Well for the first time in close to a year, I finally have a place to call my own! It feels amazing! I have taken a few cheeky shots so you can picture me in my new little home. I am perhaps a little over excited … it feels like I am 17 and moving out of home for the first time again! HOWEVER … thanks to all the beautiful people that lent me a spot on their floor, couch, bed or even gave up their own bed (Jeffie xo) over the last 12 months … wouldn’t have traded it for the world. I had some furniture made RIDICULOUSLY cheaply so you’ll all be pleased to know I was even able to afford a couple of guest beds, mattresses … even sheets and blankets!!! So you can stay in comfort when you make it over here. Notice I said WHEN … not IF! And for those of you who have little munchkins … if you give me enough warning … I’d even go to the trouble of making you a cot, play pen whatever you want to help entice you over!
These are all my fun little pals from my department at work. They are all crazy little nutters and love karaoke nearly more than me I think! They took me out for my first experience on Friday night. The clear difference between Asian karaoke and Aussie karaoke is that they actually try really hard and sing well as opposed to the dodgy, out of tune, tempo, tone entertainment we can get away with at home! Am really going to have to brush up on my skills!
L-R Phitsamai, Sonemany, ??, ??, Aeyai, Somlaht, Seng, Phousinh, Thanonxai, Olay
This is the little row of houses where I am living … they are all situated on the outskirts of the College grounds with a beautiful view out to the hills. My house is second from the right. So I really can just drop next door for a cup of sugar or sticky rice if needed!
So this is where you can picture me holding dinner parties on the black cushions or lounging on a chair with a good book. I am getting some cushions made for the chairs to stretch out on as well … not bad eh!
My special new comfy bed … Manychan (my pseudo Laos Mum) gave me a comfy new mattress and sheets from her guest house (imported from
China).
Laos bedding is even brighter and more crazily patterned than my floor tiles and harder than the ground. Manychan is a very special lady … she has spent her last few days bargaining around the markets for me and sewing cushions, sheets and doona covers! She wasn’t happy with me today because I found some nice silver bowls I wanted to buy for serving food and she wouldn’t let me because apparently they were meant to be used for ash trays! I might sneak back tomorrow and get them!
So this is where I will be “chefing” up many
Laos delicacies! I have many friends keen to come and show me some dishes so hopefully I will be able to whip you all up some culinary delights by the time you get here. No sink, so I have to wash all my dishes outside with water from the well … I kinda like it though cause it is a beautiful view out to the hills and doesn’t feel as annoying as washing up dishes inside!
My bathroom … toilet, shower and sink! A little dirty at the moment but is REALLY hard to keep clean!! The water is carried up from a well and always has mud at the bottom of it. I am nearly used to the new toileting technique … but you boys who like to read a magazine in peace on the toilet may have to find another place to take care of that if you come here … gets just a little uncomfortable!
Filed under: Photos
This is some of my beautiful buddies from home and their gorgeous kiddies for those of you who know them. Just making sure you are updated on home and abroad!
So my latest funny story … when I met the Director of the Teacher Training school the other day I tried to impress him with a bit of Lao. Anyway he smiled heartily and then told me (translated) that he was very happy that I was speaking Laos and that I would be ready to marry one of the local teachers in about 2 months from now! I really think I will giggle my way through the next two years … !!!!
On the weekend, the 18yr old son of my Director died in a motorbike accident. He was taken to Vientiane but died soon after … unfortunately riding drunk, with 3 other people and no helmet … sadly a very common occurence over here. The family arrive back tomorrow but there has sort of been an ongoing wake over the last few days. In Laos culture any friends/acquaintances/relatives go and stay at the house 24/7 until the family get back and for a couple of days later. So they have ensure there is at least 30 people there at any one time. I went last night for about 4 hours and there was seriously about 100 people in the very tiny house. I felt a little weird being there but it would have been rude of me not too. Everyone just kind of sat there and added food to the memorial of the son and played cards, ate and drank lao lao whiskey. Was very sad being there but very touching to see the deep community friendship and spirit they have for each other … is a much greater commitment than simply writing a card in many ways.
So today was the first day of students! Just in case you are confused I am not officially teaching as such as it is a Teacher Training College … I am more working with the teachers and training them, doing workshops, working on assessment/curriculum, methodology etc etc with them … How will I do this you ask??? Not so sure yet!!! But I will work it out over the next couple of weeks as I observe how it all runs!
I still haven’t gotten used to the staring eyes everywhere at the College … I really do just make a lot of eye contact, get a sore jaw from smiling and say a whole lot of “Sabaidee’s” all the time … it’s easy to feel like a comedian over here! I think my favourite thing about work over here is that you don’t have to try and look busy if you aren’t or you just feel like taking a moment’s break. It is perfectly common for people just to put their head down on the desk for a sleep or to just sit there or to just leave for a bit if work gets all a bit too much!! No need to create that busy, rushed look when the boss walks past (of which we in Australia and beyond have all created!!)
Everyone is very beautiful out here at the Teacher’s College and the people in charge are absolutely gorgeous and look after me at every moment. I feel very valued and loved which is always a nice feeling. Next month there is a “Teacher’s Day” and there is apparently a big celebration and party at night time (they take absolutely any excuse for a social occasion and party over here)! Anyway I have already been told (and word is spreading) that I will be performing a concert (playing piano and singing) … and they scratched up a very very dodgy old keyboard that only plays a very high pitched brass sort of sound!! Anyway I of course complied and asked a couple of my funky looking workmates to bring in some CD’s of their favourite Laos songs so I can learn them to play at the concert!! Should be a very hilarious experience I have no doubt!
There is also a dragon boat racing festival to commemorate the end of the wet season next month which I have been invited to join the crew of!! Training starts next week! I think it is a bit like outrigging but in a much bigger boat and the crew numbers about 45 people I think. Not sure my muscles will make a whole lot of difference but it sounds like fun!
I was also asked the other day when my birthday is and word on the ground is that classes will be cancelled for the day and partying will be from dawn to dusk and beyond!! Now why didn’t St Andrews ever give me that sort of consideration!! Countdown is on … !
This is the sort of stunning landscape that Luang Nam Tha is set amongst … and what I drive through to get to work.
So the bus ride up to Luang Nam Tha was stunning up until the lady next to me decided to buy this horrible snarling dirty oversized rat!! I then didn’t dare nod off because it kept trying to snap at people’s toes if they stretched them too close!! Lovely really …
My new green wheels … I am converted!! I love driving to work … it is so fun and refreshing!!!
So this will probably be my new home …. It’s not painted inside or out but they are going to sort that. It’s pretty cute and even has wooden floors inside which is far better than the crazy tiles in most houses. There are quite a few gaps in the floorboards and I asked the owner if rats or snakes could get in and he said “Yes”!! So rest assured I am getting him to fix the holes although I think he was a bit put out!
I found this photo on a friend’s blog … but it reminded me of a very funny Indochinese proverb I found pasted in one of the classrooms at the Luang Prabang Teacher Training College … “Beauty will buy you no beef”!!! I prefer to let it read “Beauty will buy you no tofu” … although upon reflection … I’m not entirely sure this is always true!! I’ll leave it with you …
Filed under: Updates
Well I have left Vientiane and am now in Luang Prabang for a few days. I am staying with another Aussie volunteer – Nina – who is a teacher trainer here at the Luang Prabang Teacher Training College. Thursday and Friday I spent out there and we taught a couple of classes as well! I think I might have confused some of you by saying my contract was as teacher trainer but it is actually teacher teacher trainer if that makes sense … ie training the teachers that train the classroom teachers. It was fabulously refreshing to have a classroom of students that LISTEN and are INTERESTED and SOAK up every word that you say!! They even raise their hands and stand up to ask a question and stand, bow and clap at the start and end of every lesson!!! VERY REFRESHING!!! So I did a little intro in Laos to the lesson we taught and that was met with a lot of giggles which I’m not sure was particularly a good sign, but anyway … I tried! It’s kind of funny but some of the most basic words over here that you might use a lot … like “I” and “tired” and “going to” … have really inappropriate ulterior meanings if you get the tones EVER so slightly wrong. I think they have done this deliberately to laugh at the poor falang struggling with learning the language!!
I spent the last of my days in Vientiane out at the University working with some Masters students who are on Swedish scholarships. The Swedish professors come over every so often and work with them, and were here last week. My Deputy Director from Luang Nam Tha (where I will be living) was here so I spent time with him, working on his presentation. Was great to be able to get to know him and he seems like a very lovely man. He didn’t know I was coming up and was a little overly excited which always makes you feel a bit special! I will head up to Luang Nam Tha with him on a long bus ride sometime in the next couple of days.
Luang Prabang is a really beautiful little town set on the river … heaps of old French architecture and beautiful local art work … a must visit for you all (enroute to visiting me of course). Have enjoyed actually doing some cooking at Nina’s house while here … the markets are amazing and loaded with so many varieties of vegetables and fruit and SO SO CHEAP … so makes cooking a delight! I’m fairly sure that some of the greens that we bought yesterday were in fact weeds … but with a bit of soy, fish sauce, chilli and sticky rice it all tastes fabulous! Loads of cheap amazing scented massages to be had here all for the price of $3 or $4 as well. Have I sold you yet???
Heading off to a beautiful waterfall with a group of locals this arvo … I think I actually went there last time I was here … is gorgeous and you have to ride and then catch a boat for the rest of the distance.
Well … next time you hear from me I will probably be in my new little town! Hopefully the road isn’t too muddy and we won’t have to get out and push the bus … but ah well … it all adds to the adventure.
Mon and Mina … these two lovely girls crowned me with my new Laos name which is “Phetmalaphone” … means Diamonds, Flowers and Good Wishes. Nice huh??!!!
A bit of artistically done Laos Style Karoake … thanks Yay!! Some very passionate singing involving tracks such as Eternal Flame, Lemon Tree, Unbreak my Heart, Oops I did it again etc etc … it actually concerned me how my brain seemed to be able to recall all the lyrics to these songs … hmmm
I was missing my boy … so put this little tribute up to him. Not having Thomas by my side is my only sad part about being in Laos … just wiping away a little tear right now … I’d like some comments on how beautiful he is please
