Sabai dee!

Sabai dee means "hello" in Lao, and is the easiest phrase to learn. All the local people will greet you with this word, and many restaurants and hotels use "sabaidee" in their title.

I have had a whirlwind first two days at work. Yesterday was my first day at the Embassy. I work at a small post, which is nice because it is easier to learn my way around and get to know everyone. Emily, the other intern, showed me around and helped me get things like my badge and my local cell phone.

I work in Public Diplomacy, which is responsible for educational programs (like programs for Lao students to go to the US), English and cultural programs, and things like media and social media. Basically we want to interact with the local people to help promote Lao-USA relations. I met Ken, who is an officer in my section. I also met all of the local staff who work in our section. They all speak English and Lao, and I am really enjoying working with them. I share an office with KP, the Director of the Information Resource Center in Laos, which basically means he helps Lao students study in the US. I have already been asking the staff for tips on good places to get coffee, local foods to try, and other advice about living in Vientiane, and they have been incredibly helpful.

Yesterday I met the Ambassador, Daniel Clune, and the Deputy Chief of Mission. The great thing about being at a small embassy is that I will actually see the Ambassador quite a lot. For example, today I got to sit on an informal interview between the Ambassador and journalists. I learned a lot about the political situation in Laos and government here.

I promise to share more about Laos as I learn it. People tend not to know much about Laos, so I hope to help y'all learn and gain interest in Laos!

Because it is a small post, we are very busy. All of the officers here are very busy, so they are glad to have me, which means I am already getting started on projects. Some of the things I will do while I'm here are host a debate in English for Lao students, teach English (the Embassy offers free English classes), and help create some brochures for the programs we have. I will also help with some of the social media here.

I will do a lot of work here, but I am excited! Hopefully I will get to go on a trip with the Embassy as part of my work. I may get to go to Luang Prabang, which is the most famous and visited city here, full of temples and a historic UNESCO site.

I will update again soon! One last thing, if you ever come to Laos, the baguettes are AMAZING.