Learning Loads in Luang Prabang- LAOS
Trip Start
Jul 27, 2006
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76
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Trip End
Ongoing
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Luang Prabang,
Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Thursday, January 3, 2008
In Luang Prabang we climbed the 328 steps up Mt. Phousi, arriving at Wat That Chomsii in time to watch the sunset over the town. We attempted to see some waterfalls, but failed. Explored a night market that also served as a nursery- every saleswoman had her baby along with her, stuffed in a box or a basket on the ground. We also walked through the city exploring the numerous Wats (temples.)
One of my most memorable experiences in Luang Prabang was when we wandered into the wrong temple. By this time in our trip we had both undergone the traveling flu, and weren't feeling too hot. Upon seeing nothing spectacular, I left Mel sitting on a bench and went to explore further. Roaming through the monks' private quarters... I realized we must be in the wrong place. I came back up to tell Melanie, but found her in good company talking to one of the monks. I sat down and he proceeded to tell us about his lifestyle.
In Laos, most boys practice this lifestyle at least once in their life, usually sometime between the ages of 17-25. Other than a few strict rules, there lives are pretty regular.
relaxing with a shake
They must wake up before dawn each morning to walk through the city for morning alms (collecting rice from the villagers to feed them for the day). They are allowed to eat breakfast and lunch, but cannot have any food after noon. They are required to attend prayer in the morning and evening, but can spend the rest of the day as they please. While we were talking to this monk, the other monks were inside watching a game of football [read soccer.] Another interesting thing I learned is that they actually put medicine on their faces to stop hair growth while they're staying at the Wats. Every monk shaves his head once a month when there is a full moon. It was quite inspiring to talk to this young man. He had been living there for two years, and was studying English at a nearby University. He enjoyed using his free time to speak to the tourists in order to practice his English, and surfing the web to broaden his horizons. It was apparent that he had a quench for knowledge and I was quite envious of his lifestyle and freedom.
This might sound a bit odd, since he was confined to the temple and couldn't hang out with his friends or even talk to women outside of the temple. Sure he may not lack the every day freedom of a normal guy his age, being able to go to a bar and pick up girls- but he had a whole different kind of freedom. He had the freedom to think, to explore, to find himself, and to realize his destiny. He was able to wake up each morning knowing that he had the entire day to work on his personal growth.
inside the national palace
He was not repressed by long days, and a lack of time. He didn't feel the pressures of society urging him to pack one more task or one more engagement into a day. He wasn't constantly looking at a calendar planning his next vacation, or starring dreadfully at a list of things to do. To me, he was free. I began to find this lifestyle quite attractive and asked him what options were available for me as a woman. Unfortunately, women monks are unheard of- instead, women go out to live in the forest and become nuns. But, he warned, being a nun is different than being a monk. For him he could leave whenever he wanted to- just walk out of the Wat and never come back. Many monks in Laos aren't monks for life, they just become monks for a few years when they are young, and leave the temple when they want to get a job and get married. Nuns on the other hand, usually only become nuns after they have undergone a tragedy with a member of the male sex (a break up, assault, etc) and they usually stay a nun for life. For this reason, women/girls tend to avoid the sect all together.**
**(DISCLAIMER: Please keep in mind that I am not the expert of monk/nun lifestyle and have only spoken to a handful of followers about the above information. Of course I may have been misinformed, I may have not remembered things correctly, and all monks of course do not lead the exact same lifestyles and follow the same rules.)
