From Savannakhet, we booked ourselves on a 2 day "eco-tour", where we would trek through Dong Natat Regional Forest Park, and stay overnight in Phonsim Village with a Lao family.
Our hosts were Mr. Keeon (sp), his wife, mother-in-law, 4 daughters, and 1 son. Our guide and translator, from Savannakhet, was Tip.
Each of us were took (bucket) showers after our sweaty day of hot trekking. Once separated, the grandma, next door neighbor aunt, and wife, with daughters looking on, took their opportunity to make comments about us, and ask questions. I say make comments, because (I think) it is normal in the culture to "appraise" new people out loud. For example, after inspection, it was pronounced that I was as pretty as a doll, but Christian looked like a boxer.
One of our favorite parts of the homestay experience was the Basi Ceremony. Whenever a special guest comes from another place, a family gets a "san maabeng" centerpiece, woven out of banana leaves and decorated with flowers. They get strings of cotton to tie on like the daughters and grandma are doing in the picture above.
Later on, older men of the village were invited over for dinner. Before we ate, the ceremony commenced with eggs and bananas being placed in our hands. Everyone in the room then swirled around stopping to tie the cotton strings around our wrists, and wish us good health, good journeys and welcome.
Laos kitchens are remarkable for their lack of "infrastructure". Everything is on - and is done while squatting on - the floor. This includes dishes, water buckets for dishwashing and cooking, and the fire (not stove) for cooking. It is incredible what tasty and huge meals this woman was able to prepare for us, her family, and all the visitors.
One of our favorite parts of the homestay was "Making Merit". We woke up at 6. We were given sashes, a proper skirt to wear for me, and some shiny containers to hold the rice and food to be given to the village monks. We then walked through the village to the temple. We sat with our feet in a proper direction (tucked away from the monks and other people) and listened to the monks chant. We then added our food offerings to the collection pots that each monk had. This is what they would eat that day. Making Merit is supposed to bring you good luck in your life.
Another part of the homestay was visiting an English class at the village school and giving a quick lesson. I taught "the Hokey Pokey" to the kids (It has good vocab! Arm, leg, shake it all about!) .
Our host Mr. Keeon, taking a nap in a viewing platform on Nong Tau (Turtle) Lake.
I found it interesting the village made charcoal. They buried the burning logs in this mound. We saw bundles of charcoal being sold on the side of the road all over Laos.
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