Ghost Festival

Me helping make food :)

So yesterday was the Ghost Festival. The day that the spirits of the dead can come to earth and visit the living. It's celebrated with the whole family so I got to meet aunts, uncles, and so many little cousins I lost count. To honor the death they make tons of food, more than even Thanksgiving, burn paper money and clothing, and each person lights three incense sticks for them. Also, the food was arranged so that each dish looked very colorful and beautiful.

Of course, after the dead had been honored, the food had to be eaten. I was never not full yesterday. I think I gained a few pounds but it was all so good. Except when I tried the fish that was so spicy I was sweating and red faced!
In the afternoon I got to go see the rest of what my host parents jobs are. They not only have the crocodile farm but have rice patties, banana trees, and orange trees. It was all very pretty. And I learned how to say banana and orange!
My sister Ice has been giving me 6 words each day for me to learn and it's going very well. So far I've been able to remember the first 12. And on Wednesday I'm starting school! So hopefully I'll learn thai even faster.