Potato Picking

I finally convinced Mon to let me go work on Peelawon's potato fields.  She didn't believe I could stand the heat, let alone do the work.  Believe me I didn't think so myself but I was going to give it my best shot.  We got out to the field around seven o'clock in the morning where we met up with Sak and Peelawon.  Their initial reaction when I got out of the car was to laugh.  At this particular field we had to load the potatoes into the back of the tractor for Sak to take back to the village.  Once that was done we moved to another field where we met up with two other girls from the village who were already busy cutting down the potato plants.  Again both of them laughed at the fact a white girl had come to work.

It took me a little while to get the hang of using the machete but once I did things went rather smoothly.  About three hours in everyone had stopped laughing at me and were rather impressed at how I was doing.  They kept saying "good job" and giving me the thumbs up.  I not only surprised everyone there but I even surprised myself.  I am proud to say that I managed to keep up with the other women and worked steadily all day, even with blisters the size of quarters and multiple scratches.  The heat didn't bother me even though it was 28 degrees out, and I even managed not to get burnt.

The next day I went back out again despite Mon's concerns that I wouldn't be able to do the work with yesterday's injuries.  Today was 35 degrees which felt like 40.  Today the heat bothered me but again I worked steadily throughout the whole day.  I had no problem keeping up and even gave the girls a run for their money a few times.

After we had cut down the potato plants yesterday we tied them into bundles and carried them to the end of the field were Sa, Mama, and Tha cut them into smaller pieces.  Those smaller pieces are what we  planted today.    We started off with having three people laying the sticks out, while the other three placed them into the soil.  I was one of the ones who laid the sticks out, since there is a specific way you have to plant them.  I eventually learned that as well.

Both days we finished around six o'clock.  It's incredible to think this is how the majority of the people here survive.  They work these long hour days, doing gruelling phsyical labour in the blistering sun, and for their effort they receive 200 baht a day, which is only seven dollars Canadian.  I had a lot of fun but I sure as hell wouldn't want to do that all my life.  An amazing experience. :)