Emmy in the Rice Paddy: Saturday at Soi Sawan Waterfall

Last Saturday P'Nuan took me back to Pha Tam National Park to see the Soi Sawan Waterfall. While I have been to Pha Tam before with P'Lew and Mark, I went during the hot season and there was no water in the waterfall (it was just a cliff haha). However, now it was a beautiful, raging waterfall. Two college student teachers, Kwan and Gan, and one of our favorite students, Boss, joined us too. After the two hour drive, P'Nuan took us out to lunch at Goong Jium. I was cranky haha. Kwan continued to take my picture after I told her that I didn't want her to, so I told her "It's not polite in my culture to take a picture of someone when they've asked you not to" hahaha. I love playing the "my culture" card. I ate at the floating restaurant (on the MeKong River) that I had been to twice before with Mahh Lahng's family. (One time I even was allowed back in the kitchen and allowed to cook, because Bow (one of the owners) is friends with P'Lew!) Amazingly, a young waitress, Bow, and her mother recognized me!!! I heard a "Am On!" I hadn't been there in several months. However, I was the only farang at the restaurant, so I probably stood out. After the restaurant, we drove to the waterfall. It also started to pour rain on and off. Unfortunately we were caught in the rain at the waterfall, but it was still drop dead gorgeous. Not only that, but P'Nuan had adorably cut and packed fruit as snacks for us. We ate our fruit and took lots of pictures at a lookout point, before heading back to Ubon.

Leaving the park, we stopped by some little wooden and straw stands (that reminded me of Cambodia) where locals were selling all kinds of interesting things: roots, barks, herbs, wild mushrooms, and these beautiful green iridescent beetles. The beetles were crawling all over each other in a plastic bag- ready to be cooked! The color of their shells was so stunning. A few stands were selling these dangling decorations that were made from the wings; they felt so unbelievably soft! I wish I had bought one! (Although I didn't because I thought that the beetles were probably killed inhumanely- someone pulling their beautiful green wings off while they were still alive). I also loved looking at all of the different mushrooms that people had gathered. I think that mushrooms are really cool, and it's such a rare skill to be able to differentiate the edible ones from the poisonous ones. However, some of the brightly colored ones looked poisonous! Check out the pics below.

Tomorrow morning my friend Nicki is visiting me in Ubon! I am so excited for her to come to school with me, and to show her my life here in Isaan. However, I am sad that tomorrow is my first Friday this semester not teaching teachers. That really was a highlight of this semester for me :)