International Christmas

Having a family member overseas during holidays and special occasions is made easier by Skype. It also helped that we had that first-Skype-Christmas under our belts. First year was hard.

This Christmas, Julia watched Isaac open his first presents (in his cute candy cane footie PJs!), and then we watched her unwrap the presents I brought from home. I love that I can tell exactly where she's sitting in her house. It may seem small, but it's huge.

I also love that Sone and Nouy are my friends, and I was able to wish them a merry Christmas. I even taught my brother a phrase or two in Lao, and he impressed the girls with his language skills.

This is not the Christmas we're accustomed to, but it's wonderful. We are blessed. And we are thankful.

Look Who's One!

That would be my nephew, Isaac.

(Not Issac, Isacc, or Issacc. That's Isaac - one s and two as.)

This is our boy at Disney yesterday. He has a thing for the Mouse.

So sweet! This was after one of those giant balloons popped. I don't blame the kid; it was loud!

Happy first birthday, Isaac James. We love you!

Photo Credit: Erica Clements

Dear Vang Vieng,

I love your mountains, your rivers, and your caves. Your drunken foreigners I could do without.


Sincerely,

Jessie

(Yes, I was there today.)

A Few More Pics For Mom!

Even a sister pic like Daddy requested!

Pa and Koy and some strange creature...definitely not Mickey or Donald Duck! This was at a school book fair.

Julia and I at Patuxai.

After learning to ride the motor bike! See, Mom? Helmet and all. :)

Excited to get $6 massages (!) today after school! We're going to some other cities Friday and Saturday. This week is flying by! I am not looking forward to the long flights home. I told Julia that it's not a sacrifice being here; it's getting here that's difficult. :)

Learning About Laos

-I'm putting my music education to good use by teaching Christmas carols to Julia's students. Yes, I'm even using some of the methods I learned in my courses and internship.
-I'm 275 pages into Dicken's Bleak House. I've been trying to read this book for at least three years but never made it past the first 50 pages. Only 725 more to go!
-I tried papaya salad, which is unripe papaya, tomatoes, hot peppers, noodles, some fruit we don't have, sugar, and fermented fish sauce. It was okay until I tasted the fish sauce.
-I've grossed out Julia's Lao roommates by "only" taking one cold shower most days. Yesterday I broke down and showered twice, but I just hate having cold, wet hair two times in one day!
-I bought a classic Mickey backpack. Ridiculous, right? But I'd never find it this cheap at home!
-I learned how to drive a motor bike. Don't worry, Mom. It was just out in front of the house.
-Being here reminds me so much of Chihuahua, Mexico, except with tropical greenery and humid air. The dirt is red, and the people are very kind.
-I accidentally wear my shoes in the house sometimes. It's really a gross habit, if you think about it.
-No happy dances (or any dances, for that matter) at the dinner table. No bad faces if you don't like the food either. You have to pretend it's the yummiest thing you've ever tasted and then be suddenly full.
-Peanut M&Ms are my comfort food. I don't feel too bad eating Julia's candy stash since I carted the 5lb bag halfway across the globe.
-MSG is used as table salt here. I'm trying to avoid that headache trigger, but it's not always easy. Gluten is hard enough! Hooray for rice, rice, rice! Everyone has been so kind and accommodating about my gluten intolerance. Sone speaks in Lao for me at all the restaurants so we're sure there's no miscommunication.
-I love Julia's Lao roommates! They are so kind! Before you can blink, they've washed the dishes, swept the floors, and crocheted you something special. I came here hoping to help, and I'm being served left and right. I finally demanded to do the dishes this morning. (But then the sink leaked and I had to ask for help anyway.)
-This is the way to see a country. Hands down. Julia takes me to all her favorite places and points out the best foods and markets while at the same time making me feel as comfortable as possible. Best of all, she shares her friends with me, and I can see why she's crazy about this place.

A few photos from this week:

Cookie baking with Julia's students at "cooking club" at Julia's house.

Julia and me with one of her classes.

At Buddha Park with Sone and Nouy (sisters and Julia's Lao roommates).

 

More sisters at Buddha Park. :)

(Sone made that cute hat for me!)

Livin' in Laos

I made it to Laos! I have no idea of the day or time, only that I'm here with my sister!
If my estimations are correct, I can count on one hand the hours I've slept over the last three days. But it's nighttime, and I'm tired, so I'm hopeful for a good adjustment.

I got a true view of the city today as we drove from the airport on Julia's motor bike with my luggage.
We went back out for a fellowship meeting (I held a guitar while on the back of the bike on this trip), and I fell asleep during the singing while on my feet. I didn't know that was possible. Thankfully, Julia caught me, and I made it through the remainder of the service.

I ate two delicious, non granola bar or airplane-packaged meals today.
I'm already practing some Lao phrases.

Tomorrow I meet some of Julia's students!

Smiles All Around!

This shot was snagged by Mrs. T in church yesterday. I'll let you figure out why PC might have asked Ty and me to come up front yesterday...and why we're all smiling ear-to-ear.

(It may or may not have to do with the diamond on my finger.)

Concerto Competition

I've learned a lot over the many months of preparation for this concerto competition, both musically and spiritually. I'd love to write an entire post about it soon. For now, here's the video of my performance with Erin at finals last night. We felt we gave it our best and were very happy with our performance. In the end, we were not chosen as the winners, but we're okay with that. This whole thing has been a journey for us, and we recognize God is up to something bigger than concerto competitions.
You can't really see me, but sound is what matters most anyway. Hope you enjoy!

Window Friend

I woke this morning to a little scratch, scratch at my window. When it persisted, I finally rolled out of bed. I already knew what it was - this same scratch, scratch that kept me from drifting into dreamy land the other night. As I approached the window, pockets of light shown through creating a silhouette of a little figure. He was gone, but the face and paws lingered, printed on the window.

Yes, friends. There is a rat living on my back patio. This morning didn't really phase me, but when I saw him in the moonlight the other night I ran screaming for my dad. Guess I didn't scare off the rat.

Besides, there are other things on my mind...like the concerto competition finals tonight!
(And I should probably mention a host of other assignments and internship-related things, but I can't think past tonight!)

Happy Thursday! One more Thursday, and I say farewell to the fall 2011 semester!