Laos

Laos To Thailand – A Typically Crazy Journey And An Unexpectedly (Bad) Surprise

October 9, 2012

When traveling a certain amount of patience is required. I guess I made that point when I talked about my experience crossing the border from Costa Rica to Panama and again from Colombia to Venezuela. A similar patience-trying experience happened as I left Laos to come to Thailand. But before the journey gets underway, check [...]

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Stuck In The Mud – Landslide, Diarrhea, And A 13-Hour Delay

October 8, 2012

The context you need to understand this post is that I had battled diarrhea for about two days before taking this bus ride, including the day of. It was just supposed to be a 12-hour night bus from Vientiane to Luang Prabang (Laos). Through food and water restriction, I was 100% confident in my bowels [...]

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A Day With Pencils Of Promise – Building The Future Of Laos

October 6, 2012

While in Luang Prabang, I had the pleasure of meeting up with some people who work for an amazing organization called Pencils of Promise. A friend’s girlfriend works for them and helped arrange everything. I tagged along for a visit to some of the schools they’ve already constructed. Before the school year starts back up [...]

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Bugs In The Laotian Countryside

October 3, 2012

I am not a big fan of bugs. I have gotten much better as a result of this trip, but maybe some fears only lesson and never go away. When I was in the El Salvadoran countryside I asked a little girl if she was afraid of spiders. Her reply.. “No, why would I be?” [...]

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A Magical Week In The Laotian Countryside – Ending With A Village Ceremony And Tears

October 2, 2012

I spent a week in Veuntaen, Laos volunteering with Sunshine School. As I mentioned, Veuntaen isn’t in Google Maps but here is where it is using GPS coordinates. I was really excited to spend time in the Southeast Asian countryside. In Latin America I spent time in rural areas a few times, namely Yoloaiquin, El Salvador [...]

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Volunteering At Sunshine School In Veuntaen, Laos

October 1, 2012

Volunteering at Sunshine School in Veuntaen, Laos was truly a special experience. I really wanted to volunteer in Laos and I really wanted to experience the Southeast Asian countryside. I got to experience both here. The Sunshine School’s main presence is in the capital in Vientiane. But last year they opened a kindergarten in Veuntaen, [...]

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36 Pictures Of Adorable Kittens

September 29, 2012

What can I say. I fell in love with two adorable kittens while volunteering at Sunshine School. The kittens were only one month old and it took a week for them to feel comfortable enough to sit in my lap – which happened the last night I was there. Lovely animals and so, so cute! [...]

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An Amazing 30th Birthday In A Laotian Village

September 27, 2012

My 30th birthday may just be the best birthday I’ve ever had. Here’s how it went.. Breakfast By accident I got my 30th birthday (5-Aug-2012) off to an amazing start. The night before I went to a café so I could call my parents through the internet. But the speed was too slow to talk. [...]

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The COPE Center – Helping (The Most Heavily Bombed) People (On Earth) Move On

September 26, 2012

Visiting the COPE Center was one of the last things I did in Vientiane. Places like this, like the landmine museum in Cambodia, are always full of inspiration, but also heavy with sadness and guilt (my country caused all of this..) COPE’s motto is Helping People Move On. In reality, Laos is the most heavily [...]

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