 Next month is the perfect time to visit Thailand and experience one of the country’s grandest and most unforgettable festivals. April 13th marks the start of the Songkran Festival which is also the Thai New Year.
The festival was originally celebrated by visiting temples and pouring scented water over statues of Buddha for good luck. This water was then saved and gently sprinkled onto loved ones as a blessing. The Thai people believe that water is spiritually purifying: it cleanses you of any bad luck or grievances from the past year, and blesses you with fortune and happiness for the year ahead. Now in addition to visiting temples, tens of thousands of men, women, and children will flock to the streets armed with water guns, water cannons, and buckets of cold water for a fun-filled, all-out water war.
The festivities last for three days, and the festival is without a doubt a very important one to Thai people. However, anyone and everyone can and will get involved in the celebrations. If you’re out and about during Songkran, you’re almost guaranteed to end up soaked but you’ll have lots of fun in the process! 
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 " I changed my views on happiness. The people of El Sur were some of the happiest people I've every met, but they weren't always as fortunate as us. I learned in a week, and experienced, a new type of happiness. I hope I can take this happiness into my own culture, now knowing how very loosely connected happiness and fortunes are.
If I were to go on another volunteer vacation work experience, I would love to go with Globe Aware and go back to Costa Rica! My friend asked my how my trip was. Here is my response: It was life-changing. I feel like it could have done nothing (in terms of happiness and realization) had I not tried, but I tried to enjoy everything, so it was amazing!" - Natalie Jones, June 2012
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 If you can’t celebrate the water festival in Thailand, we encourage you to celebrate water in an alternative fashion, by helping to GIVE it to those in need.
We are committed to contributing to the community we work with in Guatemala to ensure access to potable water for all. Help us by making a donation to the Guatemalan Clean Water Project - CLICK HERE
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Try this Mayan favorite- Guatemalan Jocón de Pollo
 Mango is a big part of the New Year feast, particularly Mango with Sticky Rice – mangoes symbolizing prosperity and rice, fertile land. Celebrate at home with this easy recipe. Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 3 mangos, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Directions
- Combine the rice and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, mix together 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside. Stir the cooked rice into the coconut milk mixture; cover. Allow to cool for 1 hour.
- Make a sauce by mixing together 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the tapioca starch in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
- Place the sticky rice on a serving dish. Arrange the mangos on top of the rice. Pour the sauce over the mangos and rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Enjoy!
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Globe Aware in the News
Check out our recent feature in this United Airlines article - 5 volunteer vacations to take with your family CLICK HERE
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