Unlike the other SAILers, I did not go to Luang Prabang. After discussing it with my family, they thought it would be best to go with them at the end of the program. It was certainly quiet here in Vientiane without my fellow Americans. Being alone, however, gave me a chance to spend more time working on my presentation for class and hanging out with new friends that I’ve made since being here in Laos. While having dinner with one particular friend, I was reintroduced to the Xieng Mieng stories and the art of Lao riddle-telling.  Let’s just say I over thought many of them and did not fully understand half of them.  Some of them focused on word play, some on the vagueness or the particularity of some Lao words, some were just crude but hilarious, and some really made me think.  I was one of the most interesting conversations I’ve had in Laos.

On Saturday, I visited the children again at Noi Sengsourigna’s Children’s Music and Cultural Center. They performed for myself and Phensy, a friend of mine from Milwaukee, who is visiting Laos after having attended the International Conference on Lao Studies in Khon Kaen, Thailand. They were awesome! Of course, Phensy, Todd (who was also there), and I had to sing for the children. I did not disappoint with my out of tune attempt at “Nam Song See.” I think the kids liked it. Later in the evening, I was supposed to go out but that never materialized due to an unfortunate car accident (luckily no one was injured). Since I’ve been here, I’ve personally witnessed three accidents happen, and at least 10-12 aftermaths.  Vientiane has definitely changed since the last time I was here in 2000. There are so many “big cars” here now and many times carelessness and other factors have caused accidents.

Sunday, I was surprised when 2 students (and one of their sisters) from Khon Kaen University in Thailand came to visit. They were on vacation and wanted to visit Laos and well as interview a few native English speakers for a project of theirs.  I was amazed by one of the girls’ willingness to speak Lao to me when only a couple weeks ago at the conference she spoke Thai and English to me. Though she transitioned to Thai now again and I to English now and again, I thought the whole day was quite educational for all of us.  Ay Joi, another friend I’ve encountered along this journey, took all of us to Patuxay.  The last time I climbed those stairs was 16 years ago.  The whole area has changed dramatically.  The view of city was beautiful! I’m sure the view will continue to change as the city grows and continues to develop.