This has really been a very special month!
Throughout the month we have been dancing – lots of practise every night and from 9am till 5pm on Saturdays. We danced for Dr Cyntha Maung’s birthday, Karen New Year, Christmas celebration (on the 31st December) and next month is also World Children’s Day (not to mention random private performances for special guests!)
One session I was late for, having been talking to the headteacher! I was punished, along with the dance teacher who was also late! We had to dance (just 3 of us) for the guests!
December is also a very special here. The Karen celebrate the whole month – it’s called sweet December! We’ve been carol singing most nights. Two nights stand out in particular, one in which we were still knocking on people’s doors at 1am to sing them 3 songs (by the time they had woken up and got dressed they usually only made it outside for the Goodbye song!) and I was asked for a solo – TWICE the first time I managed to dance instead but the second time I had to sing before the Doctor would hand over her donation! The second night that stands out is when Tee Dah, a very kind, respected man who lives in the same building as me, also requested a solo and I ended up sinning a Karen song by myself! Just in case you’re wondering NO I cannot speak Karen yet but I can sing a few songs in Karen now!
That night was also special because on the way home we spotted some road kill. There was a delicious dead dog on the side of the road near the entrance to the school and so three of us crept back and picked it up, then ran though the local village with it with a whole pack of dogs chasing (probably the dead dog’s family!). Midnight dog is SOOOO good, though I was surprised that only the stomach got thrown away. EVERYTHING else was chopped up and thrown in, even the head. Later two kids were sharing it and I was told the cheeks were very delicious! I stick to the rest of the dog like liver, kidney, intestine, lung and meat/bone!
new year
