Off to new lands

So last night I headed home after My Library and for some reason all the wats, which are usually ringing their prayer time bells at that point, were instead rocking a drum and cymbal beat that would not have been out of place in a marching band. I'm not sure what it was all about, but it was really cool.

I got to talk to my mother and her side of the family yesterday evening, which was really great. I haven't spoken to my mother in over a month, and I haven't talked to my grandmother, great-aunt Margaret, or uncle Don since I left the country - or longer! Christmas is great for that kind of thing. What a great way to cap off the night. Or it would have been were it not for the hippies partying down the hall all night playing cheeseball psychedelic music at max volume. But whatever, it was Christmas. Who can be cranky over such trifles?

Tonight is Sansany's baci ceremony, which is really exciting. I have to figure out how to make my sindh (traditional Lao skirt) look presentable...let's just say they're not meant for hourglass figures...I've got to hustle out of here so that I can be back to meet Kee to get a ride out to the village. I'm so excited and honored to be a part of it...

I'm hopping on my "slow boat to China" (to the border to the bus to Bangkok to the plane to China) at 7:30 tomorrow morning...and it's raining!! For pete's sake, it's the dry season and it's raining. I'm hoping it proves picturesque rather than ruins my photo ops.

At any rate, being on a boat means it might be hard for me to get to the net, so if you guys don't hear from me for several days, you'll know it's not because I followed some random people to a party and they abducted me (relax, guys! Jeez!). :)