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.