Today marks the end of my second week in Laos. It seems that time goes by so fast, yet it feels as though I’ve been here for a longer than two weeks. With my cousins coming to visit all the way from Pakse, it has made it easier for me to converse in Lao since they don’t really speak English all too well. It’s relieving to know that they understand where I come from and are more than willing to help with my homework.

Right now I am going to be doing some volunteer work at the good old LAC (Lao American College) with helping students with their English. I am excited to be doing this because I’ll be able to have more of a connection with the students at the school I’m attending. I also get to be around Lao students my age speaking Lao which makes me want to speak even more.

I am getting more and more used to the Lao alphabet with its many different tones, vowels, and confusing to hear consonants. I hope to be writing more fluently as time passes by.

Recently I’ve been noticing as I’ve gotten to know new people from time to time, they always ask me what ethnicity I am. Confused as I already am, I tell them that I am Lao. Responding with confusion back, they tell me that I don’t really look Lao but either Chinese or Japanese. This idea that majority of people I run into say that perplexes every time it crosses my mind.

But either way, it’s a blessing to be here at this moment and to be able to look at all the wonderful marvels like the That Luang stupa and the fabulous downtown scene.

Johnny, Me, Thao, and Dan. My Mother’s side of the family.

Now starts the second week of my adventure in Laos. This summer marks my second time visiting Laos since I was 13 years old. It was such a blessing for my cousins, Thao and Johnny to come all the way from Pakse to visit me. I would say that Thao, although only 26,  is like an Aunt to me the way she always makes sure I do my homework, brush my teeth, etc. I have not seen these two sine my last visit. They have been helping me to figure out the alphabet with its many tone rules and pronunciations. I must say, that learning the alphabet is a little difficult for me to pick up quickly since the Lao language is a tonal language, but that’s not stopping me from trying my absolute best to perfect my speaking skills!

6/15/2010

A couple days ago I started my first day of classes and I am happy to say I learned so much. It began with all of us meeting Ginny, the founder of Lao-American College. She started out by filling us in on the education system of people here in Laos. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but from what she was telling me the illiteracy rate is very, very low. It shocked me to learn how much students struggle here to get their education. After seeing what obstacles and challenges they face is inspiration in its finest moment.

Then I started my first day of class. I am so eager to study in order to become more proficient in Lao and learn about the country. After school was dismissed I walked around town to get more of the feel for Vientiane. Everywhere I walk I am always greeted with sincere interest and heartfelt smiles. It warms my heart every time I step out my door and the first thing that brightens my day is not the sun, but the peoples faces.

Bangkok, Thailand

your experience is not what it is, but what you make of it

1:55 am

With extreme jetlag, my body is adjusting to the different time patterns and I can’t quite get to sleep yet.

Here I am in the city of angels as promised! Wooh, Krung Tep!

We’re in Thailand (finally). After the seemingly eternal 17 hours of flying from Taipei, I’m glad we finally made it next door to Laos.

According to the schedule, Vinya had someone set up to drop us off to the Silver Gardens hotel.

So little did we know that as the van drove up into the driveway, there seemed to be a farmers market happening literally right next door to the hotel. It was packed with vendors busy selling their items, the chitter chatter of people, and the roaring of car horns and Thai music.

One bowl of Kao Bun – 10 baht = $0.30

Four sticks of barbeque steak – 20 baht = $0.60

One Bowl of rice w/ fried chicken, cucumbers, and soup – 25 baht = $0.75

Ten fried French bread sticks = 20 baht =$0.60

So far for only two days, I have eaten, with a full stomach for less than $3.00.

To get a regular meal back home, it costs almost five dollars, per meal! And there’s no guarantee you’ll get full either.

Paying for food never tasted so good until now.

Even though we weren’t in Laos yet, it indeed felt we were very close to getting there.

As Toby and I checked in, a hotel worker handed her a sign-in sheet. Again with the different time frames, Toby and I were both off about what the actual date was here in Southeast Asia. Nervously, I tried to ask the person behind the counter, in Thai, what the date was. But, the response given back was a look of confusion because of my very rusty and poorly spoken Lao and Thai grammar – right after I would shy away in embarrassment.

This and other similar experiences while trying to buy things in the market lead me back to what my ultimate fear was: my inability of speaking the language and feeling outcast from the rest. Also, it didn’t help that I was carrying around a camera video taping all the items up for display.

I can’t describe it exactly in words… but whenever I can’t understand when someone is speaking Lao or Thai or if I’m not understand when I speak to them, I just feel instantly ashamed of myself. I look Lao, I feel Lao, but when it comes out of my mouth, things start to look ugly.

I know this is me being negative, but it’s just that in my mind I feel like I should understand every single word regardless whether I was raised in America or not. I grew up with the language for 18 years and still I can’t fluently speak or understand it. Back home in the states, people treat as if I’m too Asian. There’s an empty margin between the two worlds and I’m trapped in between them.

However… my ultimate fear also has turned into my ultimate goal, which is what the SAIL program is providing: to learn more about my parents’ culture, language, and way of life. In the next day I’ll be in Laos and I’ll be given the rare opportunity to experience all of these amazing things the SAIL is offering! Years ago I never imagined a program like this ever had the slightest chance of existing. But today, I am grateful and want to take as in as much as I can in the next several weeks.

Turning the clock back to when Vinya was dropping us off at the airport in San Francisco. He reminded Toby and I that during the trip you have two options: you can either choose to learn as much as you can; or you can choose to learn as little as you can. Bottom line, your experience is not what it is, but what you make of it.

And I hope to make something that will be unforgettable.

Wat in Thailand. Fun stuff! Can’t wait to see all the ones in Laos!

A  lot has happened in the past two days. Last night, I decided to spend the few remaining hours to get as much of the San Francisco scene as possible by taking my first ever visit to Chinatown.

Chinatown – one of those places I always see and hear about on the media, yet one of the places I’ve never been too……..until now!

It was great seeing all the different boutiques and gift stores in Chinatown. While venturing further into the neighborhood, I spotted these two Chinese models posing in the middle of the street in front of an entourage of flashing cameramen. I couldn’t help but take some pictures as well. Hahaha.

After getting done exploring all of Chinatown, I headed back to the hotel to get ready to head to the airport with Vinya for my 13 hr flight to Taiwan.

And now… here I am – waiting at my gate to depart to Bangkok! Also, I’m sitting on the floor here laughing at Toby because her laptop can’t connect to the internet  ;)