SAILers in their student uniform with their Achaans (teachers) on a class fieldtrip. (L to R: Yaengsaeng, Sandra, Vatsana, Brandin, Amy, Samantha, Achaan Viengsavanh, Achaan Bounmy, and Eileen)
August 9, 2009
Go SAILers!
August 8, 2009
SAILers sail home with lasting memories
Like everyone else, I can’t believe our trip is over. We had a tearful goodbye at the airport as 5 of the SAILers boarded a 7:30 AM flight for Thailand, where they will be met by two of the Center for Lao Studies’ advisory board members, Dr. Varisa and Dr. Somsonge, who have offered to show them around before they leave on the 9th. Although most of the group made it a late night in order to see their friends one last time (and some sacrificed a significant amount of sleep for it!), they were still met with friends early in the morning. Just to prove what an impact this group has had on people here! And I must say, the Lao never fail to give a proper goodbye — always giving gifts, fitting in a baci if possible, and making the effort to see people off at the airport. Among those saying goodbye to the SAILers was Amy and I, who will stay longer to enjoy a little more of the country.
The last week was filled with lots of activities. Both Lao classes had final tests, and I’m happy to say all SAILers did very well! On Thursday we had our official graduation with all our teachers, as well as Ginny, the co-director of LAC, were there to present certificates and transcripts to the SAILers. Achaan Bounmy commented that he had to scramble to create supplemental lessons for the beginning level class because they learned faster than he expected. Ginny encouraged the students to correct any misconceptions Americans have about Laos by sharing her virtues and peaceful atmosphere. Achaan Viengsavanh made special dishes for us — steamed fish in banana leaves and her famous fried ribs! We all brought food and shared memories of our 8-week journey.
Between buying scarves at Saoban handicrafts (which were woven by the villagers at our homestay), spending time with friends and relatives, and arranging a very successful farewell party for our LAC friends, complete with activities (such as seeing who could stuff the most Lao meatballs into one’s mouth) arranged by party-organizer extraordinaire Sandra, we also had time to have a last lunch together just with each other. I asked SAILers to comment on some of the highlights of the program, and Brandin claimed that seeing his relatives on a brief trip to Pakse was very special. Another SAILer commented that “just being in Laos” was a highlight, and that if the SAIL program hadn’t existed, they wouldn’t have come to Laos.
So my parting words as SAIL trip leader are that I believe the program reached its objectives of providing an experience for Lao-Americans and those interested in Lao culture to really engage with the Lao people (both in and out of school), experience both city and country life, learn about the country’s history and culture from both the Lao and expats living here, push themselves to adapt to ways of a life foreign to their own, (even when frustrating), and enjoy the Lao virtue of “mak muan” (having fun/enjoying life). It allowed an opportunity for the younger SAILers to have their first overseas experience where they could learn to be independent while learning about Lao culture at the same time, and opened doors to new relationships and family bonds for those who had felt something missing in their lives.
I’m so proud of this inaugural group for jumping right in and being so enthusiastic about experiencing all things Lao. They not only explored the culture on their own, but were amazing ambassadors for both the SAIL program and the U.S! Yaeng never hesitated to speak eloquently about the SAIL program whether in interviews, or at events, whenever asked. Vatsana’s intellectural curiosity allowed the group to probe deeper into the meaning behind Lao behaviors and customs. Sandra was a shining light who showed how fun-loving and generous Americans could be. Brandin’s experience here has led him to explore work opportunities with the State Department or U.S. Embassy, and I know he would be an amazingly culturally-sensitive representative. Amy was an example of how a “khon Amelika sot sot” (full-blooded American) could embrace the culture and language so whole-heartedly, always pushing those around her to only speak Lao! And Eileen, our youth representative, was never seen without a sinh, and completed the LAC uniform by buying an official school sinh! Cutural adaptation at its best!
What a wonderful group to kick-off this unique program. I hope they will continue to be spokespeople for the program, since I know their Lao tales and amazing insights will motivate those considering this program to participate next year! Thank you SAILers for an AMAZING 8 weeks. Thank your for making my job so easy and enjoyable, and enriching my second trip back to Laos.
August 8, 2009
Goodbye…
…fellow SAILers! I can’t believe that today is our last day together in the country of Laos. Each of you has contributed so much to my fabulous experience through the SAIL program. So used to seeing you every day, I am not sure what I am going to do without you! I will be staying in Laos for three more weeks, and I am very sad that I will not have you around!
I am very excited to stay in Laos longer than originally intended. Although I am looking forward to returning to the United States, I am not ready to leave yet! There is still a lot for me to learn, see and experience here!
One significant factor that went into my decision to stay in Laos longer was because I want to study Lao language as much as I can before I go back to the U.S. There are very limited opportunities to study Lao language in the U.S, not to mention it is hard to fit anything in on top of being a full-time student with a part time job! By staying in Laos an extra couple of weeks before school starts, I hope to get a better grasp of the language so that I can study on my own when I return to the States!
Another great thing about staying in Laos is that I will have time to explore the country a little more. Next week I am very excited to travel to Xieng Khouang with Samantha! Seeing the Plain of Jars is something I have wanted to do for a while, and I am very excited to go! I also plan to stay outside of downtown Vientiane.
The most significant factor that contributed to my decision to stay in Laos, however, was to have new experiences. Since all the other SAILers will be leaving tomorrow (except Samantha, who will stay another week), I will be here- alone! This will be very interesting because it will really force me to depend on my own Lao language skills to get around! I will also be staying part of the time at a house with a family, which will be a great Lao immersion experience. This will really help me learn the language even faster!
I just want to thank you SAILers again for the wonderful experience! I am going to have to keep myself very busy for the next three weeks so I don’t get too lonely when I think about you! Good luck, keep in touch, and practice your Lao!
August 8, 2009
Making a Complete Circle
The day we have all dreaded has finally arrived and although we knew it would come, I don’t think any of us are completely ready for it. At first, two months seemed like it would be just the right amount of time, but I no longer feel that way. Two months have come and gone in what seems like a blink of an eye. I feel like I am just starting to understand mother Laos, but I still have so much more to learn from her, I wish I had more time. Even though I am leaving Laos physically, my heart and mind will always be with her. I will not say good-bye because I know I will be back again whether it be for work or leisure.
This experience is definitely one that I will never forget. Everything from going to classes, meeting new friends, exploring the city and visiting my family in the village where I was born have been journeys filled with learning and excitement. The emotions that I have felt while I was here have been only good ones and not enough words can describe the happiness that I have found here. The Lao culture and people have welcomed me home with open arms and if possible, I hope everyone will one day get the opportunity to visit this wonderful country. I am sad to leave, but excited that I will have the chance to share my experience with others once I get back to the States so that maybe I can spark some interest in others to learn about Laos. I hope everyone that I had the pleasure meeting and/or working with knows how appreciative I am for them because they are the ones who have made my trip here unforgettable. I can’t wait for my next visit because now I have even more family and friends here than I started out with.
August 4, 2009
Last Weekend in Laos
We girl SAILers just spent the best last weekend at a home-stay in the countryside while Brandin went to visit his family in Pakse. Again the small up start organization PADETC provided us the opportunity to participate in this wonderful program. We were driven out to the countryside, about 2-3 hours out of town to a small textile village. We met these amazing Lao women who worked together in the same village producing their own dyes and we were warmly greeted and had to sing a welcome song in Lao which was very cute and charming. After that, we were divided up and “adopted” by house mothers. Some of us had two to three Lao mothers. I had Mother Mai. She was very sweet, shy and soft spoken.
We were split up into groups of two because each group would make our own organic dyes. Samantha and I were to produce dye from the trunk of the Jack fruit tree. We had to chop up pieces of the tree trunk with this huge machete and put the pieces into to a large pot to boil. We didn’t know what color it would yield, but after 25 minutes, we had a golden yellow and were very excited. We learned to boil the silk, wash and rinse it before soaking it in the natural dye we had just made. We then dyed our thread of silk and let it dry while we ate. After lunch, we took our bundles of colored thread and spoon it onto a spool and placed it in to the shuttle. Then we were taught the art of the maneuvering the loom. It was so much fun and yet so hard. Some of us took to it like fish to water, others of us had some challenges, but over all, everyone truly enjoyed the experience. It was hard work and very time consuming. A long roll of fabric that they would sell to the market was roughly 35,000kip or about $4.00US. I can certainly appreciate the fabrics I had recently purchased.
Later that evening, we feasted with the Lao women and celebrated our time together. We drank a special kind of “dry” Lao wine made from rice and rice husk. We had to add water and beer to it and I have to say, it was delicious!!! We eventually retired to “our” mother’s homes to sleep so that we could wake up at 5:00AM in the morning to make the rice, feed the animals and go to the Wat to give alms to the monks. Mother Mai’s house was a small bamboo house. I climbed up three make-shift ladders leading into the house which opened to a one room house that housed 5 people. The floors were made with long bamboo and split bamboo were laid on top to cover the floor. I was quite hesitant because there were many holes in the floor and the floors rolled and moved. I thought my feet were going to go through the floor board. Off to one side, was a small kitchen where they cooked rice, the size of a closet with no windows. We were surrounded by chickens, cows, ducks and other woodsy creatures on the outside. It was a fascinating experience but I was also filled with trepidation. They rolled out a bed and found that I had two bed fellows. I was relieved when they asked me if I wanted to sleep under a mosquito net and I eagerly answered yes. I could her the frogs, crickets, chickens, cows, and ducks outside and yet I sleep well. I like the sounds of the woods and I found it very soothing. I had a difficult time with the smell. They would burn charcoal with tire rubber and it would burn my nose and throat making it very difficult for me to breath and sleep. Other than that, it was a nice stay over and I know how lucky and blessed my life has been.
The next day we went to another village about 1-2 hours away where we made Lao baskets. It was also very fun and again, so much work and so much patience were required. I think it would have been even better had we had more time and had a longer stay rather than such short visits. We made many new friends and truly enjoyed ourselves. We hope to keep in touch with our new found friends and we will sadly say farewell to our 2nd home this Friday.
