Paasaa Lao

Our days are now quite full as we dive into the wonderful world of ‘Paasaa Lao’ (Lao language)! We study together with sixteen other students for three hours a day at Candle Light Language and Vocational Training Center (Called Xieng Tian in paasaa Lao).

Interesting fact: It has been found that many couples will experience marriage turmoil while learning a new language together. Due to this fact, Jeffrey and I are divided up into separate classes – We’ve been good up to this point! :-)

Our language learning is divided into two separate classes: Conversational Lao and Reading/Writing. After a week and half of class, we can now greet one another, form and ask simple questions, name common objects/food, barter and order food. We found the Lao alphabet to be a bit overwhelming at the beginning, but after learning 27 consonants and 28 vowels (as well as a number of mixed vowels and consonant combinations) we’re starting to have a handle on reading and writing. We now like to sit down with our children’s alphabet book, try sound out the words and understand what we’re saying (the pictures are a big help).

The Lao Consonants

Laughter has been our good companion these days, and we’re trying to keep good attitudes as we learn a language which is so…well, foreign! I enjoy joining the women in our home while they make dinner. It’s been a good chance to spend time with them, learn food items as well as some tips on cooking Lao style! I’m excited to try my hand at it when we reach Tha Thom. Jeffrey has made friends with one of the young boys in our home. While watching cartoons together yesterday – Jeffrey was picking up some new words, and I think the young boy was getting a kick out watching Jeffrey! I would also like to share Jeffrey’s new favorite Lao joke with you: Our family owns a beautiful mama cat which we both enjoy hanging out with. So if you talk with him one of these days he may just ask you, “Jao vao paasaa Meow?” Translation, “Do you speak cat language?’”

Posted by Kaarina

Getting Around Town

The buzz of two-cycle motorbike engines filled the MCC office compound this week as all five of us new service workers began practicing. Behind the office is a large warehouse with a sheltered open-air parking area, ideal for learning how to ride. The 100cc Honda’s would technically be considered scooters in the US, but here in Lao they are synonymous with motorcycles. Kaarina was terrified to drive on the roads and thus slightly reluctant to get her license, but after riding around a few laps she has warmed up to the idea and is progressing very well! She and the other four new Service Workers will take the Lao test once their permanent work visas are in their hands and they feel ready. The test consists of a series of maneuvering skills in a roughly 3m by 9m rectangle. First, you drive two circuits around the perimeter, then ride two figure eights and finally travel one time around one of the smaller circles that make up the ‘eight.’ A candidate has two attempts without putting a foot down or crossing the outer or inner boundaries. In our chalk-drawn practice space Kaarina, after only three days, putts around the circuit in relative control and comfort! Since I already obtained a motorcycle license in the US, I needed to perform the Lao test (in our chalk rectangle) for one of the MCC Staff instead of going to the official testing facility. After some practice I passed the MCC bar today! Driving on the roads is a different story! I am learning to drive the Lao way, mainly driving with the flow and learning to know which stop signs are optional. There are many things to watch out for, but the driving is a lot more laid back than what we observed in Vietnam. The highlights for this coming week are moving in with our host family and beginning language classes. Kaarina and I are both excited to be able to ride around the city on our own.

Posted by Jeffrey

Lao is still very Lao

A week after arriving in Laos (the 4th of August) we packed our bags again for a four day excursion to Da Nang, Vietnam to join in the annual South East Asia MCC Retreat. We took a series of two flights before arriving at our destination. The trip began with an unfortunate episode, which turned into a window sheading light onto Lao culture.

A realization came to me just after passing through emigration while standing in front of the metal detectors that I had not put my Leatherman in the checked luggage and it was still on my belt! I ended up leaving the multitool with one of the Lao security officers before proceeding through security. One of the MCC staff helped figure the whole thing out, in Lao of course, and took down the man’s name and phone number. The officer would hang on to my Leatherman until we returned from Vietnam in 4 days. I asked the staff member later what he thought the chances were of finding the officer again and picking the Leatherman up. He smiled and replied, “Lao is still very Lao. Everything will be ok.” Sure enough after a wonderful time in Da Nang, meeting the MCC staff, attending sessions and enjoying the South China Sea we returned to Vientiane to have my Leatherman waiting for us at the airport.

Posted by Jeffrey

Fruit and sand Castles

Here are a few random pictures to share. The first is an example of the wonderful fruit we have been enjoying! The ‘hairy’ things are rambutans, similar to lychees. The purple ones with white flesh are mangosteens. They are juicy and delicious but hard to judge good fruit by the outside. Finally the pummelo is similar to grapefruit except that it is sweet, not sour, and is not as juicy.

The sand castle is something we built on one of our free afternoons in Da Nang Vietnam at the MCC retreat.

The adventure of the Sinh!

On Friday (July 30th) we experienced our first taste of a Lao market. Weaving our way through small shops and vendors we purchased a few essential items: raincoats, Lao/English dictionary and finally the search for my first sinh!

A sinh (pronounced ‘sin’) is the traditional skirt worn by Lao women. It is quite simple in design, but proves to be more difficult to explain in words so I will not attempt it here.

Our adventure begins in the narrow, crowded, dimly lit Lao market. The first step in acquiring a sinh is to choose and purchase a piece of cloth (measuring about 2 yards). This can be quite a task because every small shop has choices in every color under the sun. We dug through piles of fabric, some with intricate embroidery or woven patterns as well as your choice in cotton, silk or a mix of the two. My choice was to find a simple cotton fabric, and I did find one at a great deal, 30,000 kip ($3.60)!

After you have chosen your fabric, the next step is to head to your tailor to be measured. What a store! The walls are lined with sinh after sinh on hangers, and women working at tables in the center of the room sewing. It took the seamstress about 30 seconds to measure me up, and then said to come back in three days to pick it up. The picture tells the rest!

I absolutely love my new sinh! It cost only 45,000 kip (Under $5.00), is cool and comfortable. I think it will be my new favorite piece of clothing, and I’m wondering when I can get out to the market to start the process all over again!

Posted by Kaarina