School Is Back In Session

Hoisting the flag at Thasang Village Elementary School

Yesterday was the first full day of the new school year here in Northeast Thailand. I ended up at Thasang Village Elementary School just before the start of the school day.  I was attending a religious event at the house behind the school and planned my arrival to coincide with the start of day activities at the school.

Thasang Village Elementary School

The elementary school that Duang attended for four years and the school that is still used for six grade levels is located on the main road just outside of Thasang Village.  When Duang went to school, students started school when they became seven years old.  Today the children start when they are three years old.  The school is comprised of several buildings.  There is the main classroom building - an elevated 8 room wood structure.  There is an assembly hall about 10 meters by 10 meters square with a tile floor at grade that is also used as the 3 and 4 year old classroom.  There is a library building similar to the assembly hall but smaller.  There is a kitchen building.  There is a bathroom building.  A large playing field separates the school building from the road.  The school is typical of the schools scattered amongst the villages throughout Isaan.



This year, forty of Tahsang Village's children attend the school.  They are instructed by 4 teachers (a couple of teachers instruct in more than one class at a time), a Principal, a Deputy Principal and acting Nurse, and Administrative person.

There are some differences in this typical Isaan school and public schools in the USA.  Outside of the building there is a Buddhist shrine near the flagpole.  In the classrooms there is a religious Buddhist picture alongside a photograph of the King and a picture of the Thai flag. The Buddhist religion is an integral component of Thai daily living, Thai government, and Thai education.

Although 97% Buddhist and with Buddhism being the official state religion, Thailand is tolerant of other faiths.  I have seen and visited Catholic, and Protestant churches along with Hindu temples.  I have seen many Mosques and I have seen Mormon missionaries out and about Udon Thani on their bicycles.

Elementary schools in Isaan are constructed out of wood rather than steel, brick and concrete.  The schools here do not have air conditioning which makes sense because the schools do not have glass in their windows or ceiling insulation or even insulation in the walls.  The windows in the school do not have screens either.  There are a couple small fans in the class room to move the air around - just as in the student's homes.  The floors of the school are wide wood planking - I suspect teak wood.  The floors are smooth from many years of many students walking over them.

There is a TV mounted in a sturdy steel frame on the classroom wall so that media can be integrated into the teaching program.  There was also an old desktop computer on the teacher's desk of the classrooms.

The classrooms are illuminated by a couple of bare florescent tube lights - no reflectors or diffuser grids - just a bare tube - like in the student's home.  The school roof is corrugated steel with no sound damping application which must make for difficult hearing during downpours.  The classroom furniture is heavy wood and utilitarian.  I suspect that some of the chairs and desks that Duang used over 40 years ago are still being used.  As in so many aspects of Lao Loum culture here in Isaan, the schools fully utilize what is available and take care of what they have.  There is a focus on items being "fit for purpose" rather than "stylish" or "modern".

After parking my truck in front of the school, I was soon surrounded by some of my young friends from the village - Tey, Fugh, Nong Kem, Pizza, Eat, Omsim, and Care.



While older students were busy sweeping out the classrooms and corridor of the school, the younger children were free to play.

Omsim made it a point to show me what she could do with the playground equipment.

The playground equipment was quite rudimentary but fit for purpose.  There is plenty of ground for the children to run around - flat ground - dirt and some grass.  There is a small section that is paed over with concrete with a basketball hoop at each end.  There is also a soccer goal with tattered netting at each end.

There is a run set up similar to the tires that American football players run through during training.  However rather than being constructed of car or truck tires, this running maze is made out of recycled motorcycle tires painted with bright colors and bound together with parachute cord.  Little Omsim ran through the maze like a little champ!

Perhaps the most popular equipment was a series of wood columns of different heights and spacing driven into the ground.  Each of the columns was painted with a different bright color.  It was so much fun that even I gave it a try.  However my knees and tentative sense of balance reminded me that it has been a long time since I was in elementary school and that this piece of equipment is meant for children.

Another fit for purpose and recycled piece of equipment was a climbing structure constructed out of motorcycle tires lashed together with paracord and painted with different bright colors.  It looked  like a great deal of fun but was not meant to support someone my size.

After a while, the school principal struck a metal bell, which sounded like a ship's bell, several deliberate times to signal the official start of the school day.  Three of the older students came forward to the flagpole with the Thai flag.  All the other students lined up by class on the play ground.  The younger students, wearing their distinctive school uniform - red shorts, red skirts, pale blue shirt, and smock, formed up at the left closest to the flagpole.  The other students formed up by class and separated by sex to the left of the small students.

As the Thai flag was raised, all the students sang the Thai National Anthem.

https://youtu.be/BrcGzLIEsAU?t=11s

It was quite a moving rendition of the national anthem.  The children more than compensated for their lack of singing sophistication with their energetic enthusiasm.

After completing the anthem, the student's attention became focused on the platform to the left of the flag pole. Inside of a cage on top of the platform is a statue of Buddha.  Led by one of older girls, all the students prayed and chanted.

Upon completion of the religious aspect of the start of day ceremony, the children then paid their respects to each other.  In Thailand, people demonstrate greetings and respect by performing the "wai" gesture.  The wai is performed by raising the hands in a praying position while bowing the head.  The degree the head is bowed and the height to which the hands are raised indicates the level of respect for the person and is dictated by the social status of the person that the gesture is offered to. The significance of the wai to Thai culture and social fabric is so great that children are taught how to do it starting when they are 6 months old.

After showing their respect to their classmates, the students then showed their respect to the older students and finally to their teachers.

The principal then made some announcements.  After the announcements, she had the older students pair up with the youngest students prior to all the students setting forth on "yard duty"  The students set forth about the school grounds picking up trash.

Yard Duty

After clearing the school grounds of plastic bottles, glass bottles, plastic cups, scraps of paper, candy wrappers, foam containers, plastic sheeting and assorted debris, the students assembled at the edge of the playground.  One of the teachers than gave the students a lecture on recycling.  She talked about recycling plastic and glass.  The students then placed the materials in the appropriate recycling bin.

The students then proceeded to the outdoor wash station to clean their hands and. for some, play with some water before heading off to their classrooms.

Cleaning up before going to class

Just like I have written about the differences in medical care and more importantly medical care costs here in Isaan as opposed to America, I have the same conclusion regarding public education here in Isaan.  A great deal of the costs of public education in America is involved in the physical facilities as well as maintenance of those facilities.  Those costly monuments, vestiges, and trappings of the current education system do not necessarily pay dividends in the quality of the student's education. They are more resume builders and testimonials to the administrators of the local education bureaucracy.  Here in Isaan the facilities no way compare to those in the USA however the students seem to get the education that they need for this society.

School Day

Earlier this week, I spent some time in the first grade.  I did not plan on going back to school but like so many things here in Isan, it just happens and leaves you wondering how you got to be so fortunate.


My wife had gotten a phone call earlier in the morning from a relative out in Thasang Village.  A special ritual was going to take place that afternoon - a healing and fortune ceremony for some people who could not afford to go to the hospital.  The relative wanted to know if I would like to come and photograph the ritual.  I have long ago learned to take advantage of all such opportunities - it is in line with my philosophy to experience life events and locations that are "not on the tour itinerary".


It turned out that the ritual was being conducted in a home located just behind the Thasang Village Elementary School.  Duang had me park the truck at the school for convenience.


We arrived at the school, the school that Duang had attended as a child, just after their lunch.  The school has about 50 students, all from Tahsang Village.  Several children were in the process of returning to their classrooms when we got out of the truck.  We could hear the children announcing to each other excitedly about Ta Allen (Grandfather Allen) and Yai Duang (Grandmother Duang) coming to school.  Elderly people are referred to as Grandfather and Grandmother as titles of respect and endearment.  Duang told them we were going to the house behind the school as we made the very short walk across the school grounds.


We attended the ritual and I took many photographs.  After a while I had taken all the photographs that I needed.  Duang asked me if I wanted to go home but I could see that she was involved in the ritual so I said that we would leave when she was ready.  I had my own idea of how to pass the time.  I think Duang knew what I had in mind because as I was getting up from the floor, she said that I could go take photographs of the students at the school.

I walked to the front of the school and entered a large room that served as the schools auditorium but was now the first grade classroom for all 10 students.  I had entered the classroom because even though it was "nap time", Pear was fully awake and welcomed me.  I knew many of the first graders by name - they are our grandson Peelawat's cousins or best friends.

I paid my respects to the teacher who was multitasking - doing some paperwork while listening to the students one by one reading to her.  I sat on the floor and took photos of the children as they woke from their nap and set about their routines.


The class room was an open class room - literally and figuratively.  The doors on each side of the room were wide open, opening to the outside.  The windows were also open - the wood shutters secured from closing.  As is typical for village schools in Thailand, there are no glass or screens for the doors or windows.  The class rooms do not have air conditioning.  Many of the rooms, this room was one of them, do not even have ceiling mounted fans.  Besides helping with ventilation, the open doors and windows also provide illumination for the rooms.  There are not many lights in the class rooms.


The first grade class room being at ground level has a tile floor where as the other classrooms in the elevated portion of the school have wood floors covered with linoleum.

Ancient blackboards and many instructional posters cover the walls of the school.  Since these were first graders, there was no furniture for the students.  Against one wall of the class room there were some cubicles where each student stored their sleeping blanket, pillow, toothpaste, pencil and paper folder and for many - their personal metal drinking cup.  To keep things organized, each cubicle door was decorated with a unique paper with the student's name and a picture that they had colored.

Student Towels and drinking Cups

Outside the class room, a wood rack stored the student's shoes.  Inside of the class room, the students were either barefoot or wore white socks.  Just inside the class room next to the door was a rack from which each student's personal towel and many of their drinking cups were hung.

As the children arose from their nap, without instruction, they quietly rolled up their blankets, gathered up their pillow, and placed them in their cubicle at the far end of the room.  The children were well aware of my presence but they maintained their discipline and composure.  Although the children were interested in my photos and enjoyed seeing them on the viewer of my camera, order was maintained without any intervention on the part of the teacher.  The students did not act like they were fearful or suppressed.  They acted more like responsible little adults - knowing what was expected of them and doing it as a matter of duty.

Two young girls broke off from the others and sat with their backs up against the low stage at one side of the room.  Sharing a workbook, they quietly practiced their reading together.


One boy sat at a table on the stage studying and doing some work in a workbook.

Opposite of him, a girl was doing the same but had time to pose for the camera.

Some of the children silently left the room after taking both their towel and metal cup from the rack by the door.  Outside at a wash station they washed and dried their faces and hands.  After a drink of water from a water jug, they just as quietly returned to their classroom.  They stopped by the teacher's desk to sprinkle powder from a container on their hands and rub the powder over their faces as well as necks.  I am always amazed at the amount of powder that is applied to babies and children after they are washed.

Once inside the classroom, the children started to work on puzzles - most of the puzzles were wood with bright colors.  It was at this point that I started to work on some of the puzzles with the children.  It was fun for everyone involved.  It eventually evolved into the children teaching me using a special wood puzzle - a brightly multi-colored shrimp with ten pieces each with a unique Thai number painted on it.  I knew the numbers in Thai but I did not know the Thai numerals so it was a learning experience - for me.

At about this time, the school principal showed up.  Was I in trouble?  No, this is Thailand or as Duang so often says "Thailand not same Ameerika".  She was checking up on the teacher and as I was later to find out upon returning home and getting on Facebook - taking and posting photos of me interacting with the students.


One by one the children went up to the teacher's desk to demonstrate their reading abilities.  If they struggled at some point the teacher quietly and gently guided them through the rough spot.

Duang arrived to find me hard at work trying to read Thai numerals and after exchanging some pleasantries with the teacher and the children, it was time to return home but not before each of the children saying goodbye to us.

Omsim says goodbye in her own charming way

Thasang Village Elementary School is typical of all the schools that I have visited in Thailand and Laos.  They are old and "spartan" - no way comparing to the physical standards of the USA.  However the standard and environment of the schools parallels the lifestyle of the children and their homes.


I was appalled when Duang and I lived in America to take care of my parents.  The school district tried to pass a bond issue to cover the predicted $45,000,000 cost to RENOVATE the junior high school that I last attended in 1964.  The renovation was required to convert the junior high (middle school" to a "Pre-School" 


As it turned out, Duang ended up attending Night School for English classes at my old school.  Although the school had grown approximately 50% in size, its physical condition was exactly as I remembered it back in 1964 when it was about 5 years old.  Forty-five MILLION dollars to renovate?


There in lies the rub ... just as in the matter of health care, I believe that people equate quality and effectiveness to the physical and material state of the facilities.  The philosophy of "fit for purpose" is no longer much of a consideration today in America today.  Organizations and individuals take much pride in the grandeur of their physical facilities - more of a passion for form rather than substance.


Living overseas I have experienced excellent health care in facilities that most people in America would never consider using because of their physical state.  However the cost of the health care was no where near what people pay for their care in those ultra-modern technological marvels in America.  You do not necessarily always get what you pay for - especially in regards to education and health care - often you are paying for ambiance and unnecessary bling.


There are many ways to attain goals.  The important thing is to have the ability and freedom to make choices - your personal choices.

Scouting Day

Scouts Cross A Rope Bridge

Here in Thailand, in addition to the yearly Elementary School Field Day, there is also a special day dedicated to Scouting.

All school children participate in a scouting program.  The scouting program seems to be modeled after Boy Scouts of America however boys, girls, and lady-boys all participate in the program.

Wednesday is scouting day at all Thai schools.  Boys and girls, grades 1 and above. attend school wearing their scouting uniforms.  During the day they are taught scouting and living skills.

Once a year they gather for an overnight jamboree where the elementary school scouts in grades 4, 5, and 6 demonstrate and practice their scouting skills.  The location of the jamboree rotates amongst the schools at the sub-district level.  Last week the honor of hosting the 200 scouts of Tambon Nongwha was given to Tahsang Village Elementary School.  Duang and I had attended the jamboree the last time that Tahsang Village hosted the event.

We arrived at the jamboree in the afternoon after participating in the setting of the first two columns for the new sala in Baan Mat. Upon parking our truck near the pavilion set up for dignitaries, some of the young men, older brothers and uncles of the scouts helping for the day, off loaded the truck of the five cases of soft drinks that we were donating, and several 8 cubic foot bags of various snack treats that Duang's son and cousin had donated for the scouts. Volunteering and making donations to support the children here in Isaan is wide spread.  Although the faculties of the schools were instrumental in organizing and supervising the day, they had plenty of support from mothers, grandmothers, fathers uncles, aunts, and other family members.the community here in Isaan is an extension of the families.

Off to the side behind where we had parked, many women were occupied preparing food and washing dishes in the school's outdoor facilities.  They were preparing food for all the adults involved in the day's activities.

After making our rounds of hellos to everyone, I was brought to the dignitary area to sit down with the local government officials who were observing the activities.  One of the teachers came to me with a glass that appeared to be lemon iced-tea.  It was a warm day and dusty for sure so I welcomed a refreshing drink.  I was shocked to discover  that what I assumed to be iced-tea was actually whiskey and soda water.  I had drunk about one-half of it when the teacher returned to top me up.  I thanked her and explained that I did not want to drink because I had to drive home.  As Duang explains to me ... "Thailand not like America"  I could not imagine drinking alcohol at a public school event being allowed in the USA let alone having it provided by the school!  Several more times during the day and night I was offered a drink but declined.  Although there was drinking, everyone behaved properly.

The seven camp sites around the perimeter of the Tahsang Village Elementary School had already been set up.  Each of the seven schools had their own encampment - a combination of small two person tents, a lean two shelter using a large tarp or a lean two created by erecting the ubiquitous pavilions used for funerals, weddings, or celebrations for monk ordinations and laying the assembly on its side on about  a 30 degree angle.  Saht, woven reed mats, were then placed upon the ground to complete the shelter.  Some of the campsites also had a properly erected pavilion which served as shelter from the sun and a place to rest during the day.

In the middle of the encampments was a large pile of wood stacked into a tepee shape - the bonfire for the evening program.  Several fluorescent light fixtures were mounted vertically on poles in a large circle around the wood pile.

Throughout the school grounds teams of scouts were engaged in many activities.  The scouts had been organized into teams of either 12 boys or 12 girls.  The team members came from many different schools. I surmise that the objective here was to have the scouts learn to work and cooperate with people that they may not necessarily be friends or even be familiar with.  Each of the teams had and identity, such as "dog", "rabbit", "monkey", and a flag which identified the team - a white background with a red picture of the animal.

The teams did not compete against each other or did they race against the clock.  The objective for each team was to visit each of the approximate 10 activity stations and have the entire team complete the objective.  Each of the activity stations was structured to teach a lesson as the scouts achieved the objective of the activity.  Some of the objectives were team related and some were individual related.

Behind the building that serves as the indoor assembly area for the students, the teams were faced with an activity that stressed the needs as well as benefits of cooperating as a team.  The team was split in two groups of 5 and two separate leaders for each group.  The groups were confronted  with two long and heavy wood timbers. Each timber had 5 sections of tire nailed to the top, forming stirrups.  The groups used the stirrups on their left and right feet to shuffle forward.  In order to move forward a prescribed distance and return to the starting point, it was necessary for the group members to synchronize their individual movements and their magnitude.  The individual leaders provided direction and a cadence for their group's efforts.  After completing the task, the adult scout gave a talk to the students and signed off on the team tally sheet for the activity.  The 12 person team then moved on to the next station.

The Rooster or Chicken Team Reports In to Activity Station

 Upon arrival at the next activity station, the team reported into the adult scout.  They lined up pretty much in formation and gave a chest salute to the adult as their leader and standard bearer announced their readiness for the task.

After the activity station of crossing a moat on a single rope bridge, the scouts moved on to a station where they climbed up a rope ladder to a tree limb and back down a similar ladder on the other side.  The ladder was a continuous ladder that was actually too long. If no one was counteracting the force of a climber on one side, the ladder would move towards the ground on the climber's side making climbing even more difficult.  The key to the team's success was for the team to ensure that climber's were on each side of the ladder at any given time as well as for team members to anchor the ladder at each end.  Again the activity stressed the benefits of cooperation and the need for individuals to act for the benefit of the team.

Not all the activity stations involved physical effort.  On the other side of the building that serves as the school assembly, one of the male teachers was bare chested, had a bright yellow smiley face painted on his ample belly, a bright pink cloth wrapped around his mouth and an Indian, as in Native American, headdress. He remained hidden out of view until a scout team had settled down on the ground.  To the sound of some drum beats and wild music, he would jump into view and perform a wild dance for about 5 to 10 seconds before quickly disappearing out of view once again.  An adult leader then questioned the team as to what had just happened and to describe their observations.  The scouts learned that they need to be observant and aware of their situation (situational awareness?) as well as that as a team their observations were more complete than any individual's observations.

Later in the afternoon as the teams had completed all the activity stations. they were called to assemble on the school play field.  There was a team of adult leaders, male and female, that played conga drums, tambourines, and finger cymbals along with singing.  I was extremely impressed with their professionalism and performances.  They sort of reminded me of tent revival evangelists and new age motivational speakers. The got the scouts involved in sing alongs and group body movements.  More importantly and impressive was how much fun and enthusiasm the scouts were exhibiting.  They were fully engaged with the scout leaders.  I asked Duang about the leaders.  It appeared to me that they were not your run of the mill volunteer parents.  She told me that the scout leaders had been trained and certified by the government.

Could have been "Simon Says" - Isaan Style

After the scouts had completed their group exercises with the adult leaders. the woman leader announced where the boy's and girl's bathroom areas were.  I thought that was a little odd since the scouts had been there since the morning and surely must have gone to the bathroom at least once so far in the day.  She also warned the girls not to go to the boys bathroom or they might grab them and "Boom Boom" them.  I know that there is now sex education in elementary schools in the USA but I doubt it is so blunt.

By this time I had to go to the bathroom, I knew that the teacher's bathrooms were located between the female and male student's bathrooms, - about 75 to 100 feet away.  Upon getting to the bathrooms everything made more sense to me.  Off to the right was the boy's bathrooms.  An outside shower had been set up next to the outhouses.  Poles had been placed in the ground with a 4 foot high tarps wrapped around them.  Inside boys were showering in the open air with their heads and shoulders exposed to view.  I suspect the same was true for the girls to my left but I did not look - no real need to know.

In addition to showering, the scouts also were responsible to launder their clothing from the day's activities.  The scouts were getting a good dose of personal responsibility.

Adults had prepared food and cooked foods but it was for the adults to eat.  The scouts had to prepare and cook their own meal.  Soon there were at least 7 small campfires burning upon which pots of ... rice were being cooked.

After going into town for our dinner, Duang and I returned to the jamboree for the evening program.  This time in addition to being another glass of whiskey and soda, a garland of banana blossoms was placed around my neck in thanks for our donation to the scouts.  We had returned with our grandson and five other small children from Tahsang Village.  They wanted to see the fire and show.  The children were very well behaved and we enjoyed their company until their relatives arrived later at night to take them home.

There was a very involved ceremony between the scouts and the local government dignitaries for lighting of the bonfire.  It turned out that the fluorescent fixtures were actually black-lights that created a dazzling effect on the body paint of the "Indians".  Once the bonfire had been set ablaze, the government officials and I had to join the Indians in dancing around the fire.  We did three revolutions around the fire.  I was able to show the scouts some dance moves from the late 1960s to their great amusement.

Each school then performed a skit.  After around the 4th skit of not having any idea of what was going on, I heard a khene behind me.  I saw a man sitting off to the side of one of the encampments, so I headed out to check it out.  By the time I arrived he had joined 4 other men who had been busy eating and definitely drinking.  Once again I had to decline the gracious offer of whiskey.  The men were having a great time. One man played the harmonic rhythmic music typical of Mahlam Lao and Mahlam Isaan music.  One man was playing percussion on the foam ice chest while a third man kept time by banging a metal spoon on an empty soda water bottle.  The fourth man sang songs.  The fifth man got up and had me get up to join him in a dance.  I know how and enjoy dancing Lao so once again I surprised the people.

This is how traditional Lao music started - small groups of villagers huddled around fires and playing music for their own entertainment.  For me it was special event to be able to witness and participate in.such a tradition.

Elementary Schools Field Day

Bem Leads Baan Tahsang Elementary School Students

One of our favorite end of the year events here in Isaan is the Elementary School Field Day.  Actually the athletic competition between schools is elementary and secondary schools within the various sub-districts.

Tahasang Village is part of Tambon Nongwha (Nongwha Sub-district).  There are seven elementary schools within Tambon Nongwha.  Each year, typically at the end of December, the seven schools will gather on a rotating basis at one of the schools for a sports day.  This year, the Field Day was held on 10 January in conjunction with Thailand's Children's Day on 11 January 2014.

The Elementary School Field Day commences with a parade of the participating schools along the public road to the site where the competition is being held.  This is not a parade of the athletes like during the Olympics.  It is a parade of the student body from each of the schools.  The schools are very small so everyone gets to participate in the procession.  Tahsang Village Elementary School has 45 students which is about the size of the other schools.

The contingent from each school is lead by a drum majorette a couple of standard bearers, a student carrying a picture of the King, and the school band, a group of girls all dressed and made up in fancy party outfits with the student body dressed in their school uniforms marching in formation behind them.

Tahsang Village Student Body

The students from all the schools march on to and stand in formation before the pavilions where the local government officials are assembled.  There is a formal flag raising ceremony, singing of the national anthem, singing the King's anthem, chanting of a Buddhist prayer, and many speeches.

After the completion of the speeches, the hosting school performs a routine.  Last year, Tahsang Village as the hosting school performed a choreographed Muay Thai exposition.  This year, in consideration and anticipation of the upcoming creation of the ASEAN community in 2015, the hosting school performed ethnic dances to music unique to representative countries of the ASEAN association.

The next event was the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.  I know that only the "real" Olympics can have an Olympic torch, Olympic cauldron, or even refer to competition as "Olympics".  I know that they have taken legal steps to stop others from "infringing" upon their "brand".  However, this is Thailand, more specifically Isaan, where life is more simple and there are far less concerns about 3 to 14 year olds infringing upon a staid organization like the International Olympic Committee.

At this Olympics, there were no concerns or restriction regarding sexual orientation.  Some of the girls wearing fancy dresses, and highly made up were actually boys.  No one cared and people focused on supporting their school and ensuring that they had a good time.

The cauldron at these Olympics was not fueled by high pressure natural gas.  Our cauldron was actually a rather heavy large metal bowl placed on top of some scaffolding.  The bowl was filled with locally produced charcoal.  A runner ran around the sporting field with an Olympic torch, climbed the scaffolding and set the charcoal on fire.  After a short time, the flames died down and the Olympic flame was more an Olympic smoldering for the remainder of the day.

Once the cauldron was ignited three fireworks were shot high into the air to signify the start of the games.

Each school had their own separate grandstand for students, teachers, and family members.  The grandstands were highly decorated and in individual color schemes.  Family members set up sahts on the ground beneath the grandstand - an area protected from the overhead sun, a great place to eat, drink and rest.

Tahsang Student Prepared for Relay Race

She's Off!

The first competition of the day was the races.  Elementary schools have students aged 3 and up to 14.  In addition to individual races there were relay racing.  I always get a kick at the efforts expended by race officials, teachers, and supporters to first set up 4 and 5 year olds into staggered start positions and trying to hold the eager runners or motivate the not so eager runners to take off at the proper time.  It is great entertainment.  False starts are sometimes called but more often if it reasonably close they are not.  It all doesn't seem to matter all that much because the runners, all of them, seem to have a great time.

The children enjoy themselves competing to the best of their ability - no fancy clothes - no fancy running shoes - just bare feet. Pure racing for the fun of it all.

Tahsang Village Passing the Baton

Bem Runs the Anchor Leg for Tahsang Village

Each contingent of supporters brought their own sound system and selection of music to the games - a sort of unofficial competition.  Music blared across the field from seven different sound systems.  Each school's students who were not competing in an ongoing event typically joined in dancing in front of their grandstand.  Some of the schools had a choreographed dance team providing entertainment. Little brothers and sisters, too young for school, often joined in the dancing. It was a grand sight.

Along the perimeter of the competition field, vendors had set up stalls, booths, and motorbike sidecars from which they sold drinks, food, and ice cream,  Smoke rose and filled the air from charcoal fires where chicken feet, pork, sausages, and other items were being grilled. It was a grand party.

At other booths, students could throw darts at balloons for prizes or use air rifles to shoot at prizes.  Further out, children were bouncing up and down as well as between trampolines.  There was even a small merry go round with suspended seats for children to sit in.

Children Putting On A Show.  Duang Is Giving Them Money - Just Like At Adult Shows

Since this field day was also associated with Children's Day, there were also some children events.  The sub-district sponsored a show where children sang, danced, and answered questions for prizes.  Once again everyone, young and old, was having a great time.

Audience Members Dancing and Singing

Off to the side of the children's show there was an area where children and their parents could water color ceramic figurines. This was another popular area for people of all ages.

Mother and Daughter Enjoying Themselves

Back at the competition area, volleyball, futball (soccer), and takraw were contested.

Bem Sends the Luuk Takraw Towards the Net

Takraw is sort of like volleyball - it is played with a woven rattan ball with three players to a side.  The ball, luuk takraw is put in play by a player on one side tossing it away from the net to a team mate who kicks it over the net to the other team.  Using only the head and feet the object is to keep the rattan ball in play.  If your team can not, the other scores a point.

We left around 3:30 PM., tired but not as tired as some at the event.  One of the Tahsang Village students had fallen asleep back at the grandstand - sound asleep in the comfort of his teacher's lap and arms.

There's One In Every Crowd

Scouts Practice Flag Raising Ceremony As A Body Is Cremated At the Village Wat

On Wednesday of this week, Duang and I drove out into the sugar cane growing area of Tambon Nongwha to attend the funeral ritual of one of her friends.

He and Duang attended the same elementary school in Tahsang Village.  According to Duang they spent a great deal of time "boxing" - fist fighting.  They fought each other.  Like Duang he left school after four years to work in the fields to help support and feed their families.  One day when Duang was tending her uncle's water buffaloes she came upon him tending to some other water buffaloes.  Sure enough, they had another fist fight.  Apparently as they both got older they mellowed out and gave up fighting each other.

This week the man died of a heart attack at age 50.

After his funeral ritual was completed we walked from the nearby Buddhist Wat to his home to say goodbye to everyone.  Several Tahsang Villagers asked for a ride back to the village.  After all the goodbyes had been said I headed off down the road to where our truck was parked followed by Duang, and the Tahsang Village stragglers behind her.  Well as the saying goes "Saying good bye is so very hard to do" With 10 people it is even ore exponentially difficult to do.  I very quickly was wandering down the road by myself.

I noticed a school off to my left.  The school property was surrounded by a four strand barbed wire fence.  On the other side of the fence many students were in a big circle.  Since it was Wednesday they, boys and girls, were dressed in their scout uniforms.  Since it was 3:00 P.M., I assumed that they were conducting a flag lowering ceremony for the end of the day. The students were too far away for a decent photograph withe lens that I had so I quickened my pace but knew that I most likely could not get down to the entrance to the school and back up to where the flag pole was located.  When I was just about even to where the students were assembled, I got a break, or more accurately there was a break in the barbed wire fence.  The middle two strands had been pulled away from each other to create an opening that was not to small, not too low, and not too high but just right for me to slip through.

Once they lowered the flag, the students did not fold it up for storage.  Instead, they proceeded to have a flag raising ceremony like had witnessed before in the morning.  Apparently these scouts were being trained for leading the morning start of day ceremony.  The start of day ceremony involves raising the flag, singing the Thai National Anthem, singing a song about the King, saying a prayer - Buddhist prayer, and inspection of fingernails, teeth, and uniform.

As I was photographing the training, I got the idea to take a sort of "artsy" photograph.  Two students out of focus creating a frame for the chimney at the Wat crematorium belching acrid black smoke.  Between the framing students and the chimney were the other uniformed students - sort of a commentary about life going on and the future that awaits all of us.

I squatted down to get the perspective that I wanted for the shot.  I checked my framing, and the other variables that you need to for an acceptable shot.  I took the shot and reviewed on the camera's 3 inch monitor.  It looked good.

Yesterday when I was post processing the shot, I was surprised but not shocked.  I have seen too much of what I saw in the photo to ever be shocked.  I was surprised to see in the back ground of my artsy photograph - a boy busily picking his nose!

You are supposed to always check the background before taking the shot for any items that can detract from the photograph.  I know that.  I have known that for a long time but I guess I had gotten careless, lazy, or too involved in the moment and did not.

The photograph below is a blown up section of my "artsy" photograph which is at the start of this blog.

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR BACK GROUND BEFORE TAKING YOUR SHOT!

As I am sure, every wedding photographer has learned "There is one in every crowd" - some one picking their nose.

I learned a lesson that I hopefully will never forget "Check the background before taking the shot".

Was it meant to be a lesson or was it something else?  Quite often whenever and where ever I see a child picking their nose , I ask them in Lao "Sep bawh?" (Is it delicious?).  The parents and grandparents always have a big laugh and the children are taken aback at a falang speaking to them in Lao.  However I do live in the lands of karma and perhaps this was karma - karma for being such a wise guy.

There is one in every crowd.  Please be sure it is not you!