You cannot serve two masters

As each day passes I am beginning to notice the most popular hobby for children in Thailand seems to be setting off fireworks. Kids of all ages are always playing with fireworks. The youngest I’ve seen looked to be about five years old. They even set fireworks off at school in the middle of the day. It has become so normal that I don’t really think about it anymore I just carry on with my day. My favourite experience with fireworks took place in downtown Tak where some six years olds started setting fireworks off close to Heather and I. The first big one they set off surprised Heather so much that she let out a terrified shriek. From then on the kids would set off fireworks but instead of looking at the firework they looked straight at Heather hoping for her to provide another great reaction.

I have also noticed that Thai culture is very noisy. I woke up at 6 AM one day to the University across the street blaring loud Thai music as a bunch of people had gathered to make crafts. Really... is that necessary at 6 in the morning? There are also these birds called mynas that are very beautiful but also extremely loud during the night. I assumed Thai people were used to them but I was thankful when I was walking along one day and saw a man hunting the birds with a slingshot.

Arrival of the myna birds. 

One day after school I really felt like eating a normal bag of chips so I went to the convenience store and looked at their selection. What was I thinking? Of course they don’t sell normal bags of chips. Their entire selection was seafood flavoured. I could buy spicy crab chips, lobster and fried vegetable chips, or two different varieties of seaweed flavoured chips. So I panicked and bought them all!

Instead of onion rings they have squid rings!

Mmmmm.... seaweed flavours

Exotic chip flavours.

Thailand is known as a Buddhist nation. They have statues of Buddha, they worship Buddha and their calendar is dated from the day when Gautama Buddha is believed to have died. (March 11, 545 BC) So I am writing to you from the year 2556! Thailand’s Buddhism is really a blend of Buddhism and Animism and the majority of beliefs seem to be animistic. I am about to witness their spiritual beliefs tonight at the Loy Krathong festival where the people honour, thank and ask forgiveness to the river goddess.

I see a similarity between Thais who claim to be Buddhist but are really more Animist and Canadians who claim to be Christian yet do not live for Christ. Many Canadians publicly claim to be Christian, they go to church, and they study their Bible, but then live completely for themselves. They do not pray to God about their life decisions or their life path. They don’t ask Jesus about what they should do, or where they should go and so they say they are living out Christianity but they are actually living for themselves.

Here is the mark of a Christian who is not polluted by the world: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

This is what happens when Connor tries to be artistic.

Found this frog in my shoe.

Looking so pro.

Random photo of Greenland!