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.