Monday, September 21, 2015

Leaving

Flight leaves from Laos at 8pm. Back in Boston around 12:30 on Tuesday.

My father threatened me with gangsters and the police, and to have me detained at immigration.

It wasn't safe to stay.

So endlessly graterul to the Isons, especially Tui and her cousin, who really tried to help.

Also grateful for all the Snapchats ;p

I am very very sad to leave but I know if I can survive this, I can survive anything.

Love you all so much and can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving!! So happy I at least get Thanksgiving.

You've all been so great. I can't say how much it's meant. See you soon!

Friday, September 18, 2015

Thank You

I can't put into words or express how utterly grateful I have been for your love and support. The past few years have been very, very difficult for me. But I have always known I could depend on you all. You've made me laugh. You've made me so happy. You've made me feel part of a family. This experience here has especially has made me realize how wonderful that is. Some people don't have a single friend in this world. I get to have all of you.

Even Adam thought this was the best family he'd ever seen. He almost wrote a letter to Grandma and Popop to tell them how much he admired what they'd created. I wish he had. But know how much he admired you. He was in awe of this family.

I know I'm introverted and sometimes it's hard for me to express how I really feel outwardly. But writing lets me do that. And I want you ALL to know that I respect and love and appreciate you so much. I was so lucky to have been born into this wonderful family.

I have a job interview tomorrow. After that, I will know whether I will stay here or not. Either way, I know I have so many amazing people I can depend on to help me through this. But I really want to stay here and prove to Jim I can do this on my own.

Love you guys. Thank you.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Hello from a Hotel

For some unknown reason, I have been kicked out of my father's house. I had drinks with Dar last night, Dar told Jim some lie, and Jim took it too far. (Lie being that I told Dar I hated her. Which....)

I'm okay though. I'm in a beautiful hotel for 4 nights. Went for a swim and ate a cheeseburger.

Tonight I'm meeting with a fellow teacher who can help me rent a room and figure out the visa situation. That, or maybe I'll come home. That's a last resort, but I'm nervous about getting the visa thing figured out.

I just don't want any of you to worry about me. I have money. I can always be wired money via Western Union if I'm desperate :p I'm very sad that this is the end of the relationship with my birth father, but that's life I suppose.

I can't tell you how grateful I am for all your love and support.

When I get home, I want to legally change my name to Madhu. Because that is from whom I inherited my heart and empathy. Thank you for being my family and making me feel safe, even half a world away. It's a debt I could never repay. 

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Week... 3?

I've lost track of how long I've lived here. It feels like a really long time... which is great. It means I'm used to it. I thought transitioning would be really hard. But here, I have all the comforts of home. Air conditioning. Good food. A great house. Security. Well, maybe that's it. But those are the most important things, after all. And it's easy to feel connected to home because of the internet.

The most difficult thing is getting around. I rented a car for the month, but I've driven it about 3 times. I HATE driving here. I'm just not used to it. So each morning, I walk the mile to the main road and pray that a tuk tuk comes in time so I won't be late for school. It's worked out quite well so far. Even the walk is not so bad. It's fun to see the little shops along the way. And everyone is so friendly. Even the feral dogs.

I teach 3 sections of 12-14 year olds. They're a handful. The first week I really thought I wouldn't be able to handle it. But I'm getting more acclimated. It's just a different culture over here, school-wise. It's noisier. For example, in America, when you are asked to read aloud from a text, the rest of the class is quiet as the student reads. Here, they read to me solely while the rest of the class chatters. They are becoming more respectful as the days go by, though. It's difficult and I really hope I can teach them something. Right now, it feels more like review. But at least we're getting some work done. Other teachers have been helpful in offering tactics to gain more respect and therefore educate in some capacity. We shall see.

I went to Vang Vieng the weekend before last and it was the most beautiful place I'd ever seen, truly. Mist covered mountains, coursing river, luscious jungle. It's also a notorious party city. For every Lao resident there are 25 tourists. That's the wild fun of it, though. There's even an Irish bar that reminds me so much of Boston. I'm going back next weekend. $25 for a one night stay. There's supposed to be great tubing, so I'm packing a swimsuit. It's a 4-5 hour bus ride, which costs about $5 (though I might just rent a minivan to drive me because although it costs slightly more, it is more reliable and you can meet fellow travelers that way ... and not risk sitting on the floor of a bus). You can do so much in this country on a very, very low budget. A large pizza and a beer runs you about $7USD. A foot massage costs about $5. A full body massage about $7. My tuk tuk to school costs about $4.

It's a great place to live. Some days I feel quite homesick, but then I tuk tuk downtown and quickly am over it. The gorgeous gaping Mekong, the overwhelmingly beautiful temples sprinkled throughout the city. The cafes, so reminiscent of Paris, where you can sit and observe passersby. Even the neighbors singing karaoke terribly and loudly until 10pm. My street itself reminds me of the Lake. It's dirt and gravel and dimpled with terrible potholes. If Aunt Kalyani visits, I wouldn't recommend a jog.

It's one of the most charming cities I've ever been in and I feel very lucky to live here.

My dad and family are hopefully visiting September 16, before they move to Hong Kong in October, if all goes to plan. I miss sweet little Sarah especially, who is SO funny and mobile and smart.

Here are some pics:

I have to applaud this student's hustle.

Beautiful monks

One of my classes



What my schedule looks like... generally. It changes a lot.

Pepperoni pizza! Yum.

Night market by the Mekong

Mekong River crowds

Duck grilled on the street

Typical menu. About 8,700 kip = $1.

Store


A pug by Suonmote market, close to my house

Beautiful Patuxai. It's about a kilometer from my school and absolutely gorgeous. Think Arc de Triomphe but... better.

Nighttime tuk tuk.



Vang Vieng

Breathtaking Vang Vieng

A CD shop

On a boat

I had a date! He took me on a boat down a river in Vientiane. 

He arranged this whole meal for us. It was delicious. He was very nice (and Indian).

Reading Mom's Kindle at a cafe.

Shrimp pad thai.

My street.

Front of the house.

Backyard.



The wood holder Do built

When we lived on Elmwood, @ Kamala  wedding visit?  From the Talley's deck redwood.  25 years old and still working.

Math Gathering


Nice group of people.  They liked the toys and the chickens.  Maybe the food also.