Sunday, October 16, 2005

The Directions Life Takes.

I've not had a chance to up-date the blog for a number of days now, ever since we started work! We had the meeting on Wednesday, and it all took off from there. The CDEA (Community Development and Environment Association), are a Laos based and run not-for-profit organisation. They were very welcoming, so we hit the ground running at got stuck into working for them right away. They run two arms, one is supporting and training women to create Village Banks or Savings Groups. They then also train them to collectivies into small enterprises, manufacturing and selling traditional handicrafts. The second arm is a the environmental side, they run composting schemes and environmental education.

On our first full day with them on the Thursday, Mr Khanthone the CDEA President tooks us to a village about 30 Km or so outside Vientiane. He was running a training session for a group of local women, around marketing and running a small business. We had a great day, and were treated to more food than we could ever possibly eat. At lunch time the table was laden down with Laap, Papaya Salad, big bowls of Sticky Rice and a Fish Soup. After the session finished we all sat around and had a few Beer Lao, while the ladies probed us with questions. One of the ladies who'd come with us, was a village leader who ran a Savings Group (Credit Union), and a successful business. She insisted that we came back to her house for more food. So off we all went, and were treated to a large bowl of Noodle Soup and more Beer Lao.

After that we finally got back to the office, it had been a long day. We'd started at around 7.30am and by the time we got back to the office it was around 5.30pm. Mr Sombat, the Thai advisor to the CDEA was still there, he was waiting for some factory girls to turn-up. He explained that they were under paid were they worked, and the CDEA was going and try to help collectivise them, and give them vocational training so they could get out of the work they currently did. They turned up with more food! We had to politely decline the offer of more food, as we'd have burst if we forced down any more. Mr Khantone's son and his girlfriend appeared, so there was more Beer Lao to be drunk. What time we actually made it home, I can't remember, but it had been a long day for a first day.

The organisation is sorting out our visa for us, as they connections with the Prime Minister in Laos. We were taken off to a government office to the other CDEA office, and to meet the Vice President. Through his connections we hope that we can get a 3 month visa and so stay in Laos a lot longer. Mr Sombat was going back to Thailand the next day, so he tasked us with meeting Lotus a UK based Relief organisation that are coming to Laos next week. We've been given free reign to write a project proposal, and if we want write in paid jobs for ourselves. Mr Khanthone said that if we can access enough funding then we could easily become salaried Project Managers for the organisation.

It's all too mad! From travelling, and hoping to get a bit of voluntary work, to potentially being long-term paid International Development Workers project managing our own micro-projects in Laos. Our heads are spinning, it's all too much to take in. We hit it right by just coming out here and putting ourselves out there. Working for the CDEA was a good move. They are not some huge international NGO, with dozens of western workers. These are Lao people running a Lao project, for Lao people.

Anywway, like I say we've hit-the-ground running on this one. There is a lot to be done in a very short time, put I'm sure that together Sam and I are more than up for the challenge. This is a once in a life-time opportunity that had been put in front of us, so we are going to do our level best to make it happen.

On a lighter and more social note, we were wandering round the fair they have at the end of our street on Friday night, when I heard my name shouted. It throws you to hear someone shout your name in another country, where few people know you. It was Nam who works at Sticky's, he was with his Irish girlfriend Ciara. She'd come over to Laos to visit him, and he'd managed to get some holiday time off from Sticky's. The four of us spent the night chatting, and had a great time. Nam asked if we all wanted to meet up the next night. Yes of course, we said. So Saturday night they both came round to our guest house, we were already sat outside having a beer.

Earlier just before they turned up, someone came and sat outside the guest house. I'd not really taken that much notice of them, until the guest house owner asked if we thought this person we a girl or a boy?! Now taking notice we clicked that it wa a girl with short boyish hair. No more really had to be said, but the owner carried on anyway. He said, "She is like a lady-boy, but different! How you say... A lesbian." That just cracked us up, and was the quote of the week.

The night turned into a very drunken affair. Various people joined us over the night. Nam met an old school friend, and we started knocking back Gin along with the constant flowing Beer Lao. The night carried on like this until gone 4.00am. The 11.00pm curfew came and went. As did Art from Sticky's who stopped for an hour. Nam had crashed and burned by this point. at around 1.30am a load of guys turned up, they had just come in from Vietnam. So they joined too, as did some random Lao guy who I'm not sure where he came from, and some street kid who kept trying to give massages for money. A great night was had by all, and I don't think any of us crawled out of bed before lunch-time.

There's probably loads of stuff I've skimmed over, and not mentioned as part of this entry. So much has happened in the last few days it's difficult to express it all in words. Our life has taken a dramatic twist, and now we just don't know where it will go next. We hope that the work thing goes from strength to strength, and if nothing else we have something already that will look dead impressive on a CV. I will try and keep up with the blog as much as I can, but work is now a priority. As I say this is a once-in-a-life-time opportunity.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home