it was a hootenanny, part 2

During dinner the entertainment started. The first thing that we saw was one of our own colleagues, a teacher at the university, performing classical Thai dance. It was amazing. He was dressed in one of the very fancy Ramakien costumes. I'm not sure which one (the only one I recognize for sure is Hanuman) but I'm pretty sure he wasn't one of the bad guys because his face wasn't green.

Next were some group dance numbers performed by the office support staff. They were very entertaining as well, if not as skilled as the previous performer.

After that it was time for a game. The woman in charge of things started calling people up to the stage by name. It was mostly Thai people, of course, but I was called and so were two other farang teachers. We didn't know what we were in for so we looked a little nervous, I think. Somehow we managed to gain an understanding of what we were supposed to do, which was this:

Form a circle with everyone else. While the music is playing, walk clockwise. If possible, dance or walk in an otherwise entertaining manner. When the music stops, the announcer calls out a number. Everyone must form groups of that number of people and drop to the floor. Those who don't find groups or whose groups contain the wrong number of people are "out." Lather, rinse, repeat until there is one winner remaining.

The first number called was 2. Easy: I got together with my fellow farang. Then we had 3. Also easy. Next was 10. Do you know how hard it is to form orderly groups of 10? Maybe it's only hard for me. But somehow I found myself in a successful group. I made it through several more rounds--I suspect that the Thai teachers were "helping" me a little. I didn't win, but Husband had a great time watching me scurry around the stage.

After the game there was more dancing. This time it was time for the "fashion show," which consisted entirely of male faculty and staff dressed in drag. They were wearing the brightest colors and the most ludicrous fake breasts possible. One guy, in a midriff top and a grass skirt, had painted some Thai characters on his stomach which I'm told translated to "2 months very pregnant." I had heard about cross-dressing New Year traditions, but I don't know what (if anything) these kinds of things are supposed to mean. I was pretty surprised to see my colleagues in their muumuus and their crazy makeup, dancing up a storm. I guess it's comparable to someone who doesn't celebrate Halloween going to their first Halloween party--which happened here this past year, when some of the other Americans decided to throw a party and invited colleagues from all over the world.

Between each activity or dance, some gifts were exchanged. I'm not sure who got our gift, but we got some really cute coffee cups and saucers. They're in the shape of Asian-style teacups, and they have various English sayings on them. The smaller ones say "Small coffee" and "Some like it hot," and the larger ones say "Medium coffee" and "Cafe framboise." Adorable and WAY better than the crappy gift we bought. We asked what sort of thing we should bring, but all we could wring out of anyone was "bring any kind of gift" and a reiteration of the minimum number of baht we should spend. Oh well, I guess we'll know better for next year.