Sao Darly
Home away from Home
After a quick tour of Tad Sae, we headed back to Champasak Hospital to visit Grand-Mama. The area was getting crowded and many intersections were blocked for the parade later in the evening. We parked at within few meters from the hospital and was greeted by Uncle Khao’s relative who was running a BBQ restaurant by the intersection. Before I knew it we were invited for dinner and there was no way out. Saying “no, thank you” doesn’t come easily in Laos.
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I didn’t sleep much the first night in Laos. I was thinking and worrying about too many things. As I was tossing and turning I traced the path that brought me to Vientiane. At first I didn’t plan on being in Laos in October and didn’t even think I would be able to go to Laos until January/February of 2009 when my parents would be going to Pakse after attending a conference in Hong Kong. I always believe that things happen for a reason and this was no exception. When a friend of mine asked about my plan on going to Laos because she wanted to take the opportunity to visit Laos at the same time that I am going because she has never been back to Laos since she left the country as a little girl, I decided to take actions. I didn’t have “Things to do today” list but the main purpose for going to Laos was to check on Dannavieng School for the school building project and to visit four other schools with the Lao Book Box Library, the rest would be play by ear.
I intended to visit Laos for Boun That Luang Festival which is in the month of November. Since I have never seen the Boat Racing Festival in Pakse before, Papa’s relatives thought it would be a good idea for me to be in Laos for two months and I can take it easy and give myself a reward for completing my Master Program and go places and do things that I didn’t get a chance to do when I was in Laos in 2007. Going to Laos in early October meant that I would not be attending my graduation ceremony that will be taking place on 10/10/2008.
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I sent Sidney a learning toy awhile back to train her brain a bit. It was a Fisher-Price Shapes and Numbers Cookie Jar. She loves to play with it and likes it when it makes noise giving her prop in Dutch when she puts the shape and number in its slot right. She is so smart and stubborn and at a stage where she copies everything around her.
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A few times in a year there would be special Morning Alms Giving in Vientiane where Buddhist monks will travel a long distance to collect food offerings from the faithfuls. I don’t quite know the name of this occasion but aunt Kian and aunt Phone have told me about it a few times.
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Aunt Kian and Aunt Phone decided to build a new kitchen and a bathroom. The house was built in 2001 but was not quite complete with modern bathroom and kitchen with hot running water. When you do anything in Laos, it’s mostly done in cash. With my help they were able to start the new project in July. For religious or superstitious reason, they told me that you have to do it in the even month so July is actually the 8th month in Lao calendar.
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Aunt Kian is a devout Buddhist and she gets up every morning to take part in the Morning Alms Giving. Her neighbors join her almost everyday in front of her house to do this humble ritual. Often joining these grandparents are the grandchildren. Some as young as three years old be able to observe and take part in the Morning Alms Giving the best they could. I had a little niece who turned two years old and for her birthday she Tak Bat and made offering to the temple. Her parents made Pha Khao (food tray with various dishes) and took her to the temple to make offering and asking for blessing.
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Sidney is at a stage where she doesn’t know how to stand still. She runs around and wants to do things adults do. Here she is trying out my old sunglasses.
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Sidney and her new choppers. She is now 14 months old and is quite a talker with her own way of speaking. I was talking on the phone with her today but she didn’t say much to me. She likes to say “Sa Thou” when she wants something. Now she also bows down and does the “nop” and saying “sa thou” for food or anything else that she wants. I heard she is quite spoiled being the first born and all. Just wait till I get to Laos and I will get things in order. 
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This past winter was really cold in Laos. It was a long winter months right up to Lao New Year celebration in April. It was said on the news that this year was the coldest year in the last 30 years. For many people in Laos, they did they best to stay warm. With no indoor heating, it was quite difficult and many tried they best with wearing as much clothes as possible. For little Sidney, she was all bundled up like a snow bunny.
This was Sidney on January 31, 2008.
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A few weeks ago I asked Aunt Kian to take some photos of my Grand-Papa’s old house. I used to visit him often when my mother took me to That Luang market for evening grocery shopping. Sometimes she parked her motorbike infront of this house and we walked to the market and back for a short visit. When we used to live around That Luang marsh, I walked and walked to Grand-Papa’s house just to visit his wife and kids. The house still looks the same with the exception of one additional floor (top roof) the new owner recently added. Grand-Papa sold this house a few years ago. I had hope to go back and see this house in person.
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