Halloween Week Highlights

1. We put together the “costumes” for the kids with the clothes we have here. Titus was Spiderman (spidey jammies, gray gloves, black socks). Maggie changed her costume daily between a Vietnamese lady (her new ao dai), a gymnastics teacher (swimming suit and leggings), and a “matchy matchy girl” (she picked out a shirt and skirt that matched each other. I think it was her favorite costume). They both seemed totally happy with what they came up with.
2. Candy, candy, and more candy. The huge pile of candy flanked happy, eager children seems to show the essence of Halloween. The candy looked way better than it tasted but the kids still loved it with predictable passion.
3. The three rust colored pumpkins were brought in by a friend of a friend on his motorbike from hours away. We had them in our room all week and finally carved them today with some friends.
4. My English classes took on a Halloween theme and became more party-like as the week went on. I was totally impressed with the proper students who threw caution to the wind and did the apple under the chin game. I’d like to see these guys get down when it’s not 8:00 in the morning on a school day! It was actually great of them to be so into it since Titus and Maggie came with me seeking some Halloween cheer.
   
5. It rained today. A huge torrential downpour that was deafening as it came down. The courtyard filled with water several inches deep. There was a pervasive foggy mist swirling through the trees and houses. Every few minutes we saw the bright flash of lightning and heard ear splitting thunder that went on and on, as if a cosmic bowling ball had been rolled across the purple sky. Perfect spooky weather for Halloween when you’re not trick-or-treating outdoors.
6. It rained more and more. The roads turned into rivers. The power cut out several times today including while we were carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating around the empty guest house rooms. We ended up doing these festivities by candlelight. Then we slogged through the pouring rain in knee deep water to the restaurant, where the power was still out, and ate dinner by candlelight as well.
7. “Goodbye,” we said to our friends who had shared the evening with us. Everyone had rolled their pants up over their knees. We were huddled under umbrellas and nearly shouted to be heard over the pounding rain. “Happy Halloween.”