Living Laos

Communism and Capitalism Are Mixing in Laos

2009-09-17T22:46:00.002+07:00

The New York Times
By Thomas Fuller
September 17, 2009

VIENTIANE, Laos — Hammer-and-sickle flags flutter above government offices in downtown Vientiane, and the entrance to the national museum is decorated with massive sculptures glorifying the workers’ revolutionary struggle.

Officially, this sparsely populated country is still communist — and has been since 1975. But these days, that really depends on whom you ask.

See http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/world/asia/18laos.html for full story.

Cooking from the Heart

2009-07-13T02:46:00.004+07:00

A wonderful audio excerpt from National Public Radio's The Splendid Table (June 11, 2009) about Hmong traditional cuisine with the authors of Cooking from the Heart: the Hmong Kitchen in America, Sami Scripter and Sheng Yang. Includes interesting history about the Hmong people during the Vietnam War.

This is the first cookbook to clearly set out the culinary traditions of the Hmong people as well as the significance such traditions hold, which have always been passed on through the oral tradition.

Recipes

Book's Blog

The White House - Memorandum regarding Laos

2009-07-12T09:59:00.002+07:00

The White House - Press Office - Memorandums from the President regarding Cambodia and Laos:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
__________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 12, 2009

June 12, 2009

Presidential Determination
No. 2009-21

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT: Presidential Determination for The Lao People's Democratic Republic Under Section 2(b)(2) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, as amended

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 2(b)(C) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, as amended (12 U.S.C. 635(b)(2)(C)), I hereby determine that The Lao People's Democratic Republic has ceased to be a Marxist-Leninist country within the definition of such term in section 2(b)(2)(B)(i) of that Act.

You are authorized and directed to publish this determination in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

Bayon Temple of Siem Reap

2009-07-11T10:14:00.001+07:00

Siam Defeated

2009-01-06T14:32:00.004+07:00

I've been changing my mind a lot (not new for some of you) regarding my travels, and I've decided to make things simple by just spending my last week over here in Siem Reap and Angkor, Cambodia, to explore the center of the magnificent, ancient Khmer civilization.

Visas, Visas

2009-01-04T13:28:00.009+07:00

I'm chilling for a few extra days in Vientiane before I begin my travels to Vietnam and Cambodia, squaring away loose ends with work and picking the brains of friends who have traveled to both places.

Getting my tourist visas has been easy. I got my Vietnam visa last week simply by popping into the Vietnam Embassy in Vientiane (no line), paying US $45 cash, and coming back two days later to pick up the sticker.

Just now, I placed my online order for a Cambodia e-visa for US $25 ($20 for visa + $5 processing). Granted, the photo I uploaded is horrid, but how memorable will it be to print out and staple that visa into my passport!

The post-it note pictured above amounts to a local visa that I had to get when I spent the week at Pee's house for Hmong New Year. Foreigners cannot stay in a Lao home without permission from the government, so Pee's father brought my passport in to get my "visa" written out by the village chief and stamped by the local authority board.

Happy New Year, Hmong Style!

2009-01-02T12:56:00.023+07:00

Hmong New Year lasts for a month or more since villages celebrate at different times, perhaps having to do with timing of the harvest season. This week is the grand festival at Kilometer 52, a conglomerate of Lao and Hmong villages around the 52nd kilometer marker on Route 13 north of Vientiane Capital.

For the week, I was one more daughter in Pee's parents' household -- usually a large family of 15 , but expanded to about 30 or 40 (or more?) during the course of the week. The doors were wide open, ensuring new faces and new friends to be made each day.

The week kicked off ceremoniously with a family group ceremony to usher in good and rid the bad spirits on the day Pee and I arrived. The next day was the cow slaughter that was very much an all-day family affair. The two eldest sons bought the cow (about $175) for the family as an offering for the mother's health (she had had surgery earlier in the year) and for the health and safety of several traveling family members from the U.S.

Cow and Family

I'm not from a large family, so the idea of activity and noise all the time and no privacy at any time was new to me. But everyone was so welcoming, social, and talkative. Maybe that's part of the territory of a large family. Even though we couldn't speak the same linguistic language, some forms of communication are universal -- like laughter and babies.

Family Life

A Few Hmong New Year Traditions

The Kilometer 52 Hmong New Year festival host rotates each year to one of the nearby villages. This year, the hosting village was right across the street, so it was a short walk from the house, ensuring about 2-3 visits to the fair every day!

The kids of course were interested in rides and games, but the most important tradition, followed by both young and old, is the pov pob, the courtship game played between men and women, boys and girls, by throwing a ball to one another while singing love songs.

Traditional Hmong Dress and Pov Pob at the Festival

(I got to wear three different costumes!)

The young folks don't really sing songs these days, but there were some fine specimens among the older folks. The language used is poetic and figurative, so even the young Hmong can't understand the songs. But from what I could tell, when a man and woman were interested in one another, the songs were woven into a kind of discourse to learn about each others' families and backgrounds.

Pov Pob Song (with me playing wingman!)

Bull fighting is another popular event during Hmong New Year, mostly with the men. I can see the thrill of it...kind of like a potential running of the bulls in a dried out rice paddy.

Some Running with the Bulls

(Don't worry, I was safely on a hill behind a barbed wire fence!)

A Bit of Bull Fighting

I spent a lot of time with the kids of the family, and I took a particular liking to Ten (age 10) and Yer (age 12). Ten and I got good at the bumper cars together (the funnest dollar I've ever spent), and I helped Yer take care of the guppies every day.

This morning when Pee and I were packing to head back to Vientiane, he reminded me to not leave anything behind. And he said,

Pee: Don't forget your hat.
Me: That's not my hat (pointing to one near my bag).
Pee: Don't forget your HAT.
Me: (Confused)
Pee: Don't forget your HAT (with his hand on his chest).
Me: Oh, my HEART!

When I was picking up the last of my things, I understood what he meant. I had printed out photos off my camera for the family using a photo printer the American uncle had brought. I gave the one of of me and the boys at the festival to Ten, and he had already put it up on the cabinet next to the photo of their sister.

A Lao Christmas

2008-12-25T23:26:00.007+07:00

25 December is just another day in Laos. But for expat offices, like CARE and the U.S. Embassy, Christmas is a free day. WOohoo! However, I spent the better part of today working on the protocol, but the good news is...I FINISHED IT!! I am absolutely ecstatic. I've been the picture of stress for the past month, and today on the way to drinks by the Mekong was the first time in a looooong while that I could bike along and enjoy the scenery of Laos. Nice.

I met up with Hannah and Irwin, and two of Hannah's new French rock climbing buddies whom I'll call Lili and Bertie (since we're having trouble saying their names). A nice chilled out time by the river, Kopjay Deu, and Jazzy Brick.

Tomorrow morning I'm heading with my little brother Peexiong to his hometown of Kilometer 52 in Vientiane Province for Hmong New Year. I'll stay at Peexiong's house, and his mom will find a traditional Hmong dress for me to wear. I look forward to seeing all the customs, rituals, and celebrations. It's supposed to be a time for courting among the young folk as well...something about throwing a ball around to each other.

So we're off to a healthy holiday season start. And on behalf of everyone in Laos and my favorite young gentlemen from Parkview, I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and safe, warm holiday season among family and friends!!

Last Day at CARE

2008-12-24T23:22:00.005+07:00

But doesn't mean last day of WORK! CARE Lao is virtually on holiday for the rest of the year, and so...so am I! Today was my last official day sitting at CARE, but it was rather anticlimactic since I've been caught under the weight of an insomniatic cough and confusing sampling statistics. Last night's cold medicine didn't wear off till 4pm today, so today was a bit of a blur.

We did eat a special lunch to celebrate the holiday as well as my farewell. And the AI team got me a beautiful handwoven scarf (presented by Mel above). I even got a wedding invitation from one of the Lao staff, but I probably won't be able to go. Sad. And I myself presented CARE with a number of "presents," not to be read "castaways." The AI team was happy to accept my motorbike helmet, and by the end of the day, it had been adopted into the inventory family (note black sticker!).

The Giving Tree

2008-12-21T23:25:00.010+07:00

A couple and a tree by Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam

Up from the Valley

2008-12-20T00:18:00.009+07:00

I am just recovering from a valley. Woo, the last three days have been the most extreme dip (rapid down and up) I've encountered during my time working in Laos.

I have just three days of work remaining to wrap up my project into a tidy package to hand over to CARE Lao and the University of Health Sciences. But our last technical meeting on Wednesday only offered up more questions than answers. Questions that made me anxious: reconsidering the objectives of the assessment, the purpose of it all...with huge ramifications for study design, etc. Pushback from different partners to do more than our power or resources would allow.

But I encouraged UHS to take a position today and luckily, they did. I do have to redraft some portions of the protocol and questionnaire, but all in all, I can leave the project in a good place. Phew!!

Here are photos of CARE Lao's end-of-the-year party yesterday. Plenty of food and drink, birthday cake for the October-December birthdays, frantic wrapping of presents for the gift exchange, and Lam Vong dance around the table!

Official Business 2.0

2008-12-17T22:03:00.011+07:00

CDC/CARE Vietnam invited me to go talk about my work in Laos as they prepare for their own health seeking behavior assessment. It was a great meeting and definitely a two-way exchange. Not only did they get a solid start to their assessment, but I also went away with a few ideas to improve our own project in Laos.

I went a few days early to look around the city, and here are about 70 photos of my sightseeing in Hanoi. David was meeting his roommate Jessica coming over for a visit, so it was perfect timing for all of us. Photos include sights of Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, the Water Puppet Theater, Hoan Kiem Lake, and lots of food!!

A number of people warned that I might not like Hanoi or Vietnam, but on the contrary, I found it quite refreshing. In comparison with Laos, Vietnam is a lot rougher around the edges, but the bustle of the city is fresh, and the Old Quarter is a throwback to the old days.

Official Business 1.0

2008-12-12T17:00:00.003+07:00

Tomorrow I am traveling to Hanoi, Vietnam for my second official trip. I will provide consultation to CDC/CARE Vietnam as they plan to do a similar health seeking behavior assessment.

Below are photos from my first official trip out to our field site in Sayabouli Province, northern Laos, to gather village information for the protocol and questionnaire. Sorry no captions yet. It’s taking multitudes longer than my trip out there to upload these photos online.

Day 1: My flight from Vientiane Capital to Sayabouli Town, the site of our CARE project office and just getting situated before our travel into the mountain villages. We had to bring all of our own food into the villages since they suffer food shortages for six months out of the year.

Day 2: Travel to the field site office in Doikao Village, a 3-hour 60km drive out from Saya Town. These are just the 63 best photos. ;o) Note the poor road conditions. Thank you, donors, for funding those 4-wheel-drive trucks. Money well spent! We got into Doikao before sunset so were able to get a tour of the village from the office guard.

Day 3: The one hour trek to get to Housaylot Village. My translator and I were accompanying the mobile health clinic (team 2) staffed by district public health nurses. Here is preparation of the pharmacy and vaccines for the haul and some lovely images of the hike over the mountain.

Additional photos forthcoming of the mobile health clinic, Day 4 with team 1, and our feast.

My Daily Commute

2008-12-11T23:24:00.011+07:00

Here are some images of my daily commute to work.

The sight of this lady this morning totally made my day.

Yes, those are chickens tied upside down in those baskets.

A few other sights along my commute to work. This is Wat Si Saket. I'm getting better at these driveby shots.

This is Patuxai which sits in the middle of a massive rotary. The CARE Lao office sits at the complete opposite end from where I come. The serenity pictured here belies the crazy traffic I have to dodge each morning around this thing!

Vang Vieng

2008-12-10T21:14:00.003+07:00

I decided to spend my last, completely free weekend in Laos in Vang Vieng, Laos' backpacker and adventure sports destination, a 4-hour 150km bus-ride north of Vientiane. The bus schedule isn't all too clear, as there are local buses, VIP buses, mini-buses, and pick-ups with different schedules and pickup locations. To maximize my time out there, I took the earliest 7am local bus out of the Talat Sao bus station.

The guard recommended that I take my bike with me for an extra 20,000 kip because it'd be cheaper than renting a bike there. So they strapped my bike to the top of the bus (though I'd question the judgment later), and we were off.

I got into Vang Vieng right before noon and rode my bike 4km north to Phoudindaeng Village to check into my room at the Organic Mulberry Farm. The farm is right on the banks of the Nam Song and is also the starting point for the famous Vang Vieng tubing, hence all the songthaews passing me up along the way carrying loads of half-naked, half-baked falang and big black tubes.

The farm's restaurant has a modest, but nice menu of organic, vegetarian dishes. Above is lunch of Harvest Curry with tofu, accompanied by iced mulberry green tea. Afterwards, I rode my bike back into town to figure out something to do for the afternoon.

When I randomly stepped into Riverside Tours, the very genki man at the desk practically jumped out of his seat with, "Let's go kayaking now! I'll take you myself!" They had just delivered a large group upriver, and we could still catch up with them. Hey, why not? So Phanh brought me upriver...back to the farm where the tubing begins.

And I thought I was getting away from the falang debauchery by staying north of Vang Vieng at the farm. Was I ever wrong! The farm keeps a mojito bar right at the launch site, granted to raise money for children, but the music would never stop blasting!

Within sight was the first "stop" of the tubing/kayaking journey down the river: a giant swing river plunge contraption, replete with an island bar, thumping music, and tons and tons of falang. There are about five such bars along the route down the river, with the first ones being the loudest and crowdiest.

Ugh, this isn't what Laos is supposed to be about! Phanh brought me to a more bearable one with fewer people while we waited for the rest of the group to catch up with us. Phanh got some Beer Lao and jumped from the big swing. I didn't have much faith in any of these operations, but after watching enough turns, it seemed fine enough, so I took a go with the slide. Plus, Phanh was watching out for me to make sure all conditions were safe.

Below: Phanh flying; me getting ready to go; my splash (Phanh wasn't fast enough!)

Continuing along the Nam Song by kayak. So glad I wasn't tubing... All those people stuck without a current after 3 hours. What a bore! I'm sure it's somewhat enjoyable with friends...

The next morning I decided to get away from it all by visiting the famous limestone karsts and caves on the other side of the Nam Song. Tham Phu Kham 6km out is hugely popular because of the blue lagoon. At this point, I really wished I had rented a motorbike. The rocky, dusty roads and high noon sun wore on my bicycle or body, but at least I got a lot of exercise and a tan!

(More photos to come)

I eventually found the blue lagoon after about an hour of weaving around rocks, but the only people there were two French guys smoking some questionable herbs. It wasn't till after they'd left and I was able to look around a bit that I was convinced that it was the right place. Just as I was told...the blue water, little fish, rope jump. I'm pretty sure the cave itself was another kilometer's ride farther up the road, but I was content at that point to just have the blue lagoon all to myself. Strange that no one else was there on a sunny Sunday afternoon...

(More photos to come...internet is sloooow!!)

Lao Birthday Revue

2008-12-08T19:16:00.001+07:00

I've gotten a lot of questions about how I celebrated my birthday in Laos. In short, the Lao don't celebrate birthdays. But here are some photos of what we did instead!

To make things easier, Monica and I doubled up our birthday and farewell parties. Monica was supposed to leave back in June, but has stayed on this long until CARE found a replacement. Now she can finally go back to OZ to finish that six-year master's degree.

I ordered birthday cake from a Lao bakery for the party. During the day, I found out that Khampy, the CARE Lao AI project manager, had the same birthday as me! He hadn't told anyone at all, but I was still able to get his name onto the cake, even if it did appear as an afterthought. I think it's cute. :-) Khampy thought it was hilarious that he was able to get such a birthday celebration without doing a thing. The cats on the cake were Phit's idea!

I had been planning all week to go out dancing after the party. In fact, there were so many fun activities to choose from. DJ Pierre was playing as Martini at 10pm. Vieng and Noi were going to a music club with a a cowboy costume contest. Not and French friends were going bowling. New friend Yumiko was having a girls-night-out at a transvestite club. And Dave and Jessie were gonna do whatever I did.

I went home to drop of my work stuff and found this wonderful note and a wonderful cake left in the refrigerator from the Parkview management and staff. How delightful!

But I was exhausted from the week, and couldn't muster the energy to go back out. So Dave and Jessie came over to my place to eat cake. So much for a grand night out, but I didn't mind at all. I'll never forget my 30th birthday in Laos and everyone who made it a joy!

Kopjaydeu, everyone!!

2008-12-06T05:26:00.007+07:00

Thank you, everyone, for your kind birthday wishes...via Facebook, email, or in person. I've really felt loved today, and I will post more birthday celebration photos (by request by several of you!). I crashed pretty hard after work. But I still had TWO cakes and presents. I'm so fortunate to have so many people looking out for me.

Now it's 5:30am and I'm scuttling out the door very soon to look for this so-called mini-bus that runs a circuit around the city, with the earliest pickup being 6:30am, to get to Vang Vieng for my birthday weekend trip. I'm going by myself, but I'm not at all worried because I'm sure to meet plenty of folks along the way.

More stories to come. Have a great "birthday weekend," everyone!

Birthday Girl!

2008-12-05T00:00:00.008+07:00

It's midnight, and happy birthday to me! I've wondered for months what it would be like to turn 30 in Laos. And I think...it actually feels THE SAME...as it would...in the U.S.!! My god!!

Delirium! I have a lot to accomplish at work tomorrow since I've been out on my back ill for most of the week, but after the work day finishes... Monica and I are having a PARTY! We'll start at the Lao Garden restaurant with her farewell party, to which she has invited colleagues from all the international NGOs and government authorities she has worked with during her time here. Then we will morph into my birthday party...which may include bowling, karaoke, dancing with DJ Pierre, who knows. I've already put down $30 for a big chocolate cake for the group. 30 is a good number.

This weekend is also my last "free" and complete weekend in Laos, so I'm planning to head up to Vang Vieng, the backpacker's paradise in Laos. It's also a shroom (and other delights) haven, so in an effort to avoid all that debauchery, I've booked a room at the Vang Vieng Organic Mulberry Farm that grows mulberry trees for tea and silk. "Mr. T" tells me that

"during the weekend the YOUTH CENTER is active you can participate the
Ethnic Sawing Club, Computer class, guitar class and in the everning
dancing class."

That combined with some handpicked Vang Vieng kayaking, rafting, or trekking should make for a fun birthday weekend and a much needed break from myself!

Bon Voyage, Anais!

2008-12-03T23:13:00.008+07:00

Anais left Laos today via Hanoi to return to Oregon. She was here for a 3-month stint at WHO working on reproductive and women's health. Other than being super cool, she also sang in a band here! Last Saturday was her send-off party with a jam session.

Dark photos (L-R): David playing along with traditional instruments in the background; Anais & Jessie; the rest of the band grooving with the fish.

Afternoon in Thailand

2008-12-02T19:16:00.016+07:00

I spent Lao National Day...in Thailand. The protests in Bangkok are hardly affecting life (from what I could tell) up north in Udonthani, the major shopping destination for Vientiane locals 40 minutes across the border. But it wasn't no holiday trip.

Vieng and the embassy car picked me up around 11am for a trip to Aek Udon International Hospital, a snazzy private hospital, to get my...um, stomach problems...checked out. Sure, I had my Cipro and Flagyl, but I could potentially have lots of stuff since I've been everywhere these last two weeks -- from stomping around remote mountainsides to doggy-paddling up waterfalls to sharing my table with a certainly worm-ridden newborn kitten.

Here are I am looking pretty chipper (although 1 kilo lighter) getting my blood pressure taken. After taking my history, the Thai doctor diagnosed me with a simple bacterial GI infection and prescribed for me:

Levofloxacin (antibiotic) [sorry, Cipro]
Hyoscine (for abdominal pain)
Motilium-M (for distension, aka bloating)
Smecta powder (like glue)
Imodium
Oral rehydration salts (orange flavor, yummier than the stuff from CDC)

All for 31 USD. Expensive by Lao standards, but the Lao who make more money will come here for health care because of better service. Here we are picking up freshcut coconut water at roadside stands and in the market to ease the tummy.

The King of Thailand says, "Now y'all come back now!"

CARE AI Meeting

2008-12-01T08:23:00.010+07:00

Last Wednesday was CARE Lao's all-day avian influenza program meeting to share lessons learnt and discussing the way forward with donor representatives, government authorities (national, province, and district levels), and international partners, including the WHO and other NGOs.

CARE Lao's AI program works with all of these partners to pilot activities in Laos to build capacity in dealing with issues surrounding AI. This includes community-based surveillance, outbreak response, AI awareness, wet markets, model households, and the 166 free hotline to report bird deaths. I also presented on the health seeking behavior assessment and got questions from both local authorities (re: content) and partners (re: technical aspects). The two guys below were our simultaneous translators; very impressive!

Group photo!

After a day well done, the CARE AI team rounded out with Beer Lao at the Mekong Deck.

Health Headlines

2008-11-30T22:18:00.006+07:00

My friend and colleague Not said it best (and with such cute English) with, "Ellen sad because small cat pass away."

That was the closest thing I've had to caring for an animal farther up the evolutionary tree than a fish, so the whole experience was rather traumatic for me. If a vet had been at the office, they never would've let me take it home b/c its chance for survival was so slim from the start.

And well, I've always said that I'd make an interesting case study for the mental-physical health link, and so here we go again. My stomach has not sat easy, and I'll leave it at that. Out of curiosity, I went online to see what's new in health and found these interesting headlines (disclaimer: I haven't actually reviewed any of these studies, so can't vouch for their findings):

2 December is National Day here in Laos, and everyone in the city is getting ready with new coats of paint, strings of lights, and flags (the red, white, and blue Lao national flag + red and yellow hammer and sickle flag). The lights and gentle coolness of the evenings remind me of Christmas back in Louisiana. Curious to see what this 2 December holiday brings.

IMA-MAMA!

2008-11-28T23:59:00.000+07:00

On Thanksgiving Day, Monica found a litter of 5 less-than-one-week old kittens in the cupboard of the CARE office. We think someone left the door open, and the mum came in to give birth. But when she left for food, she couldn't get back in. Monica put them in a box and got puppy's milk from the veterinarian for them. I was so joyous to have these furry visitors that I plopped the box on my desk and gazed/cooed at them in lieu of lunch (exactly between 12pm and 1pm). The fuzziness was quite very soul-nourishing after this stressful week at work.

We set the box outside in the late afternoon, and the mum cat actually came back for them -- even after we had touched them. I'd heard that mother animals wouldn't touch their young if they smelled human scent on them, so I'm glad that wasn't the case here. However, now we'll have a bunch more feral cats running around.

But this morning, we found that she had left behind the runt (the black one underneath the calicos). So in my excited state, I volunteered to be Mama Cat for the weekend!! This, of course, means no sleep -- which I fully acknowledge at 2am. Maybe I'll give you another update at 4am. My first experience taking care of "a baby." And I pray it goes well until we see his first poop (and know all his insides are functioning properly). THEN maybe we'll name him!

(Anne, I'm doing this for you. ;-P. Just kidding!)

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-27T23:53:00.000+07:00

Maybe not so surprisingly, I had a more "American" Thanksgiving here in Laos than I often have back at home in the U.S. Ambassador and Mrs. Huso had a quaint dinner party for about 40-50 on their spacious front patio. Guests were mainly folks who work at the embassy and also a group of old friends and visitors from the Husos' native Hawaii.

The ambassador's residence, like most official residences here, is set in the French colonial style. Since it was my first time really spending time within an American presence abroad, I had never heard of the ART in Embassies Program. The new ambassador starting his/her tenure may choose from a collection of American art to exhibit in the residence to share a bit of American culture with guests. The Husos' collection features all Hawaiian artists.

Here is the painting Luana (Giclee print) by Pegge Hopper flanked by Pair of Whiskey Jugs (glass) by Mark Mitsuda who was the Husos' daughter's art teacher.

We had turkey and all the trimmings, plus sweet hibiscus tea. Dave was my +1, and I guess like attracts like because our dinner table became the "health" table with, among the Hawaiian visitors, a Japanese-American pediatrician, a Vietnamese-American biochemist/public health person who leads medical missions to Southeast Asia, and a fellow who had worked with the Hawaii health department.

The Hawaiian visitors were all en-route from the East-West Center alumni function in Bali, but got stranded here because the Thailand airport closed down yesterday. That has really caused a raucous here. Tons of stranded people, and the alternative flights out of Laos to Hanoi and Kuala Lampur are packed.

Overdue, but alas, keep waiting

2008-11-25T22:10:00.008+07:00

Hey hey! Sooo much has been happening the last 1.5 weeks that it'll take quite a while to recount it all here. I'll do my best in fitting photographic glory! Meanwhile, here's a quick summary in reverse chronological order:

This week - Big deadline to complete protocol/questionnaires for technical review
Last weekend - Detour through Luang Prabang
Last week - Work visit to mountainous project site in northwest Laos to observe mobile health clinic in ethnic minority villages and collect info for protocol
Last Monday - Le sigh, motorbike accident...but I'm fine!!!

Here are a few photos from my site visit to keep your eyes happy. :-)

Mountain road and foot access to the villages

Modest homes in Prai ethnic villages

Villagers waiting outside the mobile health clinic set up at the school

Sneaking a peek at the AI awareness video with the children

That Luang Festival

2008-11-16T14:34:00.031+07:00

Last Wednesday (the November full moon) was the culmination of the That Luang Festival here in Vientiane. Pha That Luang is the most important national monument in Laos. The golden stupa is a symbol of both the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty (according to Lonely Planet).

All I really know about the festival is that thousands of monks come from all over Laos to be here (it is jolly to see all the bright orange robes about town), but the trade fair definitely outshines the religious element of the event. Early Wednesday morning, monks lined up to collect alms from locals, and there was an afternoon hockey/polo game staged in the street between "the man" and "the people." However, I didn't see any of this because I couldn't handle the throbbing crowds of people.

I did go in the evening to peruse the trade fair (still throbbing with crowds of people), check out the CARE co-sponsored avian influenza booth, and visit more nuns. I had never known of Lao Buddhist nuns until this event. Women who have no family, are disabled, or unable to care for themselves may become nuns and live inside the monastery. Asian grandmamas are so cute! I collected several more good luck bracelets from these nuns.

Healthy Poultry, Healthy People! The AI booth was co-sponsored by CARE International, AusAID, AED, and sorry my eyesight is bad so I can't read the other logos. But the central Lao body that this all supports is NAHICO, the National Avian Human Influenza Coordinating Office.

As you can see, the booth was replete with all sorts of AI awareness materials, including posters, Tshirts, demonstration booths for handwashing and proper chicken cooking habits (CARE Lao staff did the cooking!), coloring for the kids (a relatively new concept here), and dramatic renderings of handwashing (in song) and what to do when your bird dies.

And now introducing Super Kai!!

(exhibiting the superb chicken butt above)

Look at those strong arms! Now I am no longer afraid of avian influenza.

Here I am with CARE Lao staff, Not, Monica, and Noi.

More photos of the festival. No, the stupa is not on fire. Those are just the fireworks!

Who me? An epidemiologist??

2008-11-13T22:08:00.009+07:00

Sooo, have I failed to mention why I'm actually here in Laos? If so, it's probably because it's taken me this long to get a handle on what I'm supposed to be doing. Basically, CDC is a donor agency for CARE Lao, and I'm here to support a project to build local research capacity and increase the knowledge base surrounding influenza and health behavior of the Lao people. I function as a consultant to CARE Lao and the local school of public health.

Work has picked up dramatically since I started writing up the research protocol two weeks ago, and now that I've just gotten off a technical consult call with CDC, I've realized that the next two weeks will be even crazier as I hurtle towards the December deadline of having the protocol complete and translated so we can submit for IRB approval on both the U.S. and Lao sides. Wahoo!

So, target populations, sampling strategy, census data, sample size calculations, cluster analysis...here I come!! UMSPH should be proud. ;-p

P.S. Next week, I'm going into the field to one of our study sites in Sayabouli Province up north. I will observe nutritional assessment and mobile health clinic activities in the mountainous region (read: cold) bordering Thailand. The villages are all of the Prai ethnic minority group. Should have an interesting report for you when I return!

Nong Kiaw Village

2008-11-10T21:48:00.010+07:00

My activities have snowballed since my first weeks in Laos, but I finally have a bit of time to recount for you my two days traveling in Nong Kiaw Village back in early October. What a serene sojourn into backcountry bliss.

From Luang Prabang, Dave and I took a 3-4 hour, 40,000kip sawngthaew trip north to Nong Kiaw, a sleepy village cut into the green, limestone cliffs along the Nam Ou, a tributary to the Mekong farther south. The road was dusty and bumpy all the way, so the face mask I'd gotten earlier (for the awful hack I'd developed idling in Vientiane traffic) was vital to my well-being. Here are photos from the first day...the ride out to Nong Kiaw Village and walks around the village.

Here's day two, my favorite part! Dave and I rented bikes to visit a nearby cave that was used as a hiding place during the war. Then we hurried back to town to take a boat up the Nam Ou with Home and his father. Home's family owned the rustic herbal sauna and massage shop in town. A very bright kid who wanted to go to college, but the family didn't have the money to send him. So he's working at home...learning English and Japanese at a break-neck pace as Nong Kiaw further opens up to falang travelers.

Check out the video on the right of the local boys playing an acrobatic 3-on-3 game of kataw.

Gimme a "change!" ...CHANGE!

2008-11-06T01:32:00.024+07:00

The world was watching on Tuesday, still is watching today, and will be watching for weeks to come. So many people congratulated me today on the results of the U.S. presidential elections. I've never considered the word "congratulations" for myself for an election, but I guess congratulations are in order for the U.S. and for the world.

There weren't many election viewing parties here in Vientiane, but I did manage to get onto the guest list to morning coffee election viewing at the U.S. Ambassador's residence. Arrived a bit too late and missed all the buildup, but no worries, there would be more celebrations to come.

After work, I had a little trouble finding other Americans to celebrate with, but when we did find each other, we were like giddy schoolchildren. After drinks at Sticky's, where Anais, new friend Jessa, and I explained the electoral college to the Germans, Aussies, Brits, and Kiwis sitting around the table, Dave caught up with us, and the four of us headed off in the dark to find the Democrats Abroad house party in the rice paddies. Peddling about on our bicycles, we chanted,

Change! Change! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

Unfortunately, by the time we found the house around 10pm, the party was over! And it was starting to rain...and downpour. And me in my nice new sinh too...boo. Rainy season was supposed to have ended a month ago, and it's unseasonably warm right now. Go, go, global warming! We quickly found cover under a shop awning, but booked it once the rain settled up a bit. Anais was so prepared with her umbrella.

We would not be deterred from celebrating, and so gathered at Jessa's place for drinks... various bubbly waters and juice, accompanied by talk late into the night.

P.S. I was having lunch with two new friends from Argentina and Laos, and they mused that the rest of the world is so affected by American policies that they should be able to vote for the U.S. president too! They'd happily make up the other ~40% of the U.S. population that isn't voting! Along the same vein, here's an interesting Electoral Map of the World, if the world could vote.

Heeeere, chicken chicken...!

2008-11-04T19:00:00.008+07:00

Voting has begun!!! There aren't many Americans among the expats over here in Laos, so 2:1 expats (mainly Aussies & Kiwis) I've spoken with just don't get how I can be so excited -- personally effusive -- about these elections (ok, ok, n=3). BUT I'm proud to see through Facebook how vested my friends at home are in this election. And the world is galvanized from parties in Africa to dedicated cakes in the town of Obama, Japan.

THE WORLD IS WATCHING!!

While we wait for the results (and I OD on CNN International and Katjes gummy fruits), let's talk about chickens. Real chickens. And ducks and turkeys. Today I tagged along on a visit to an in-city backyard poultry slaughterhouse. Sounds icky, but it was really interesting!

Caution: the following images may not be for the faint of heart (not much blood though).

Lao Wedding Bells

2008-11-02T23:51:00.009+07:00

Vieng sweetly invited me to her high school friend's wedding and lent me the Lao outfits for the occasion.

Here are photos from throughout the day, starting with the ceremonies in the morning at the bride's home, and ending with evening festivities at a hotel. No cheesy wedding tricks. Just speeches (short!), food, drinks, and dancing!

It's an Animal's World

2008-11-01T10:49:00.020+07:00

Here is a casual collection of animals I've caught on film in Laos.

This cutie pie is a binturong, or Asian bearcat (although it's neither bear nor cat), related to the mongoose and civet, and is one of two carnivores with a prehensile tail, useful for swinging about in its home among the rainforest canopies of Southeast Asia.

Here's something interesting...binturong are one of 100 mammal species that can undergo delayed implantation. That means female binturong can get pregnant, but then hold the embryo dormant and time the birth with favorable environmental conditions. Kick ass!! Can you imagine if humans could do that?? No more surprises, but more like...oh, well let's just tuck that away for a bit and go traveling! Or I can be CEO for a while longer...

BIRDS BIRDS BIRDS!! Chickens, ducks, turkeys...there's no getting away from them here. Countryside, cityside...they're everywhere!

And what do birds (and apparently, humans too) eat? Bugs. From left: raw larvae at the Morning Market; larvae and grasshoppers cooked with chilis; and a boy's pet beetle on a string (he was moody, so I couldn't get very close).

I'm cold...wink wink

2008-10-31T23:39:00.002+07:00

My days during the work week fluctuate fairly regularly; starts high, dips, and then climbs back up, thank goodness. I haven't really developed much of a work rhythm, but at least my project is picking up pace. Got some headway into writing up the protocol today, and that feels good.

Left the office plenty early to get to the 16:45 WHO Open House event, since I'd never gone out to the WHO office before on my own, particularly through rush hour traffic. Unfortunately, I thought 16:45 meant 5:45, which...for those of you as slow as me...it doesn't. So I was not at all early.

It was the housewarming, of sorts, for the new WHO office building, and the Lao Minister of Health and UN representative to Lao were there for the obligatory speeches (although not as painful as Japanese ones). The formalities ended with "tree plantation," which turned out not to be like the similar sounding CARE development activities of tea plantation or goat bank (that's gotta be my fav). Here are some photos of the event, including staff from WHO wearing their beautiful sinh.

Afterwards, Monica, Dave, and I hung out at Francette's place nearby (after she'd put Jacques to bed) and then later met up with Seng and friends for drinks at KopJaiDeu. Seng is a Lao national studying in Thailand for his MPH and doing his thesis on AI stuff.

I was getting kinda tired and folded my arms for support, when Seng said, "Are you cold?" Then, he informed me that in Thai, if a man says he's cold, that means he's cold. But if a woman says she's cold (now), then she's lookin' fer some action! What, what?? Then how do I say I'm cold?? Seng had to think hard about it, but said I could use the word that describes ice (nieng). Now that doesn't seem so fair, does it?

A Famous Novelist :-)

2008-10-29T21:41:00.022+07:00

I got an iPod before I came to Laos to practice my Lao and listen to podcasts on the way to work, and one of those NPR podcasts, I was surprised to find, was about Laos. About a novelist writing about Laos. Yesterday, I met that man here in Vientiane.

Colin Cotterill is an interesting guy who never looks the same in any of his photos. He's an avid cartoonist and novelist, with his recent 7-book Dr. Siri series (which has shot him to fame) set in 1976-1978 about Laos' only coroner right after the change in government. One of the coolest things is that his royalties all go to grassroots projects in Laos:

COPE in Vientiane (see previous post)
Big Brother Mouse in Luang Prabang, which publishes Lao books for children in Laos
Colin's personal scholarship project, in Luang Namtha, which funds children from hilltribes to become teachers and return to their villages to teach in their own ethnic language

Laos doesn't have a reading culture which is hindered by a literacy rate of 69%. Many of the hilltribes, including ethnic groups with whom we will be working in our study, have only oral tradition without a written language. And they definitely don't speak Lao, much less read/write it.

So these projects are worthy causes...to bring Lao books to Lao children in their own Lao language (few even get a chance to own a book because there aren't enough to go around) and to train villagers to become teachers for their own people in their own language.

And to think I stumbled upon that reading and book signing accidently. I was actually looking for a lecture by a World Bank economist about the recent financial turmoil and its impacts on economic growth in Laos. Heard it was really interesting, but I don't mind the mis-cross-communication that landed me here. Now I have the first 4 Dr. Siri books, signed, and one with a cartoon of Colin riding a bike. How Lao.

More photos from the book signing at COPE.

COPE Laos

2008-10-26T21:56:00.012+07:00

COPE (Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise) is a joint venture between the Lao Ministry of Health and NGOs to support the development of prosthetic, orthotic and rehabilitation services for Lao people with disabilities. COPE is the only provider of these devices in Laos, which is significant considering that Laos is the most heavily bombed country per capita in the world (from the Vietnam War). Many bombs did not detonate, and today UXO (unexploded ordnance) litters the countryside and remains a threat to the lives and livelihoods of the Lao people.

Last night was COPE's 2nd annual fundraising concert at the National Rehabilitation Center. I must return during the day to check out the visitor center. The event was huge (by Vientiane standards) and brought out lots of falang, mainly Kiwis, Aussies, and Germans from what I could tell. With five bands, both Lao and falang, as well as DJ Pierre's dance mix to finish off the night, it was a pretty grooving time (Klusterfunk, falang band below).

They also brought on stage Laos' first-ever paralympic medalist to speak to the crowd. Simay Eay was Laos' only paralympian at the 2008 games, and he won bronze in the men's powerlifting event. Go team!

On an unrelated note, Laos doesn't have a DUI law. Good to have some PSA's (e.g., above) indicating that "Drink + Driving = Accident," but apparently, most of the DUI accidents are caused by falang, perhaps not so surprisingly.

My Companion, Laz

2008-10-23T20:59:00.022+07:00

So the other day, Andy (my boss at US-CDC Lao) and I got out of a meeting really late, around 7pm, and it was already pitch dark. Getting my Frankenbike back from the 1000kip bike-sitting service (2000kip for motorbikes) near the U.S. Embassy is another story, but Andy was in a rush to get home. He cried, "I have a family to get home to!!! Do you have anyone to go home to? A cat, or a mouse?"

Well, no. No cat or mouse. But I did come home to find a plump new little friend whom I'll call Laz. I'll see if I can catch Leo and Lulu on film for you as well, but they're much scrawnier.

I don't see how Laz keeps himself so well-fed, seeing that the maid service is fanatical about keeping my room clean. I'll put up the "do not disturb" sign because I don't want them changing my towels and pillowcovers every day, but then they'll call before too long (even to my office!) to get in. They're just watching out for me, but it's still a bit excessive.

My Frankenbike is a Winner!

2008-10-22T22:15:00.010+07:00

And now, introducing my fiery steed, the winner that has made my daily commute possible.

I've been peddling this little rental baby (~$1.75/day) since Day 2 of work, braving the Vientiane roads with its tuk-tuks, sawngthaews, imported cars, and motorbikes -- many sputtering lung-burning black exhaust. My smoker's cough scares everyone at the office and in restaurants, but I guess it's good to know that people here recognize that a hacking cough is not good to be around...pulling straws to link my influenza health seeking behavior study here!

The route is pretty treacherous, particularly around Patuxai (below), Vientiane's own Arc de Triomphe. The arch's plaza forms an island around which a huge rotary spins, and vehicles just don't know how to merge or change lanes properly! My winner and I've been cut off by more motorbikes and trucks than we'd like.

But no, not for much longer! I had my first motorbike lesson from Monica today. Cruised up and down the dirt path in front of the CARE office today in 1st gear. Tomorrow I'm graduating to 2nd gear, and by week's end, I'm upgrading from Frankenbike to motorbike, baby!

Do I Look Lao to You?

2008-10-21T22:45:00.006+07:00

An Asian face with a Lao sinh, but with distinctly un-Lao manners. Confusion sets in.

I'm not sure what all goes through the heads of the Lao around me, but so far, people have guessed that I'm Lao, half-Lao, or Japanese. Recently when I traveled with the Kiwi and Germans down south, our boat driver observed that they had "American nose," and I have "Japanese nose."

Mostly, I just walk/bike around oblivious to any looks or non-looks, but my friend Dave, for one, wishes I would pipe up a bit more because apparently when he walks with me while I'm wearing a sinh, either I get double-takes or he gets dirty looks from the Lao -- since it's illegal for foreigners to have intimate relations with Lao nationals...not that we're doing anything other than walking down the street.

Gone South for the Weekend

2008-10-20T20:21:00.046+07:00

Accentuating the work hard, play hard mantra, the day after last week's holiday ended, Monica (my co-worker at CARE) invited me down to Pakse (Champasak Province) in southern Laos with her for the weekend. Her tennis teacher was going down to Pakse, his hometown, for a work meeting, and invited her to tag along. Pakse is also the jumping off point for Laos' coffee-growing region, breathtaking waterfalls, and Laos' other UNESCO World Heritage site.

After work on Friday, Monica and I hopped the 10-hour overnight sleeper bus from Vientiane to Pakse (~$20 one-way). We were delighted in having upper beds, 9U and 10U...until we realized that 9U and 10U were the same bed. We had a good laugh and squeezed in. Yes, the weekend turned out to be a good bonding retreat. The ride was actually pretty smooth, although I had to stick my feet off the edge a bit to get comfortable.

(Left) Here's the inside of our bus. Along one side were single beds (200,000 kip) and the other side double beds (180,000 kip). The lower beds were even cheaper. That's only a difference of about $4, but that's a meal's worth, and neither of us minded the squeeze. (Right) That's Monica making our bed. I'm glad she thought to bring the clean sheets! Plus, they gave us treats: water, cookies, and fruit at night, and a moist towelette and breath mints in the morning. How thoughtful...!

(Left) This was my bus ticket from Pakse back to Vientiane. The number on the bottom was the license plate number of the bus we needed to look for. (Right) This buggy-looking bus was our ride back. Much glossier and bigger-looking than our first bus, but it actually was horribly uncomfortable. Being newer, it could also run faster, which meant bigger bumps. Not fun at all! Translation: Going into work this morning after that was killer!

Once we arrived Saturday morning around 6:30am, we took a tuk-tuk into town to find a guesthouse. On the way, we started chatting with a German girl, Nadine, who turned out to also work in Vientiane, with a German development organization. After grabbing a cuppa joe, we all found a place and cleaned up. I insisted on getting a place with hot water (I'll bathe in the freezing cold river in the mountains when it's time!), and we were all very grateful for that later in the day...

After a late breakfast, we booked a sawngthaew for the day to bring us 40km out east of Pakse to Bolaven Plateau -- land of coffee and waterfalls. The plateau spans several provinces and has several dramatic waterfalls set in verdant jungle. We visited Tat Luang (the tiered one), Tat Fan (the tall one), and Tat Champee (for swimming!), but didn't have time for Pa Suam which is surrounded by ethnic minority villages. These waterfalls were amazing. Highly recommended!!

On Sunday two of Nadine's friends caught up with us, and we booked a slow boat down the Mekong to Champasak town 46km south from Pakse. From that tiny, quiet town we took a tuk-tuk out to Vat Phou, Laos' second UNESCO World Heritage site, listed in 2001. This temple pre-dates Angkor Wat by about five centuries!

The Four Thousand Islands at the very southern part of the Mekong before it goes into Cambodia would also be worth a visit. And there you have it. I wish I could make some astute observation for you -- on the people, the cuisine, the history between northern and southern Laos -- but I can't, for now. For the time being, I am pure tourist, capturing these lovely images for you.

How ridiculous, but I am leisured out! This week it's time to get down to business. I have a number of key objectives to accomplish this week and next at work to move my projects along. Will post soon about those...ciao! xoxo

Luang Prabang (Just a Smidge)

2008-10-16T22:30:00.028+07:00

As promised, here are a few highlights from my trip this past weekend to the northern Lao city of Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital of Laos that was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995. We didn't spend much time in the city, opting to speed off to Nong Kiaw Village the next day, knowing that we'll return again (such a hot destination and only a 40 minute plane ride from Vientiane; see pink arrow to the right).

We feared that the guesthouses and hotels would all be booked for the holiday week, but didn't have a problem locating vacancies. There's a wide range of accommodations in the city, but Vieng (the sweetheart that she is) found a guesthouse for us very close to the Night Market for $15/night.

Luang Prabang, farther north along the Mekong from Vientiane, is such a calm city, and the Night Market is so laidback and quiet. There's very little hassling or hard bargaining, even from the tuk-tuk drivers; all our drivers gave us fair fares from the start. The Night Market consisted of a long street of rows and rows of stalls selling handicrafts, like jewelry, lanterns, paintings, Tshirts, and textiles galore (silk scarves, sinh, bags, blankets...happy happy happy). But I resisted!! Besides, I want to first buy any wares (particularly the weaving) from the remote provinces/villages I'll visit for work and support those local economies.

Dinner of salted fish over charcoal, sticky rice, spicy bamboo, yummy green things, and fruit shakes. How many fruit shakes did we drink?? At 5000 kip (about 60 cents) each, it's hard to say.

Other sights -- on my last day out before returning to Vientiane, the afternoon spent was my call since Dave was staying on for a few more days to travel. So I wanted to hit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center. But it was closed on Mondays. Drat!

But there was a curious arrow sign to the side of the building leading to some wat. I hadn't done my reading, so didn't know what it was, but thought, hey why not? So we followed the signs, curving around hills and through people's backyards, scaring chickens, pressing on through a forest and seeing some dern cool dragonflies...until we reached a ticket booth.

We had reached the bottom of the Phu Si hill, which dominates Luang Prabang's skyline. The temples on this hill are newer, but the 24 meter high golden spike of That Chomsi atop the hill can be seen pushing through the green forest tops from most any place in the city. There were gilded Buddhas for each day of the week, a golden reclining Buddha, Buddha's footprint, and a small cave with a big, fat golden Buddha in the middle. The top of Phu Si presented great views of the city and Mekong River.

Next time in Luang Prabang, I would like to check out Wat Xieng Thong, Pak Ou caves, and Tat Kuang Si waterfalls. I can tell you more about them now from what I've read, but that would just dampen the joy of sharing them with you for real later!

End of Buddhist Lent

2008-10-14T20:10:00.038+07:00

Today is Boun Ok Phansaa, the final and most important day of Buddhist Lent that also marks the end of rainy season. Several activities surrounding the neighborhood wat, or temple, mark the occasion.

Vieng let me accompany her and her brother to their neighborhood wat where the morning started at 7am with prayers and almsgiving. Families sat in rows across the wat floor with their offerings of money, sweets, sticky rice, candles/incense, and lotus/orchid flowers. We lit candles as the monks chanted in the ancient Buddhist language, and at the end, each worshipper poured water in prayer to offer as a symbolic cleansing drink.

Once prayers were finished, the monks wound their way through the rows of worshippers to collect alms. I was free to walk around and take photos once this started, but I had to be very careful not to step over or touch anyone or their offerings with my feet in passing, which ended up being quite a challenge! When the monks came around, I helped give each monk a sweet, making sure not to touch any part of the pot since women must not touch the monks. Once we exited the wat, Vieng used the water from the prayers for the wat's plants, and then we offered our respects at her ancestors' grave.

Several children (some homeless; others just neighborhood kids) were hanging about and grabbing the sweets and money straight from the graves, offering bins, and statues. True, the monks not only survive on alms, but also share them with the homeless. But these children were being rather disrespectful by grabbing the alms before worshippers had even left. Vieng scolded them, but they didn't seem put off.

Here's something interesting about monks: there are two types, those that make it their lives' work and those who do it only for a short time to earn respect and karmic points for their families and ancestors. The latter tend to be young men before marriage, after which they become impure and un-monkable. Many teenagers will do it during the summer holiday like a summer job, but they must do so out of their own will for the "earnings" to count.

In the evening, I went with a group from the U.S. Embassy to a wat to float gatong (candles/incense made of banana leaves in the shape of a lotus) down the Mekong River to cleanse ourselves of sin and bring good spirits. This nice monk had great English and was able to read my fortune for me after I had picked a numbered stick matching my fortune on a slip of paper. Number 11: good fortune. Bingo! He also tied this bracelet for me to wish me longetivity and good health.

So, according to my fortune, I'll have no injury while I'm here; everyone will be happy; my parents will be proud of me; and I will move from Laos eventually. OK, now that I'm surrounded by this karmic force field, let's move on to the debauchery of Boat Racing Festival for tomorrow!

One Week Work, One Weekend Play

2008-10-13T22:14:00.018+07:00

After one week of work, I'm already taking vacation. Now how about that!

This week is local holiday in Vientiane with the end of Buddhist Lent on Tuesday and Boat Racing Festival on Wednesday.

And Monday, well, I've still got to celebrate Christopher Columbus "finding" the land to which my parents immigrated more than 500 years later and that fostered the destiny to send me to Laos on its behalf, right???

So, I celebrated by going to Luang Prabang, former royal capital and one of Laos' two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and nearby Nong Kiaw Village (pictured above). I must credit Dave for the idea of visiting these spots. He can't work yet due to visa issues, so why not travel in the meantime? And what better way for two freshly minted falang to explore Laos than to do so together blithely?

For your sake and mine, I will split up this blog entry. Stay tuned for the details!

First Days in the Office

2008-10-09T05:39:00.002+07:00

I've been waking up consistently between 5:00am and 6:30am since arriving in Laos. I'm not complaining though since I'm usually a late riser, and this lengthens my days considerably.

This week I've been getting oriented with the projects born of the partnership between US-CDC and CARE Lao. On Monday I received a CARE security brief and overviews of CARE Lao's work and specifically, the avian influenza portfolio. And on Tuesday I went over to the U.S. Embassy to meet folks and learn about the services available to me.

All of the CARE Lao provincial coordinators and staff are in Vientiane for program meetings this week, so it's the perfect opportunity to meet the field staff and learn about CARE Lao's projects and strategic programming. Andy has in effect instructed CARE to "use and abuse" me, so I may be getting into other data collection projects for which they need more manpower. I hope they take Andy's note to the superlative (figuratively, of course)!

An Aussie, a Kiwi, and an American...

2008-10-05T20:56:00.047+07:00

It's Sunday evening, the day before my first day of work at CARE, and I've got an Aussie and a Kiwi testing the limits of my drink. Welcome to Laos!

To think, it all started with a day out with Dave (the American I met at the airport) and Tony (the guy Dave's crashing with). We had planned to explore the city and go down to the Mekong to watch boat practices for the upcoming festival.

We ended up having early refreshments at Joma bakery cafe and then tuk-tuking to the Morning Market (outdoor stalls) and Talat Sao Mall (shiny, indoors with A/C). The bargaining here isn't as intense as in other countries, which is great for me since I'm horrible at it. I got two plain cotton/silk sinh, the traditional Lao skirt, to get by for the week since I didn't bring enough clothes. These two will be my rompers, and later I'll get nicer ones for work and official meetings.

When electronics, clothing, and jewelry couldn't quite satiate our hunger, we walked down to the Mekong Riverside Restaurant patio for a lunch of larb (minced meat w/ stuff), stir-fried morning glory, steamed fish, and sticky rice. Afterwards, while Tony tended to some business, Dave and I got 1-hour full body traditional Lao massages (bendy and stretchy; niiice after the long travel) for about $5.

We then met up with two blokes, Steve and Pat, who work at the Vientiane International School with Tony, at Mekong Deck for Sunday afternoon Beerlao.

Things went downhill from there.

When Dave and Tony left for a dinner engagement, Steve and Pat "took care of me" at several more expat hangouts -- Bor Pen Nyang, Khop Chai Deu, Jazzy Brick -- looking for port and teaching me all sorts of questionable Aussie/Kiwi humor. Pat says my nickname is now whatever "cat" is in Vietnamese. I don't remember anymore how we came to that, but I think I'm part of the expat family now.

Arrived in Laos

2008-10-03T22:20:00.022+07:00

Vieng greeted me with the paperwork ready to get my visa when I arrived at the airport in Vientiane. While I waited for her to process through the line (yeah, she’s awesome), I started chatting with another American who had come in on my flight from Bangkok. Turns out he’s an MD/MPH student here for 3.5 months working on pan flu stuff for WHO. Our paths will surely cross; the Laos API community is tiny!! So we exchanged emails; got new friends already before even crossing the border! Niiiice.

The driver took us to the U.S. Embassy to pick up my boss, Andy, who is absolutely terrific. He’s always going 100 mph with his words, thoughts, schedules, phone calls. Immediately in the car, he was setting expectations for my three months, what we could hope to accomplish, and what I could learn. His emphasis is to provide me the best learning experience possible -- learning how to get things done in the “Lao reality.” He’s going to be an awesome mentor.

We took a quick spin along the Mekong to see the restaurants, bars, and sandbags (remaining from the flood back in August) lining the riverbank before checking in to my apartment. And then Vieng brought me to PVO, a Vietnamese food place near the Mekong, for lunch. The noodle salad was yummy, but only after I’d started eating did I realize that I might be better off avoiding the raw stuff. Sure enough my stomach was rumbling later on, but ginger tea helped. I’m also told that drinking a can of Coke (not Pepsi) with questionable foods is good to kill any nasties…

I was doing pretty good for the day till that warm shower around 5pm put me to sleep on the dining table. But I had a beer obligation with Monica, and she picked me up on her motorbike (thank goodness I brought a helmet from the U.S. after all) to go to Sticky Fingers, a surprising expat haven close to the Mekong. I tried my first BeerLao (a nice light beer) with ice, and Monica and coworker introduced me to the Tom Yum Martini. We had a good time chatting, with me interjecting lots of yawns with accurate timing.

That’s it for me. It’s 10pm, and I’m zonked. Much more to come; over and out.

In Bangkok...twenty air hours and ten restless on-ground waiting hours later

2008-10-03T09:35:00.016+07:00

I’m impressed by my first travel experience with Lufthansa and Thai Airways. The in-flight service was pleasant and attentive, and I enjoyed listening to the German and Thai that I couldn’t understand. The food was quite good, particularly the chicken & eggplant green curry with fragrant rice. I was tempted by the wine, but I didn’t want to end up completely bloated at the end. That’s no way to greet your boss for the first time!

Frankfurt Airport was a bore. That wait was the most difficult, being the 2am~7am chunk of my regular sleeping hours. With few seats in the waiting area, I couldn’t lean back on anything or get comfortable without getting dust bunnies all over me. So I decided to convert US$20 for just €10 in return and used 20% of that on a Haagen-Dazs macadamia nut brittle ice cream cone (might as well get happy) with which I sidled up with my book next to a cute puppy waiting with its person. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t occupy my entire 5 hour layover, so I eventually found myself rocking head in hand, waking with a jolt every time I nearly fell over flat on my face asleep. I was thankful when they finally announced my gate number about an hour before my flight to Bangkok, so I could go check in.

One good thing about international flights is the chance to catch up on movies and sometimes sleep. This time, success on both counts! So I watched two movies to edumacate myself on Marvel comics, wrapped myself in a cocoon, and fell right to sleep. The Spanish woman next to me didn’t know a lick of English, but with me on the aisle, she just crawled over me whenever she wanted to get out. Neither of us minded, so we had a great 10-hour relationship.

Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok is much nicer, clean and bright with lots of cafes, noodle shops, and places to chill (key!!). Plus, they’ve got the cutsie character thing going on (“Asia” nostalgia for me) and remakes of American “standards” playing over the speakers, like The Bangles’ Eternal Flame, bossa nova style (combining two of my favorite genres...). Here I converted US$20 for about 650 Thai baht, and used 10% of that on a Thai style iced tea, nothing fancy.

But I am well-rested and excited to arrive in Vientiane at midday after just one more short 1-hour flight from Bangkok, with the rest of Friday (and the weekend!) ahead of me to settle in. Bring it on; I’m ready!

My Journey Begins Today

2008-10-02T00:23:00.011+07:00

What a whirlwind; I'm not sure where to begin. Flew back from DC to Atlanta Monday morning, straight into meetings (mostly fun, actually) with epidemiologists, field staff, and my home office, picking up my gear and figuring out what gear to leave behind... Not to mention trying to remember the Atlanta roads and how to drive. Dern drivers!! And the gas shortage? It's for real. Cars line up down the streets at all hours of the day, and people are getting into fights over it. The desperation...how the American psyche is so tied to fuel!

Now, no one warned me about the culture shock of returning to Atlanta... My culture shock is always worse within the United States for some reason, and this is no different, although these two days of adrenaline-pumping preparation have kept me from thinking too hard about why my diet has instantaneously returned to beer, steak, and fried chicken.

I voted this morning; thank goodness for early voting. (Note to Georgia voters: you can vote early, M-F, 8am-7pm, from now till October 31st. No reason necessary. Check it out.) I'm very appreciative and giddy to have a voice in this historic 2008 presidential election (sorry to all those local/state candidates for 7-8 pages worth of elections I didn't know about...oops!).

And I have proudly managed to fit all of my check-in material into one, albeit heavy, bag. I was freaking out a bit last night about what stuff to bring with me, but then I stepped out of my body, kinda slapped myself, and told myself to get a grip. I'm going to have an amazing adventure and journey, no matter what I bring or don't bring. So chill! So I'm a-chillin' right now, a few hours before I've gotta get to the airport. I'm gonna go eat lunch...fried chicken anyone?

Jao sabaidee boh?

2008-09-13T09:54:00.013+07:00

In exactly three weeks, my feet will be planted in Vientiane soil and my hands touching the lazy Lao sky. Time has deftly carried me through Washington, DC, before I have even scratched its surface. But over these past three months, I've made loyal, everlasting friends and learned telling lessons, such that I can only look towards the next three months with wider eyes and a bigger heart for them.

This week was a rush of preparation for Laos, from figuring out travel/visa issues to discussing research protocols/logistics with the field team to sussing out the difference between "deh" and "deeh"...to even looking for a motorbike helmet that won't make me look terribly like a matchstick! Without a doubt, the fieldwork will be rewarding beyond my current imagination. And my housing situation, for which I can only thank my colleagues in Laos, will be phenomenal. You must come visit!!

Today was my third Lao language lesson with Bounchanh who works across the street from me and fills my head with Lao phrases and cultural tidbits in exchange for lunch. Shhh, I think I'm getting the better deal! I will have a translator, but I want to be able to communicate and build rapport with my Lao colleagues in their own language. I learned the importance of that as an English teacher in Japan. そうだね！

Lao is a tonal language with six tones, although so far I've only been able to hear five (still, one up on Chinese's four!). I won't bother with reading/writing, but the grammar is surprisingly simple, with similarities to both Chinese and Japanese. Bounchanh is a great teacher, and I look forward to showing you the difference between a chicken and a duck next week!

Flood Damage In Laos Costs Millions Of Dollars

2008-08-23T11:54:00.003+07:00

Hard to say how this will affect my work in the fall...

VIENTIANE, LAOS, Aug 22 (The Vientiane Times) - The recent floods in Laos have inflicted damage worth hundreds of billions of kip (millions of dollars), destroying farmlands, irrigation systems, roads, schools and houses, according to unofficial reports.

The total cost of flood damage has yet to be officially confirmed because the government is still collecting information from provincial authorities.

But initial reports reveal extensive damage throughout the country.

In six of Vientiane 's nine districts the cost of flooding has already reached about 148 billion kip (US$78.5 million). This figure does not include damage to Sikhottabong and Xaysettha districts, which authorities are currently assessing.

In Luang Prabang province the cost of flood damage is almost 100 billion kip ($11.8 million). More than 50 billion ($5.9 million) of this damage was to the transportation sector, according to provincial authorities.

In Khammuan province the value of flood damage has not yet been calculated, but authorities say it will be worth at least 31 billion kip ($3.66 million). In that province floods destroyed rice fields, irrigation systems, roads and schools.

Almost 6,000 of the total 11,884 hectares of rice fields were damaged, along with 167 hectares of other crops, 48 irrigation systems and 41 schools. Authorities are continuing to supply clean water and dry food to villagers affected by the flooding.

In Borikhamxay province, authorities estimate damage to the agriculture sector to be at least 90 billion kip ($10.6 million). Road Number 13 South was damaged as were unpaved roads which had linked villages, according to provincial flooding and drought prevention committee head Leuam Sonsyvilay.

“We haven't calculated the cost of two flood-damaged schools and a number of irrigation canals yet,” he said.

A team from United Nations agencies is visiting Laos provinces affected by flooding, according to the national disaster management office.

Office head, Khamphao Hompaya, said UN agencies including the UNDP and UN Food and Agriculture Organisation would assess the urgent needs of villagers.

He said the amount of donations had yet to be calculated and urged ministries to report donation figures to his office so that he could inform the government.

According to Khamphao, the ministry of labour and social welfare is preparing more than 300 tonnes of rice while the ministry of health has asked for 1 billion kip ($118,131) to assist flood victims.

Most provinces were able to collect information about flood damage in areas such as agriculture, transport and education, but a more extensive assessment has yet to be completed.

(By SOMSACK PONGKHAO/ The Vientiane Times/ ANN)

Mekong hits highest level in at least 100 years

2008-08-22T08:47:00.013+07:00

Not much news coverage can be found on the floods of this and last week...

BANGKOK, THAILAND, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Four people have been killed in flooding and landslides in Laos, where the Mekong river has hit its highest level in at least 100 years after several months of unusually heavy rain, officials said on Friday.

The communist government and private citizens in the landlocked Southeast Asian country have been rushing to complete a 2.5 metre (8 ft) wall of sandbags to stop water inundating the capital, Vientiane.

Police have closed roads leading to the riverbank to make it easier for trucks delivering sandbags, the official Vientiane Times reported.

"We've been fighting very hard day and night for four days, but after today the water level should recede," government spokesman Yong Chanhthalansy told Reuters in Bangkok.

The Mekong, which starts in the glaciers of Tibet and ends 4,350 km (2,700 miles) away in the rice-rich delta of southern Vietnam, hit 13.68 metres in Vientiane on Thursday, trouncing a high of 12.38 metres recorded in 1966, the worst floods in living memory.

That depth -- measured roughly from the river's lowest level in the dry season -- could rise slightly on Friday before retreating, Yong said.

Vietnam was recently hit by heavy rains, floods and mudslides as the remnants of a tropical storm caused the country's worst floods in four decades. At least 120 people were killed and another 44 remain missing.

In Vientiane, a levee was built along the Mekong's northern bank after the 1966 flooding but has been overrun in places, causing flooding in parts of the city of 200,000, one resident said.

There had been widespread flooding upstream and north of Vientiane, although the former royal capital of Luang Prabang had escaped with no damage to its ancient Buddhist pagodas, Yong said.

Downstream, eastern Thailand and low-lying Cambodia, where the annual flooding of the Mekong is crucial to rice and fish production, are braced for the rising waters. Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh, sits right on the bank of the river.

Government officials said they had warned people living near the Mekong in the provinces of Kompong Cham, Kratie and Stung Treng to move their families and livestock to higher ground.

(Reporting by Ed Cropley and Ek Madra; Editing by Alan Raybould and Valerie Lee)

Beginning to Learn Lao

2008-07-17T10:24:00.019+07:00

I really want to make an effort to understand and converse in Lao, so I've been searching for a Lao tutor all over DC. The embassy was a surprisingly disappointing resource, but I finally was able to reach a former president of the Lao American Women Association today who has offered to tutor me personally. And it's perfect because she actually works right across the street from me, and so we can meet during lunch.

I've perused books (not too many options out there), but I really want a "native speaker" (a la JET!) to help me get the tones right. With six tones and that snakelike script, I'm going to need some handholding to get me started. But to help myself along as I advance, I just ordered these books off Amazon. Will let you know how useful they are!

New travel/work blog

2008-07-15T08:14:00.003+07:00

This will be my attempt to chronicle my field experiences working in Laos this coming fall 2008. Stay tuned...