Best Staff Retreat Ever!

This past weekend, the MCC Lao staff went on retreat to Nongkhai province in Thailand. With the Lao staff’s families, there were about 45 of us. We traveled in four vans across the Mekong River to Thailand. It wasn’t far, but suddenly cars were driving on the left side of the road, we had to use baht (a 33 to 1USD exchange rate) instead of kip (8,000 or so to 1USD exchange rate) to buy things, and we could tell even just from the quality of the roads that we were entering a country that is more developed than Laos. It was hard to believe that we were staying along the same river that runs beside Vientiane.

View of Mekong – I enjoyed seeing a view like this both mornings before breakfast

Saturday morning we visited a wildlife refuge, but the highlight for most people was actually seeing a rubber plantation. The explanation was in Lao, but I learned afterwards that producing rubber is a relatively new cash crop in the area, and, at least in Laos, it is controversial because rice farmers are losing their land and forests are being cut down to plant “orchards” of rubber trees.

Lao city folk fascinated by the process of tapping the rubber tree

We ate lunch together Lao style, meaning sitting on mats on the floor. By the way, an important cultural side note is that in more formal settings than this, it is very rude to point your feet at anyone.

The group eating lunch together

After lunch, most of us headed up the mountain to see the view. The trip was made more exciting by rickety wooden stairs leading up the mountain and around the side. I was rather sweaty, but it was more than worth it for the gorgeous view!

the beautiful view from the mountain

path along the mountain

As breathtaking as the view from the mountain was, my true highlight of the weekend was waterfall we visited after that. Most Lao people don’t really use swimming suits, so I felt completely comfortable jumping fully clothed. It wasn’t very deep, but sliding around on the slick rocks was pretty exciting. Actually, the best part was seeing a rainbow through the mist of the waterfall. Or maybe it was having a splashing battle with my Lao coworkers’ kids or seeing the playful side of everyone including one of the co-directors of MCC Laos, who decided we should all slide down the rocks holding hands (which was not too successful). Plus, a bunch of Lao teenagers were there sliding around and falling all over each other when we were, and they loved it when I asked to take their picture. So I guess I don’t know which was my favorite part! The joy of the natural beauty and of the people there made me feel so alive.

people getting soaked in the waterfall

Lao teenagers posing for the foreigner

Continuing the playful note, the next picture is of a group game we played the next day. The woman on the right is the co-director I was talking about. Coincidentally, she also “killed” me in the game of Assassins we played. They are passing the rubber band to the next person with their straws. The game was highly competitive and equally hilarious.

Madame Hien passing a rubberband to another staff person

Having so much fun together was a great way to get to know my coworkers and their families. I feel a lot more comfortable around everyone after this weekend. It was especially fun to get to know the younger staff. Souk (in the picture below) is the office manager, and only one year older than me. I was also ready to get out of Vientiane and be in a different kind of setting for awhile, so the retreat came at a good time.

with Souk in the van