First few days
August 27, 2008
Things have started quickly for me here in Vientiane. We had our first Lao language class this morning, with an hour and a half of conversation class and the same of pronunciation/writing class. It fun and exciting to learn, but wow, amazingly hard. It has been a long time since I completely started over like this.
Yesterday, Debi took Wendy and me (Wendy arrived with me and will be my supervisor) to the market. I bought material for my first Lao skirt! It’s a lovely blue-green, which probably will not surprise many of you. And no, I’m not sewing the skirt myself.
All three of the SALTers (the one-year young adult MCC program) who came last week are sick in some fashion or other, so I’m very thankful I haven’t gotten sick yet.
Even more exciting to me than language class starting, I ran into someone I know at the language school! It was Ling, a young woman that I got to know when I worked at EMU’s Summer Peacebuilding Institute last summer. I hadn’t been able to find her email address to tell her I was coming to Laos, so she was very surprised to see me! I was shocked as well, and delighted that it was so easy to find her. She is so sweet, and was one of my absolute favorite participants from SPI, so it will be great fun to reconnect with her.
Ariel, so glad we will be hearing from you. I always enjoy your descriptive messages, and pictures. I printed out the one of you and Ling on the motorcycle – you look right at home.
After we received your prayer card, the next Sunday I took it and the motorcycle picture (which I just printed that morning) along to church to show Kristen Ventola’s parents – which I never got done.
That Sunday our two new MCC IVEP young people were introduced. One was Latthaya Kho (“Gai”) from Laos. She pointed out that she was wearing her Lao skirt – so now I will know what your skirt will look like. After church I told her you were in Laos for two years and showed her the prayer card and picture. She said, “That’s my good friend Ling!”. She asked how you liked Laos and I was able to tell her a little of what you wrote. I told her you said the tuk-tuk was a natural hairdryer and she laughed and agreed.
Love & Prayers,
Aunt Janet