S A I L » 2009

June 30, 2009

believe it or not: we drove to the moon.

Red dirt road in Laos.

It’s day 18 and we still don’t get a break. Day after day, weekend after weekend, there’s something to do. It’s actually hard being so busy, but fun is always a good thing no matter what. Friday night, we karaoked the hour away; Saturday night, attended a friend’s show; Sunday, we went to “taad moun (moon)” waterfall. Though it wasn’t really a ‘waterfall’ waterfall, it was still really fun. What was totally unexpected was that we would see the children from the Donkoi Children’s Center (where some of us are volunteering) there. There was so much to do there! Once we got there, I couldn’t help but snap everything in sight for the first half hour. Then Samantha threatened to confiscate my camera. I was actually glad I didn’t have my camera with me because i slipped and fell a couple times, so was pretty thankful I didn’t kill it. The rocks were COVERED in moss, it’s hard to tell if that’s a good of a bad thing: good – I didn’t hurt myself AS often, bad – it was easier to GET hurt. After seeing the Donkoi kids, things really lightened up because otherwise, I don’t think I could’ve done much with people who didn’t want to get wet. Sandra was wearing shoes in so she didn’t have to step on the moss; Brandin didn’t seem like he wanted to “play” in the water so much; Yaeng came in, and sat with me; Amy couldn’t come in even if she wanted to, Phon [the only student who went with us] refused to go in for a WHILE until someone made him change.

All in all, I was pretty glad I met with some high school girls who went with Donkoi. What really bothers me is that I feel the same age as the Ugrads who are 19+, but I feel older with the high schoolers, and I’m a couple months younger. Maybe it’s the looks, girls here look so much younger than they do back in the states. They agreed to be my language partners but it was sort of confusing because we had some communication problems at first and it’s hard to talk on the phone with them because I don’t know what they’re saying, and they don’t know what I’m saying. But according to everyone, they say that’s the key – forcing myself to learn Lao.

Brandin’s got the pictures from the first day up until now which have been very hard to download from here, but we hope to get some of them up soon. Bye from Laos!

Posted in Author: Eileen, Language Partner, Laos, Trips | 3 Comments

June 25, 2009

Week 2 in Vientiane — SAILers Settling In

Week two of our stay in Vientiane has come…and almost gone! After the hectic activity of the first week, SAILers had a much mellower second week, having found their stride and settled in. The week has been focused more on Lao language classes (the Beginning class is reading small words!) and reading up on Lao History (quiz them on the significance of the Phabang, and they won’t let you down). This week, after much hounding on my part, the SAILers also found language partners who they can meet and chat with in English and Lao. However, at this point it looks like all of Lao-American College is a language partner for our group! The SAILers are not shy and very approachable, and the LAC students are obviously excited to have real Americans on their campus. But I’m making sure our group doesn’t get off easy…this is their chance to speak Lao outside class!

Our classes are small, so the students are getting lots of personal attention. Achaan Bounmy definitely keeps the Beginning class on their toes, but I think their initial intimidation of him is subsiding. And, as a participant in the class, I must say the Intermediate class is a little more laid-back; Vatsana was especially happy when our achaan read our palms and told us about our personalities and lives. When word spread, the beginning class descended upon our achaan to have their palms read too. Apparently, Brandin has a very sabay sabay character, and looks like Sandra is going to have 3 kids! We will continue our language/cultural lessons by going to our achaan’s house in a few weeks to make Khao Tom or steamed sticky rice treats to take to the temple for the first day of Buddhist Lent, or “Khao Pansaa.” With the help of a UGrad student, our group took Talat Sao (Morning Market) by storm this week to buy their first sinhs (traditional Lao skirt). The vast variety was enticing and because we had a local helping us bargain, everyone walked away with more than one. Brandin was taken off by his Lao friends to find a nice shirt, which he sported the next day with a tie (to match the girls’ LAC ties). Classy SAILers!

Brandin and Sandra have become more regulars at the school, meeting lots of students and even sitting in on some undergrad classes such as Marketing and Global Cultures. Brandin will even be volunteering time to tutor LAC student that needs it. Since Brandin already seems to be well-known on campus, I’m sure he’ll have more students than he can handle. Eileen will be working with the LAC kindergartners when they start school next week, and possibly with the photography club. She has learned how to say “take a picture” in Lao, which is the most important phrase for her to know since she takes a minimum of 100 a day! I’ve got to get her to put that camera down for a second so she can enjoy the real thing.

Yaeng and Vatsana started their volunteer work with the Ministry of Health today. They had an orientation at Settathirath Hospital and from there may move to other sites. We are expecting their experiences to be more based on observation than actual implementation. Yaeng reported they were asked to write a summary of their experience, offer feedback, and possibly present it. Look out Journal of Lao Studies! Amy and Sandra will venture outside Vientiane a bit to volunteer at Donkoi Children’s Development Center – a public elementary school combined with a Center with programs that teach students about composting, recycling, growing mushrooms, raising frogs and basic carpentry. They also make cards and handicrafts and teach music and dancing in the summer. Although school officially starts next week (the new schedule due to the SEA Games that will take place in Vientiane in November & December), Amy & Sandra will share their skills with staff and students during the morning hours. English language assistance is most needed, but Sandra will try to explore other opportunities, such as gardening, arts, or helping in the library.

Socially, the SAILers are out and about, mainly thanks to their tight bond with the American-bound UGrad students. On any given night they can be found trying the new favorite Lao restaurants in town. Last night it was Korean BBQ after an unsuccessful attempt to see Ti Muay (Lao boxing) at the “Circus,” a structure that showed no signs of activity, nor signs that it had ever seen any activity! For a little exercise, Yaeng and Amy have really gone Lao by buying a badminton set, which they broke out on the windiest night so far. So they can only go uphill from here.

Some SAILers have been catching up with relatives they’ve never met, joining them for meals and visits. Amy connected with the father of her Lao friend, who took a few of us to his house for a BBQ. A real treat since they got to see Lao life in a more real setting. We sat on cement benches outside and chatted over kebabs and Khaochee Lao (Lao-style “bread” which is BBQ sticky rice in an egg batter) and he advised us to take a spoonful of fresh honey from a village before eating to protect against potentially harmful bacteria (advice we should’ve heeded since a few of us have had a little stomach trouble!). While Yaeng interpreted for Amy, Eileen and I took a walk down the dirt road, and witnessed a stunning pink sunset in the distance and Eileen snapped away with her camera. It was a rare open space in a city that seems to be subject to more and more urban sprawl. I’m looking forward to more opportunities to take SAILers to see Laos outside Vientiane. As Vatsana said when I asked her if Laos was what she thought it was, “I thought it would be simpler.” Proof they need to venture outside the town.

Posted in Author: Samantha | No Comments

June 25, 2009

Forgot what I wrote: Part II

Continuing from where I left off…

During the first week, we walked around That Luang a bit, bought local food, saw kids driving motorcycles, saw guys sitting on top of garbage trucks, walked back, saw some monks, went back to the guest house to change and eat a formal breakfast [the local food we bought], called a van, and went to our first possible NGO volunteering site. It was cute. They had their own little garden, their own little classrooms, and one big room for activities. Half of it was a kindergarten and the rest of it’s an after school thing… and I almost forgot, they grew their own little mushrooms too! After taking the tour they even gave us a little performance before everyone dispersed and went home. They were singing and dancing, it was really cute.

Then after a while, my camera ran out of battery so I couldn’t take anymore pictures…. But anyway, it was almost time for school so we went to the local fruit market down the path and went home to change into our “uniform” and get our books. There goes our 3rd day of school. After school, we went to the US Embassy where they wouldn’t allow us to bring cameras so there are no pictures of us there. After a LONG day, we walked down a block or two and ate at Khop Chai Deu Restaurant. Going home, Sandra made a new tuk-tuk friend, but he got pulled over by a cop while going home. Something about going up a street he wasn’t supposed to.

So this morning, Yaeng and Sandra went out with Guy again to go to the gym. They said there was a swimming pool and everything. Darn, I should’ve gone, but anyway, this morning I woke up to a nightmare and went outside to find everyone studying and doing their homework. I decided to hurry up and do mine too. Upon finishing, Yaeng and Sandra came back and we all ate breakfast that they brought up.

Posted in Author: Eileen, Laos | No Comments

June 25, 2009

My Journal for the week

Day 2: June 17, 2009-06-19

Apparently, to my surprise and astonishment, I do not look one bit Lao!!! I have been approached by numerous people, questioning my origin. If it was not for my name, it seems that the general consensus of the Lao people here is that I look Japanese. ??? I’m flummoxed!!! It is hilarious.

The cool thing about Laos is that when you go shopping, you need to bargain and barter your way to get things. I always call Yaeng to help me because she looks Lao and she’s a great broker. Unfortunately, because I look like a foreigner, (Japanese), they double and even triple the price on me. It’s hilarious!!!

I so much enjoy the older Lao people. I’ve picked up a few Mama Sans. I met one at the school supply store. (Of course, she also told me I look Japanese) and she’s very funny. They love to talk and chat…and make fun of my Lao.

We are invited to go to a baci this Saturday for one of the overseas graduates. It’s very exciting. I hope to buy a sinh (traditional lao skirt).

Day 4: June 17, 2009

We went to the NGO Basic Needs, an organization working with people with “mental health.” They would like for us to do more administrative work which I’m not really interested in. The cool part of the day is that we found a quaint little street shop that sold fruit. Oh my goodness, I’ve never seen so many exotic fruits and they are all so delicious, although I’m not too crazy about the Durian. I’ve tried the fruit that is red and looks like they have hairy tentacles, the hard brown mangosteens, lycees, (have eaten these before, but fresh, YUM), dragon fruit, weird mushy green fruit, and green papaya. I love the fruits and vegetables. I’m not too crazy about the meat because they don’t have refrigeration and they use all parts of the animals.

Speaking of animals, I’ve had a couple of night visitors already. My Goodness, do you know how big cockroaches are here??? And how fast???? I’ve sprayed everything in sight. The mosquitoes aren’t too bad, yet. However, I am the walking example of how to keep protected from mosquitoes. I take my daily vitamin Bs, bug spray from head to toe, and walk around with bounce fabric softeners sticking out of my pockets, shoes, shirt and pants. It’s a sight I tell you!

Day 5: June 18, 2009

We went to Talat Sao (morning market). It’s a hustle and bustle market ranging from mall like merchandise to wares from street peddlers. We ate in the food court area and I tried Khao Pun, a traditional noodle dish from Luang Prabang. It was spicy!!!! I hope I will get used to the spices here. Yaeng and Brandin are so daring, but my stomach is just not cut out for that. I bought my first sinh. It’s blue and has a lovely pattern. I have to get it made and am looking for a seamstress. I also bought a tie and school logo patch. I look like a school girl at the Lao-American College. As soon as I get my sinh made, I will get a picture of myself as a typical Lao College Student. I think that would be fun.

Day 6: June 19, 2009

The Lao language is so difficult. It’s a tonal language and we have just learned the consonants all 27, plus 28 vowels. It is beautiful because it sounds as if we’re singing, but golly!!! It’s very difficult. It’s amazing that I have learned the Lao alphabet and am learning to write in Lao. It’s very beautiful and therapeutic. Class is such a chore, but enjoyable. Our teacher (achaan is what we call her — it means teacher and it’s a great sign of respect) is amazing, only problem is that she speaks in this soft melodic way that puts me to sleep. So, of course, there I am trying to get her off topic and talk about other things. We got her to discuss with us the horoscopes and to read our palms. It was great fun.The teachers here are so revered and rightly so. The students are so shy, yet eager and I so enjoy their exuberant personalities when given the opportunity to speak English.

Today, Yaeng, Samantha and I went to the Ministry of Science and Health where we met the Vice President of the Ministry of Science and Health. It was a great honor to meet him as I know that it is very uncommon to have received such an opportunity as a foreigner. He was a soft spoken gentle man who was very official yet has quick and humorous sense of humor. It would be interesting to work at the Ministry of Science and Health and it seems as though they would like me to work in the department of children with disabilities in the hospital wing. However, it would be more of an observational, learning position. We’ll see what will become of that.

Things not to do when you get up at 7AM and go walking into town by way of the Wat: Do not take the back entrance and trespass so that you’re walking by their bedrooms and bathing place!!!

Posted in Author: Vatsana | 2 Comments

June 25, 2009

My Journal for the Week: Part II

A continuation of my journal — week 2!

Day 7: June 20, 2009

We went to Khoun’s baci, (a traditional Lao ceremony, usually performed for births, marriages, travels, special events) for his going away ceremony. The baci was conducted, or blessed, by 9 monks, a very honored ceremony with that many monks and then the elders also blessed the strings to wish luck. I gave my blessings to Khoun and I also received blessings from the older people and from friends. It’s such a joyous time, full of happiness and exciting anticipations. Khoun’s house was set up to host hundreds of guest throughout the day. We ate many variety of foods, fruits and we saw a roasting veal turning on a spit. It was pretty amazing. There was a band and we SAILers busted out the moves and learned to dance the traditional Lao Lamvong. I was told that I looked like a fish trying to swim out of water. I suppose I will need to brush up on my dancing.

We went to an amazing dinner, hosted by an ex-pat couple who have found their way back from America and have been successful at relocating in Laos. They built their new home on land that once belonged to their family member. At the dinner party, we met guests who work for the UN, Unicef, Mohosot hospital (general doctor), a noble peace prize winner, activist,…all very impressive and a knowledgeable group of guests who have been working tirelessly and persistently these past 30-40 years!!

Later that night, the SAILer group met up with some of the Lao-American students at the Music Festival hosted by the French Counsel. There we listened to heavy metal, reggae, hip-hop, country and folk songs. It was a great sight to see an eclectic group of musicians and the Lao youth welcoming and enjoying the music.

It’s again late and it’s time to go to bed as my eye lids droop and I struggle to keep them open.

Day 8: June 21, 2009

We went to a Children’s Center that was founded by Nang Noy Sengsourigna. She is currently in the States promoting Lao culture and arts. We were warmly welcomed and the children presented us with a variety of performances. They played traditional Lao instruments that looked like a xylophone and they sang and danced. They incorporated many more modern movements and music, making the Lao dancing fun and enjoyable. They are all learning English and were very excited to meet us.

We SAILers went on a picnic at one of the Lao-American faculty’s home. It was quite far and we enjoyed ourselves and made ourselves useful, cooking and BBQing. There we met more Lao-American students. It was nice to see the students outside of class.

Day 9: June 22, 2009

We went to Talat Sao and I bought 4 sinhs. Two blue ones and two red ones. They are so beautiful. The textile patterns on the bottom are so intricate and delicate looking. It’s funny, every sinh I chose the sales lady and our Lao-American friends would tease me and tell me I’m picking sinhs that are old lady styles, that they’re too plain and dull looking. They wanted me to get bright pink and purple — almost glowing colors. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to stand out that much. Now I need to get it tailored so that I can wear it.

I’m getting a kick out of dressing like the locals, especially like a Lao-American student. We have to wear a kind of uniform and we all look like school kids. I have the LAC ties, black shirt, short sleeve purple button-down shirt and flip-flops. I’ll attach a picture soon.

Day 10: June 23, 2009

I met my aunt on my father’s side and my great aunt who is 98 years old!!! She is soooo cute and so quick-witted with the memory of an elephant. I also learned that I have a cousin my age who shares similar interests and is currently living in the States — North Carolina. My family will be taking me to my father’s house and land in Vientiane. I can’t wait to see what it looks like. Ironically, I was born in Phone Keng, the place where we are currently staying. Apparently, my father had just bought the land and was building our house when we had to escape to the United States.

Learning Lao is gradually getting better. My writing is improved and I received a compliment from my teacher, saying I have nice handwriting. It’s simply because I find the Lao writing very soothing and I enjoy it. I feel like I’m doing art work.

Also, I just discovered that I will be working/volunteering at the Settathirath Hospital. I will be observing in the children’s wing. It’s a great opportunity to work for the government and the Ministry of Health and Science, but it also makes me nervous. I hope I will do a good job.

The SAILers went to a Korean restaurant, similar to our Shabu Shabu, or Suki Yaki. It was very interesting, although I was wary of the sliced meat (hmm, how long was it out in this heat?). I ate mostly the vegetables. But it was really cool, that we cooked at the table…but get this, they don’t have a hot pot that they plug in!! Oh no, they have this clay oven like bowl which they fill with hot red coals! It was pretty amazing cooking over hot coals, which many of the street vendors do. Many Lao people still use coal to cook and heat their homes.

Still very hot…. Mosquitoes still winning…12 to 0.

Posted in Author: Vatsana | 2 Comments

June 25, 2009

The First Weekend

So here I am in the American Center at Lao-American College trying to type about our first weekend in LAOS [and boy was it fun.] If I thought that school was exhausting, I haven’t seen the least of it.

On Saturday, we went to a friend’s (who we call “Gum Gum”) baci. A baci is a ceremony the Lao hold before someone takes off on a long journey – in this case, Gum Gum is going to the US to study for a semester. It was held at his house and there is nothing bad to say about it. There was music and lots of celebrating.
After the baci, some ugrads took us back to the guesthouse so we could get ready for a house party. After the house party though, the ugrads picked us up to go to an outdoor French music concert. There, we just gave it our all. They said that it was more fun going with us because we formed a little circle of friends in the middle of the dance floor and then all of a sudden everyone started hopping in. I admit I was stiff for the longest time at the beginning, but assuming that I would never be able to go to any other event like this until my last year of college, I loosened up a bit. It was pretty awkward though since I was never really into that sort of stuff even at school – I rarely went to dances, and if I did, I was usually the one that sat at the table the whole night. Then right before we left the DJ started playing all these oldies, many I had never heard of. We had a great time that night.

The next morning I woke up to a really loud bang from the construction next door. It was Sunday morning and Mr. Guy from LAC hosted a BBQ for his photoclub students so we could meet some language partners. When we got there, Sandra was cutting pineapple [with style], Yaeng was marinating the meat, Brandin came in for occasional checkups, Samantha was chatting it up with one of the ugrads, Vatsana was teaching the others a new game, Amy was sick so she couldn’t come, and I helped with random things here and there for a bit and then helped with making kebabs. By 5 pm, we had a LOT of food prepared and ready to go. I met a couple girls from another school, but then they agreed to teach me Lao so it’s all good. I was surprised because back in the States, kids my age don’t really care for education. They believe they’re only going to school because they have to – like we don’t have a choice. But then here, they actually want to learn.
Just yesterday [wednesday], Nui, my friend, brought over a sheet of paper with a bunch of tongue-twisters on it. They’re serious, it really took me by surprise. Now I figured that I need to work up my courage and take advantage of the nice students I meet. Otherwise I’ll really be losing out on this experience.

Then Tuesday came running ’round the corner and we had our FIRST Lao-History class!!
Got to study hard.

Posted in Author: Eileen, Culture, Laos | No Comments

June 25, 2009

Each Day A New Adventure

I can’t believe we’ve been here for over a week already. Our schedule for the first week was pretty busy so the days would just fly by us. We made a visit to the US Embassy a couple of days ago and found out that they have an internship program, something a couple of us are very interested in and seriously considering. Following our visit to the embassy, we had lunch at a restaurant called Khop Chai Deu. This is a favorite spot for many tourists. Their menu includes a little of something from all around the world, but of course we had Lao food. The table next to our, a group of young ladies, were enjoying some pizza. In the area around the restaurant, you could find other various foreign restaurants that served Indian food to Greek to Mexican. Yes, you can get a burrito in Laos amazingly, although I’ve been told it isn’t too great (this is no surprise to me). Class has been tough, but it’s only because our achan (teacher) wants us to learn a lot. Unlike the Roman alphabet and vowels, the Lao language has 27 consonants and 28 vowels, each with different tones. I am proud to say that I now have them all down. I hope to be reading in another week or so. Although we are split up into two different class levels, I feel we are all at the same level when it comes to writing and reading. I also had the opportunity to visit the University of Health Science. There I met the university’s vice president, who is to help connect me with a local hospital where I will be volunteering my time. I still don’t have a clear idea of what I will be doing, but just the opportunity to be in the healthcare setting is an honor for me. I look forward to learning a lot while I am here because as a traveling nurse, Laos is on the top of my list of places to work. We were also invited by a friend of one of the SAILers, Amy, to have dinner at his home. He was so nice and accommodating, a prime example of the generosity the Lao people possess. It was really nice to get out of the busy area where we are staying. At his house, the weather was cooler and the air fresher. We even saw a beautiful sunset. I was also able to witness first hand the happiness the Lao are always talking about; nothing makes them happier than sitting down to a meal with their family. Our achan even told us that for dinner everyone waits until the last person gets home before they eat, no matter how late this time may be because family time is very important. We learned a lot in just one week and we still had the weekend.

Our first weekend was full of fun. On Saturday we attended a baci (blessing ceremony) for one of the Ugrad student, Khoun. We were picked up at 8 am and were one of the first people to arrive at Khoun’s house. For the blessing ceremony they had 9 monks, followed by the Sou Khaun, which we were also a part of. I must say that Saturday was one of the hottest days since we’ve been here, but that did not stop us from dancing. The food was great and Khoun and his parents were the most attentive hosts. Later that night we attended a special dinner at a Hmong and Lao American couple’s home. Their house was so beautiful, the food was great and the hosts were so welcoming. At the dinner, we had the opportunity to meet a lot of successful Lao scholars and business people. I felt very humbled at the chance to sit and talk to each one of them. They all had very amazing stories to tell of their work and some good suggestions for us. Following dinner, some Ugrad students picked us up to attend a music festival hosted by the French Center. I forgot to mention earlier that we had the chance to sit down with all the Ugrads from Lao American College when we first arrived. These students are the brightest of their class and have won full scholarships to study abroad throughout America. There are a total of 8 or 9 of them. These students are not only bright, they are also very nice and fun to be around. They have become our friends and we’ve been able to exchange our experiences with each other. Sunday was also full of good experiences. I started the day early by going to the meat market where we bought beef, fish and lots of vegetables for a barbeque later that day. In the afternoon, we visited a children’s center that focuses on promoting the arts, music, dance and Lao culture for disadvantaged children around the area. These kids were amazing, they prepared a couple of performances for us, which included musical instrument playing, a couple of traditional dances, followed by some songs that the founder of the center wrote. The best part of this visit had to be when we were asked to get up and hold hands with everyone while singing a song about friendship. The night ended with a barbeque. At the barbeque, we met more LAC students and I found my language partner Khoung. I think we will learn a lot from each other. It was a lot of fun talking to everyone and hearing a little of everyone’s background. I hope to meet even more people as time goes by.

There has been nothing about Laos that I can complain about. I am loving the “Tuk Tuk” rides, dinners along the Mekong River, and chatting it up with the locals at the markets. No matter where I go, I am at awe at the rich culture Laos has to teach me. I have been here less than two weeks, but I feel like I been here forever because I feel so comfortable here. I am counting down the days till I meet my grandmother. I spoke to her for the first time ever this week and I had to hold back tears because I realized how close I am to meeting my family that I have been waiting to see since I was a little girl. I hope to have more exciting stories to share with everyone, but as I said before, my stories are only a little taste, you have to come to Laos to get the full experience.

Posted in Author: Yaengsaeng, Laos | 1 Comment

June 25, 2009

SORRY!!!

I would just like to take this time to apologize to all the people who are not here in Laos with us. You are missing out!!!

Ok, with that being said I would like to say that our first presentation on American University life went well. Amy and I put a lot of work into it and I think people liked it… at least if they could understand it. Some of it may have gone over their heads simply because I spoke too fast. It was fun, at least. I can relax a little until next week when Sandra and I have to start preparing for the next presentation on music in America. We tried some Korean food last night. Really it was more of a Lao interpretation on Korean food, but it was good. It’s amazing how inexpensive everything is here. I especially appreciate being able to spend 14,000 kip (~$1.65) on a mocha frappe before class starts. It beats the heck out of Starbucks! The girls are all going to get their Sinhs made. We went to Thalat Sao the other day and they bought some fabric, and I bought a school shirt. Which reminds me, if any of my sisters are reading this, I will only bring fabric back for you if you call me. That is my new rule.

Much love all,

Brandin

Posted in Author: Brandin, Laos | 1 Comment

June 25, 2009

The Stair Master

Gosh…this is my first time bloggin blogs’…..I’m more of a “physical” socialite. But here goes….sorry…I tend to jump around with random thoughts.

So much has happened since I have arrived in Laos. Learning about Laos, visiting local organizations, getting used to the Hot weather, going to classes, making new friends, hanging out getting a great Lao massage for around $4 for 1 hour, getting invited to awesome social events and mixers, meeting individuals ranging from Lao American College students to high-level individuals.

It has been about a whole week now and I feel that I have been here for months! It’s good and it’s also bad..because I was looking through some past pictures from last week….and it just seems so far away…..and I can totally tell that I will miss Laos…the sense of sadness overcame me….because 8 weeks is really not much time to really capture the essence of the culture, and heritage. It’s just the tip. I have made random friends with anyone that would talk to me, managed to get a free ride into downtown, gave nick names on top of nick names for those I really enjoy spending my down time with.

I am mentally trying to focus being here in Laos but I have so much to think about with work. It’s so hard to find a place that has fast internet. Brandin and I found one “turf” walking, and found a gamers’ café, and of course they were either playing “Counter Strike” or “Star Craft” — gaming is popular everywhere.

Being in Laos really humbles my spirit and helps to rekindle my personal self image and ways of life I can’t really explain in words. Just being here and living day by day I really appreciate my parents even more…struggling learning a new language and adapting to a totally “flipped” environment.

Despite all the traffic no one honks at each other….that’s pretty awesome….no road rage at all. Everyone just slows down, runs red lights and avoids moving objects like cattle, stray dogs, old women and monks. Sitting in the front seat with the “Saam Low” (three wheeler taxi) driver I see more of Vientiane, choppin’ it up with them while holding on to dear life going against traffic.

I sat in on a couple of classes at the Lao American College and was very impressed by the Lao students’ manners. I really enjoy being a part of the learning process and compared the differences in teach/learning techniques.

Random thought….met my first Turkish person here in Laos.

I can’t express how amazing my experience coming to Laos is different every time. Laos is developing so fast.
I am totally getting a work-out climbing up 4 flights of stairs and trying to keep my balance from the uneven staircase, everyday at our guesthouse. Eventhough I made friends, it’s hard to find a Lao language partner without a cell phone…..so luckily Eileen had her phone with her. Now it’s time to scout out a partner.

It is awesome that we are starting to recognize Lao characters, but it’s taking a bit longer for me. Writing the Lao characters…it looks like a beautiful pattern on my paper. Hopefully these patterns will start to look like words..

Posted in Author: Sandra, Laos | No Comments

June 24, 2009

Yut!

Ironically, my last blog entry mentioned how smooth tuk-tuk rides are, but talking to the drivers, not so much.

Last Thursday morning, we had gone to the morning market and I needed to get back to the Lao-American Center to meet a friend. So I hopped on the tuk-tuk, telling him to take me there. Although he originally said he knew where it was, he didn’t! We had to stop by a few of his other tuk-tuk friends until one could point him in the right direction.

So we are driving, and he points to the side of the road, which I took as asking if it was a good drop-off point. Instead of pulling over,the driver turned the corner down a dirt road near my guest house. Heading in the wrong direction, I began trying to stay ‘stop,’ but I couldn’t think of the word! I started making weird noises, hoping he’d understand- “jop jop jop,” “yop yop yop.” I finally said “dai leo,” something that is I think like saying “ok” when something is done. Luckily he understood, and I didn’t have too far to walk home!

Now I will forever remember the Lao word for stop, “yut.”

Posted in Author: Amy, Laos (Tags: tuk-tuk) | 4 Comments

June 23, 2009

When West meets East

[View with PicLens]

Dear all,

Here are some of the unforgettable moments captured when a group of Lao-American students met and talked with their new friends at LAC (the Lao-American College, Vientiane) on their mission to study the Lao language and culture in their motherland. Everybody looked very happy to be welcomed by Than Nang Virginia Van Ostrand or Ajarn Ginny, LAC co-director, Aj. Guy, and other faculty and staff members. I myself am very glad to meet new friends like aj. Guy, aj. Gig, Nang Samantha who is incredibly fluent in Lao, and many others. In particular I’ve been very amazed by Ajarn Ginny’s devotion and contributions to the education system in Laos.

I’ll be there again on June 27th-30th.

Cheers,
Varisa K. (Goy)*

* Dr. Varisa Kamalanavin is a current Center for Lao Studies’ advisory board member. She is an Associate Professor and teaches Lao at Thammasat University, Thailand.

Posted in Laos | No Comments

June 18, 2009

I forgot what I wrote already…

Good morning my fellow friends! This is Eileen and it’s the 3rd day in LAOS!! So far its been a great trip and I’m very excited for these next 2 months.

So here’s my story on the “before the action” coverage; orientation was pretty cool, I read all the bios the hour before leaving the house just to see what kinds of people to expect were going to be there. Actually it was mainly because I was nervous because I’m the youngest SAILer (I’m only 16) and I didn’t want to sound too … I don’t know, I just didn’t want to feel like I’m not supposed to be there. Orientation was at City Hall in San Francisco — I have a couple pictures of it but it might take too long to load judging by how slow these computers are. [We all think we’re kind of spoiled ‘cause we were SO impatient when we found a couple Internet accessible computers in the Lao-American College English Center. Half of us already gave up trying to check our emails, so we aren’t very sure about the 10+ minutes worth of a million videos/vlogs we took.]

At orientation, my mom called in before we even started the movie so I had to leave then to “take a picture for my visa” which we hadn’t done. When my dad came back he said, “oh, you can get your picture taken when you get there for a dollar.” Then I went to Sandra’s house and she was finishing up her proposal for work, and I fell asleep. I’m one heavy sleeper so I didn’t even notice it was 9 until Sandra woke me up recording her dog, which was sitting on top of me the whole night.

The next morning was technically the day we were to leave the US. My mom came a little before 10am and got us breakfast and then drove us to the airport. There, Sandra and I met up with Samantha and her mom. We waited for the rest of the group to get there and finally boarded the plane to Tokyo. After transiting in Bangkok, we boarded a jet-propelled flight to Laos! When we arrived at the airport, we were greeted by Samantha’s friend Thang and another guy, Athith who took us to the guesthouse. After putting all our stuff down into our room and settling in, Athith took us to get lunch. The whole meal for 7 people was a little over $9. That’s a pretty good price. Best part is that everyone was full and there was still more.

That night, we got to sit in the back of Thang’s pick-up as he took us to a restaurant. There was awesome food there too — Vietnamese spring rolls, etc.. I wish I could put up pictures of it ‘cause we took lots. On the 3rd day, we traveled around a bit and went to our first day of school – Lao-American College – to meet potential language partners, but it’s taken awhile to actually find one. It’s pretty cool though because we got to meet all the students who are going to America this year. Some are leaving earlier, some are leaving later. After lunch we had our first language class. Our teacher teaches Lao to tons of foreign people too, so he is experienced. Our first day of class was pretty intense, I would upload scans of our homework, but unfortunately, it takes a while to upload pictures.

Highlight of the night, we took a tuk- tuk out to the Mekong River and had some fish, some young coconut juice and more papaya salad for Yaeng.

Stay tuned for more….

Posted in Author: Eileen | 1 Comment

June 18, 2009

SAILers sailing through Laos!

SAILers visiting the That Luang stupa.

The excitement was palpable from the time we lifted off in San Francisco. For 6 SAILers, the trip had finally become a reality — they were on their way to Laos. Plenty of chatting on the plane as they got to know each other, and began to feel at ease. Landing in Bangkok was too close for them and their excitement got the best of them. They ventured out to explore around the hotel rather than rest up for the final leg. The next morning they were ready to go, all of them sporting their Center for Lao Studies t-shirts for their arrival in Laos. Clearly they were proud to be introduced to Laos as part of this group, and this inaugural trip, and right then, I knew this group was special.

And now that we’ve been in Laos for 5 solid days now, and I’ve got to observe them in their new home, and get to know them better, I realize my initial impressions of them were not wrong. For me, returning to Laos after having lived here several years ago was excitement in itself. I had heard how Vientiane had changed so much. Had become so much more developed. They were hosting the SEA Games this year after all! I was curious to see if I would recognize it, excited to see the things that were familiar to me, to see Lao friends I had left behind. But coming back this time has been so much more. Yes, it’s great to ride the crazy tuk-tuks, walk down the street and watch a quick “sabaydii” turn into a 10 minute conversation with a stranger, eat khao lam and mangosteens, and sleep with the rain hammering down so hard you think the roof will collapse any minute. But now I get to see it through the eyes of 6 newcomers and the experience is so much more meaningful. I am not Lao, but I know and love Laos, and guiding and watching those who have a biological connection to the country experience it has been incredible. It is thrilling for me to see those who have Lao in their blood, and who have all shared such amazing stories about their lives and why they have chosen to be a part of this program, react to and embrace a part of their history they have never known themselves.

Their willingness and openness and genuine interest in everything they encounter makes me dedicated to doing all I can to make their experience the best it can be. Although I have been their main connection to the city, they too have taken incredible initiative in creating their own experience, and all within 5 days. Their passion and commitment to being here and getting the most out of it is evident:

For the past few nights, while the rest of the SAILers study their Lao upstairs in our guesthouse, Amy has been downstairs chatting with whomever she can — usually the Lao man working the front desk, intent on improving her accent and vocabulary quickly. Yaengsaeng, whose Leu was better than her Lao when she arrived, now sounds like a native Lao and is an expert negotiator, especially with the tuk-tuk drivers. She is confident and at ease among the Lao, and acts as if she’s always lived here. Vatsana has embraced being a student at Lao-American College and motivated the group to buy “LAC” neckties which they all wore today. She was the first to get a sinh and is becoming more Lao by the minute. Brandin will be the first among them to read and write in Lao, studying assiduously every night. Soon he will be writing long letters to his grandparents! Sandra, with her carefree spirit and open heart, is a favorite among her new Lao friends as well as the tuk-tuk drivers when she seats herself down next to them in the front seat and chats away. Eileen, the youngest of the group, has held her own well among the older SAILers and no doubt will grow immensely while she’s here. We’re so happy she’s taken advantage of this opportunity. Not to sound sappy, but I am so proud of this group. I am so proud to be their trip leader. I am so proud to represent them. I’m so proud of how they hold themselves and present themselves, and how they have thrown themselves whole-heartedly into their experience, whatever it may be and whatever it will bring.

So please follow our SAILers’ blogs to see where the experience takes them! We’ve got a big weekend ahead of us with lots of social engagements including a friend’s baci ceremony, a dinner hosted by a Lao-American couple, a visit to a children’s arts center and a BBQ with our new LAC friends! Many more stories to come.

With that, xok dii tuk khon from Laos!

Posted in Author: Samantha, Laos | 4 Comments

June 17, 2009

Children of refugees make first trip to Laos

Yaengsaeng Xayavong, 26, left, of Oakland, and Amy Bowers, 20, of Milwaukee, participate in an orientation at the Center for Lao Studies on Thursday, June 11, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. Xayavong and other Lao-Americans are traveling to Laos for the first time on June 12 to learn more about the experiences their parents faced as refugees. (Jane Tyska/Staff)

Yaengsaeng Xayavong, 26, third to the left of the screen in back row, of Oakland, and others participate in an orientation at the Center for Lao Studies on Thursday, June 11, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. Xayavong and other Lao-Americans are traveling to Laos for the first time on June 12 to learn more about the experiences their parents faced as refugees. (Jane Tyska/Staff)

Please follow the link for a complete story:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_12613237

Children of refugees make first trip to Laos

By Matt O’Brien
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 06/17/2009 05:25:42 PM PDT
Updated: 06/17/2009 05:59:42 PM PDT

SAN PABLO — Yaengsaeng Xayavong is trying to reacquaint herself with a homeland she cannot remember.

The 26-year-old was born in Laos but has no memories of life there. Her family made a nighttime escape across a river to Thailand when she was 5.
On Saturday, the laboratory technician from San Pablo returned to Laos for the first time since her refugee family fled.

“Words really can’t describe how I feel,” she said before she left. “There’s always been a part of me that’s missing.”

Xayavong is one of a handful of Lao-Americans spending the next eight weeks getting to know Laos through an inaugural study abroad program sponsored by the San Francisco-based Center for Lao Studies.

The pilot program is the first of its kind in the U.S., said Vinya Sysamouth, the volunteer-run center’s executive director.

“A lot of Lao-Americans have very little knowledge about their own background, where they’re from, their own language,” Sysamouth said. “They’re curious about their background and the experiences their parents went through.”

The participants, who range in age from 16 to 37, met each other Thursday at an orientation in San Francisco and arrived in Laos over the weekend. They will spend most of the summer in the capital city of Vientiane, studying at a local college and performing community service. Some will seek out family members they have never met.

“I’m trying to connect with a side of me I don’t really know much about,” said Brandin Versteegh, 21, from Marshalltown, Iowa.

Versteegh’s father was a teenager when he fled Laos and resettled with family members in the central Iowa town. There, he met and married Versteegh’s mother, a white Marshalltown native who listened to country music. Versteegh said his cultural upbringing was focused heavily on his mother’s side. Going to Laos, and learning more about his father’s background, has been a lifelong dream.

Laos from the 1950s through the 1970s became an extended theater of the war in neighboring Vietnam. The Central Intelligence Agency secretly backed the Laotian royal army as it battled communist fighters. When the U.S.-supported forces lost, many of those who survived were forced to flee.

Los Angeles teacher Vatsana Bilavarn, 37, said societal pressure to assimilate caused her to neglect learning about her family history while growing up in Danbury, Conn.

“I pushed my heritage aside for a long time because I didn’t feel like I had the connection,” she said. Although her parents expressed great love and longing for their homeland, they were reluctant to delve into their painful refugee experiences. Today, Bilavarn said “there’s a great urgency and need to acknowledge the Lao Diaspora” and she wants to use the trip to find ways to preserve endangered Lao culture and folklore in the United States.

“I don’t know if I’m going to be surprised,” Bilavarn said of the trip. “I don’t know if I’m going to be disappointed. I don’t know if I’m going to be enlightened.”

Sysamouth, who also fled Laos as a child, said the study program was partly inspired by his own difficulties finding a way to learn more about Laos when he was a college student in 1994. With no programs available, he enrolled in an exchange program in Thailand and made a personal detour to Laos.

Sysamouth estimates there are 35,000 Laos immigrants and their descendants in the Bay Area, including members of the Mien, Lue and Hmong ethnic groups. He tapped into the Lao community locally and nationwide for the summer program, but said the size of the travel group remains small because participants must pay about $5,000.

Xayavong, who grew up in a Lue family in the Richmond area, found out about the program from a flier she picked up at the Champa Thai and Vietnamese restaurant in El Sobrante.
She has been practicing her Lue for weeks, making sure she is ready to speak with a grandmother she says is waiting to meet her.

“I wouldn’t say I’m fluent,” Xayavong said. “My accent could be better. But I definitely can sit down and hold a conversation. I might have to pause a bit to make sure I’m using the right words.”

Reach Matt O’Brien at 925-977-8463 or mattobrien@bayareanewsgroup.com.

BLOGGING A SUMMER IN LAOS

San Pablo resident Yaengsaeng Xayavong and other participants in the Summer Study Abroad in Laos program are keeping track of their eight-week experience in a blog at http://www.laostudies.org

Posted in Author: Vinya, Laos | 1 Comment

June 17, 2009

Loving Vientiane, Laos

We made it safely to Laos and have been here for 3 days now. A lot has happened since our arrival and I would love to share it with everyone so bear with me if my story is long.

After 18 long hours of traveling from San Francisco to Tokyo to Bangkok, we still had more traveling to do before we reach our final destination to Vientiane, Laos. The anticipation was now killing me more than ever because I was so close to being back home. Our overlay flight from Bangkok to Vientiane was more than 8 hrs so we had to spend a night in Bangkok. Being that we had just traveled half around the world, the other SAILers and I were too excited to go to sleep so we decided to explore the area around the hotel. This turned out to be quiet an interesting venture. Not only was the direction of traffic the opposite of that in the States, we saw lots of dogs just straying in the street, we even saw some sleeping on the side of the middle divider. We also saw toads hopping in the middle of parking lot and had our first encounter of meatballs on a stick from one of those street vendor carts.

The next day, we had to wake up bright and early to catch the hotel shuttle for our flight. The only thing now keeping me from being in the Motherland was another hour and a half. Although, I had less than 3hrs of sleep, I stayed awake the entire flight so that I did not forget any part of my journey to Laos. Of course the first thing I wanted to do when we arrived was EAT, but we had to check into our hotel beforehand. We were picked up by a very nice fellow at the airport, who later helped us negotiate a price for our first “tuk tuk “ride, which we took to eat at our first sit in home restaurant, followed by a trip to what is called the “Morning Market”. This market is pretty much a big indoor flea market with everything from food to clothes to electronics. Amazingly, although we were all drained, we still managed to get picked up by Samantha’s friend for some night outing. He took us to a place serving something similar to a hot pot dinner, followed by a drive around town. The most exciting thing about my first night in Laos, hands down, had to be my night ride inside the truck bed around the city. I felt HOME!

It has been mind-boggling to me how much we get done in a day. I have been sleeping late and waking up early. My days have started out with walking around and exploring town. It is especially important to get things done early because later during the day, it is so hot that it makes you lazy and slow at doing things. We also started school on Monday, which has been great. I must say that the Lao language is definitely not an easy language to speak and write. There is also so much to discover in our Culture and History of Laos class. I can not forget to mention the group’s visit to Donkoi Children’s Development Center. It was so much fun and the kids were so wonderful. They put on a performance for us, which included singing in Lao and English and a dance. I also met another Tai Lue volunteer while at the center which was exciting because our family were from the same area. We ended our second night in Laos with another “tuk tuk” ride to downtown, where we had dinner sitting along the Mekong River which felt so surreal.

My visit to That Luang is just one example that has proven that words and pictures is not enough, everyone has to experience Laos themselves to truly understand its magnificence. I am at a lost of words when trying to describe my feelings here, at times I find myself feeling chills or teary eyed with the realization that I am in this amazing place. Each day has been an adventure in its own. I still have so much of Laos to see and I just can’t wait. So far I have been eating everything I can get my hands on, but honestly, I have to say nothing beats my mommy’s home cooking.

The internet has been pretty difficult to upload anything so until I can share some pictures and videos, I hope you guys can use my journey thus far to get a taste of Laos. I am truly having the best time of my life right now and the journey is so young still so I hope to share more soon.

Posted in Author: Yaengsaeng | 5 Comments