Beyond Adventure

It's been a month and I have a LOT of pictures!

Let's go and see some crazy cultural stuff!

ASIAN/WESTERN

Blue: the Western's view on Chinese

Red: the Chinese view on Westerners

Blue: how we line up at a check out

Red: how Asians "line" up at a check out (it's true!)

Blue: how Westerners get to the point (right away)

Red: how Asians get to the point (NOT right away)

Blue: our contacts ("my mom has a friend that can help me")

Red: their contacts ("my mom's brother's cousin's friend's ex-roomate has a friend who can help me")

Blue: how we travel and make memories

Red: how Asians travel and make memories

A LOCAL FESTIVAL

Recently, the whole island celebrated its biggest festival: "The Day of Silence"

This festival is focused on cleansing the entire island of evil spirits.

This is how is was done…...

Day 1

Many processions happened. We live near the beach and some temples so we got to watch the procession from my our top balcony. First, they all walk from one point to here on the beach. They set up their offering sights and eat together

You see those people sitting on our front lawn? Yeah, they don't belong to us…..we don't even know who they are. During these processions, it's ok to sit wherever you want…..even if it's in a front yard of someone you don't even know. That's the type of community mentality they have here.

DAY 2

Then comes the day before the "day of silence". This is when they build their "ogle ogle". They are statutes that represent certain sins. I'm not sure which sin this one is representing. It's strange riding through our neighborhood and seeing these horrible grotesque statues. They believe, the uglier the statue, the more effective.

Then, on the night before the "day of silence", there's a huge parade. They carry these statues down the streets. At each major intercession, they turn the statutes 3 times. This is to gather any evil spirits from the area. The evil spirits are attracted to these idols and they hope they will attach themselves to them.

After gathering the evil spirits down the road, they take them to a designated area and burn the "evil" away.

That night, we at the operating base prepare.

DAY 3

Then comes the day of silence. The island literally shuts down. The restaurants, the schools, even the airport. EVERYTHING is closed and nobody is allowed to leave their house or use electricity or make noise. The only people roaming the streets are the cultural police who will arrest you if you break these rules.

That's why you see my windows covered with newspaper. I planned to use my light so I had to cover any evidence. That day was very interesting. No noise…..very quiet. This is the only day you can see ALL the stars in the skies…..beautiful!

What a local would do during this day is fast and meditate. The belief is to not make any noise so the remaining evil spirits will not be attracted to your home. During the meditation time, they think of all the people they need to reconcile with.

DAY 4

Then comes more celebration. 6am the next morning, the loud music begins to play on the streets, men begin to drunk (again) and people begin to mend broken relationships.

Wow!

P town

I just got back from another trip to P town.

I got to teach on basic healthcare to these amazing kids

For you Southerners, I saw this in a local restaurant…..it's pepper sauce!!!

Got to go to a local wedding. Yep! didn't know them but we still went. Our host didn't even know the bride and groom but it's was ok to go because her husband the doctor was invited. Here, for a wedding, it's common to invite the important people of the town…..whether you know the or not. When the white girls showed up, it got a little crazy

as soon as we walked in, this girl came up to me and wanted a picture

so did this girl

so did the photographer guys

so did the other people

so did these girls at a church we went to

everywhere we went, people wanted to take pictures with us…..it was a little weird

we went to a M person's house. this is a typical house in the village

inside was this picture of the guy who brought Islam to the whole island.

I had to get a picture of this. this is how they "rock" their kids to sleep (yeah, there's a small girl inside). This bag is on a spring and she was slowing bouncing it up and down.