcony accompanied by cheerful fanfare music. Where can you experience such a thing?

It's not about the marbles, it's about the game

In the week before the sports day, the marching band practices and parade through the school grounds. The last days before the sports day, the school children, divided into four groups, train hard to ensure that the opening ceremony runs smoothly. Strangely enough, I have never seen the youth train to improve their sporting performance. It's not about the marbles, it's about the game.

On the day itself, children and parents gather at the health center of the village. That's where the parade is set up. In front the fanfare, behind it two beautiful girls with a banner, then comes the Olympic flag followed by the four groups. In each group, children and parents walk in their own color T-shirt. There is a miss with a name tag in front. And of course each group has its own flag.

The marching band practices for sports day

At 10 o'clock the march is accompanied by the village guards, all in such a light beige uniform. It looks like a whole police force. There is a 500m march on the main road of the village and another lap around the school grounds. Then people line up in groups, the organizer roars: turn right (at least I understand 'bad'), the flags are hoisted and the Olympic flame is lit. Then the groups each go to their own party tent, where food and drinks are provided. Opposite the party tents of the groups is the big tent of the school management. In between is the sports field. On the grass, the running tracks are marked out with ribbons. The party can start.

There is just running about 60 to 100 meters, depending on age and gender. But there is also running for couples, where the right leg of one is tied to the left leg of the other. Some are very handy at this, for most it becomes a stumbling party. Sack races are done in relay form, at the turning point the runner has to get them out of the bag as quickly as possible and the next runner in as quickly as possible. A variant of this is running in pants that are much too wide, which also have to be changed. More crazy things are invented, such as rolling in a kind of sewn-up reed mat, but I have not seen that again this year.

No one is allowed to keep their medals
Medals are awarded, but no one is allowed to keep their medal. They are collected at the group and afterwards they go back to school. For next year. Like I said, it's not about the marbles. Although some try very fanatically. Honor can also be an important motivator. In the meantime, the mood is kept up because each group plays its own music and performs dances along the sports field.

After the youth – and a long lunch break – it is the adults' turn. The atmosphere is now even more relaxed. It's more 'sanuk' than 'kaankielaa'. Soj participates in the sporting part. I also have a role. At a certain point my name is called, the signal to come forward to hang medals on the winners. An honorary job. At the end there is a musical chairs and prizes are distributed to the groups. Such as for the nicest dance groups, for the best care of the group or for the most victories. The prizes consist of a box of beer, shampoos, sweets and the like, all nicely packaged.

What about the financial side of things? Firstly, there is a 'Buddha tree' as my wife calls it: everyone contributes voluntarily according to their means. The school has raised about 20.000 baht again this year. Secondly, food, drinks and sweets are provided for each group. Everyone in the group contributes. Thirdly, another sponsor was approached by the school. They know that we have a good heart for the school and therefore always participate. This year we treated everyone to ice cream.

At five o'clock the sporting event comes to an end. The organizer lets the marching band march on again. The flame is extinguished and the flags are lowered. Compressed march sounds through the microphone. The cleanup can begin. This is done quickly and effectively. Before dark, the sports field is empty and deserted. The youth is on holiday until January 2, so no morning fanfare at breakfast for a week.

New Year's Eve: the carport is cleared and the music is turned on
The parties follow in quick succession. Sports day is over. From New Year's Eve to New Year's is the turn. Soj's eldest sister is staying with us with her husband and daughter. The house is now for the guests. The sisters get along well. They are busy preparing food for New Year's Eve. I feel a bit lost and crawl behind my laptop.

The carport is cleared, mats on the floor and the music is turned on. In the beginning, mainly the elderly come. Soj has told us that we are going to show the video of our wedding party. No one has seen it yet, it was only put on CD this year. It's exciting to see yourself again after 15 years. The film also impresses because of the sensitive moments when people who have passed away come into the picture. Like Soj's mother. But eating and drinking continues. When the movie is over, we switch to karaoke.

Gifts for the children.

There's about four hours left until New Year's Eve. The music is loud as it should be. Loud and out of tune singing. It's still too early for dancing, first some more alcohol. The Christmas lights on the balustrade of the balcony are on. It's atmospheric. Soj had thought that presents should be wrapped for the children and had brought Sinterklaas paper especially for this purpose. So we also had prom night. All practical gifts, such as soap or toothpaste. Sometimes a stuffed animal. The distribution was Thai style: inimitable. Numbers were drawn, then the parents looked for who the gift was intended for?!?

23 pm: Soj and I hit the dance floor
When the last hour of the year has arrived, Soj and I hit the dance floor. It is a cheerful party, beer and whiskey lovers will not be short of anything. Cola and Fanta drinkers don't either. I used a 4,5 liter pack of red wine. In the first place for myself, but a few women also drink. I don't know if they really like it. Singing and dancing we go to twelve o'clock. Then quickly behind the computer, downloading photos and wishing the Dutch family a happy New Year with the first photos of the year. I will not see the reaction of the home front until the next day. There are partygoers who continue for an hour, but I like it that way.

New Year's morning, we go to the temple together at half past six. It is busy in the large building next to the temple. The monks are not here yet. I think: we couldn't have gone an hour later. But it does not work like that. Everyone must have passed the altar, poured a bowl of rice into a large heap, and sat in place before the monks arrived.

I can't survive sitting on the floor in Thai style for a long time, so I sit on a stone bench at the entrance. At one point a boy of about 4 years old is placed next to me on the couch, clearly with the instruction to stay there. Mother (or grandmother) goes inside, I don't see her again. He's a good boy, he doesn't move. I say a friendly hello and he actually smiles back but he continues to sit like a statue. Suddenly he apparently sees someone he knows, he slips off the couch and runs away.

Speeches, prayers, blessing and nasi
I see the monks arrive from the monk's quarters, eleven in all. There are four young boys, I estimate them around 12 years old. Isn't that very young? The monks enter and when they are lined up, speeches are made. Then I hear the head of the temple say something. The whole room laughs. The head monk is clearly popular. And then the monks begin their chanted prayers. I know the ritual by now. At the end, with your head to the ground three times, run your hands over your hair and the blessing is complete.

Meanwhile, at the two exits of the temple hall, I saw people filling plastic containers with fried rice from a very large pan. There were about a hundred trays ready for the people who came out. I thought as long as they don't have too little. I see to my surprise that my wife brings two trays. That was allowed, she said. I believe her because she's not that bold herself. Certainly not under the eye of Buddha.

The new year has started, now it's time to get used to the new years.

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