Some Things I've Learned

In my little waterpik shower this morning, I reflected upon two weeks of my ongoing Lao education:
I have learned why there is a bucket of clean water with a dipper in the bathroom,
I have learned to put the toilet paper in the trash,
I have learned everything in the bathroom gets wet,
I have learned there is very little kleenex and there are very few trash cans in Laos,
I have learned that Ban Nagao lies between Ban Nongneo and Ban ThongPong,
I have learned the line in the middle of the road is mostly for decoration,
I have learned it's possible to do things you thought you couldn't,
I have learned there are wonderful people everywhere.

Po (my host) is traveling and his secretary is practicing for the SEA Games. I am enjoying the fans in the office and the computer (including internet!) all to myself. Po's secretary has an older brother who is getting married on Monday and her family wishes to be there for the wedding. However, it was a rush decision so there has very little time to prepare. It seems the bride's parents died recently, so she lives alone in a farming village down south with her elderly grandmother. This is not a good thing, so the groom is marrying her before their original date in order to protect her social standing. The secretary's family is poor and they are stretched to deliver the 3,000,000k (about $350) for his dowry as he will take over her house. That plus traveling expenses to get there make it all a dicey situation. We here at the office each chipped in and hopefully the wedding will be attended by all who wish to go. It's been a time of community.

As for the SEA (Southeast Asia) Games, they begin in December. As I understand it, they are a kind of mini-Olympics held somewhere in Southeast Asia every four years. Vientiane scored them this year, which is a great coup for the city and country. There will hopefully be much traffic and tourism as the athletes and interested citizens flock to the festivities. The office secretary auditioned and was chosen for the Opening Ceremonies. Each Saturday the participants practice so they can look splendid on national television and beyond! The schools, the offices, the restaurants, everything is getting spruced up and everyone is getting excited.

Reflecting back on the first week of ESL class, I was touched by the little girls all freshly washed, with talc still visible on their necks; the boys looking handsome in their school uniforms or their clean clothing; the earnestness of each student as we struggled together to communicate effectively and learn a language which will hopefully be helpful to them in some way. Their greetings are coming along and I think they will be able to conduct class themselves by the end of November. Singing is still our favorite thing.