“Songkran Festival was the best party in Thailand. Together with friends and family, we would be in the streets, playing water games. As it is so hot in April, this festival was invented, which then became Thai New Year. What else should you do to refresh yourself?” Saksri is from the northeast of Thailand. “From Udon Thani, a city 50 kilometers from the border with Laos.” The Mekong river forms a natural border with the neighboring country. “The north of Thailand and the south of Laos are known as the Isan region. Did you know that Thai and Lao can understand each other here? Our writing is different, but we can easily talk to each other. I used to cross the border and go to Vientiane regularly. Now that I’m living in Belgium, I travel to my family and my home town once a year. But as I’m getting older, I prefer to travel within Europe these days. In just a couple of hours, you’re in another country.” In 1989, Saksri came to Antwerp. Back then, her sister owned a restaurant across the street from the well-known Sun Wah supermarket. “I love papaya salad,” she says with delight. I nod approvingly, but note that it’s hard to get papaya’s here. “You can find a lot of papaya’s in this neighborhood, though. On my menu, for example.” She winks. “Next time, just come and eat a papaya salad.”

* Series for 2060 My Hood (4/9)