I’m a bit late with this one but jet lag has really taken a toll on this 59-year-old lady. Today I have been in Laos a full week and am starting to feel back to my normal self

I’ve already had my Center visit, meeting the staff for the first time with a 1-hour Welcome meeting. Angie (from the Philippines), the current director, greeted me at the door and ushered me in. Also present were the 2-year Global Mission Fellows, Modester from Malawi and Afijul from West Africa. The two are finishing up the last of their volunteer service as teachers with the Center. They have 6 months to go.

Here we have my initial entrance. (Thanks to Amos, Angie’s son, for assistance in recording this.)

After this, we had a meal together before everyone bustled off to their offices to get to work.

As a new person to Laos and this job position, I will be taking time to adjust and get needed things done. Duties as the Center’s director will wait for now.

These next few weeks, I have numerous things on my “to-do” list: getting my permanent work visa processed, opening a Laos bank account, tagging along with Modester and Afijul as they teach their classes, learning how to once again drive a motorbike (i.e., scooter) as well as purchasing one since we have no public transportation here, plus just getting my feet on the ground a bit more.

Also included in the above will be enrollment into Laos language classes. Very few people here speak English. This is much like China, when I first arrived in that country 33 years ago. In fact, much of my time so far has been filled with nostalgic trips down my China memory lane. I am having flashbacks of so many of the same experiences I had those many years ago in Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi Province: No English signs in sight, pointing to things I wanted in the market, taking my life into my own hands when crossing the traffic-filled streets, trashy areas where rubbish was thrown about wherever . . . Wow. China is so different now but Laos certainly is not.

I’ll leave you here with these last images, including my gift to the staff: Hershey chocolates. Angie informed me that Laos people adore American chocolate but it’s very expensive here and also hard to find. As a good director passing on the baton to another, wanting to endear the staff to me, she suggested I bring some, which I did. Don’t we all look like we’ll have a great time as a team? I’d say so!