My New Apartment!

Posted on May 11, 2024 by connieinasia

It’s going on Week 3 since my move into my new apartment.

I’ve been searching for a more permanent place since January. I needed a new residence, one that would hold all my Covid-abandoned “stuff” that is still in China. My Australian friend (Geoff) and his Chinese wife (Snow, in a wheelchair after a debilitating stroke) continue to hold it all in a spare bedroom. I’ve been told it’s called “Connie’s Room,” as well it should be since it is literally stacked with over 30-years of overseas’ belongings (Yes, I’ve been doing this for 30 years now.)

My eventual hope is to return to China for a week to sort through everything, make “keep”, “discard” and “give-away” piles, hire a shipping company and have it all sent to Laos. I plan to do that this summer, after the Center’s term ends and I am freed up from my teaching duties. I’m finding as a director, there is less freedom to up and go whenever I want than there was when I was merely a teacher.

Ah, the responsibilities of being an administrator!

My apartment/house search took me to quite a few interesting places in the city. There are entire houses to rent, apartments and small rooms as well. I looked into houses but they were so palatial. Two stories, 3 or 4 bedrooms, several bathrooms, dining room, big kitchens, gates and walls, huge grassy, tree-filled yards. . . . I certainly didn’t need all that room. Plus many came with a lot of big furniture located in every room.

Most of the owners were not willing to empty out any rooms for my China things so that pretty much nixed that rental.

And I needed something near the Center, not a distant drive away.

I will say I almost was taken in by one house, down a dirt road with a mess of a yard and a nice porch area. It was too tiny for me and very rustic, with an outdoor kitchen (!) . . . . . .

BUT . . . . it came with a puppy. That was almost the selling point. (Ah, Connie and her love of strays.)

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The Win-Over

In the end, I wound up at a place I had passed numerous times to and from the Center. It had been advertised on a flimsy, faded plastic sign, dangling for over 3 months while I zipped by on my motorbike. I didn’t think much about heading down the paved alleyway to get there until I decided might as well take a look. My other searches were coming to no fruition. What could it hurt, a 30 second detour from work on my way home?

Detour I did and, after talking to a few of the expats who lived there, I learned from them the owner not only spoke fluent English but was very accommodating. I next contacted owner Sulisak for a walk-through of one of the 1st floor units.

What I found was excellent space, a completely empty bedroom (good for the China stuff), nice furnishings for living room and second bedroom, a very nifty enclosed wooden-floored garden area, washing machine and included was Wi-Fi, electricity and some cleaning if needed.

Nor did it take me long to make a decision. Sulisak told me he only had two apartments not yet taken. One on the 3rd floor (no elevator) and the one he was showing me. Hauling over 100 boxes of things from China to the third floor would be quite an undertaking for my movers, plus climbing myself 3 flights after a long day at work (in 100 degree weather) didn’t sound too pleasant to me. So I snatched up that 1st floor unit ASAP.

Here I am, giving Sulisak the “thumbs up” right before signing the contract.

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Check this out below and tell me what you think! Jackpot or not?


I’ve been working on the small garden area with plants I “borrowed” from the Center. We have hundreds of potted ones in the courtyard. Might as well give them a proper home with me.

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My New Neighbors: A World Community

Aside from the Laos apartment staff, who know me well for my overly friendly nature and pitiful Laos greetings, I have gotten to know families from all over the world: Sweden, Denmark, Korea, Japan, New Guinea . . . I’m the only American, which suits me just fine.

Today’s new addition to our outer area was this sweet gesture on behalf of two Swedish girls that I met the other day. We have a scroungy, thin, overly friendly kitty that hangs out with our gate keeper in the evenings. He meows his way around, including flopping in the entrance or winding his way around your legs when you disembark from your motorbike.

I parked my beloved blue Scoopy this afternoon and made sure to take the kids up on their offer to leave a little something for our resident stray: water and chicken bits.

With such thoughtful young neighbors, how can one go wrong in living here?

This is Connie in Laos, enjoying her new home (yes, air-conditioned!) with a grateful heart. (Below: My sign outside my apartment door)

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It’s 108 Degrees Fahrenheit!!

Posted on May 2, 2024 by connieinasia

It’s been a wicked last 10 days, with temperatures soaring above 100 for what I was told has been an unusual stretch for Laos.  In fact, this week the MOES (Ministry of Education and Sports) announced that schools without air-conditioning or fans would be allowed to close until temperatures started to dip into the 90’s. That’s expected to be next week.  A majority of the country’s local schools, especially those in the countryside, are not holding classes.  In the capital city, where conditions are better, schools are remaining open but most just have fans.  International schools, naturally, with all the expats’ children attending, are good to go. Their outstanding facilities include swimming pools, excellent classroom equipment, fully serviced cafeterias, bus pick-ups and drop-offs, teachers’ private car parking lots, gymnasiums and all else that overseas’ folk expect, in fact demand, for their children’s education.

For the average Laos child, as well as a Laos public school teacher or principal,  these  luxuries are something  achieved in dreams.  I pass by so many of the Laos struggling little schools every day on my motorbike as I weave in and out of traffic.  How grateful I am that my small Center, with all its upkeep problems and daily fix-it needs, does have working air-conditioners in every room.  Sure, the machines struggle to keep going in this heat but our inside 75-degree temperature is certainly better than outside’s 108! 

I heard Monday is to be rain, with a predicted 92.  Maybe some relief?  Let us hope so!

My Free Fridays:  Teaching at the Local Primary School

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Last week finished Grades 1 and 2 at the nearby primary school.  Every Friday, with either staff member Santi or Khambang as my translator, I give a 1-hour English lesson to every grade.  At first, this was to be for Grades 3-5 but the principal and I both felt that was rather unfair for Grades 1 and 2.  Thus we scheduled them in last week before the month of May began.  Here you can see the condition of the classroom but the energy and the enthusiasm of the students make up for the lack of equipment.  We were really hot last Friday as very little breeze was blowing through the room and the ceiling fans had an electrical issue.  Sure hope that got fixed this week!

A Challenging Time for Connie: Running the Center and Being The Only Teacher

Settling into my role as director has been such an inspiring and uplifting, yet stressful, experience. My weekly Monday meetings with staff Khamxay, Shanti, Khambang, Joan (bookkeeper, from the Philippines) and Afiju (teacher, from Sierra Leone) brings me such a feeling of accomplishment. We share our weekend happenings, our lists of get-things-done-for-the-week, address problems, reach solutions, volunteer for duties . . . When those meetings end at noon, we walk away knowing who is doing what as well as never feeling overwhelmed that our plates are too full. We feel free to turn to one another for help, which we do on a regular basis.

The new 3-month term for the Center’s fee-paying classes began last week with 7 new students. My Junior High and Elementary school children’s class picked up 4 students.

The adult classes picked up 3. While I take over the younger students, Afiju , from Sierra Leone, takes care of the adults. However, he will be completing in 3 weeks his semi-volunteer 2-year role as a Global Missions Fellow (GMF) . In June, Afiju is returning to his home country and I will be receiving another GMF to take over his position. The only problem is that person will not be arriving until August. As he will be new to Laos, and to teaching English, I don’t expect him to be able to take over duties immediately.

This leaves me being the only English teacher at the Center.

I will most likely be making some difficult choices: which classes can continue under my instruction, which ones will have to be postponed until the new term begins (September) and what ones can later be added with a young person who is not a professional teacher.

I have so many new, innovative and different kinds of classes to entice people to try us out. “Learn to write and illustrate a children’s book”, “English through Acting”, “Games and Activities: Workshops for the Laos English Teacher”, “Create and Present: A full Powerpoint Course for your Professional or Personal Needs,” “Parents and Kids: Learn English Together!”

These are courses for the future. While I might have to put them on hold for awhile, they are certainly on my top priority list. Let’s see how many I can get off the ground in a year.

Money Issues: Repairs made, Equipment purchased, Building Items Fixed but Income Waning

Then there are the issues of Center funding to keep us afloat.

At present, I have some very strong supporters in America who have graciously given to the Suntisouk Language and Vocational Center (SLVC) through what is known as Advance donations. With these donations, I’ve managed to accomplish a lot: Removal and trimming of rotted trees as well as roof cleaning ($130), rewiring and repair of all dangerous electrical wiring ($65), fixing my molded office ceiling and leak ($45), purchasing of finger-recognition check-in for staff, 2 office computers with Word licensing, a classroom projector, a whiteboard, 5 bulletin boards, office cell phone, filing cabinet and a printer (@$1,700) and necessary office supplies on a monthly basis (usually about $50). See the below slideshow of YOUR dollars at work here!

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Then we have trash pick-up, drinking water delivery, and electricity and water bills to take care of.

Do I dare mention the monthly taxes which all businesses are required to pay along with yearly taxes as well? Last year, the taxes amounted to $2,100. How those were paid for with so few classes being offered last year, I have no idea.

More To Come!

As you can see, we are making great progress at the Center all due to continued monetary support and interest which so many of you have shown since I arrived. I’ve only been here since December 6 and already, there is a brighter mood, a more hopeful outlook and a whole lot of joyful laughter in the office.

Get this! The highlight for me was receiving a “nothing” USA packet which I sent myself as an experiment to see if it would get to me. Well, yesterday it arrived . . . . 5 months later.

Better late than never, right?

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Laos Critters: A New Experience

Posted on April 15, 2024 by connieinasia

“Why is there a black billiard ball in my bathroom?” I wondered, looking down at a rounded thing next to the broom and dustpan sitting nearby the toilet.

I went in for a closer look when. . . poof!!

That ball suddenly enlarged itself and got a whole lot bigger.

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Welcome to Laos, home of all sorts of interesting critters which fascinate and intrigue.

My guest was what is known as a banded bullfrog. A quick search on the Internet found this description on Wikipedia:

“The banded bullfrog (Kaloula pulchra) is a species of frog in the narrow-mouthed frog family Microhylidae. Native to Southeast Asia, it is also known as the Asian painted frog, digging frog, Malaysian bullfrog, common Asian frog, and painted balloon frog. In the pet trade, it is sometimes called the chubby frog. Adults measure 5.4 to 7.5 cm (2.1 to 3.0 in) and have a dark brown back with stripes that vary from copper-brown to salmon pink.”

Poor little guy was obviously scared out of its wits. I had no idea how it got into my home, which is well-sealed from any such reptilian intrusions. Aside from the geckos, which can slither under doorways, this puffed-up bullfrog was a mystery.

I managed to scoop him up, carried him outside and deposited him in a shaded area where he could easily find shelter from the sizzling sun.

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Another Surprising Entity

Wouldn’t you know it, as soon as I walked back to my open doorway another fascinating insect appeared alongside the pool. After taking several pictures, I hightailed it back inside to find out just what kind of insect I was looking at.

This is a water scorpion. My research resulted in the following:


“An underwater predator, the water scorpion hides among dead leaves where it waits to ambush its prey (such as tadpoles and small fish) with its grabbing pincer-like legs. It is known to bite, but its not very painful for humans. It lives in still-water ponds and lakes, and is common around the shallow edges of garden ponds. It is not a true scorpion and is a poor swimmer, preferring to move by walking. Mating takes place in spring and the females lay their eggs at night among algae or plants just below the surface of the water. The larvae hatch and progress to adulthood through a series of moults known as an ‘incomplete metamorphosis’

One interesting fact concerning this one: “The long ‘tail’ of the water scorpion is actually a siphon used for breathing: it protrudes above the water’s surface and acts just like a snorkel.”

Another Inside Visitor

I realize a majority of people don’t care for such creatures but for me, I’ve always found them fascinating. This goes for the scurrying, long-legged big guy who was climbing up my walls in the bedroom. With broom and dustpan, I managed to get him out the door into the sunshine.

What was it? Take a look!

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Here we have what is known as the Giant Huntsman Spider – Heteropoda maxima.

This is one of the largest spiders in the world (going by leg length) and lives solely in Laos. It can have a leg span of up to 30 centimeters (11 inches).

My research reported the following: “The giant huntsman spider is found in Laos, and is believed to be a cave dweller because of its pale color, long legs and special hairs on the second foot of the male. There is no apparent reduction of the eyes, possibly because the species lives near cave entrances.”

Not sure why it was in my apartment, which is certainly not a cave-dwelling environment, but in my apartment it was.

He (or she) was a fast one, too, but I managed to get this arachnid outside into the sunshine where it sat, a tad stunned, until whisking itself away into the shade of a nearby potted plant.

My Favorite: The House Gecko

Spiders, toads, scorpions . . . .Of all my new-found Laotian life forms , if I had to choose a favorite, it would be the gecko. Ants a problem? Mosquitos? Gnats? Flies? Cockroaches? Water bugs?

The house gecko of Laos is a fast one, plastered against the wall and hovering around bright lights where fluttering insect feasts are to be had.

The Suntisouk Center is full of these Gekkonidae (scientific name), scampering up the walls of my office or gathered nightly outside the outer corridor where strong lights attract all sorts of bugs. In my home, the geckos sometimes chirp their contentment while getting rid of those pesky mosquitos that buzz around my head late at night. Definitely a welcome presence in my home, much more than the spiders, toads and scorpions.

So how about you all? Anyone fancy one of my Laos visitors? Or are you busy with your own captivating critters to deal with?

Here’s hoping your week is as happy as mine: It’s Laos New Year holidays! I have a full week off for myself and the staff, which I will say is much deserved.

More on that for my. next entry. Visit my site again soon!

Connie in Vientiane

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A Hail Storm Surprise

Posted on April 6, 2024 by connieinasia

“Oh!! Oh!! Oh!!” Santi exclaimed, standing at the glass doorway leading onto the outside corridor.

Staff member Santi, whose hours are from 11 – 7 p.m. at the Center, and I were in the office, waiting for those last 2 hours to end. The other 4 staff members had left already. I usually am hanging out until 7 – 8 p.m. as I have so much work to do.

Santi’s exclamation caught me off-guard as thunder, lightening and then a gigantic tornado-style wind sent leaves, tree branches, our trash cans and potted plants flying around our cement courtyard. Then came pelting sounds hitting our tiled roof.

Marble sized hail!

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And then ……CRASH!!

The courtyard rotted-out tree cracked in two and down it came, just missing the recently-purchased second-hand van.



In fact, Santi had just moved it not more than 10 minutes before as it was blocking the view of the gate. We like to see who is coming and going. Had it stayed where it was, I dread to think what would have happened. This vehicle, which is not really ours but we can use it when necessary, totally destroyed.

My own beloved midnight blue Scoopy, which is only 3 months old, was likewise being pelted by icy circles of hail. Santi was the one who held me back from racing out to move it, which is a good thing as hail can be pretty damaging, especially on people.

Naturally, we excitedly whipped out our cell phones and began recording. This phenomenon is so rare in Laos where our temperatures sore daily into the 100s. Yes, it’s VERY hot here.

The Aftermath

The storm didn’t last long but the mess it left behind is taking the entire week to clear up.

Santi and I had fun searching out mangos from the tall trees and filling bags of those.

There was no way to deal with the fallen tree immediately so we just walked around it. We tisked, muttered, moaned and groaned over the amount of time this would take to clean up. I was concerned as classes began on Monday. Having a huge tree, palm branches everywhere, leaves and branches spread throughout the compound didn’t look very good for our Center.

Already, the place was falling down around my ears needing so many repairs and new office supplies. Having even further damage aired so openly and publicly didn’t make for a very prosperous image.

The Clean-up

Santi had an idea to call the owner and find out if there were any tree folk around or a Laos hiring company that could take care of this quickly. The owner recommended someone but refused to pay so that came out of our SLVC bank account.

For 800,000 Kip ($35, which is a fairly substantial amount of money), the person Santi called said he’d come right away the next day to begin clean-up.

What a relief for Director Connie!

A Pitiful Sight, Every Day

But seeing the tree removed proved more a burden to my heart than I could have ever imagined.

Saturday brought over an older man, all by himself, with a beat-up truck, to deal with the fallen tree by himself. His son was not able to help. That first day, his chainsaw broke due to the thickness of the trunk.

He began with the smaller branches, hacking at those with a machete, before leaving that first day after loading up a truckload of branches.

Sunday was Easter Sunday and the Center had no one here to let him in.

Monday, he returned and spent the entire day in the hot sun, slowly sawing away at the trunk. We encouraged him to drink from our water dispenser. On several occasions, when he went out for lunch, he brought back cups of iced-down Pepsi.

Those drinks are not cheap here in Laos and having so little money already, he must have been treating himself as the job was so very big for just one person.

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A full week later

It is a full week later. Our tree removal man has only a small piece of the trunk left. I was here last evening until 8 p.m., after my children’s class finished, and watched as Lelaine helped him finish up sweeping the rest of the leaves and twigs away. Lelaine stays here in one room for free. She is from the Philippines and teaches at a local school during the day while diligently taking care of the Center’s outside needs. She is the one to protectively guard us, lock the gate at night, open it in the morning, deal with filling trash bags for garbage pick-up, sweep the porch area, unlock and lock doors to all the classrooms, plus just make sure we are somewhat safe from any nefarious people or unusual weather events.

These are the last pictures from yesterday evening. He will be returning either later today or tomorrow to finish up the last of the trunk.

A Note of Cultural Differences

When I mentioned to my Laos office staff that he had worked so hard and I’d be sure to give him a tip, they looked at me blankly.

What’s that?

I explained when someone worked very hard, we often gave extra money to show our appreciation.

I received many frowns of disagreement and disdain for my idea.

“Let him clean out the back of the hall,” one responded rather heartlessly. “He can clean that and then you can give him the extra money.”

The back of the hall was filled with palm branches, twigs, and piles of dried leaves. After his back-breaking labor for 6 days, he was expected to clear out more to receive $13 more?

“Yes!” was the consensus of the group. “Let him clean out the back. He accepted the job. He needs to do more if you give him more money.”

I thought on this for a moment.

“I absolutely agree,” I piped up. “You are all very wise. I am just a foreigner and I’m new to Laos. You can help me learn more about the customs. I need to be careful with my money.”

My office staff smiled and nodded at my prudent decision, all instigated by their careful guidance of clueless Connie.

I in turn smiled, headed out the door, caught the man outside the gate, ….and gave him his tip.


Connie in Laos

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The SLVC Facebook Page is Humming!

Posted on March 23, 2024 by connieinasia

My fantastic Laos staff has been busy.

Our Facebook page has exploded in pictures and videos taken by Khamxay and Santi during the courses we 3 teachers hold: Afiju (Village chiefs, college students), Amos (college students, young adults) and myself (elementary and junior high).

Take a look! You can see us in action.

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Due to the Center’s location, rather hidden down a narrow alleyway, and a 2-year hiatus due to Covid, getting back on track has been hard. The previous director, Angie, did her best but things just weren’t picking up until my arrival.

I have now added a junior high class of 6

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And my elementary school students have increased from 4 to 7.

Director Duties: So Busy!

My director duties have led me down some interesting pathways. Mostly, Center repair and clean-up. We have had very limited funding and this has allowed the Center to become somewhat of a safety hazard, not only for the staff but our students as well.

My list of woes are as follows: The roof is leaking (rain has a moldy hole formed above my office desk), plumbing problems (dripping faucets, unusable toilets, broken pipes), electrical issues (we almost had a fire in the larger room assembly hall – sparks flew from the ceiling lights!) and numerous other things.  The electrician came and we are in the process of having all 8 classrooms, office spaces and assembly hall  taken care of.  Next will be plumbing and then the big project of the roof.

A Productive Clean-out

         The staff and I spent an entire day, in nearly 100 degree weather, cleaning out the storage room.  Broken computers, legless chairs, cords and wires, rusted machinery items,  stacks of wet papers, glass panels without frames, huge wooden boards, hundreds of tools and mechanical shop items.

I learned that 4 years ago, the Center was in another location and had tried to create a mechanic’s repair course for motorcycles and small engines. A huge amount of money was used but the course was a failure, due to few students and not a proper garage-type set-up to teach such vocational skills. When the Center moved to the current location, all those items were transported to where we are now and the stuff shoved into a tiny room (along with everything else) where it had remained, untouched, all this time. Not on my watch!

As director, I made an executive decision to empty out the room, keep the expensive equipment (of which there was a lot) to sell and all the broken things would be hauled off to the landfill, most likely.

Here is our lovely storage room now.

That clean-out included lunch on me at a local restaurant and a final exhausting sit-down to fresh mango dropped from our courtyard tree.

What a relief for me when the salvage guy came yesterday, looked over the outer courtyard things we lined up, offered us a price and off it all went.   We received $50 for the steel items. More money for the Center!

Hallelujah!

And on that last note, I’ll close this off, wildly waving my palm branches high and with great joy in honor of our Palm Sunday tomorrow.

From Laos, signing off with a grateful heart.

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A Split in the Laos Team’s Location

Posted on March 8, 2024 by connieinasia

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My role as director took a somewhat official turn not long ago. 

 I’ve been getting my feet on the ground for 3 months now, just figuring out all that needs taken care of.  There’s a lot! 

 Angie , former director, will be taking over a different aspect of our service in Laos (that of women).  Her son, Amos along with Modester, are working on the youth.  Daniel  continues with his constant traveling to work with CHAD (Community Health and Development projects.). His work highlights village visits with Laos staff to establish water wells, toilets, help with raising animals as income and applying for other means to help rural communities.  (That’s just a small part of his presence here)

For a very long time, the Language Center has been the office and meeting space  for all projects here.  It’s been crowded but cozy and has allowed me to truly get a good grasp on all that we do here, not to mention getting to know people on a more personal basis.

Well, things have changed.

The 6 Laos staff and book keeper Joan (from the Philippines) have now been split up, with a big move to the office buildings next to the  church a majority of us attend, the one 35 minutes away by motorbike. 

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This decision was to allow the Center to receive more classroom space and concentrate only on education,  not  other  outreach projects in Laos.

It was rather an interesting, rushed move, swiftly done in a morning with a majority of the furniture left at the Center.  My biggest worry had been  that I’d lose some of  “my” 49 stackable chairs in the entire center which I needed for the Sing in English Friday afternoon with the grade school children.  What a relief that Angie, bless her, said to keep the Center chairs and they’d borrow from the church a few chairs so staff have something to sit on. (As you can see, I need my chairs!)

Lunch is On Connie!

Thursday saw us all together for the last time as Angie. Daniel and others dug through cabinets, moved files into boxes, grabbed office desks needed, loaded up one working computer and a bookshelf or two.  Friday was the big move in the morning with my afternoon with the kids.  There would be no time to truly have a moment of a last team farewell so on Thursday, it was all out to eat at a nearby open-street restaurant, on Connie!

For just 310,000 Kip ($15.00), we had a substantial meal. 

What did we have?

Tiny, thin  Khamxay, my wonderful office manager, gobbled down a plateful of rice topped with meat and egg.  Others enjoyed a huge bowl of noodle soup with veggies and pork hunks thrown in.  I had an all-vegetarian soup which the owner graciously created just for me.  

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And as a added bonus for our patronage, the our cook threw in a heaping plate of pork bones which she uses to create the lovely broth all her soups come in.  

With enthusiasm, several dug in to grab up  and gnaw away at the left-over fat and meat still clinging to the osseous matter.

Nor did the Laos joy end there.  

Several of the staff have dogs at home.  Plastic bags were filled with the remains of the bone pile.  These were hung on motorbike handlebars for after-work delivery, with the drive being between 30 – 45 minutes to where a majority of the staff live.  I could just imagine some very excited and appreciative canines, enjoying the leftovers of  lunch on Connie.

How very pleased I was to have our Laos joy spread both near and far.  

The New Routine

At present, the two locations have the Laos staff spending some time with me, other times at the distant office.

Khamxay, my administrative officer, and I are 5 days a week in the Center.

 Monday, Tuesday and Friday, we are joined by bookkeeper Joan, material translator (among other duties)  Khambang and spoken/report writer and  translator for CHAD, Santi.  Santi’s hours are from 11 – 7 p.m., which gives Khamxay ability to leave at 5 while Santi remains behind to help with Laos-speaking parents or newcomers studying at the Center.

Two other staff  remain at the second office 5 days a week:  Nyai, our treasurer, and Chantao, also with CHAD.

New Equipment Needed

With this split in office came a split in equipment and some office furnishings. You can see below what left the Center and what I will be needing to replace.

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The  items of greatest need at the Center:  Another motorbike for staff use as we lost 2 to the other office; Office book shelves to store all the Center folder reports; a desktop  computer (we now  only have 1 for office use, which can’t be shared among 3 people, obviously); cork bulletin boards for every classroom;  a Center-only updated cell phone (no landlines here –  Khamxay has often been using his  private phone for people to call concerning Center business and signing up for courses); a cabinet of some sort for Connie.  My office needs a larger space for storing items in.  I just have a small one, which is doable for now but I need something bigger.

The numerous dollars many of you readers have given through the Center’s  donation number, what we call the Advance within the United Methodist Church,  is going to allow me to get the computer and cellphone fairly quickly.  We’ve already been shopping for prices.  Next week, I will request the funds from our treasurer and complete the necessary paperwork of purchasing. See below what we enjoyed scouting out at both the computer store and the D-mart, which is similar to our USA Walmart.

Shopping in the D-mart
Shelves needed for file storing
Bulletin boards
Laptop computer store visit

Closing Off

Yes, as you can see, so many exciting things happening here.  Stay tuned for more “settling in” posts.  I always enjoy sharing.  

Connie in Laos

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From Laos, Suntisouk Center News: Word is Spreading!

Posted on March 2, 2024 by connieinasia

Connie and LMI staff

Yes, folks, word is spreading! 

It’s been 2 weeks since my last post and I must say, news from here is uplifting and positive.

  14 new students at various levels and ages have joined our different classes.  We have 3 more additional village chiefs in our free class offered to those particular officials.  We have 2 new beginning level adults, sisters who want to learn English as one will be going to America to marry a Hmong-American Hmong, by the way, is an ethnic minority in Asia, being one of the more prevalent in Laos. The young man has been looking for a wife.  (From what I understand, the families of the couple involved knew one other so set up a meet-and-greet of sorts from afar. The girl is waiting for visa and documentation approval, which takes up to a year or longer.)  I gained 2 children in my elementary school class.   

Furthermore, I have just started a junior high school class of 5 which hopefully will grow. While the little kids are endearing, they can be a handful so teaching at a higher level than elementary education has become a refreshing experience.

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This news is exciting but as the director, it also is a bit worrying.  We only have 3 continuously active English teachers:  Afiju (Sierre Leone, our Global Mission Fellow who will leave in June), Amos (Philippines, former director’s son) and myself.  Modester (Malawi, also a GMF) teaches 1 1/2 hours every morning at a local kindergarten but is mostly engaging in the LMI (Laos Mission Initiative) youth and young adults programs. She will be taking on no new teaching assignments and also is leaving in June.

With limited educators, private classes of one or two students is not something we can do on a regular basis for the future.  I am working on advertising for larger classroom settings, which means better time management for us teachers, more money for Center repairs (so many in this OLD complex we are renting) and supplies. 

Why Word is Spreading 

 My guess is the free “Let’s Sing in English!” event which has been going on now for 3 weeks, every Friday afternoon from 4-5 p.m.  Originally, this was to be a 6-7 p.m. event but let me explain what happened to that evening time slot.

I mentioned that there were several elements involved in the start of this idea I had, which began 7 weeks ago.  First was creating fliers in both Laos and English.  My great administrative officer, Khamxay, did an excellent job of putting those together for me and copying. 

Next was the appointed visits to our village chief, with me carrying a gift basket put together by the staff.  To save money, we bought goodies separately at the grocery, hauled out used baskets gifted to me and Angie for Christmas and then the staff packed the baskets to make them look nice. 

What goes in a gift basket?  Ours included:  cookies, Ovaltine (very popular in Laos), fruit juice container, Nescafe instant coffee , tea bags and a few other interesting items.   

Angie, former director who has moved into the Laos women’s leadership training role, brought me both to visit our village chief  for a personal meet-and-greet as well as including a nearby elementary school principal.   

Both were very receptive of our presence.  The staff translated.  We shared our concerns for education among the Laos people.  The village chief and principal both responded positively to our hoped-for attendance of the event.  Our fliers were left with both and I had a feeling of great confidence that the 6-7 p.m. timeslot would go over well. 

Principal Calls with Suggestion 

It was the elementary school principal who called with a request:  Can we separately do the Let’s Sing in English from 4-5 for 3 of her grades?  Every week for 3 weeks, the teachers could walk the students over after their class ended at 4.  We’d do Grade 5 first, then Grade 4 and Grade 3. 

What a wonderful idea!  I absolutely agreed and felt this would be a good opportunity for me to practice first with the kids and then adjust for the 6-7 p.m. timeslot. 

Lots of Careful Prep Work means Lots of Success 

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Our first Friday event had me  and the staff scrambling to get 51 chairs in place.  We have only 49  stackable chairs in the entire Center.  I raced around, grabbing every chair out of the classrooms and moving them into the main hall with the help of the staff.  We cleaned the hall floors, turned on the air-con for comfort, and set up the PPT projector which had to be brought from the classroom.  Then we had the sound system as well to check.  We got the hall bathrooms into working order, swept the outside courtyard and prepared cookie snacks for the children after their visit with us. 

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We threw open the sliding gate at 3:40 after we were informed the students were on their way and we waited anxiously.  Here they are below.

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In they came, shy at first but eager to learn and with so many smiles. After our warm-up exercises, our English chant practice,   movement song time, group work and eventual volunteer performances, they were energized and ready to learn more.   

Their teachers, including the principal who joined as well, grandly participated along with the little ones.  In other words, fun was had by all. 

Our elementary school 4- 5 p.m.  session continued onward for the next 2 Fridays with Grades 4 and 3. I made some adjustments as the English levels required which worked out extremely well.  

What a great connection for my very first Center outreach program!   Here are some visuals of the 3 visits we had.

Don’t think that was all me, however.  All the Center staff were involved, including former director Angie, to help usher students in and out, help with the PPT, set up the chairs, lead students to and from the bathroom, monitor group work, give verbal translations and make sure children received their cookie snacks we provided after they ended their time with us. 

6-7 p.m. Public Invitation:  A bust 

I had had great hopes of that 6 – 7 p.m. public invite.  I was ready to go after the elementary kids left that first Friday.  The staff graciously hung in there after hours to help. We repositioned chairs, swept the floor again, checked the bathrooms, kept the air-con running, waited by the gate for the next wave to come and . . . . 

No one. 

Only my private class of 6 elementary school kids came since their parents were told no class but we’d have singing night. 

Due to this, I ended up teaching them a regular evening class with the hopes that maybe next week would be different. 

It wasn’t.  Nor was the 3rd week any more successful.  I quickly learned that Friday night, people are tired and want to begin their weekend, not come to an English language event at a small, unknown, hard-to-find language center. 

I ended up sending the staff home at 5 p.m., much to their happiness, and we decided to nix the Friday evening Let’s Sing in English event.  

The elementary school I hope will continue, repeating again Grades 5, 4 and 3 with new songs and activities.  This will be done as long as the principal wants us to continue.  I am waiting to hear of her decision at present.

In Closing: Check out the Center’s Facebook Page! 

I have more ideas stirring about in my head for large invite gatherings. As a newbie to Laos, it will be a matter of listening to staff suggestions, asking locals what they are interested in, figuring out what’s doable and experimenting.

In the meantime, please check out the Facebook page of the Center.

https://www.facebook.com/suntisouklvc

These amazing posts are currently being done by Khamxay, my stalwart administrative officer whose many duties keep him incredibly busy.  He’s also taking business classes in the evenings at a college very near the Center.  How he continues daily with such a kind, joyful, enthusiastic and willing spirit is beyond me.  I’m guessing a large part of that is that he’s a Christian, not to mention an unpaid pastor along with his dad at a countryside church outside of the city.   

Every day I’m here, I learn more and more about the strong commitment of my Center staff to education and serving others.  They are so inspiring!  With such an uplifting group, and with so many overseas supporters such as yourselves who follow this site, how can we possibly fail? 

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Village Chiefs in Laos

Posted on February 12, 2024 by connieinasia

I believe I mentioned in a previous post about village chiefs. Here I’d like to expand a bit more.

I remember several conversations with Angie, former Director of the Suntisouk Language and Vocational Center, concerning this topic. When she began talking of our visits to Laos village chiefs, I had visions of elderly men, sitting in grass huts, wearing traditional native outfits and being in distant countryside areas. To me, the words “village” and “village chief” brought up images of the below Laos landscape:

And while the above is true for distant remote areas, as the 60-people community I visited shows above, in cities and towns, it’s a bit different.

Villages in Vientiane

 For urban and larger town settings, a village (under Laos Communist Party guidelines) is somewhat like a USA city precinct with the Village Chief taking on the role of something between a precinct committeeman and a mayor. The appointment is made by Party members of that village who elect someone to be the chief. Candidates have to have been a Party Member for at least 3 years, be between the ages of 21 – 60 and have lived in the village for at least 2 years. 

Meeting the New Village Chief

The structure of government is very organized and clearly stated. 

 In fact, I found out just how structured a few weeks ago when our Center was personally invited by official invitation to attend the welcoming in ceremony of our new village chief. This is the first time the Suntisouk Language and Vocational Center’s foreigners (Angie from the Philippines, myself as an American and Daniel Yang, a Hmong-American) have ever been invited to such an event. In fact, it’s the first time any foreigners at all have been extended such an honor. Even the overseas residents from the nearby international school, French Embassy, international business ventures and also foreign restaurants weren’t invited.  In the 7 years the Center has been in existence, Angie mentioned (as director) we also were never included in such an important community gathering, thus making this first time so very, very special.

Here are pictures from the 2 1/2 hour introduction as well as meet-and-greet of our newly appointed village chief.

I learned the following about my village, Thongkang.

  1. A village is comprised of 20 or more households or a population of 100 co-existing people in the same area.
  2. My village’s name is Thongkang. It is comprised of 441 households and 2,110 people (I’m now one of them!)
  3. Our Vientiane district is called Sisattanak. It has 73 villages. Thongkang is one of them.
  4. 30% of households in my village are making improvements to their houses or are building new additions to beautify their homes.
  5. If someone dies in the village, 3 million Kip ($136 US) is given to the family as a memorial gift from the village chief’s office on behalf of the village.

Why were we Invited, the only foreigners?

The Center is giving free classes to any village chief or his/her staff who are interested in learning English to communicate with their foreign expats in their neighborhoods. We have so many here from all over the world, not to mention the many international schools that the kids go to. The big cities in Laos, especially here in Vientiane, are swarming with foreigners and foreign visitors.  Our village chief and staff class is very small (only 4) but it has helped us gain a reputation as wanting to help others.

As you can see, it pays to have students in high places! Our village deputy chief leaders and those who hold posts in our neighborhood Communist Party appreciate this opportunity to learn, share and understand those from other cultures through language. 

The above ladies have English skills from basic A-B-Cs (unable to read) to simple conversational skills. Their busy schedules, taking care of community duties and also families, often have them coming later than their 5 – 6:30 timeslot. Despite being tired and exhausted after a long day, they rush on their scooters to attend class. I am not their regular teacher but I do spend time with them before my primary school kids start at 5:30.  Getting to know them on a personal level is a rewarding and eye-opening, especially for me as a newcomer to Laos. 

I am hoping, as the word gets out, that more of our local leaders will join in. Already, two have invited those from other villages to join us. Little by little, this class will grow. You wait and see!

My next entry? 

Stay tuned for my personal visits to our village chief to welcome him into his new position, introduce myself and advertise our Center as a service-oriented establishment. Also included in the next entry will be my visit to the nearby primary school, where the principal’s request of furthering our relationship proved to be a lifesaver. (Watch this space for the marvelous story, with pictures to follow.)

May peace and joy surround you in all your endeavors this week. I know this is already proving true for me.

  

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One of my greatest supporters, Searoba, leaves this world

Posted on February 3, 2024 by connieinasia

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One truly heartwarming treasure of being in this kind of service to others is that of incredible friendships.  I have so many, with memories that I hold dear along with pictures of those who have already left this world or who are still with me, to send emails, text messages or cards. I’m the kind of person who takes these relationships as gifts from God, meaning they are not to be dismissed with a terse “thank you” or a passing thought. 

No, I hold very close to my heart all who enter my life in such a way. Really!!

And I know that when meeting you all while in America, especially if I’m leaving for an extended period of time, and for those who are getting up there in years, this might be our last time together.

That was the case with 94-year-old Searoba Mascher, from my hometown church in Marshall, Illinois.

A Name to Be Remembered

Already, I can feel you readers looking at that title and wondering, “Why in the world would someone name their child such a strange name? Does it have anything to do with the Sears and Roebuck catalog of old?”

And the answer would be, yes!

I remember asking Searoba such a question while in the church office where she was helping me put together my latest newsletter. She explained the Sears & Roebuck catalog was her mom’s favorite. It was a staple in the family for finding and purchasing so many wonderful items. With great ingenuity, her mom combined the two together to create, indeed, a unique and unforgettable name: Searoba.

Now, of course, we have Amazon. Over 100 years ago? Sears and Roebuck. These examples would have been during Searoba’s toddler years. I include them below. My, have styles have changed!

One wonders if, years from now, someone will name their child Amazon with the same sort of sentimental fondness toward buying as Searoba’s mom did toward Sears & Roebuck.

My Posted Condolences For Searoba

With our online capabilities to send condolences on funeral home sites, this is the one I posted after hearing of one of my greatest supporters having passed.  I include it here:

In so many continents, world countries, and I would guess in just about every US state, there is someone whose life has been touched by Searoba and whose memories of her have been firmly imprinted on his or her heart.  Her unique gift to bring people together, from overseas guests  to those in our United Methodist church community as well as the many organizations she diligently participated in, is truly that:  a gift.   I personally experienced that gift the past 4 years of being “stuck” in Marshall, unable to return to my church placement  due to Covid.  This delay offered numerous opportunities  for me to talk to Searoba on a more personal basis. We spoke in the church office, fellowship time over coffee, in the pews before or after worship, at the ice cream socials when she was scooping out ice cream or at the cashier’s box,  in the Marshall UMC kitchen when she was cooking, delivering items  or serving. . .  Every conversation we had revealed something new about the woman who so  faithfully and prayerfully led a strong life of service.  I learned how she received her name, her childhood adventures in a by-gone era of rural farm living,  her spearheading efforts (including the grant proposal writing) to establish Lincoln Trail College’s study program center and about her many travels with husband Clyde as well as the task of taking care of him as his life ended.  It was quite astounding to listen to her never-ending baking sprees for whatever function lay in her pathway, or tales of her many outings and hostings of foreign exchange students, including  visits to their home countries, when possible.  Our last conversation in December, 4 days before I left for Southeast Asia, was her interest in my upcoming placement. She was such a blessing and great contributor to mission projects and missionaries, myself included. Searoba, your physical presence will be greatly missed but in so many hearts and minds, you will live on forever and ever. Heartfelt prayers sent to family and friends,  from Connie in Laos.   

Here are a few pictures I compiled. Not sure which of those goodies is Searoba’s but she was known for whipping up whatever was needed. 

The Obituary Itself

The obituary doesn’t do her justice but here it is for all the cut-and-dry details of one of my greatest supporters, Searoba Mascher. Her funeral is today and while I’m nowhere nearby where I can attend, I certainly am with her family and others in spirit and thought.

http://pearceobits.casketpics.com/obituaries/searoba-m.-mascher

A Cherished Snapshot

Here is my last photo of us all together at my farewell tea, held by Mary Ann Stepp in her home. L-R: Searoba (seated), me, my mom Priscilla, Bev (seated) and Mary Ann. A blessed gathering, a blessed memory.

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My Midnight Blue Honda Scoopy

Posted on January 27, 2024 by connieinasia

Evading collisions.  Dodging potholes. Plowing through dust clouds. 

Early Sunday morning, I zip along the city and countryside roads on my way to church. The 35-minute journey on my midnight blue motor scooter, the Honda Scoopy, is a long and challenging one but the 2-hour worship service and lunch afterwards with my newfound brothers and sisters in Christ is the reward.  And what a joyful reward it is! 

Finally, I am able to get around on my own without depending on Modester, my Malawi neighbor and colleague, to haul me around on the back of her motorbike.

The Search for Transportation

There are so many bike shops and big dealerships throughout the city of Vientiane. Which one is the best? Which has the biggest selection? What brand should I get? What kind of price am I looking at?

When taking on such a purchase venture, it’s always best to have a local. Not only that but foreigners are not able to buy vehicles on their own. The license and ownership documents must list a Laos person. Among the Suntisouk Language and Vocational Center staff, the one who is my go-to guy is Khamxay (pronounced kahm-tsigh).

Khamxay, community coordinator

This able young man is always the one in the Center to do all the foreign teachers’ needs: registering us for employment, helping to process our visas, assisting in opening our new bank accounts, copying any classroom materials we might need, creating fliers for special Center events, advertising us on Facebook to increase notoriety, collecting fees from students . . .

Khamxay is a whiz at doing anything, and I soon found out this also proved to include motorbike shopping.

A 5-hour Adventure

We left at 9:30 a.m., with Khamxay hauling me around the city on the back of his scooter. We visited 4 different motorbike shops and ended up at one which was located along the roadside going out of town. Khamxay mentioned this particular vehicle distributor he had bought his bike from a few years ago and another Center staff member as well. The selection was one of the best I’d seen from the previous three, with various colors available in the automatic, which is what I preferred. Naturally, the automatic transmission scooter is the higher priced one but it is the easiest to ride and most practical for me, being not too manually savvy when it comes driving a motor scooter.

There were numerous options (Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Italian Vespa, UK’s Kymco) and sizes but the top pick for me was the Honda Scoopy. 

Next was the color.

One would think choosing a color wouldn’t be a huge decision but for me, it was. I had at first wanted a flashy red but upon inspection, I noticed every dirt speck and accidental brush-up brought streaks of dirty black on the glossy finish. The entire lifetime of the vehicle, I’d be spending fretting and fussing over rubbing out every mark I’d see. (Notice in the below picture, I’m already eyeing one of those smudge-marks which is giving me reservations about buying this one.)

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Khamxay recommended the midnight blue, which I agreed was a perfect look for me.  I selected the matte finish rather than the glossy, just because it was more to my liking. As you can see, I’m a happy girl!

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Interesting Purchasing Details

Freebies:  I received a free helmet and windbreaker after handing over my $2,400 USD to the seller and his assistant. Khamxay recommended I put on the windbreaker ASAP, even though it was 92 degrees outside. I obliged, as seen in the photo with Khamxay.

Battery Connection: To drive it off the lot, the battery had to first be connected.

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Gas: Of course, I needed some gas. The assistant was to fill me with 1 Pepsi-sized bottle of gas, just enough to get me to the nearest gas station. However, because of my great enthusiasm with our picture together, not to mention my hundreds of thank yous, I was given 2 bottles instead of one. 

Motorbike License: Khamxay had already copied his ID card and filled out the necessary forms for the bike to be registered under his name. (As mentioned before, foreigners can’t buy vehicles but we can drive them or easily rent them.). The license plate takes 2 months, which the shop processes with the city government using Khamxay’s documents. In the meantime, I carry a paper with me that shows the vehicle has been purchased and is not stolen.

Driver’s License:  I have an international license which I applied for in America for $20. Accompanied with my USA driver’s license (the two must be shown together), Khamxay was able to apply for a Laos license for me. In fact, he’ll be picking that up for me this coming Monday.

Week 2 of Honda Scoopy-ing

I haven’t minded at all walking the 25-minutes to the Center, or the 5 minutes to the little area stores I enjoy patronizing, or the open-air market to buy my vegetables and meat. But I must say it is quite exciting to cruise along with the locals on my Honda Scoopy, merging carefully into traffic-filled roads and joining fellow bikers on their travels to and from home or work.  There is a great sense of freedom and being one with the Laos commuters. With my helmet on, I become an indistinguishable entity, no longer clearly visible as the foreigner. I’m one of the crowd.

Just one of many steps in settling into a new overseas home. Let’s hope it continues!

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