Ok, that might have been a bit over the top or melodramatic but considering I shoveled shit on the family farm in Nakom Phanome yesterday in some serious heat I think it’s a fitting name for the rice fields here.

Two weeks ago Mama’s sister asked Pookie if falang could help out getting the rice fields ready as Uncle was a little short handed…and of course she said I could. I didn’t mind, so I was up at 6am and headed to the family farm 10 minutes outside of town.

Now shoveling shit is a bit of a misnomer because there were no shovels involved just hoes and baskets and a lot of back.  We basically moved the shit from the stable to the rice fields depositing a couple of piles in each section. Thai’s will wear long sleeved shirts while working and they offered the same to me but it just doesn’t work for the falang…but a good straw hat and constantly pouring water over my head kept me cool and also made everyone laugh.

We worked for 4 hours and then took a break for eating, showering and sleeping as it was very hot.  During this time the family hang out under the house because it’s much cooler there. While the men did the work the ladies wove baskets and chatted all day. A few hours later we went back and finished up with the last few loads of buffalo shit and called it a day. We aren’t finished but we made a good dent in it.

It’s funny, here I am helping the family out but a couple of the female family members kept saying ” falang pee baa” which I know to mean ” falang crazy”. When I asked Pookie why the family kept calling me crazy here is the answer I got…” Falang shovel shit…falang pee baaa because why falang shovel shit?” The gist of it all is falangs have money so don’t need to shovel shit and any falang that has money and still shovels shit is crazy. I’m beginning to believe they are right.

The fields didn’t kill me today but I’m told they will have another shot at me tomorrow…Falang pee baa!