A Week in Vientiane: Rediscovering my Love for Laos

Last year, I lived in a village just 25 minutes out from the center of Vientiane, the capital and largest city in Laos (pop. around 600,000). This year, I live 60km to the northeast of Pakxe, the largest city in the south (pop. around 70,000); half-way to Salavan. Due to slow motorbikes and a small, winding highway, this equates to an hour and fifteen minute motorbike ride into the city.

I flew into Bangkok, Thailand and took a night train up to Vientiane from there (much cheaper than flying into Laos). There was a whole day lay-over, though, so I got to get out and go exploring the city (almost too much exploring, actually...had a dramatic hour run through the streets of Bangkok to just barely catch my train just three minutes before it left the station!). I enjoyed taking the subway around and seeing the hustle and bustle of Thailand's largest market and Bangkok's largest city park. It was, however, a very strange experience to see a culture so similar to Lao living in a city so much more "developed". Take these two pictures as an example: the one on the left is Bangkok - just a few of the city's many skyscrapers, not even the tallest ones. The right is the tallest building in Laos - a 14 story hotel in Vientiane. Sometimes, as I look around at life in the area I live now, I think back to my day in Bangkok in astonishment, and...sickness. The inequality between America and Laos is also something I think about often, but somehow the contrast seems so much starker when it's so close, geographically and culturally.

Ok, back to the trip - so I reached Vientiane and got to spend the week staying with my dear friend Crystal, who is a three year volunteer in Laos with MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) working with a young adult's peace-building group. (in the picture here with our friend Fansida).

It was amazing to me how quickly everything seemed...normal again! It was definitely as if I had never left - even when it came to language! Which was such a relief. I had the opportunity to practice Lao a little at the Asian Counseling and Referral Center in Seattle during my time home, but it was only once a week. However, I was able to really pick it right back up - everything from the vocabulary to mannerisms (the Lao style for "umm's" and "hmmm's", the way they laugh, etc) and cultural customs (i.e. bending in a slight crouch as you pass in front of someone sitting, etc).

And it all just brought such a huge smile to my heart. That's the only way I can describe what Laos does to me - it just makes my heart...smile! I was falling in love with the country and people all over again: the winding claustrophobia of the market stalls, piles of fruit sold out of wooden carts alongside the road, the temples, the coconut trees, the banana leaves, the loud music at parties, the spicy food, spotting monks walking down the street, the feeling of freedom riding around on a motorbike, the sun, and of course, the smiling, gracious, loving, friendly people. **sigh** It feels good to be back.

One of the best parts of the week was reuniting with my host siblings - 4 of 8 as seen in this pic - it was fabulous. Nina, the 7 year old almost doing the splits in the front of the pic, gave this huge cry of joy when she saw me: "UUAI LISA!!" (BIG SISTER LISA!), and literally ran and jumped into my arms, and I twirled her around in a glorious moment of love. Also, Kat, in the back, now has my old room and there are four pictures of the two of us hung on her wall right next to her bed! It was such a happy reunion. =)

And, finally, a big highlight of the week was going to Lao church and joining Crystal in singing in the youth choir!! something we used to do last year, too! AND this time, Kinley, a new friend (who is the same type of MCC volunteer I was last year!) was able to get a video of our performance!! I'll try to post it here:

hmmm. that didn't work...well. maybe another time.