Happy Earth Day! As part of the earth day celebration, UNDP hosted a viewing of the movie "One day on Earth" here in Laos and around the globe. The video was made from compiled footage filmed in more than 80 countries on the day 10/10/10. It was really interesting. A tiny peak into life around the earth.
It struck me how fortunate I am to have been born in the US. It's so easy to take for granted, as it is a given in my life. I highly recommend watching the movie if you can and considering the bigger picture. It's so easy to become complacent and overly occupied with our own worries and day to day life. Taking the time to realize that we are all interconnected and seeking the same things in life, even when we live in what seems like completely different worlds.
http://www.onedayonearth.org/page/trailers-and-videos
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Green Climbers
Just back from my first ever rock climbing trip. By all accounts, was a great success. Green Climbers is tucked away outside of Thakhek, a town 6 hours from Vientiane to the East. It's a beautiful little spot, ran by a German couple. They have built a number of little stilted bungalows and dormitories, as well as a great little bar/restaurant. There are loads of climbing areas in walking distance and an amazing cave with a great swimming hole is just a stroll away as well. The pictures don't really do it justice.
Yoga every morning at 7 am, beerlao flowing like water, 100 degree weather and one rocking Pi Mai celebration. I climbed for my first time and got a nice battle wound right off the bat. But I had a great time and since my housemate is such an avid climber, I'll likely be going back in the near future.
They do close in rainy season, when the Germans return to Germany and the Green Climber area floods (hence the stilted bungalows). Over the Pi Mai holiday the place was packed with both backpackers and local expats from Vientiane. Saturday night, the Lao staff threw a celebratory water fight/dance party. It seems to be the one time of the year when Lao girls can let their hair down and party. Quite the spectacle but definitely a good time.
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| Morning yoga location and tent spots for those unwilling to spring the $6 for a dorm bed or $20 for a bungalow. |
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| Such an amazing cave and swimming hole. My favorite spot for a little sunbathing and snoozing. |
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| Gorgeous pink dragonfly. |
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| Tha Falang - a pretty little lake just down the road. We borrowed some bikes and came over for a swim. |
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| I didn't capture any of my graceful moves on the rock but you can see the blood running down my leg from my first rock climbing injury. The rock was incredibly sharp....everyone had scraps and bruises. |
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| Some of these guys are just incredible climbers, fun to watch. |
Yoga every morning at 7 am, beerlao flowing like water, 100 degree weather and one rocking Pi Mai celebration. I climbed for my first time and got a nice battle wound right off the bat. But I had a great time and since my housemate is such an avid climber, I'll likely be going back in the near future.
They do close in rainy season, when the Germans return to Germany and the Green Climber area floods (hence the stilted bungalows). Over the Pi Mai holiday the place was packed with both backpackers and local expats from Vientiane. Saturday night, the Lao staff threw a celebratory water fight/dance party. It seems to be the one time of the year when Lao girls can let their hair down and party. Quite the spectacle but definitely a good time.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Damn Hot!
Somehow when people talk about the hot season coming....it just never really prepares you. Perhaps this explains why things move so slowly in Laos....everyone is just too damn hot to do anything at a normal rate. Standing outside causes you to break into a sweat almost immediately....even in the shade.
I know my walk to the gym (normally a ten minute stroll) has turned into a week long voyage across the Sahara. By the end I'm usually crawling, seeing mirages, and crying out for water and a camel. Good thing there's AC at the other end.
I guess I should have known when the country celebrates it's new year with pouring ice cold water on each other. Something about inviting the Monsoon season....which by the way is pretty intense. My palm tree in the backyard has taken multiple tumbles already....poor little tree. The nice aspect of the Monsoon is that it cools everything off, albeit briefly. Lots of thunder and lightening though and apparently nothing in Laos is grounded. So instead they cut power when they know lightening is coming. Doesn't seem incredibly reliable to me but alas. Hunker down and hope for the best.
I know my walk to the gym (normally a ten minute stroll) has turned into a week long voyage across the Sahara. By the end I'm usually crawling, seeing mirages, and crying out for water and a camel. Good thing there's AC at the other end.
I guess I should have known when the country celebrates it's new year with pouring ice cold water on each other. Something about inviting the Monsoon season....which by the way is pretty intense. My palm tree in the backyard has taken multiple tumbles already....poor little tree. The nice aspect of the Monsoon is that it cools everything off, albeit briefly. Lots of thunder and lightening though and apparently nothing in Laos is grounded. So instead they cut power when they know lightening is coming. Doesn't seem incredibly reliable to me but alas. Hunker down and hope for the best.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Pi Mai-Two weeks of Lao Party
The Pi Mai holiday kicked off Friday night with our COPE work party. We started with a Basi to rid ourselves of bad things from the previous year and invite in good things in the new year. It involves striking the pose, as I am above. Not quite sure why but that's the way it's done in Laos.
Pi Mai party number two kicks off Wednesday but truly very little seems to get done over the entire two weeks. Today was a going away party for Conny, an expat who works at the visitor's center. The combination of alcohol and extreme heat (only 94 degrees today) has sent me into a downwad spiral. It feels like nap time despite the fact it's two in the afternoon. I guess if you want to be at all productive in Laos you have to learn to function after throwing back some drinks with lunch. Back to work I suppose...
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Lend your Leg
Today is International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, and the idea is to wear pants with one leg rolled up in an act of " lending your leg" http://www.lendyourleg.org/.
A bunch of us at COPE got together and took a photo to support mine survivors and many of the patients we treat. It's amazing when you think about the kinds of things people in Laos have to worry about and deal with, which would never even occur to those of us living in the US.
As much as I feel guilt to be a useless emotion, it's hard not to feel guilty at what the US has done to so many innocent Laos people. It's heartbreaking to know that your country was the source of so much pain, death and suffering.
I'm thankful for the Laos spirit of acceptance and kindness toward foreigners. Although that may be that many Laos (especially those living rurally, who are most commonly injured) don't draw the connection between Americans and mine accidents. I must admit that walking through our COPE visitor's center brings me a great deal of shame. I've never felt more embarrassed to be an American (that's saying a lot after having George W. as president).
That said, we're working with what is and doing what we can to help and rectify past mistakes.
As much as I feel guilt to be a useless emotion, it's hard not to feel guilty at what the US has done to so many innocent Laos people. It's heartbreaking to know that your country was the source of so much pain, death and suffering.
I'm thankful for the Laos spirit of acceptance and kindness toward foreigners. Although that may be that many Laos (especially those living rurally, who are most commonly injured) don't draw the connection between Americans and mine accidents. I must admit that walking through our COPE visitor's center brings me a great deal of shame. I've never felt more embarrassed to be an American (that's saying a lot after having George W. as president).
That said, we're working with what is and doing what we can to help and rectify past mistakes.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Ode to Aunty Wendy
Such a slacker, I know, I know. I'm sorry Wendy! My life just isn't that exciting. Time spent at the gym, doing yoga, getting massages....just the usual. :)
The good news is that the next couple of months should some action on my end. Coming up is the Laos new year, which is a three day long party where people get drunk and dump buckets of water on each other. Sounds like a jolly good time for the first couple hours and probably gets old pretty quick. So, inspired by my expat friends and my crazy Lao neighbors who love to blare horrible American club music at all hours, I'm heading for the hills with my housemate.
We're going to a place called green climbers in Thakek, which is a 4.5 bus ride from Vientiane. It's a nice little setup of bungalows off a little river and is a home base for climbing trips in the surrounding areas. There are also lots of caves nearby and hopefully some good hikes as well. I'm looking forward to some exercise and outdoor enjoyment. Vientiane is quite polluted, so although I often walk places, it isn't necessarily enjoyable.
Later in April I hope to sneak away for a weekend meditation retreat at a little dhamma center I found outside of Vientiane. Then Ian and Saleema are working on scheduling their trip to come visit, hopefully at the end of May. I plan to take some time off when they're here to go up to Luang Prabang for at least a long weekend.
Then come June I'm off to Sri Lanka for a couple weeks for a little yoga beach R&R! With all that coming up, I'm currently just working.
We're in the middle of remodeling and renovating the P&O workshop. So I've been doing a lot of work designing the layout and trying to influence the staff to do some cleaning, organization, and most of all, disposable of nonworking items.
Apparently Lao people struggle with throwing things away, so upon inspection of the workshop, we discovered 3 nonworking sewing machines, 3 nonworking ovens, and numerous other broken down equipment pieces. And the staff wonders why their workspace is so cramped. Hmmmmmmmmm.
The good news is that the next couple of months should some action on my end. Coming up is the Laos new year, which is a three day long party where people get drunk and dump buckets of water on each other. Sounds like a jolly good time for the first couple hours and probably gets old pretty quick. So, inspired by my expat friends and my crazy Lao neighbors who love to blare horrible American club music at all hours, I'm heading for the hills with my housemate.
We're going to a place called green climbers in Thakek, which is a 4.5 bus ride from Vientiane. It's a nice little setup of bungalows off a little river and is a home base for climbing trips in the surrounding areas. There are also lots of caves nearby and hopefully some good hikes as well. I'm looking forward to some exercise and outdoor enjoyment. Vientiane is quite polluted, so although I often walk places, it isn't necessarily enjoyable.
Later in April I hope to sneak away for a weekend meditation retreat at a little dhamma center I found outside of Vientiane. Then Ian and Saleema are working on scheduling their trip to come visit, hopefully at the end of May. I plan to take some time off when they're here to go up to Luang Prabang for at least a long weekend.
Then come June I'm off to Sri Lanka for a couple weeks for a little yoga beach R&R! With all that coming up, I'm currently just working.
We're in the middle of remodeling and renovating the P&O workshop. So I've been doing a lot of work designing the layout and trying to influence the staff to do some cleaning, organization, and most of all, disposable of nonworking items.
Apparently Lao people struggle with throwing things away, so upon inspection of the workshop, we discovered 3 nonworking sewing machines, 3 nonworking ovens, and numerous other broken down equipment pieces. And the staff wonders why their workspace is so cramped. Hmmmmmmmmm.
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