*I finally learned how to ride a bike with two people! My friend Haley and I made fools of ourselves on the streets of Nakhon Phanom tonight, but we figured it out!
*I had REAL coffee for about the first time since I’ve been here…of course it was in Laos and I have no idea what it was called
I just returned from two days in Laos as my visa was stamped incorrectly when I entered the country and I was only given 30 days. A woman from the local government office has been working with us to try to have our work permits ready by today, but no such luck. And for that reason, I got to go too Laos! It’s been said that if you ‘negotiate’ with the officials at the consulate, you can get your visa back in the same day, versus the normal policy which is to return the visa the following work day. Well, our negotiations failed and thus I stayed in Laos overnight.
It began yesterday when the director of the English program picked me up at 6 am (after returning home the night before to find that my housemates room was completely flooded – 2 inches of standing water as her toilet was broken) and we drove 100 km south to a town called Mukdahan. They have a ‘friendship’ bridge there that buses and cars can drive across to get into Laos. We were a bit confused at the border crossing but managed to get on the bus across the bridge. Also got confused on the Loa side but again, eventually made it to the consulate where another 50 people were waiting for visas.
We met a Thai woman and her British husband (boyfriend?) who was doing the same thing as I was and they sort of took me under their wing. I do not think I could have survived without them. My director guy had to get back to Thailand and he was planning on leaving me alone in Laos until I could get my visa the following day. I would have also had to get the bus and go through customs alone and I know not a word of Loa. Soo this couple brought me to their hotel and got me a room and we spent the last two days together! He was about my parents age or so (late 40’s?) and she was in her thirties I think. It was certainly an interesting dynamic between the two of them but seemed to work for them. It was interesting to see them as there is such a negative connotation to the white or ‘farang’ men marrying Thai women. But they were great and I owe my entire Loa experience to them!
We got coffee several times a day (it was amazing) and walked up and down the banks of the Mekong, did some shopping in the market, got some wonderful food (just sticky rice and chicken but they know how to make food!). The hotel was awesome as well –a hot shower and AC…a huge luxury here! I hadn’t quite planned on staying overnight.. I really thougt our ‘negotiations’ would work so I didn’t quite have a change of clothes or anything, but of course it didn’t really matter.
We woke up today and did the same thing as yesterday – wandering the streets, chatting, eating and drinking coffee. They live in a place called Buriram (gotta check spelling on that one) and own 11 chickens. We had a funny conversation in which they said ‘fighting cockerals’ and I thought they were talking about ‘fighting cockroaches’. So we straightened that one out
They helped me get the bus from Savannakhet, Laos to Mukdahan, Thailand and then from Mukdahan to Nakhon Phanom. All in all, a crazy experience! I didn’t even know I was leaving until the night before…the night my housemates room flooded no less. I’m not sure I’ve ever had such a crazy few days but it’s all part of the experience and now I can say that I’ve been to Laos! Woohoo!
On another note, after I got back tonight my housemate, Kara, wasn’t back and I went to get food with Haley who lives in another part of the city. I got to take my new bike out and I’m slowly able to navigate the city. We ahd dinner and then walked the Night Market and I wanted to show her my place at Na Po Wo (the high school) aaand we got a little lost. So these three girls showed us back and it turns out that they were students at Na Po Wo! Hopefully I’ll run into them but it does happen to be a school of 2000 kids…
The internet is spotty at best so I’m writing this in a word document to post tomorrow! Hopefully by then I’ll have a better signal.
More about teaching to come – my second day begins tomorrow morning! Mostly observing, perhaps a few getting to know you activities.
Sweet dreams!
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