2 years of Lawn Parties

A couple months ago while my mom and aunt Karen were visiting us here, mom and I spent some time talking about mine and Selena's Peace Corps service and how we might translate the experience to others when we come back to the States. Mom remarked that the summary of our stint here would most likely have to be somewhat pithy, a concise summary for the casual conversationalist.

Fast forward 3 weeks to a frustrating trip Selena and I were making back from our weekend shopping and emailing in the nearby city of Tacloban. While sitting in a multicab, sweating profusely, crammed together with lots of shady characters on run down jeepney, I turned to my wife and said, 'This here is like a two-year lawn party from hell.' Suddenly we turned and looked at each other, and realized that was it. That was the great summation of this experience, at least the unpleasant parts of it.

Over the past couple weeks, I have continued to mull this description over in my head and find many striking parallels that the casual observer might miss if not articulated.

1. Much like a lawn party in Western Virginia, the weather here is usually balmy, bordering on really freaking unpleasant, unless the skies open up, release a deluge, and everyone who was standing around huddles under huts and tents and it's really annoying.
   
2. Much like a lawn party, the music here is way too loud, always, and the music consists of bad '80s music you'd just as soon forget, as well as remixed covers of songs that were never that good anyways.
   
3. Much like a lawn party, the smell of sweat and pee is ever present, and people are always urinating in inappropriate places.
   
4. Much like a lawn party, most of the food is deep fried, and the bathrooms don't flush.
   
5. Much like a lawn party, highly unqualified middle-aged men are always in charge of running the rides.
   
6. Much like a lawn party, there is an ever-abundant supply of cheap alcohol, and the individuals who seem inebriated are usually also wearing some sort of sharp object strapped to their waistband.
   
7. Much like a lawn party, there are hords of children running around with candy-stained faces and seemingly no guardians in toe.
   
8. Much like a lawn party, the noise, laughter, annoying music, and constant eating continue for many long hours, everyone seemingly oblivious to whatever it is they should be doing instead.
   

Now, you may say that this is an understatement of the experience we must be having here; all of the presumed cultural integration and wonderful places, the nice people and unforgettable memories. I will concede, this 'lawn party' description does not do the experience justice some days, but on the other days, the days when we wish we would have just stayed home and read another book, or watched another podcast, the lawn party thing, it's dead-on.