Wow. I apologize, I have been completely off the grid for the last three months! I'm still living in Luang Prabang, still teaching at Souphanouvong University, and still having the time of my life! So, what on Earth have I been doing? Well, first semester actually ended at the end of January and second … Continue reading Selamat Datang from Malaysia!

In my opinion, Christmas is absolutely the most wonderful time of the year. I seem to glide everywhere rather than walk and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. It's an amazing time where the good in humanity has a larger presence than usual and everyone seems to have a little happiness and love to … Continue reading ‘Twas the Days After Christmas…

One of the biggest cultural differences we were warned about when coming to Laos was that they run on "Lao time", which really means you can expect any given Lao person to be at least 20-30 minutes later than any agreed upon time. It happens all the time. Just a few examples off the top … Continue reading Running on “Lao Time”

I finally made it!!! For the next year, I will be teaching a variety of English classes at Souphanouvong University (SU) in Luang Prabang. I will be working for both the Faculty of Languages and the Faculty of Engineering, potentially even the Faculty of Agriculture! Who better for that job than an Iowa girl, right?! … Continue reading Let the Teaching Begin!

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, … Continue reading The Library Book Boat

The exhausting, 5-week orientation in Vientiane has now come and gone. I've now been living abroad just short of two months, and it still feels like a complete dream. We received cultural training, ESL teacher training, and were given our official placements for the next year, during our time in Vientiane. I will be placed … Continue reading Luang Prabang at Last!

Houey Hong, a small, quiet village on the outskirts of Vientiane, still bustling on a Friday morning just like the city center itself, with shopkeepers, construction, and motorbikes. But take a couple of left turns down the poorly weathered dirt roads and you'll find a compound of eight buildings, seemingly still, buried amongst the quiet … Continue reading A Piece of Lao Culture

With a little under 7 million citizens, Laos is known for its jungle countryside and the many villages that span throughout the land. There are just a few cities that have name recognition outside of Southeast Asia, one of them being Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng, shown above, is about a 4 hour (very bumpy) van … Continue reading A Weekend in Vang Vieng

One of the newest additions to the Laos Fulbright In-Country Orientation is the homestay weekend, where each Fulbright ETA is paired with a Lao alumni of a U.S. Exchange program. Some of these alumni have been to the U.S. for weeks, some for months, some for longer, but they have all studied English and been … Continue reading Homestay

Pronounced "Boh pen yan" - One of my favorite Lao words, and probably every other foreigner's favorite. The saying's literal translation means "No problem" or "You're Welcome", however it's typically used in more of a Hakuna Matata sense. No worries! Which is probably why someone thought it was a good name for a bar right here in … Continue reading Bor Pen Nyang