Ratten Ball and Gender Politics.

So and Ramsey have hired a teacher to do workshops on mushroom growing with the students for the next two days. I wish I could understand because I would be interested in the topic as well.

After today’s workshop the boys play rattan ball. It employs a volleyball court set up but it uses a rattan ball (about 10 cm in diameter) which is hit with either the foot, off the knee, head or shoulder (almost like in hacky sac). It requires a lot of leg agility and flexibility for those high kicks.

Ramsey explains rattan ball. Wait for that wicked high kick at the end.

I immediately want to try, but only boys play this game (or any other aerobic games it seems), not girls. Even though I indicate that I'm interested, they don't encourage me to try. I tell Ramsey to play one side and I will play on the other, so that each team is equally handicapped with unskilled players. This is met with the boys saying that the court is full already. I see the deal. Ramsey also says that he doesn't want to play because he's not good at it and the rattan ball hurts his feet. Bah.

When the boys' game is over, I take the ball and try some of the moves. I encourage some of the girls to try to play with me. Been and San show interest (they are the most adventurous and outgoing of the girls). Gong has been conscripted to teach us girls (and Ramsey) rattan ball. Been and San hike up their long Lao skirts into "diapers" and give it a go. We have a lot of fun. Later a volleyball is fished from the roof and we play that as well (I have bruises all up my forearm from this.)

Gong is a very encouraging and patient teacher. The ball gets stuck in the roof again and this time Ramsey attempts to climb the pillar to get the ball. He gets to the top,

but can't make it over.

Gong eventually rescues the ball with his monkey style limbgrip. Later on, Been and San tell me they are tired from having so much fun playing. Yes...girl power!