Back from Chiang Mai

After a visit from some wonderful friends and a quick jaunt in Thailand I am back to teaching. It's good to back in Luang Prabang and seeing my students again. Unfortunately my year 4 students aren't around because they are off doing their own teaching. (Side note: The highlight of my week this week was when one of my year 4 students called me to just talk. He told me all about how his teaching was going and how it was much more difficult than he expected.) Though I know they will be returning in a couple of months I miss having them in class. My year 4s were braver an less shy than my other students; therefore, I was a lot closer with them. Fortunately though I also have my year 2 students again and unlike at the beginning of the first term they are no longer trembling in fear of the mysterious falang teacher.

As I said it is good to be back in Laos again, but upon returning Laos did not exactly welcome me with open arms. My roommate and I arrived home to find that our shower/laundry room door was mysteriously locked. We began digging through our pile of a thousand keys for which we do not know what they lock/unlock. None of they keys worked. We called a co-worker of mine to come help us who after a little bit of confusion sent someone over. He too tried going through the pile of keys jamming each one into the lock but still none would turn. After the many failed attempts to unlock the door he did the next most logical thing and began hammering away at the door knob.

"Oh please make it stop" I complained to myself. Finally the man stopped hammering, muttered something in Lao, and promised he would return. While he was gone I decided to take one more whack at trying the keys. I pushed key after key into the lock and finally there was a click. The door swung open. "Thank you!" I cried.

I wish I could tell you that the story ends here, but I would be lying and I do live in Laos after all. You see before we left for Thailand the shower had a small leak. Unfortunately, that leak had grown into a gushing stream. We called my co-worker once again who came over with his brother to check out the leak. Next thing I knew his brother was leaving my house soaking wet and my co-worker was telling me, "Dani, your shower..it is broken." I restrained my every instinct to be sassy and simply replied, "Yes, I think it is."

Let it be know that living here in Laos is not without trials and tribulations, but let it also be known that the people here will never fail to show you exceeding kindness. The following Monday my co-worker explained to the school that our shower was working. Because my house is owned by the school it is technically their responsibility to take care of the problem. Unfortunately, the school didn't show any urgency in fixing my shower so my co-worker took the matter into his own hands. He bought us a new pipe and replaced the old one for us. After the job was completed he looked at me and said, "Dani, I am your hero!" With a laugh I replied, "Yes, I think you are."

I promise to post pictures from my trip soon. As for now please enjoy this YouTube video that has absolutely nothing to do with my blog post, but is probably the cutest thing you will watch all week.