Homestay- Laos

The last two days in Laos we spent with a hilltribe in Laos. I wasn't particularly looking forward to this bit due to how sick I was but thanks to modern day medicine I held up pretty well, and it turned out to be much more bearable. The hilltribe was a very, very basic village...they do have electricity, but no indoor plumbing. Their toilets are in the back, and they are squat toilets (hence why I was not looking forward to this part of the trip). The houses are built up on bamboo stilts (for the rainy season and shade). The tribe is one that lives off the land, and no one ever really leaves. There are 46 families, 3 generations normally living in the houses. The school was the most depressing bit because it was this one room hut with dirt floors, a few falling apart desks and a little chalk board at the front. Our Laos guide explained to us that about 50 children (ages 6-11ish) are in that one room, taught by one teacher everyday. They only go to school for those ages because that is required by the government (they must learn to read and write, but that's it). If they do want to go on to secondary school they must travel 40 kms away, but what is most prohibitive is the cost of stationary. Also, there isn't much point for them to go, since they are needed to work in the rice paddies.

Intrepid (the tour I'm on) pays this tribe (not sure how much) for every group that goes through, which is good to give the village extra, much needed money, but at the same time it's a little awkward that we're going in there and basically invading their way of life. More recently they have gotten televisions and mobile phones in a lot of their homes, which, along with us westerners coming in all the time, illustrates to the young children what life is like outside of the tribe. My Intrepid guide pointed out that in many ways TV and Westerners travelling to these parts is pretty much helping to spread Western ideals just as the US government wanted to acheive with the Vietnam War, except this way is obviously a lot more peaceful. (My guide hates America by the way). The other awkward part about the stay is that no one speaks any English, so while playing with the children (Soccer and cards) was a great thing to do with them no other interaction was possible, so it feels like we're just invading for the night (which we are...but still). Even dinner was awkward because Laos custom means that they will not eat with us nor let us help clean or cook. After dinner (which was cooked for us by our Laos guide) that I couldnt eat because I still felt so nauseous, we got ready for bed. While I was getting ready it reminded me of Outward Bound/Chewonki. I went to bed, a thin mattress on the floor under a bright pink mosquito net, early (still sick) while Lynda and Leia (my roomates for the night) 'talked' with the family. They recited some Laos words that we had in our books, which made the girls giggle and I think it was really great that did that because it felt less like we were imposing.

The next morning we woke up early and got in the van to head to the Vietnam border!