Live Your Life in Colour

Oh, how the time just flies! As promised I am updating...AGAIN! Woohoo! I'd say twice in one month, but seeing as it's currently April I'd be lying. Last week was incredibly busy and fun.

Saturday was the Holi Festival of Colours. It's a traditional Indian Holiday that marks the burning of an evil Hindu demoness named Holkia. There's even

a burning of a 'witch' when the throwing starts. It's amazing how the whole thing goes down. Beautiful even. Everyone arrives wearing different clothing, most in white shirts though. Then the throwing begins and we all leave-the same. We're all coloured up and a mess, but it's wonderful.

our before&after pictures

The festival is held in Spanish Fork, Utah. Roughly 20 minutes away from Provo...depending on who drives. It's located on the grounds of the Indian Temple called Krishna. There's a hill and at the bottom of the hill there were three separate 'stages' set up-the one in the middle being the one of most importance.

Before the 'throwing' begins, which happens an hour into the event, there's music and dancing-essentially it's a big celebration of spring and love-my favourites!

Before sitting down we got our colours and walked around for a bit.

Spring in Utah is substantially different than back east. Our pictures turned out wonderfully, but it was really only mid-40's that day. Jumping around and throwing colours livens things up a bit in regard to circulation. I was freezing once we got back to Provo for lunch. I was able to capture a few pictures from the throwing before it actually took place (because the people in the back were a little overzealous with their excitement and just couldn't contain themselves any longer). I didn't take my camera out again until after the festivities were finished, which still didn't prove to save it from the dust of colours in the air...poor thing, I have since cleaned it and it's doing just fine (thanks for caring).

The aftermath of the colours is quite intense, but we thoroughly enjoyed our colourfulness and celebrated spring by eating lunch at Sammy's, a local burger joint that's 'famous' for their pie-shakes (they literally put a slice of pie in their milk-shakes, delish!) I was the only lone soul from our group that didn't 'clean-up' before getting lunch. I felt like it wasn't necessary. It wasn't. The rest of our friends just looked a bit 'dirty' and I looked as though I had just gotten back from the Holi, which I had-but the rest of my friends had as well, they just didn't look the part. It took about 15 minutes longer than it usually takes in the shower for my hair and face and other bodily orifices to be completely 'colour free' but it happened and after the shower there was MUCH rejoicing on my end. It's so wonderful to be clean! Gar and I attended the BYU Volleyball game after we cleaned up and then had a nice evening of relaxing before falling asleep from exhaustion.

It's so fascinating to have the opportunity to experience so many fun things here in Utah. Who'da thunk?! As the semester is winding down I'm really beginning to reflect on how quickly time has passed and how happy I am to be here, again-GASP I just said that (err, wrote it?). BYU really is an incredible experience and opportunity, I am SO blessed! In the upcoming weeks I'll be attending conference, taking finals and writing final papers, and finishing my first semester at BYU, wow! What a great weekend!

[lyrics: Oh look at how she listens, she says nothing of what she thinks, she just goes stumbling through her memories...but all the colours mix together-to grey. dave matthews]