Also this weekend; my regular medical clinic and the washing
Sunday, 31 August 2014
at the temples this weekend ....
.... beautiful rainbows, laos people believe it's unlucky to point at rainbows, i said to the novices there's gold at the end of the rainbow and then they were gone!
Also this weekend; my regular medical clinic and the washing
Also this weekend; my regular medical clinic and the washing
visiting louksai BigVanh
working hard, asking difficult questions, practising what we've been learning, am proud of him
new puppies at Wat NaSong Wai
The villages give unwanted puppies and kittens to the temple and the novices look after them.
Their staple is sticky rice, these puppies haven't been potty trained yet, they were widdling all over me!
Their staple is sticky rice, these puppies haven't been potty trained yet, they were widdling all over me!
Laos language lessons
I'm learning Laos! It's not going very well
I have a great teacher, Sommai
But I'm a naughty student - I avoid (make him lunch), think it's ok to learn lying on the sofa - i fell asleep!
And it's so difficult - words have multiple meanings and 1 word in English translates to about 5 in Lao for example bye is pop gang mai, why can't it just be pop!
I have a great teacher, Sommai
But I'm a naughty student - I avoid (make him lunch), think it's ok to learn lying on the sofa - i fell asleep!
And it's so difficult - words have multiple meanings and 1 word in English translates to about 5 in Lao for example bye is pop gang mai, why can't it just be pop!
Monday, 25 August 2014
chanting tonight at Wat NaLuang
Great to visit the novice monks at Wat NaLuang this afternoon, they were curious to know how I found the boat racing festival and there's heaps of excitement about returning to school next week.
We read the Sunday papers, they asked lots of intellectual questions which I couldn't answer so suggested we look at the travel section, this led to a discussion about endangered rhinos, their horns are sold to Vietnam for medicinal potions making them more valuable than gold.
The bell rang signalling time for chanting, the novices dressed in full robes to pray to the Buddha, I sat at the back of the temple, tonight I simply relaxed and did yoga breathing exercises. The novices keep promising they'll teach me the words of their prayers and then i can join in, looking forward to that
We read the Sunday papers, they asked lots of intellectual questions which I couldn't answer so suggested we look at the travel section, this led to a discussion about endangered rhinos, their horns are sold to Vietnam for medicinal potions making them more valuable than gold.
The bell rang signalling time for chanting, the novices dressed in full robes to pray to the Buddha, I sat at the back of the temple, tonight I simply relaxed and did yoga breathing exercises. The novices keep promising they'll teach me the words of their prayers and then i can join in, looking forward to that
an evening stroll around my village, Ban Xieng Thong ....
.... the monks are getting ready to chant, the fishermen are relaxing in hammocks or playing pertonk and the shop-keepers are gearing up for the tourists
Sunday, 24 August 2014
boat racing festival day 1
There's been heaps of practicing in the last couple of weeks for the fiercely competitive boat racing festival. Villages from the surrounding area take part, the women prepare meals at the village hall or temple to fuel the 50 men in the boats. Crowds gather each day on the river banks to watch the training and discuss possible champions.
There was talk of forming an expat boat with us in dressing-up in drag (can't imagine who suggested that), maybe next year!
Day 1 of the festival was on the Meekong, Wendy's house is by the finish line, handy! she invited her friends and colleagues for a party - we shared home cooked food and beerlao
There was talk of forming an expat boat with us in dressing-up in drag (can't imagine who suggested that), maybe next year!
Day 1 of the festival was on the Meekong, Wendy's house is by the finish line, handy! she invited her friends and colleagues for a party - we shared home cooked food and beerlao
boat racing festival day 2 ....
.... is on the River Nam Kham
the boat racers gather early for blessings at the temple and a pre-race feed and a few bottles of Laos
red bull
the boat racers gather early for blessings at the temple and a pre-race feed and a few bottles of Laos
red bull
the crowds gather
the river banks were crowded and the market is full swing entertaining, feeding and watering
Saturday, 23 August 2014
I'm a phorh (dad)
I have a child, I'm very happy and very proud.
Dreams do come true, I finally have a son (louksai in laos)
His name is Novice Vanh, I've missed the terrible 2's and the teenaged ainxed years.
I met Novice Vanh when I was in Luang Prabang last year, he's great, is very bright, has fantastic English and is curious about the world. It was his 18th birthday when we were here in December, Karen and I bought him a cake, his first birthday cake, he was so happy and grateful. We were teaching in the evenings, we brought the cake the night before his birthday so he could it eat in the morning after the Alms ceremony. The novices can't eat after noon but Vanh waited until the evening to cut the cake so he could share with us.
Novice Vanh, like many other novice monks, has made sacrifices to be at the temple. Vanh has two years left at monk school, his family is poor, recently he told me he was considering leaving the temple as he needed to earn money. I think he has a big future, he talks about being a doctor and I was concerned he may miss out so I talked to Karen about sponsoring him, she agreed. We suggested that if he finished monk school by remaining at the temple, we would finance his university education. He took time to think things through and discuss it with his family, then sent me a message to come to the temple to talk. He greeted me with a huge smile, he was so happy to be given this opportunity and accepted our help.
I love talking to Vanh, he's very wise for an 18 year old and very respectful to the Buddha, he thinks deeply, talks about his emotions and how they affect others. After a couple of weeks I jokingly talked about feeling like his dad, Vanh was so pleased to hear this and said he had been waiting to hear these words. That was it, tears welling in my eyes, heart full of pride, I'm his 2nd dad and I have a boy, a child to nurture. Vanh says I have to learn more Loa so I can speak to his family, especially his real Dad who apparently is a real character, can't wait to meet them.
Dreams do come true, I finally have a son (louksai in laos)
His name is Novice Vanh, I've missed the terrible 2's and the teenaged ainxed years.
I met Novice Vanh when I was in Luang Prabang last year, he's great, is very bright, has fantastic English and is curious about the world. It was his 18th birthday when we were here in December, Karen and I bought him a cake, his first birthday cake, he was so happy and grateful. We were teaching in the evenings, we brought the cake the night before his birthday so he could it eat in the morning after the Alms ceremony. The novices can't eat after noon but Vanh waited until the evening to cut the cake so he could share with us.
Novice Vanh, like many other novice monks, has made sacrifices to be at the temple. Vanh has two years left at monk school, his family is poor, recently he told me he was considering leaving the temple as he needed to earn money. I think he has a big future, he talks about being a doctor and I was concerned he may miss out so I talked to Karen about sponsoring him, she agreed. We suggested that if he finished monk school by remaining at the temple, we would finance his university education. He took time to think things through and discuss it with his family, then sent me a message to come to the temple to talk. He greeted me with a huge smile, he was so happy to be given this opportunity and accepted our help.
I love talking to Vanh, he's very wise for an 18 year old and very respectful to the Buddha, he thinks deeply, talks about his emotions and how they affect others. After a couple of weeks I jokingly talked about feeling like his dad, Vanh was so pleased to hear this and said he had been waiting to hear these words. That was it, tears welling in my eyes, heart full of pride, I'm his 2nd dad and I have a boy, a child to nurture. Vanh says I have to learn more Loa so I can speak to his family, especially his real Dad who apparently is a real character, can't wait to meet them.
film stars
Novice Bigvanh and Novice Jasmine have had a busy week making a documentary about the lives of novice monks, next stop LuangPrabangWood
Friday, 22 August 2014
Kathrin
Kathrin is my neighbour, my yoga teacher and most importantly, my friend.
I met Kathrin last year when I was here teaching English to the novice monks, she was teaching yoga. I loved going to her classes as she was so calm and graceful, and radiated warmth and kindness.
When I returned this year I was really hoping Kathrin would still be living here, incredibly we are now neighbours, sharing our experiences. She's a a very special person, intelligent, thoughtful, sensitive, intuitive and funny.
She's heading off with her husband for a 3 week trip and I have the responsibility of looking after her 2 cats, thankfully more independent than a gerble, sorry again Jess.
Today was beautiful Kathrin's birthday, celebrations started in the morning and ran all day, great day eating, drinking, chatting, laughing, felt like it was my birthday too !
I met Kathrin last year when I was here teaching English to the novice monks, she was teaching yoga. I loved going to her classes as she was so calm and graceful, and radiated warmth and kindness.
When I returned this year I was really hoping Kathrin would still be living here, incredibly we are now neighbours, sharing our experiences. She's a a very special person, intelligent, thoughtful, sensitive, intuitive and funny.
She's heading off with her husband for a 3 week trip and I have the responsibility of looking after her 2 cats, thankfully more independent than a gerble, sorry again Jess.
Today was beautiful Kathrin's birthday, celebrations started in the morning and ran all day, great day eating, drinking, chatting, laughing, felt like it was my birthday too !
after 3 months i've finally started teaching .....
.... at the Laos Friends Hospital for Children.
The hospital opens in February 2015, the aim is to start with 50 clinicians, we have only recruited 15 Laotian staff so far, 11 nurses and 4 doctors. The other slight problem, our Lao staff's English is not at a level where we can teach medicine and my Laos extends to hello, days of the week and counting to 20.
So we're having intensive English lessons, 4 hours a day, I'm teaching the more advanced class and we quickly recruited an English teacher to teach the beginners.
I've realised you have to be adaptable when working with a NGO, teaching medicine is on hold temporarily but for now I'm very happy to be teaching, yipeee.
Relationships are building quickly, we're all having a blast, there's heaps of humour - we were using adjectives to describe patients at the hospital, one student said 'the dangerous patients', 'what' i squealed, 'will we have bodyguards!'
The hospital opens in February 2015, the aim is to start with 50 clinicians, we have only recruited 15 Laotian staff so far, 11 nurses and 4 doctors. The other slight problem, our Lao staff's English is not at a level where we can teach medicine and my Laos extends to hello, days of the week and counting to 20.
So we're having intensive English lessons, 4 hours a day, I'm teaching the more advanced class and we quickly recruited an English teacher to teach the beginners.
I've realised you have to be adaptable when working with a NGO, teaching medicine is on hold temporarily but for now I'm very happy to be teaching, yipeee.
Relationships are building quickly, we're all having a blast, there's heaps of humour - we were using adjectives to describe patients at the hospital, one student said 'the dangerous patients', 'what' i squealed, 'will we have bodyguards!'
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