Today we had an extremely early start because apparently breakfast is always served at 6:30am here at the longhouse. Not only that, but we all had to be there before anybody could eat, so there's no room for sleeping in.
Anyways, we had a good local breakfast including rice, gluten, fruit, PB&J's, hot milo and juice. After breakfast, we rested for a little and then took off to go work in a pepper farm. My initial belief was that we were going to be planting pepper plants, but instead we ended up just pulling weeds surrounding the pepper plants. Although this was supposed to be a "cultural experience", I have pulled weeds many times growing up, so it wasn't really anything new. I was honestly surprised to hear that a couple of our students had never pulled weeds in their life.
Although many of us were not very enthusiastic about pulling weeds, we made the most out of it. Us guys started playfully singing old negro spirituals like Wade in the Water, Down by the Riverside, and Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Then Andrew Ranzinger started singing his own song and wowed us with us majestic voice as we continued to pull weeds.
Luckily we all worked hard and finished weeding early, so we all walked back to the longhouse. Upon arrival, Sekapi offered to take Satchel, Daniel, and I down the river on his little canoe to his pepper farm. Of course we agreed and hopped on the little engine powered canoe down stream to his farm. For a while it seemed like we were going into the middle of nowhere, but all of a sudden we took a smaller stream to the side and ended up right on his pepper farm. At the farm, Sekapi had us the a machete around our waist and a traditional backpack on our backs and had us take pictures with them on us. After thanking him for the amazing experience, he then requested for us to pray over his crops. We got in a circle with Sekapi and we each prayed for him and his crops, so that he can continue to do well and reflect God's image in everything. This was a very nice bonding moment between Sekapi and his three adopted american sons.
We got back right in time for lunch, which was a delicious meal prepared by the women of the longhouse. I loved eating rice, greens, and gluten all together.
After lunch we boarded the back of a few pickup trucks and drove over to a small boarding school nearby. While some were scared to ride in the back of a truck, I was standing up in the back, having flashbacks of riding in the back of a truck while I lived in Palau. When we got to the school, us guys brought out the soccer ball and started playing with each other on the field. Before we knew it, around 30 or 40 little boys ran out and started playing with us. Some in full soccer attire, and some barefoot, but they all teamed up against us to keep the ball away. Playing soccer with the kids was such an amazing experience and it was the most fun I have had in a very long time. I loved seeing how simply playing a game of soccer could make a kid so incredibly happy. It was great speaking with some of the kids who knew english a little better and talking about soccer and their favorite teams and athletes.
After playing for a while, we took a group picture with the faculty of the school and then we left the school, all of us having loved the time we spent with those kids.
As soon as we loaded up the trucks, the rain came down. The thing is it didn't just rain, it POURED. Those of us sitting in the back of the truck got completely drenched.
We then stopped at a traditional wooden longhouse, and although we were all soaking wet they welcomed us with open arms, a dry towel, and a few sips of tuak(rice wine). In the longhouse we learned how to do the traditional dance of the ibans, ate delicious food, and tasted home made tuak. It was awesome to see that there are still people who hold on to their culture, regardless of how old and outdated it may be.
After finishing eating and dancing, we drove back to our longhouse and took some time to play with the kids there. We then had a huge dinner prepared by the women, and then we had a fun program at night filled with dancing. First the locals taught us their traditional dance and had us join in, and then us guys got up and showed them how to do the classic Whip&NaeNae dance. It was great getting to share a piece of culture with each other, while also have a blast of fun.
That night, Satchel, Daniel, and I used the bucket and water tank in the back of the place to take a shower. We then went inside and sang karaoke with Sekapi and danced with him for a while. Again, it was a bonding experience with our "Malaysian dad."
When we first came to the longhouse I thought I would hate it, but now I sort of wish we could stay another day because it's so much fun spending time with the community in the longhouse.
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