Yes, you read that correctly. The Luang Prabang Library has a library book boat. It’s this amazing, beautiful, wooden riverboat that is perhaps 50 feet long and 8 feet wide. Actually… who knows, it could be half that or double that, I’m a terrible guesser! You can judge for yourself from the pictures. Point is, it’s a big boat. This book boat takes trips up and down the Mekong River to rural villages and not only delivers books, soap, pens, etc., but also does a program with the village’s elementary-aged children on the importance of washing your hands, brushing your teeth, and reading books.

Since I have not yet started my time at Souphanouvong University, the staff at the US Embassy and the American Corner allowed me to tag along on Monday for one of the boat trips. We left Luang Prabang around 8 AM and cruised with the current, down the Mekong River towards Vientiane, for an hour and a half. Within minutes of docking the boat at the edge of the village, dozens of children began running down the hill to greet our boat. The children slipped off their shoes and piled into the boat as quickly as they could.

Above left: the children pile into the boat; Above right: the children run to greet the boat; Middle right: Dana, Director of the American Center, high-fives students as they board the boat; Below: The shoes of our eager students

They all scrambled to find a seat at the front of the boat and waited for the Lao teachers (volunteers from the library), with enough anticipation that you could feel it in the air. Half of them were smiling at me and would giggle when I did, the other half just stared at me. To be fair, it’s not every day they see a really tall, blonde, white woman in their village!

The students turn to say ‘Sabaidee’, which means Hello!

Once they had all found a seat, the volunteer Lao teachers brought out a piece of poster paper with a song written in Lao on it. Turns out, it was a children’s song they had created about making papaya salad! My closest comparison is the Wiggles, when they would sing that fruit salad song… except this was the absolute cutest thing I have ever heard; these children singing about adding the lime and mixing it all up, they were so happy! Then the volunteers reviewed another couple of posters about the importance of washing your hands after the bathroom as well as the importance of brushing your teeth. I was shocked as they then read a book aloud and the children were all intently listening! It wasn’t rowdy in the least bit and they all seemed to be having so much fun!

Left: The papaya salad song; Right: Clapping and singing another song

After they had finished reading aloud, the children were allowed some time to pick books from the hanging organizers on the boat and read or flip through them. Since I am able to read very little Lao, I chose a couple of the books that had English translations below the Lao and the minute I sat on the floor, there were 5 small children crowding around me trying to hear what I was saying. Of course none of them know English yet, besides one little boy who knew how to say ‘thank you’, but they were mesmerized nonetheless!

Some of my morning reading buddies

Finally. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been enjoying myself these past two months as I’ve basically been a tourist here in Laos, but this is why I came. I came to meet the Lao people, to interact, to teach, and to learn about their culture. We left the village around lunch time, but only after we had given the children their own books, toothbrushes, soap, notebooks, pens, etc. and after giving the school administrators some soccer balls, hula hoops, and other activities to use at the school.

The children saying thank you and goodbye!

It was hard to say good-bye, even after only a few hours with the children. If you can’t tell, I’m getting so antsy to begin teaching. I so look forward to walking down the street and waving at people, inviting my students over for dinner (it’s normal here, I swear), and being a known member of this community. My next countdown; my meeting with the President of Souphanouvong University, which is coming up on Tuesday, October 9th!

The anticipation is killing me. Let’s hope they say I can start next week!

ດ້ວຍ​ຮັກ (With love),

Claire