Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Shake

Hi,

We had the weirdest weather pattern today.  It would sprinkle for a few minutes and then stop, then start, then stop.  Never got a real rain.  The evening sky is almost clear.  

The ‘Easy Monday’ song is used as an anthem all over the world by sports teams, especially ‘football’ (soccer).  Here is the chorus that always gets the crowds going:  “__ __ __ __, my friends.  And we’ll keep on fighting till the end.  __ __ __ __, __ __ __ __, no time for losers ‘cause __ __ __ __ of the World.”  Hint:  It usually only works then you win the game (555).  

This morning we went to Shong Cafe and met with Cat.  We learned more about the funeral and how things work in a small village.  The actual mourning period is shorter than usual because her uncle, whose mother has passed, is a monk and Thursday is a big ‘Buddha Day’ as they call it, so the service has to be on Wednesday.  Families in the village will help with the planning and preparation.  Cat and her sister will have to do most of the clean up, and the clearing of her grandmother’s house.  She also mentioned that the village is getting smaller as people leave to go to other cities and provinces for work.  A lot of the work in the area was agricultural, with Monsanto being a big employer.  After many workers got sick, it became less of a focus, hence the exodus.  

Cat also told us a little more about what will possibly happen when she finishes university in 2 1/2 years.  After her fourth year, she will spend a year training in the classroom.  This will take place somewhere outside of Chiang Rai.  After that year she will be tested and then get an assignment.  Sometimes new teachers get placed in remote areas and have to teach all the subjects to young students.  She told us that if a village doesn’t get a teacher, the kids don’t get an education.  There is also the possibility that she will have to learn another language in order to communicate.  Some of the remote villages are populated by Hill Tribes that speak their own language.  There are plenty of adventures ahead.

Today’s ‘photo’ is the invitation to the art exhibit of Joseph Zirker, Lisa’s Dad, in San Francisco this weekend.
The opening is on October 7 from 6-9pm at the Smith Anderson Gallery North.  http://www.josephzirker.com


Have a Happy Tuesday.

                  Peace,
                            Danny

“You cannot shake hands
with a clenched fist.”
~Indira Gandhi

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