S A I L » Laos

July 3, 2009

It’s Official…

That Dam stupa in Vientaine, Laos.

Today I ventured out on my own to explore more of the city. I took a tuk tuk to Nam Phou (the fountain located in what you would call downtown of Vientiane). This area is where you would find most of the tourists hanging out. The first place I stopped at was at the Lao Airlines office, where I bought my ticket to fly out to see my family next week. No words can explain the excitement and emotion that fills my heart. I cannot wait to meet all my aunts and uncles, especially my grandmother. I am looking forward to hearing them tell me stories of when I was just a toddler and of course I can’t wait to have a home cooked meal. Although I think Vientiane is a beautiful place, I feel I have not really seen Laos until I travel out of the city. As always, I am going into every situation with an open heart and mind, with no expectations, because I feel this is the only way to really enjoy whatever comes your way.

After I purchased my plane ticket, I walked around the area for a while then I headed towards Talat Sao (Morning Market). You can find practically anything at this market. On my walk, I strolled through That Dam and although I had seen it prior, this time I was really able to admire it and see its beauty even more. Once I reached Talat Sao, I headed across the street to Khuadin Market. To me, Khuadin Market is just as good a place to shop as Talat Sao because you can find the same things being sold here and sometimes a little cheaper. At Khuadin Market, my bargaining skill was put to the test. I purchased a new school shirt and a belt for my sinh (Lao traditional tube skirt), of which I have bought two and already had tailored. I would like to say that I did a pretty good job bargaining because I was able to get everything I bought for almost half the starting bid price. After exploring for a while, I made my way back to the area where we are staying via the bus.

I can’t believe we are at the end of our third week already. Time is just flying by once again. School has been great and I am meeting more new friends who I can exchange conversations with. I feel I am blending in a little more as my conversation skills are improving. I also officially started my volunteering at Settathirath Hospital in the Pediatric Ward. Everyone at the hospital has been very nice and accommodating and I feel I am learning a lot. I can’t wait to tell you all about my visit up north, but more than anything, I wish you all could be here yourself.

Posted in Author: Yaengsaeng, Laos, Trips, Volunteer Work | 4 Comments

June 30, 2009

believe it or not: we drove to the moon.

Red dirt road in Laos.

It’s day 18 and we still don’t get a break. Day after day, weekend after weekend, there’s something to do. It’s actually hard being so busy, but fun is always a good thing no matter what. Friday night, we karaoked the hour away; Saturday night, attended a friend’s show; Sunday, we went to “taad moun (moon)” waterfall. Though it wasn’t really a ‘waterfall’ waterfall, it was still really fun. What was totally unexpected was that we would see the children from the Donkoi Children’s Center (where some of us are volunteering) there. There was so much to do there! Once we got there, I couldn’t help but snap everything in sight for the first half hour. Then Samantha threatened to confiscate my camera. I was actually glad I didn’t have my camera with me because i slipped and fell a couple times, so was pretty thankful I didn’t kill it. The rocks were COVERED in moss, it’s hard to tell if that’s a good of a bad thing: good – I didn’t hurt myself AS often, bad – it was easier to GET hurt. After seeing the Donkoi kids, things really lightened up because otherwise, I don’t think I could’ve done much with people who didn’t want to get wet. Sandra was wearing shoes in so she didn’t have to step on the moss; Brandin didn’t seem like he wanted to “play” in the water so much; Yaeng came in, and sat with me; Amy couldn’t come in even if she wanted to, Phon [the only student who went with us] refused to go in for a WHILE until someone made him change.

All in all, I was pretty glad I met with some high school girls who went with Donkoi. What really bothers me is that I feel the same age as the Ugrads who are 19+, but I feel older with the high schoolers, and I’m a couple months younger. Maybe it’s the looks, girls here look so much younger than they do back in the states. They agreed to be my language partners but it was sort of confusing because we had some communication problems at first and it’s hard to talk on the phone with them because I don’t know what they’re saying, and they don’t know what I’m saying. But according to everyone, they say that’s the key – forcing myself to learn Lao.

Brandin’s got the pictures from the first day up until now which have been very hard to download from here, but we hope to get some of them up soon. Bye from Laos!

Posted in Author: Eileen, Language Partner, Laos, Trips | 3 Comments

June 25, 2009

Forgot what I wrote: Part II

Continuing from where I left off…

During the first week, we walked around That Luang a bit, bought local food, saw kids driving motorcycles, saw guys sitting on top of garbage trucks, walked back, saw some monks, went back to the guest house to change and eat a formal breakfast [the local food we bought], called a van, and went to our first possible NGO volunteering site. It was cute. They had their own little garden, their own little classrooms, and one big room for activities. Half of it was a kindergarten and the rest of it’s an after school thing… and I almost forgot, they grew their own little mushrooms too! After taking the tour they even gave us a little performance before everyone dispersed and went home. They were singing and dancing, it was really cute.

Then after a while, my camera ran out of battery so I couldn’t take anymore pictures…. But anyway, it was almost time for school so we went to the local fruit market down the path and went home to change into our “uniform” and get our books. There goes our 3rd day of school. After school, we went to the US Embassy where they wouldn’t allow us to bring cameras so there are no pictures of us there. After a LONG day, we walked down a block or two and ate at Khop Chai Deu Restaurant. Going home, Sandra made a new tuk-tuk friend, but he got pulled over by a cop while going home. Something about going up a street he wasn’t supposed to.

So this morning, Yaeng and Sandra went out with Guy again to go to the gym. They said there was a swimming pool and everything. Darn, I should’ve gone, but anyway, this morning I woke up to a nightmare and went outside to find everyone studying and doing their homework. I decided to hurry up and do mine too. Upon finishing, Yaeng and Sandra came back and we all ate breakfast that they brought up.

Posted in Author: Eileen, Laos | No Comments

June 25, 2009

The First Weekend

So here I am in the American Center at Lao-American College trying to type about our first weekend in LAOS [and boy was it fun.] If I thought that school was exhausting, I haven’t seen the least of it.

On Saturday, we went to a friend’s (who we call “Gum Gum”) baci. A baci is a ceremony the Lao hold before someone takes off on a long journey – in this case, Gum Gum is going to the US to study for a semester. It was held at his house and there is nothing bad to say about it. There was music and lots of celebrating.
After the baci, some ugrads took us back to the guesthouse so we could get ready for a house party. After the house party though, the ugrads picked us up to go to an outdoor French music concert. There, we just gave it our all. They said that it was more fun going with us because we formed a little circle of friends in the middle of the dance floor and then all of a sudden everyone started hopping in. I admit I was stiff for the longest time at the beginning, but assuming that I would never be able to go to any other event like this until my last year of college, I loosened up a bit. It was pretty awkward though since I was never really into that sort of stuff even at school – I rarely went to dances, and if I did, I was usually the one that sat at the table the whole night. Then right before we left the DJ started playing all these oldies, many I had never heard of. We had a great time that night.

The next morning I woke up to a really loud bang from the construction next door. It was Sunday morning and Mr. Guy from LAC hosted a BBQ for his photoclub students so we could meet some language partners. When we got there, Sandra was cutting pineapple [with style], Yaeng was marinating the meat, Brandin came in for occasional checkups, Samantha was chatting it up with one of the ugrads, Vatsana was teaching the others a new game, Amy was sick so she couldn’t come, and I helped with random things here and there for a bit and then helped with making kebabs. By 5 pm, we had a LOT of food prepared and ready to go. I met a couple girls from another school, but then they agreed to teach me Lao so it’s all good. I was surprised because back in the States, kids my age don’t really care for education. They believe they’re only going to school because they have to – like we don’t have a choice. But then here, they actually want to learn.
Just yesterday [wednesday], Nui, my friend, brought over a sheet of paper with a bunch of tongue-twisters on it. They’re serious, it really took me by surprise. Now I figured that I need to work up my courage and take advantage of the nice students I meet. Otherwise I’ll really be losing out on this experience.

Then Tuesday came running ’round the corner and we had our FIRST Lao-History class!!
Got to study hard.

Posted in Author: Eileen, Culture, Laos | No Comments

June 25, 2009

Each Day A New Adventure

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.

Posted in Author: Yaengsaeng, Laos | 1 Comment

June 25, 2009

SORRY!!!

I would just like to take this time to apologize to all the people who are not here in Laos with us. You are missing out!!!

Ok, with that being said I would like to say that our first presentation on American University life went well. Amy and I put a lot of work into it and I think people liked it… at least if they could understand it. Some of it may have gone over their heads simply because I spoke too fast. It was fun, at least. I can relax a little until next week when Sandra and I have to start preparing for the next presentation on music in America. We tried some Korean food last night. Really it was more of a Lao interpretation on Korean food, but it was good. It’s amazing how inexpensive everything is here. I especially appreciate being able to spend 14,000 kip (~$1.65) on a mocha frappe before class starts. It beats the heck out of Starbucks! The girls are all going to get their Sinhs made. We went to Thalat Sao the other day and they bought some fabric, and I bought a school shirt. Which reminds me, if any of my sisters are reading this, I will only bring fabric back for you if you call me. That is my new rule.

Much love all,

Brandin

Posted in Author: Brandin, Laos | 1 Comment

June 25, 2009

The Stair Master

Gosh…this is my first time bloggin blogs’…..I’m more of a “physical” socialite. But here goes….sorry…I tend to jump around with random thoughts.

So much has happened since I have arrived in Laos. Learning about Laos, visiting local organizations, getting used to the Hot weather, going to classes, making new friends, hanging out getting a great Lao massage for around $4 for 1 hour, getting invited to awesome social events and mixers, meeting individuals ranging from Lao American College students to high-level individuals.

It has been about a whole week now and I feel that I have been here for months! It’s good and it’s also bad..because I was looking through some past pictures from last week….and it just seems so far away…..and I can totally tell that I will miss Laos…the sense of sadness overcame me….because 8 weeks is really not much time to really capture the essence of the culture, and heritage. It’s just the tip. I have made random friends with anyone that would talk to me, managed to get a free ride into downtown, gave nick names on top of nick names for those I really enjoy spending my down time with.

I am mentally trying to focus being here in Laos but I have so much to think about with work. It’s so hard to find a place that has fast internet. Brandin and I found one “turf” walking, and found a gamers’ café, and of course they were either playing “Counter Strike” or “Star Craft” — gaming is popular everywhere.

Being in Laos really humbles my spirit and helps to rekindle my personal self image and ways of life I can’t really explain in words. Just being here and living day by day I really appreciate my parents even more…struggling learning a new language and adapting to a totally “flipped” environment.

Despite all the traffic no one honks at each other….that’s pretty awesome….no road rage at all. Everyone just slows down, runs red lights and avoids moving objects like cattle, stray dogs, old women and monks. Sitting in the front seat with the “Saam Low” (three wheeler taxi) driver I see more of Vientiane, choppin’ it up with them while holding on to dear life going against traffic.

I sat in on a couple of classes at the Lao American College and was very impressed by the Lao students’ manners. I really enjoy being a part of the learning process and compared the differences in teach/learning techniques.

Random thought….met my first Turkish person here in Laos.

I can’t express how amazing my experience coming to Laos is different every time. Laos is developing so fast.
I am totally getting a work-out climbing up 4 flights of stairs and trying to keep my balance from the uneven staircase, everyday at our guesthouse. Eventhough I made friends, it’s hard to find a Lao language partner without a cell phone…..so luckily Eileen had her phone with her. Now it’s time to scout out a partner.

It is awesome that we are starting to recognize Lao characters, but it’s taking a bit longer for me. Writing the Lao characters…it looks like a beautiful pattern on my paper. Hopefully these patterns will start to look like words..

Posted in Author: Sandra, Laos | No Comments

June 24, 2009

Yut!

Ironically, my last blog entry mentioned how smooth tuk-tuk rides are, but talking to the drivers, not so much.

Last Thursday morning, we had gone to the morning market and I needed to get back to the Lao-American Center to meet a friend. So I hopped on the tuk-tuk, telling him to take me there. Although he originally said he knew where it was, he didn’t! We had to stop by a few of his other tuk-tuk friends until one could point him in the right direction.

So we are driving, and he points to the side of the road, which I took as asking if it was a good drop-off point. Instead of pulling over,the driver turned the corner down a dirt road near my guest house. Heading in the wrong direction, I began trying to stay ‘stop,’ but I couldn’t think of the word! I started making weird noises, hoping he’d understand- “jop jop jop,” “yop yop yop.” I finally said “dai leo,” something that is I think like saying “ok” when something is done. Luckily he understood, and I didn’t have too far to walk home!

Now I will forever remember the Lao word for stop, “yut.”

Posted in Author: Amy, Laos (Tags: tuk-tuk) | 4 Comments

June 23, 2009

When West meets East

[View with PicLens]

Dear all,

Here are some of the unforgettable moments captured when a group of Lao-American students met and talked with their new friends at LAC (the Lao-American College, Vientiane) on their mission to study the Lao language and culture in their motherland. Everybody looked very happy to be welcomed by Than Nang Virginia Van Ostrand or Ajarn Ginny, LAC co-director, Aj. Guy, and other faculty and staff members. I myself am very glad to meet new friends like aj. Guy, aj. Gig, Nang Samantha who is incredibly fluent in Lao, and many others. In particular I’ve been very amazed by Ajarn Ginny’s devotion and contributions to the education system in Laos.

I’ll be there again on June 27th-30th.

Cheers,
Varisa K. (Goy)*

* Dr. Varisa Kamalanavin is a current Center for Lao Studies’ advisory board member. She is an Associate Professor and teaches Lao at Thammasat University, Thailand.

Posted in Laos | No Comments

June 18, 2009

SAILers sailing through Laos!

SAILers visiting the That Luang stupa.

The excitement was palpable from the time we lifted off in San Francisco. For 6 SAILers, the trip had finally become a reality — they were on their way to Laos. Plenty of chatting on the plane as they got to know each other, and began to feel at ease. Landing in Bangkok was too close for them and their excitement got the best of them. They ventured out to explore around the hotel rather than rest up for the final leg. The next morning they were ready to go, all of them sporting their Center for Lao Studies t-shirts for their arrival in Laos. Clearly they were proud to be introduced to Laos as part of this group, and this inaugural trip, and right then, I knew this group was special.

And now that we’ve been in Laos for 5 solid days now, and I’ve got to observe them in their new home, and get to know them better, I realize my initial impressions of them were not wrong. For me, returning to Laos after having lived here several years ago was excitement in itself. I had heard how Vientiane had changed so much. Had become so much more developed. They were hosting the SEA Games this year after all! I was curious to see if I would recognize it, excited to see the things that were familiar to me, to see Lao friends I had left behind. But coming back this time has been so much more. Yes, it’s great to ride the crazy tuk-tuks, walk down the street and watch a quick “sabaydii” turn into a 10 minute conversation with a stranger, eat khao lam and mangosteens, and sleep with the rain hammering down so hard you think the roof will collapse any minute. But now I get to see it through the eyes of 6 newcomers and the experience is so much more meaningful. I am not Lao, but I know and love Laos, and guiding and watching those who have a biological connection to the country experience it has been incredible. It is thrilling for me to see those who have Lao in their blood, and who have all shared such amazing stories about their lives and why they have chosen to be a part of this program, react to and embrace a part of their history they have never known themselves.

Their willingness and openness and genuine interest in everything they encounter makes me dedicated to doing all I can to make their experience the best it can be. Although I have been their main connection to the city, they too have taken incredible initiative in creating their own experience, and all within 5 days. Their passion and commitment to being here and getting the most out of it is evident:

For the past few nights, while the rest of the SAILers study their Lao upstairs in our guesthouse, Amy has been downstairs chatting with whomever she can — usually the Lao man working the front desk, intent on improving her accent and vocabulary quickly. Yaengsaeng, whose Leu was better than her Lao when she arrived, now sounds like a native Lao and is an expert negotiator, especially with the tuk-tuk drivers. She is confident and at ease among the Lao, and acts as if she’s always lived here. Vatsana has embraced being a student at Lao-American College and motivated the group to buy “LAC” neckties which they all wore today. She was the first to get a sinh and is becoming more Lao by the minute. Brandin will be the first among them to read and write in Lao, studying assiduously every night. Soon he will be writing long letters to his grandparents! Sandra, with her carefree spirit and open heart, is a favorite among her new Lao friends as well as the tuk-tuk drivers when she seats herself down next to them in the front seat and chats away. Eileen, the youngest of the group, has held her own well among the older SAILers and no doubt will grow immensely while she’s here. We’re so happy she’s taken advantage of this opportunity. Not to sound sappy, but I am so proud of this group. I am so proud to be their trip leader. I am so proud to represent them. I’m so proud of how they hold themselves and present themselves, and how they have thrown themselves whole-heartedly into their experience, whatever it may be and whatever it will bring.

So please follow our SAILers’ blogs to see where the experience takes them! We’ve got a big weekend ahead of us with lots of social engagements including a friend’s baci ceremony, a dinner hosted by a Lao-American couple, a visit to a children’s arts center and a BBQ with our new LAC friends! Many more stories to come.

With that, xok dii tuk khon from Laos!

Posted in Author: Samantha, Laos | 4 Comments

June 17, 2009

Children of refugees make first trip to Laos

Yaengsaeng Xayavong, 26, left, of Oakland, and Amy Bowers, 20, of Milwaukee, participate in an orientation at the Center for Lao Studies on Thursday, June 11, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. Xayavong and other Lao-Americans are traveling to Laos for the first time on June 12 to learn more about the experiences their parents faced as refugees. (Jane Tyska/Staff)

Yaengsaeng Xayavong, 26, third to the left of the screen in back row, of Oakland, and others participate in an orientation at the Center for Lao Studies on Thursday, June 11, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. Xayavong and other Lao-Americans are traveling to Laos for the first time on June 12 to learn more about the experiences their parents faced as refugees. (Jane Tyska/Staff)

Please follow the link for a complete story:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_12613237

Children of refugees make first trip to Laos

By Matt O’Brien
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 06/17/2009 05:25:42 PM PDT
Updated: 06/17/2009 05:59:42 PM PDT

SAN PABLO — Yaengsaeng Xayavong is trying to reacquaint herself with a homeland she cannot remember.

The 26-year-old was born in Laos but has no memories of life there. Her family made a nighttime escape across a river to Thailand when she was 5.
On Saturday, the laboratory technician from San Pablo returned to Laos for the first time since her refugee family fled.

“Words really can’t describe how I feel,” she said before she left. “There’s always been a part of me that’s missing.”

Xayavong is one of a handful of Lao-Americans spending the next eight weeks getting to know Laos through an inaugural study abroad program sponsored by the San Francisco-based Center for Lao Studies.

The pilot program is the first of its kind in the U.S., said Vinya Sysamouth, the volunteer-run center’s executive director.

“A lot of Lao-Americans have very little knowledge about their own background, where they’re from, their own language,” Sysamouth said. “They’re curious about their background and the experiences their parents went through.”

The participants, who range in age from 16 to 37, met each other Thursday at an orientation in San Francisco and arrived in Laos over the weekend. They will spend most of the summer in the capital city of Vientiane, studying at a local college and performing community service. Some will seek out family members they have never met.

“I’m trying to connect with a side of me I don’t really know much about,” said Brandin Versteegh, 21, from Marshalltown, Iowa.

Versteegh’s father was a teenager when he fled Laos and resettled with family members in the central Iowa town. There, he met and married Versteegh’s mother, a white Marshalltown native who listened to country music. Versteegh said his cultural upbringing was focused heavily on his mother’s side. Going to Laos, and learning more about his father’s background, has been a lifelong dream.

Laos from the 1950s through the 1970s became an extended theater of the war in neighboring Vietnam. The Central Intelligence Agency secretly backed the Laotian royal army as it battled communist fighters. When the U.S.-supported forces lost, many of those who survived were forced to flee.

Los Angeles teacher Vatsana Bilavarn, 37, said societal pressure to assimilate caused her to neglect learning about her family history while growing up in Danbury, Conn.

“I pushed my heritage aside for a long time because I didn’t feel like I had the connection,” she said. Although her parents expressed great love and longing for their homeland, they were reluctant to delve into their painful refugee experiences. Today, Bilavarn said “there’s a great urgency and need to acknowledge the Lao Diaspora” and she wants to use the trip to find ways to preserve endangered Lao culture and folklore in the United States.

“I don’t know if I’m going to be surprised,” Bilavarn said of the trip. “I don’t know if I’m going to be disappointed. I don’t know if I’m going to be enlightened.”

Sysamouth, who also fled Laos as a child, said the study program was partly inspired by his own difficulties finding a way to learn more about Laos when he was a college student in 1994. With no programs available, he enrolled in an exchange program in Thailand and made a personal detour to Laos.

Sysamouth estimates there are 35,000 Laos immigrants and their descendants in the Bay Area, including members of the Mien, Lue and Hmong ethnic groups. He tapped into the Lao community locally and nationwide for the summer program, but said the size of the travel group remains small because participants must pay about $5,000.

Xayavong, who grew up in a Lue family in the Richmond area, found out about the program from a flier she picked up at the Champa Thai and Vietnamese restaurant in El Sobrante.
She has been practicing her Lue for weeks, making sure she is ready to speak with a grandmother she says is waiting to meet her.

“I wouldn’t say I’m fluent,” Xayavong said. “My accent could be better. But I definitely can sit down and hold a conversation. I might have to pause a bit to make sure I’m using the right words.”

Reach Matt O’Brien at 925-977-8463 or mattobrien@bayareanewsgroup.com.

BLOGGING A SUMMER IN LAOS

San Pablo resident Yaengsaeng Xayavong and other participants in the Summer Study Abroad in Laos program are keeping track of their eight-week experience in a blog at http://www.laostudies.org

Posted in Author: Vinya, Laos | 1 Comment

June 17, 2009

I’m here

Wow…even though it has been about 3 days I feel like I have been here for a longer time. It’s great! Because we only have less than 8 weeks….so we literally got off the plane running…

I was really excited and anxious to meet and greet the other SAILers I can tell they all were too! After 3 days round the clock with them….I feel an interesting connection with them all…as well as the motivation and drive to learn about the wonderful country of Laos.

First off the Lao language is pretty hard….I love my teacher he is pretty awesome! We learned 27 consonants and 28 vowels in 3 days….now it is up to us to practice pronouncing the words correctly. I am learning so much this time around..because I’m not just coming to visit family friends…and touring around…I’m learning about my identity as a Lao person through the Lao-American College, students and fellow SAILers.

Coming back to Laos is always new changes and exciting things to see and do. I can’t believe so much has happened since the last time I was in Laos. First thing I noticed was the population and the paved roads.

Just got my first Lao massage…lovin’ it….ate last night at the Mekong river…I can’t wait to go to the villages! Went to the US Embassy….and visited local Ngos….but gotta go….our ride is leaving….promise I will have more….FOOD IS GREAT…..

Posted in Author: Sandra, Laos | No Comments

June 17, 2009

Culture Shock?

What? Culture shock? What is that? Whatever it is, I am sure that I do not have it.

Here in Vientiane, I feel as good as ever. Even better actually. I can’t help but smile all the time and I just have this urge to say ‘Sabaydii’ to everyone I pass. It feels so great to be here, I just can’t believe it! I am sure that a big part of it has to do with being with the other I am feeling so comfortable with the other English speaking SAILers! I am so glad I get to share this experience with the six of you! All of you have such a rich past and I am looking forward to learning from you. Many things you and your family experienced learn through films or books, but there is nothing that can replace personal experience. I really appreciate you sharing!

But really, I feel so natural here. All I want to do is speak Lao, but knowing so very little as I do, at first it was very difficult to maintain even the smallest of conversations. In just a few days, I have improved so much! In fact, I have definitely learned more outside of class so far, but we did just learn the alphabet (which is very hard to learn!).

It’s kind of funny because I feel much more comfortable speaking Lao here than I did in the U.S. Here I feel so confident, I just want to go to all the neighbors and chat with them to practice. In the U.S. I was always so shy! Especially when people put me on the spot, I would always be worried I would take forever to choke out a few words. I was nervous I would have that same shyness here, but I haven’t felt that way at all. Actually, it seems almost like a game to me to find as many opportunities to talk to native Lao speakers here, even if all I can manage is hello or thank you.

One thing that is very hard to master is the money! I know all the notes (500, 1000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,0000 Kip) but knowing what these numbers mean is another story. The exchange rate is currenty 8,507 Kip for a dollar, give or take. The trick is that 10,000 is about $1.25. When making a purchase, there is no time to make this calculation, however. I think it is best if I just learn what reasonable prices would be. Also, the Kip is pretty hard to work with as some of the bills look very similar. For instance, Sandra missed out on 8,000 Kip at the currency exchange where the teller gave her a 2000 instead of 10,000 note. At least it was less than a dollar!

As of now, this seems like the most difficult thing for me to master, but that may change once I start really speaking Lao as much as I can! I expect to get frustrated sometimes, not being able to express myself. I hope I can just relax and enjoy the ride! So far it has been as smooth as riding in a tuk-tuk. And yes, riding in a tuk-tuk is surprisingly steady! Most drivers are pretty good, and it feels so good to have that fresh air blowing past. As I hop on a tuk-tuk, hopefully I wont run into the sudden stops, bad exhaust and potholes of culture shock!

Posted in Author: Amy, Laos | 2 Comments

June 15, 2009

SAILers arrived in Vientaine safe and sound

I just talked to Samantha Miller, the SAIL program leader, and the six students arrived safely in Vientiane. The trip went smoothly, everything was as planned. They have checked into their guest house and will start class on Monday. They are in the process of settling in. Once they have access to the internet and cell phone, they will get in touch with friends and family in the US. Please stay tuned for more blogs and pictures from the SAILers. -Vinya

Posted in Author: Vinya, Laos | 1 Comment

June 12, 2009

Saying good bye is never easy

[View with PicLens]

As I send off the SAILers and their program leader at the San Francisco airport, I feel like a parent sending off their children to a far distance land. I cannot help but feel happy and at the same time concerned for their well being.

How strange it is that even though I have not met many of the SAILers prior to the orientation, I felt like I have known them for a very long time. They remind me so much of myself when I was younger, full of energy and curiosity, and ready to take on the world.

The students are very excited about this opportunity as I was when I went on my study abroad program in Thailand in 1994. Back then there were no study abroad program in Laos—there has not been one since then, until the start of the SAIL program this year. Thailand was the next best thing to Laos so I signed up.

The one year spent in Chiangmai, Thailand has changed who I am as a person. I know this will be a life-changing experience for the SAILers as well. They have heard numerous personal stories from their parents and grandparents. Now, they will actually experience the “mysterious” land of their forefathers first hand for the very first time. How exciting and wonderful!

Amy, the program’s only non-Lao American SAILer, is also given a rare opportunity as an anthropology student to see the dynamics among Lao American SAILers throughout their eight-week journey, and at the same time be able to create her own memories.

As I say good bye to the SAILers for the last time before they take off into the foggy San Francsico sky, I only feel content that the Center for Lao Studies is able to provide this wonderful opportunity for them. Good bye and good luck SAILers. Have a fun and safe trip back in the Motherland! –Vinya

Posted in Author: Vinya, Laos | No Comments