Expect the Unexpected

Responding to comments:

Christy: what is 35 degrees in Fahrenheit? I think just about anyone over there should be able to find it out by looking at a thermometer… currently I am at the office and I do not have one, but let me look on the internet. (five minutes pass as Luke searches on Google) I found a web site: http://www.csgnetwork.com/tempconv.html It should help anyone who wants to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit.

Here is your answer: 35 degrees Celsius = 95 degrees Fahrenheit

I think I exaggerated a little last night when I described Sawannakhet. This may have been because it was dark when I answered, and as a result I based my answer on my memory. Here are some amendments to what I wrote yesterday.

First of all I think I gave the impression that there were a lot of little wooden houses. Actually most of the houses are fairly normal in size. (not that small) but what differentiates the nicer houses from the not so nice houses is the condition they are in, and how fancy they look. Richer people have more decorated houses, and their yards are kept clean. Poorer people have plain houses, and the windows and doors may not be in very good condition, and their yards are overgrown. Both of these houses have metal fences, it is just that the nice houses have prettier fences, and they are not rusty.

I also said a lot of the children are barefoot. I think I said this because the barefooted children stand out to me. Looking today, I noticed a number of children are wearing shoes. Maybe the actual percentage of children with and without shoes is close to 50% to 50%

Official blog entry:

Did you know that we use the “th” sound a whole lot in English? Well we do, and if you can’t say “th” it is really difficult for people to understand what you are saying. Something that is getting a little frustrating is working with pronunciation with students who just do not understand a how to make a sound. With the “th” sound, in Lao it sounds like the “d” on dog. So “the” becomes “du” and “that” becomes “dat” and other becomes “uder.” I have tried to explain it a couple different ways, and other students get it (although they still get it wrong sometimes) but this one person can’t make the “th” sound. Another student is not able to differentiate between “s” and “sh” and another students wants to turn “single” into “singrle.” I feel quite exasperated sometimes. (though I hide it from my students).

I mentioned about a week or two ago that I was getting tired of Lao food already. That was back when my stomach was hurting. Well, Ter, who has been cooking for me at supper time, has done an excellent job and I am not getting tired of the food really at all… ok, I probably wouldn’t mind eating some western food, in fact I would probably be quite glad to eat something that I am used to, but it is not like I wish I didn’t have to eat. At noon I eat rice or noodles with some sort of sauce or topping (with vegetables, and chicken, or something) and then at night Ter cooks for me, and there are only two things so far that I don’t care for that much (but I could probably learn to like in time) and those things are a fish soup that we had, and papaya salad. I am curious if I will gain or lose weight this summer. I wish would have checked my weight for an exact number before I left… I only know I was about _____ (you don’t actually need to know my weight)

I did something unexpected today. Last night Amkha's (who I mentioned earlier… he is Jay’s friend, and his wife is the principle at the school I teach at… but I spelled his name Umca, because I didn’t know how to spell it. Now that problem has been resolved.) called me and asked me to teach how to use a printer. I figured I could probably figure out enough to show him how to use it, so I said yes. After we had confirmed the time (2:00 PM) Amkah said, “Ok, tomorrow you teach how to use printer at school.” “WHAT!” I thought to myself, but to Amkha I said, “I will be teaching the teachers at school?” “Yes, you will have owners book [owner’s manual].”

So today, at 2:00 PM I went to the school and found the printer/scanner/copy machine that I was supposed to teach these teachers to use. After looking over the instructions for a little bit, I began to show them how to put a picture in the scanner and save the picture. Different teachers came and went. At about 2:30 there were ten teachers gathered around the computer, and at the end of my time there were three. As I showed them how to do it, they were all talking in Lao rapidly (I assume they were explaining and arguing over how you were supposed to do it.)

Because of some technical difficulties I was only able to show them how to scan pictures, so tomorrow I will go at 9:00 and teach at least three teachers some more about the printer/scanner/copy machine. Who knows how many will actually come.

So once again I have found it is necessary to just “go with the flow.” When something unexpected comes up, don’t panic, take it easy, and deal with it as it comes. I have never really seen myself as a computer expert, but I know enough to read an owners manual and explain the basics to these teachers. Who knows what unexpected adventures lie in the days to come.

-Luke