“From Laos with love” – guest author Beate Pinisch writes on “SMART” training
Tips for teachers on training workshops with adults – not only in Southeast Asia (1)1
Have you ever caught yourself sitting in a workshop, training, seminar, or lecture with a wandering mind? Did you then wonder what it was that let your mind go astray? Was it you not concentrating as you should and could, distracted by personal ruminations and/or your mobile device, or was the tuition activity questionable? Will you get out of this session remembering what you came for?
Many of us teachers or trainers face situations in which we do workshops, trainings, hold lecture, give seminars, or tandem-work with adults. How do you capture this particular audience? How do you get them to pay attention, put their personal concerns or mobile devices aside for an hour or two, and – most importantly of all – how do you ensure they will remember what you wanted (or got paid) to get across on this particular day?
Here are my two pennies worth2 from trainings I had to conduct in the course of my 20-year work in Southeast Asia. This particular training was an assignment I had for Cambodia. My job was to conduct a training for farmer groups so they would be able to write a business plan that would be accepted by foreign (Western) organisations.
As many of you will already know, the heart of a good business plan is always your set of objectives. They should be SMART as in:
S….pecific
M..easurable
A…chievable
R…elevant
T..ime-based
Example: By October 2020 our cooperative will produce and sell 50 tons of export quality paddy to our cooperation partner “XY” at a minimum contract price of “XY” Euro.3
My problem: How do I make my trainees remember SMART? After all, several of them were semi- or illiterate. And – to be honest – I sometimes needed to look up one of the abbreviations myself. I forgot…
In rural Southeast Asian communities, people tend to be of the visual type: Seeing is believing. So I decided to do this training by drawing things. And what seems to be true all over the world in any teaching situation also applied there: When people actively participate they will love the results and will remember the training well.
Back to my example: What are SMART objectives? First I explained why it is good to have SMART objectives (versus the usual ones, e.g. “we want to produce and sell more rice”). We then worked on a translation of the meanings into the Khmer language.
Smart begins with an “S” (I do not use “pig” in Khmer here, because the “p” ist taken)
Measurable begins with a “G” (in Khmer)
Achievable begins with a “C”
Relevant begins with a “P”
Time-based begins with a “H”.
Then we looked for daily words or objects that start with the same letters and found “swine”, “goat”, “cabbage”, “pagoda” and “horse”. That made for a very nice picture of a “swine, a goat, and a horse eating cabbage in front of a pagoda”.
We re-checked: Just from remembering the picture, the farmers were able to deduce the guidelines how to do SMART objectives, and then to develop those objectives.
When I met some of them a few days later, they were very happy that they had been (and still were) able to work with such a complex topic and get results. They told me it will be impossible for them to ever forget about SMART objectives.
Lesson learnt: Ensure your audience participates, has fun – and try to visualise as much as possible.
Why is the paper so crumpled? We did not have a blackboard, so we used flipchart paper on a clothes line. The other lesson learnt: Improvise!
Text & photos by B. Pinisch, with editor’s notes by I. Martin
Notes by the editor
1 This particular training was conducted by the author in Kambodia. Part (2) is forthcoming.
One British ex-pat/ TESOL expert working in Thailand, who showed interest in our project and visited last year, pointed out that we “train dogs, not people”. This was a valid point, and we agree that word choices need to be reflected critically (“decolonise your mind“). The word “training” is, however, widely used in the world of business and also by NGOs working in “developing” countries.
2 “Two pennies worth” is an idiomatic expression for “my humble opinion”, i.e. apparently not worth much, a modest understatement.
3 “XY” are (almost […xyz]) the last letters of the Latin alphabet and therefore used as a sysnonym for “any (not specified, unknown which)”.
Movie Nights at the Lao-German Technical College – English outside the classroom
The biggest tasks of every new team arriving in Laos is taking over the work of their predecessors. When Thomas Pelka, Anna-Sophia ten Brink and I, the members of Team VIII working at the Lao-German Technical College (LGTC), arrived in Vientiane in late February 2019, we soon discovered that Dilara, Patricia, and Nicole of Team VII had started work on a special project at the College: The “Movie Night”.
While we had been familiarising ourselves with the work of Team VII beforehand (i.e. by reading their “Weekly Reports” or speaking with Nicole during our preparatory workshops), the thought had not occurred to us that the Movie Night was there to stay. Unlike other duties that the volunteers at the College have apart from tandem-teaching – e.g. taking care of the Didactics Room – the Movie Night is not among the “Special Tasks” volunteers can choose from prior to leaving for Laos.1 As Dilara explained to us, it all started as a one-time event for their BHS students back in November 2018, but due to its positive reception, it became tradition, and this way also a new “Special Task”.
But how does one organise a “Movie Night” at the LGTC? Still a bit surprised that the “Movie Night” had become an established event for our BHS students, Anna-Sophia, Thomas, and I nevertheless were keen on continuing the work of our predecessors. Luckily, when the time came to prepare our first “Movie Night”, Dilara from Team VII was still working at the LGTC, and she was more than happy to walk us through all the steps. After settling down in Laos, which took around five days, it was now time for Team VIII to step into the picture and start hosting their own “Movie Night”.2
Of course, preparations for such an event start earlier than on the date it takes place. To properly set everything up, and more importantly, to inform the students about the next “Movie Night”, we start planning the event around one week before the actual event. Normally, one week is enough time for the news to spread. This is done by both advertising the event in our evening English classes, and by setting up and inviting all students to an online event on Facebook within the BHS Facebook group – as soon as we decide on a date, we let the students know. The “Movie Nights” mostly take place in a two-week rhythm every Wednesday evening, but things like shifts in our volatile schedule3 or sickness can hardly be anticipated. Thus, it is always necessary to reassure students when the next “Movie Night” is due and that it is sure to take place.
Movie Nights are either advertised directly in class on the Whiteboard…
….or via their very own Facebook group for BHS English students
After announcing the event, we decide what kind of movie we want to watch with our students. This question can prove difficult, as many considerations need to be considered. These questions range from the kind of genre the movie should be to the linguistic and cultural features of the movies themselves: Is the language of the movie intelligible enough for our students? Is the movie leaning (too) heavily on western pop-cultural references and assumptions? Can the plot be followed even if some students may have trouble following the language of the movie? We soon noticed that finding a balanced solution for these questions is not always easy. Fortunately, our students are eager to provide us with both direct and indirect feedback.
Direct feedback comes from students directly expressing wishes about what kind of movie they would like to watch (or not to watch), be it a specific genre or the sequel to a movie they watched in a previous Movie Night. On the other hand, indirect feedback is given by how the students respond to a movie while watching it. Are they invested in the viewing experience? Do they respond emotionally to what is happening on the screen? Do they seem entertained or bored? After carefully observing the students during the event and paying attention to their response, one can get a good impression rather quickly.
An observation Team VII made – which we can confirm – is that animated comedy movies are among the best liked movies. Since November 2018, the “Movie Night” featured six animated and three “live-action” movies, seven of them comedies.
With a movie selected, we can then turn our attention to the more practical matters of setting up the event. This includes shopping for snacks and organising both a room for the event and a projector so we can properly view the movie. In terms of snacks, we provide our students with a small variety of nibbles (i.e. crisps or seasoned nuts) and small bottles of drinking water.
Thomas and Anna-Sophia shop for snacks…
… taking into consideration that many students like flavours like squid or seaweed.
Organising the projector is quite easy, as we can borrow one from the office in the Automotive Section of the College. For the room itself, we always use one of our classrooms in the Electrical Section building.4 They are well-lit, climatised and overall the best rooms for viewing movies for bigger groups at the LGTC. With all the snacks and drinks bought, a movie projector organized, and a viewing room selected, we can move on to the night of the event itself.
Going by regular schedule, we arrive at 5:30 p.m. to prepare. This leaves us with half an hour to set up and connect the technical equipment, run a last video-and sound-check and move tables and chairs in the right position. While it may seem unusal to leave all the tables where they are, the students actually prefer to have some extra space to put their snacks and drinks or to rest their arms. For our technical setup, we use a simple projector connected to a laptop, which is in turn connected to either a Bluetooth speaker or two speaker boxes, depending on what equipment is available for the evening.
The Electrical Section building, where all Movie Nights take place
Our complete setup: Speaker, projector, and Laptop…
… for the rare case we need to use the Internet, we also bring along our pocket-WiFi.
When our students arrive at 6 p.m., we always welcome them with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. The Movie Nights are not mandatory for our BHS students, so it is always interesting to see how many attendants show up. Many of our regular visitors live in the nearby student dormitory (only a short walk away from the LGTC), so they come quite often. After around ten minutes of waiting for late arrivals, we officially start the event. All present volunteer-teachers welcome the students and give them a short introduction of what kind of movie that we will watch together that night. At this point, the students already give feedback by cheering, acting excited, or not reacting at all, so we can quickly deduce if our choice of the movie aligns with the students’ interests. Provided there are no technical issues, we dim the lights and finally start the show.
Last arrangements before starting the movie….
….while the students excitedly wait
Even if everything up to this point – the planning, selecting, advertising, organising equipment and setting it all up – worked out without any hassle, we may still be surprised by hitches. During one “Movie Night”, our projector started to act up and only projected the movie in still images and in black-and-white, so we had to find a replacement. On another occasion, workers started to flatten and asphalt the gravel road outside the building with heavy machinery at 8:30 p.m. Like with many other parts of life here in Laos, you are best advised to expect the unexpected and keep a good sense of humour. When things like this happen, our students patiently wait until we find a solution. And if they do not get annoyed by such surprises, why should we?
In most cases, we can show our selected movie without any problem. For a few hours, then, the distinction between us teachers and our students fades, and as we sit together watching the movie, we are equally happy to be able to relax together, lean back, and enjoy. These few hours every fortnight are something special not only for our students, but also for us.
For both sides, the Movie Night provides a different angle to learning English and to a wider sphere of English media. As we teach English language classes to our students on a regular basis , watching English movies with them is an entirely different approach. Doing listening, speaking, and writing exercises during lessons is augmented by the Movie Night because our students can then watch and listen to English in another, more “organic” context where the language is not necessarily the focus. The language serves as a means of communication in a wider context of visuals, sounds, and images, and students can understand how English is used outside the more “constructed” situations they usually find within textbooks and even in our more authentic communicative lessons. For us teachers, on the other hand, the “Movie Nights” enables us to reach our students in new ways, and seeing them enjoy the movies we watch together is the most welcome reward for the work we invested.
Volunteer-teachers and their students enjoy a movie together.
After the movie is finished and the credits roll (usually around 8 p.m.), we turn the lights back on and thank them for joining us, ask if they liked the movie – to which they always answer “yes”5 – and bid them goodbye. They always leave in orderly fashion and take with them all the empty plastic bottles and trash. When all students have left, we pack up our things, turn off the lights and head home – already anticipating the next “Movie Night” in two weeks’ time.
Another successful Movie Night (Pictured: teachers Thomas & Anna-Sophia)
Since our arrival almost two months ago, we were able to host three Movie Nights for our students, were we showed Madagascar 3 – Europe’s Most Wanted, Mowgli – Legend of the Jungle and Spiderman – Homecoming. Interestingly enough, Spiderman – Homecoming was both the only movie that our students directly asked for and the movie which seemed to confuse them the most. While the students enjoyed watching the movie, they struggled quite often with understanding what was being said or what was going on sometimes.
For an explanation why this movie did not quite “work” for our students, one needs to examine the context in which it is situated: It is the 16th movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a (still-)growing circle of interconnected superhero movies, and it takes place in contemporary 21st century New York. Knowledge of the previous 15 MCU movies is not necessary to understand the plot and the world presented in the movie, but the movie itself relies heavily on references to the previous movies and characters, so it is only with this pre-knowledge that viewers could fully comprehend Spiderman – Homecoming.
Nonetheless, each one of these events proved to be a great success and was well-liked by all of us. The three of us are very glad to have taken up the reigns from Team VII, and we hope that – just like we did – our successors will continue the tradition of the Movie Night at the LGTC when they come here in the autumn.
After all, who does not like a good movie?
Text by S. Hadatsch
Photos by T. Pelka, A. ten Brink & S. Hadatsch
Notes
1 Alongside the teaching duties of 20 hours, volunteers also have a “Special Task”, i.e. being responsible for collecting and storing the media produced (worksheets, photos, reports, etc.), running the “Lending Library”, or maintaining the blog.
2 While we could not find clear guidelines regarding the legal side of showing copyrighted material in Laos, we always operate within the legal rules we know from home. All movies we show are therefore either purchased or legally streamed via Netflix/Amazon Prime, and the “Movie Night” is not open to the general public, but hosted within a private setting.
3Â Shifts in schedule are quite common at the Lao-German Technical College: Meetings, student events, or holiday celebrations are often announced at very short notice.
4Â The Electrical Section building at the College was partially financed and equipped by the German Government with support from the KfW (Kreditanstalt fĂĽr Wiederaufbau, “Credit Institute for Reconstruction”).
5Â In Lao culture, the highest emphasis is placed on maintaining “harmony” amongst groups of people. Openly disagreeing and creating discord is frowned upon – it is instead considered polite to keep up this sense of harmony and concord, also at the expense of one’s own views.
Preparing for National Model United Nations – invitation by the Lao Ambassador in Berlin
Editor’s note: By the end of last year, preparations for the representation of Lao PDR at the National Model United Nations (NMUN) in New York in April 2019 were well underway. This event will last one week and is the largest of all simulations of the United Nations, conducted entirely by students and pupils who have a keen interest in politics.
Former volunteer Shirin Ud-Din is the Head of the Lao delegation and organises all events for their preparation as well as delegating in the General Assembly Third Committee. At the Reception of the German Ambassador to Laos in honour of the 60th anniversary of German-Lao diplomatic relations in October 2018, it was possible to informally meet high-ranking Lao officials, who subsequently opened the door to the Lao Embassy in Berlin for further talks and preparation.
On 25 January 2019 my delegation and I had the chance to visit the Lao ambassador in Germany, His Excellency Mr Phomma Boutthavong, in his embassy in Berlin. It was important for my delegation to meet a Laotian expert before our departure to clarify questions that had come up during our preparation process. Who would be more suitable than the Laotian ambassador? Fortunately, the ambassador and his staff agreed to receive us in his embassy near the Kurfuerstendamm in Berlin.
Since our meeting was supposed to take place in Berlin at 3 p.m. and I live near Stuttgart, I had to get up very early to arrive in Berlin in time. I took the ICE at 6 o’clock in the morning and arrived in Berlin around 12:30 o’clock. I checked into my hotel at Alexanderplatz and changed my clothes, using the opportunity to wear my Laotian Sinh. I thought I would get to the embassy quickly, but had not considered how big Berlin really is. Unfortunately, the embassy was at the other end of the city and it took me 45 minutes by train to get there.
The “Alexanderplatz” – a famous place for shopping and known for its “Fernsehturm” (TV tower)
At 14:15 I finally arrived in front of the embassy where I met my delegates. All of us were excited about what would happen over the next few hours – this was our very first diplomatic visit, after all. In the delegation, we appoint two delegates to each committee, such as the United Nations Development Program or the General Assembly Third Committee, and every committee had thought of specific questions to ask at this meeting. The questions had been sent to the embassy 3 weeks before so that His Exellency Mr Phomma Boutthavong would be able to prepare for this meeting. We rang the bell and were welcomed warmly by the ambassador and his staff, and then we were led to the spacious reception room. His Excellency sat down right at the front so everybody could see him.
The Lao Embassy in Berlin
After the official welcome the Ambassador opened the meeting with the question why we had chose to represent the Lao PDR at the National Model United Nations. I reported about my work during the AfC-PH internship and about my research for my Bachelor thesis and the connection to the country that came with it. I had been able to fire my delegation with this spirit, even if it took me a while. During our preparation up to this point I had seen my delegation become more and more interested in the country, and during the embassy visit I noticed a connection forming through the warm atmosphere. It became clear to all of us that we could make a difference with our thoughts and ideas, because they would be heard during the Model United Nations conference.
H.E. Mr Phomma Boutthavong took a lot of time to answer all our questions openly and to help our committees. It was a lively exchange between us and his staff, which also helped when it came to difficult questions. Topics discussed were climate change, health system, education and especially the inclusion of disabled people in schools and the formal sector, digitalisation and Internet, the status of a least developed country (LDC), and many more. We had not come unprepared: Two month prior to our meeting I had collected questions from every committee so that we had a substantial cross-section of topics to address.
For further help, the ambassador drew our attention to the Sustainable Development Goals, in which a country sets down its political goals in alignment with those of the United Nations, and which are to be reached by 2030. The SDGs are to serve ecological, social, and economic security.1 H.E. Mr Phomma Boutthavong had printed them out, put them in beautiful folders and gave them to us for our journey back. I realised the relevance of this document straightaway and was most grateful for this gift, as was my delegation. Topics that are covered in the SDG’s are: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education and much more. It was a rare chance to talk about those topics with a Lao expert who also lives in Germany and is therefore able to compare the systems in both countries, i.e. the different health care systems, education systems, or economic growth. Probably his living in both worlds is also a inspiration which he can carry back and forth between the two countries. I have observed that Laos is a country that likes to look to other countries as role models on the one hand, but waits to see how well other countries implement new projects or concepts on the other hand. Only then – if a model proves sustainable – may the step be taken for similar own new ventures in their particular context.
Time flew by. After three hours of conversation all questions were answered and our hunger for knowledge was sated.
His Excellency Mr Phomma Boutthavong during our meeting with his staff
My delegation and the Lao Ambassador together with his staff
Instead of taking leave, what followed was the invitation to a traditional Laotian dinner – which I was especially happy about. We were led to a room next door where the wonderful smell of Lao food wafted into our noses. The ambassador had spared no expense or effort to offer the finest Laotian food: Of course there was sticky rice, papaya salad, beef salad, mushroom soup, and much else. This was the perfect ending to our visit at the embassy, and we were very grateful. It is not a matter of course that a groups of students is invited for a 3-hour consultation and then for dinner by the ambassador himself! During dinner we had the chance to talk to all the staff and the ambassador’s wife in a relaxed atmosphere and enjoyed a pleasant evening. Needless to say, I felt “beamed back” to Laos by this kind gesture, the great hospitality, and the delicious food. When we finally did leave, the ambassador offered further help to us for our ongoing thematic preparation, which we will be glad to take up later.
Lao food at the Embassy
My plate with spicy papaya salad, sticky rice, minced beef salad, and steamed vegetables
What happens next? On 13 April 2019 I fly to New York and I am already very excited about the prospect of debating with delegates from 120 countries. Until then, I will continue to work on thematic, rhetoric, and argumentation exercises because at the NMUN everyday-language is “off” – diplomatic language will be the language of the day.
Before the conference starts, there will be a self-organised visit at the Lao Permanent Mission to the United Nations as well as at the German Permanent Mission to the United Nations, which chairs the UN Security Council in April. Both visits will serve as the last input for us and will help us to reflect our preparation.
What drives me so much in participating in the NMUN is that the documentation of the NMUN is passed on to the President of the UN, MarĂa Fernanda Espinosa GarcĂ©s, and the hope of being actually heard is real.
Text by S. Ud-Din, editor’s notes by I. Martin
Photos by S. Ud-Din &Â T. Phomveha
Editor’s note
1 Laos has one more SDG than other countries, who have 17 goals: No. 18 is the clearance of UXO, unexploded ordnance from the “Secret War”.
Cultural landmarks in Vientiane – manifestations of Lao history
Sightseeing in Vientiane by Team VIII
March 2nd 2019, Saturday morning, 8:30 a.m.
One part of Team VIII – the team working in the schools and staying at “the villa” – is getting ready to be picked up by the foundation’s driver Mr Viengkham, for our second visit to the capital Vientiane since we arrived on February 19th. We were lucky that our project leaders Johannes Zeck and Professor Dr. Isabel Martin were currently staying in Laos. Therefore, Team VIII was to be guided through the city and its sights by Johannes Zeck; he knows them well as he has been to Laos many times before.
The other part of the team – Anna-Sophia, Thomas, and Siegfried, who work at the Lao-German Technical College in Vientiane and stay in “the bungalow” – got to the Sisaket Museum, our first stop, a little later, held up by the notorious traffic in town. While waiting for them, the other team members took a look at the Palais Presidentiel, right across the street.
The Palais Presidentiel is the official residence of the President of Lao PDR, Mr Bounnhang Vorachith. Construction of the Presidential Palace started in 1973, initiated by the then Royal Lao Government. The building itself was designed by Mr Khamphoung Phonekeo, a local architect. Due to the political changes after the takeover of the Communist Pathet Lao in 1975, the Presidential Palace first opened in 1986 and has been serving as a venue for government ceremonies and other representative functions (cf. Wikipedia, “The Presidental Palace (Laos)”, 2019). The Palace is not open to the public.
In front of the…
… Presidential Palace
When the other team members arrived, we crossed the street again to visit the Vat Sisaket Museum.
Vat Sisaket (or Wat Si Saket) Museum is a “wat” (Buddhist temple) located on Lan Xang Road in Vientiane. The temple was built in 1818 and therefore might be the oldest temple in Vientiane. The wat was built in honor of King Anouvong – the last monarch of the Kingdom of Vientiane. Its architecture is also notable: The wat was built in the Siamese style1 of Buddhist architecture and includes a surrounding terrace and an ornate five-tiered roof, which is uncommon for Lao style. The wat also features a cloister2 with more than 2,000 ceramic and silver Buddha images, and an additional museum (cf. Wikipedia. “Wat Si Saket”, 2019).
Vat Sisaket Museum
Buddha sculpture with a golden cloth
Buddha sculptures caved in the wall
Buddha sculpture seated and damaged…
…seated on a platform…
… seated again…
… and standing
Our second stop, southeast of the Vat Sisaket Museum but practically on the other side of the street, was an extraordinary temple called Ho Prakeo (Haw Phra Kaew, Hor Pha Keo). The temple was built to house the “Emerald Buddha” figurine made of jade and gold, and it was rebuilt several times. The Crown Prince Setthathirath of Siam (exonym formerly used for Thailand) brought the cherished statue to Laos in 1565 when he also became the King of Lan Xang (Kingdom of Laos). The Emerald Buddha stayed in the temple for 214 years until Vientiane was seized in 1779 by a Siamese General. The figurine of Emerald Buddha was taken away and the temple destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1816 by King Anouvong and was destroyed again in 1828 when King Anouvong rebelled against Siam in order to gain full independence. The temple got rebuilt one last time by the new French rulers around 1936. The surviving structures of the old temples were used as base for rebuilding (cf. Wikipedia. “Haw Phra Kaew”, 2019).
Nowadays, there is a museum of religious art and a small shop inside.
Ho Prakeo Museum
… front view
Stone with carved Buddhas…
… historical carvings
Dog-lion statue
Carved wooden doors…
… at Ho Prakeo Museum
On the way to our third stop, in front of the Patouxay Monument, a piece of art made out of porcelain caught our attention. There are four elephants made of plates and cups. We know that elephants are the emblem of Laos, but need to find out what exactly this statue signifies.
The Patouxay Monument (ປະຕຕູໄຊ) in the centre of Vientiane literally means “Gate of Triumph” or “Victory Gate”; it is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and also a war monument. The Patuxay was built between 1957 and 1968, i.e. in the first of the two decades of the constitutional monarchy when the Roalists and the Communist Pathet Lao were fighting the Civil War.
With American funds and cement, the monument with its long “runway” was orginally intended to become a new airport. It was dubbed „vertical runway“ when the Royal Laotian Government built the monument instead. The monument was designed by the Laotian architect Tham Sayasthsena; in 1957, his plans were selected from the many submitted by the Public Works Department, numerous private architects, and the Military Engineering Department.
Due to French colonial rule, the Patouxay was originally known simply as the “Anousavali” (“memory”) and commemorated the Laotian soldiers who died during World War II. After the victory of the Pathet Lao, however, who assumed political power after the Laotian Civil War by overthrowing the coalition government and ending the ancient monarchy in 1975, the monument was renamed “Patuxai” and dedicated to those who had fought for Laos’ independence from France in 1949. Kaysone Phomvihane became the first Prime Minister of the new “Lao People’s Democratic Republic”.
The architecture of the monument represents the five principles of coexistence among world nations. Additionally, they also represent the five Budhist principles of “thougtful amiability, honesty, flexibility, prosperity and honour“ (Wikipedia. “Patuxai”, 2019). It has gateways on four sides, which are oriented towards the four cardinal directions (ibid.).
Tablet in front of fountain at Patouxay Monument
Patouxay Monument
Exterior decoration
Interior decoration…
… displaying Buddhist deities
Interior decoration of the archway
After lunch, we went to our final destination. Pha That Luang (ພຣະທາດຫຫວງ) means „Great Stupa“. The gold-covered Buddhist stupa is located in the city centre. Its architecture expresses Lao culture and history in many ways; this is why the stupa is regarded as a national symbol and the most important national monument.
According to the Lao people, Pha That Luang was originally built as a Hindu temple in the first century (cf. Wikipedia. “Pha That Luang”, 2019). “In the 13th century it was rebuilt as a Khmer temple, which then fell into ruin” (ibid.). When King Setthathirat relocated his capital from Luang Prabang to Vientiane in the mid-16th century, he ordered the construction of Pha That Luang.
In 1641, Gerrit van Wuysoff, a Dutch envoy, visited Vientiane, for which occasion King Sourigna Vongsa delivered a magnificent ceremony at the temple. He wrote that he was impressed by the „enormous pyramid and the top was covered with gold leaf weighing about a thousand pounds“ (ibid.). Through time, the stupa was plundered several times by the Siamese, Chinese, and Burmese (ibid.).
In 1828 Pha That Lung was destroyed by the Thai invasion. In 1900 restoration began under the French, based on the drawings of the original design by the architect and explorer Louis Delaporte. Reconstruction was not completed until the 1930s. Then Pha That Luang was greatly damaged during an air raid in the Franco-Thai war (1940-41). It was reconstructed again after the end of World War II (cf. Wikipedia. “Pha That Luang”, 2019).
Front view of Pha That Luang
Buddhist statue
Pha That Luang
The naga (note 3)
After an exciting day full of culturally new impressions, we went to Pauline’s favourite place, the Bacán CafĂ©, and talked about the importance of beginning to understand Lao history, and of being aware of the different cultures that influenced the sites we visited, as well as Buddhism and religion in general.
As we are cooperating with Lao teachers as tandem-partners, we need to get to know Laotian culture(s) in order to work well according to the project mission. Our work for the project can only be effective if we learn and teach bi-directionally with our tandem teachers in our daily routines, meaning that both sides need to learn from and about each other before we teach the other group. By learning to understand and adapt to Laotian norms and beliefs we can compensate some of the regular cultural misunderstandings, and by educating our minds and changing our attitudes we are hopefully able to cross the bridge from our European to their Lao perspective. For fruitful and sustainable collaboration with our tandem-partners, it helps to bond and develop an understanding of each other’s viewpoints – both ways.
We are already benefitting from the Laotian culture of unfailing obligingness, their welcoming nature, and strong community.
Text & photos by R. Vogt & V. Wecker
Notes
1 “Enclosure”: the temple’s enclosing wall divides it from the secular world.
2 “A covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade” running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle.
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaya_Naga
References
Schultze, Michael (2003). Laos. Bielefeld: Reise Know-How Verlag. (5th ed)
Ray, Nick (2017). Laos. Ostfildern: DuMont Reiseverlag. (4rd ed)
Websites
Wikipedia. “Presidential Palace in Laos” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_Palace_(Laos) (accessed 29 Mar 2019)
Wikipedia. “Wat Si Saket” Â https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wat_Si_Saket (accessed 29 Mar 2019)
Wikipedia. “Haw Phra Kaew” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haw_Phra_Kaew (accessed 29 Mar 2019)
Wikipedia. “Patuxai Monument” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patuxai (accessed 29 Mar 2019)
Wikipedia. “Pha That Luang” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pha_That_Luang (accessed 29 Mar 2019)
Letters from Germany – “First impressions” by Napha Khotphouthone (SKU)
Hallo! My name is Napha Khothphouthone, 28 years old. I’m from Laos. Now I am in Karlsruhe, Germany on behalf of Exchange student between Karlsruhe University of Education and Savannakhet University. I have been in Karlsruhe since March 04, 2019 and I will be here until August 30, 2019.
Karlsruhe Castle, city center
This is my first time in Europe so everything here is new for me, of course there are a lot of impressions that I want to share such as: the weather is cold, but I like it I can walk in the long distance without any sweat. Transportation is very comfortable especially train that run out in every 5 or 10 minute so you don’t need to bring your car or motorcycle and you can easily to go anywhere with only the semester ticket. People here normally use bicycle you can forget about air pollution .
University of Education Karlsruhe, library building…
… my dormitory…
… my room…
… shared kitchen
Karlsruhe is not too big and not too small, the architect is very beautiful and the city is very clean. Food is completely different from Laos but it is easy to eat, that means it is appropriate for me who really don’t like cooking. Moreover, I am very lucky that I arrived here in the Carneval day it is important for people here.
Carnival wagon
One week after arrival there was an official Reception at the PH Karlsruhe for all International Students:
International students and their teachers (photographer: Tilman Binz, PH Karlsruhe)
… and official Reception in Senate Room
I am very very very and very happy.
Text by N. Khotphouthone
Photos by N. Khotphouthone, J. Friedl, T. Binz & I. Martin
Letters from Germany – “My first 10 days in Karlsruhe” by Thaithanawanh Keokaisone (SKU)
Hello Everyone!
My name is Thaithanawanh Keokaisone, I come from Laos in Southeast Asian. I am here in Karlsruhe University of Education for the exchange student.
“Mountain trip”: excursion with International Club to the “Turmberg” (“tower hill”)
Here is my ten days impression in Karlsruhe University of Education in Germany as following below:
It is clean city, its street has the walk way both sides of the street, it has the trash bins for littering the trash, I rarely see the trash along the streets, many people keep cleaning, they do not throw the trash anywhere, they have specific areas for the trash, they also separate the trash, I mean the trash bins some trash can be reused. The street is very clean and it is also tall buildings and it perfectly designs. I imagine that it is like my dream become truly. I would like living here during six months in this city.
Carl Friedrich von Baden statue in front of Karlsruhe Castle
Many people walking faster, My first day to school, I just walk from the dorm to school, I normally like walking, but many people walking faster, I try to do too, then I feel tired because I am not familiar with walking faster on the street, Now I still practice the walking as my routine, I will do good exercise day and I also learn the new things now. The faster than walking is to taking city train, it is free for the students, if you have the student’s ID card with train ticket.
People eating, walking and waiting for the City train (tram)
It is nice weather here, Yes, I like cold weather, I first arrive here in Karlsruhe. I face the cool day, I feel cold my feet and hands, I have a bit running nose then I get better. Some said nice weather, yes I love it, I am not thirsty often, It can save the water in the body due to the sweat does not come out.
Facing cool weather
Food is easy to eat, I normally like eating sticky rice, then I try to eat some bread or sausages, I also like it, it is easy to eat that, it just buys food at restaurant, then walking, eating and keep talking. I also sometimes cook at my kitchen dorms, it is shared by flat mates, it is a great one, I can try their food, and They also taste my food. It is like international food. Yes, I also joint the international buffet, there were a lots of food for the exchange students brought it in the evening. we met and knew each other. They came from around the world.
Sharing kitchen with flatmates
Dr Isabel showed us where we can buy lemongrass…
… and red chilies! We eat those a lot in Laos.
Start learning German Language, The sound is really interesting, I firstly start learning 26 consonants and plus vowels with Teacher frau Gutting and Teacher Frau Wermuth, They are very great teachers, They are friendly, There is no English in the classroom, I try to pronounce the words in German sounds, but it is not completely for me, I try to imitate the sound from the teacher, I hope one day, I will speak German to buy food, asking some helps and understand German culture in generally.
We had a warm reception by President and International Office and teachers at PH:
My new teacher (German culture) Alexandra Neuner
Ich bin Thaithanawanh – will let you know what develops next!
Excursion with International Club to the “Turmberg” (“tower hill”), the Black Forest begins here, just outside of town
Text by T. Keokaisone
Photos by T. Keokaisone, N. Khothphouthone & I. Martin
Collaborative research PH Karlsruhe and Savannakhet University – a positive start to our Erasmus+ programme
First meeting
My name is Dr Martin Remmele and I work at the Institute of Biology and School Gardening at the University of Education Karlsruhe. Last year, I co-mentored Shirin Ud-Din‘s Bachelor thesis about Health and education: First steps in medical awareness concerning health issues in Lao schools together with Prof. Isabel Martin, who then invited to me to join her Erasmus+ project with Laos. As I supposed that collaborating with Lao colleagues might be fruitful for both sides I spontaneously said “yes”.
The 25th of February 2019 was quite exciting, because this is when I met my Lao colleagues of the Erasmus+ project at Savannakhet University for the first time. I went to Savannakhet aiming to collaborate especially with researchers of the department of Food Science in teaching and research. For our first meeting, only a few hours after my arrival, a wonderful restaurant with some typical Lao barbecue specialities was chosen.
Dr Phetsamone Khattiyavong, head of the Lao Erasmus+ team, and Ms Viengvilaiphone Botthoulath, my direct cooperation partner, and some further fine colleagues were excellent hosts on this evening. I immediately got the impression that I was a welcome guest here and that this could be the starting point of successful work during the next two weeks.
Finding the red thread for collaboration
The following two days were very interesting because we started to get to know each other – how would a researcher in food science and a researcher in biological education fit together? We started off by giving presentations about our work: Ms Viengvilaiphone Botthoulath, other colleagues of the Lao working group and I introduced ourselves by presenting our distinct research and teaching topics. It became clear that the meeting-point of both institutions would be sustainable development and education for sustainable development. From this moment on, all working days – even Saturday afternoon – were dedicated to working on this topic besides also doing some job-shadowing in teaching and administration.
We also made a plan how to collaborate in the future even beyond the present Erasmus+ project. It became obvious that visibility of the present collaboration’s outcome would strengthen any further applications for funding. This is why we developed a strategy for research with related publications. As major topics for this research, both cultures’ viewpoints on sustainable development queries in both countries were chosen.
The new campus where the department of food science is located…
… our natural sciences Lao-German work group: Mr Douangvilavanh Keomanivone, Mr Phongsavard Sibounnavong, Ms Viengvilaiphone Botthoulath, Dr Martin Remmele…
… at lunch at the university
Meeting on the personal level
However, we did not only meet for professional collaboration, but also on the personal level. My stay at Savannakhet was escorted by great kindness. We got along well with each other, had dinner together on several evenings, and – this is probably my most memorable experience – I was invited to go by car to Thakek, had a fantastic barbecue for lunch at a beautiful riverside, visited some exciting caves – and one of those by boat.
Popular destination close to Thakek…
… beautiful landscape…
… lotus flower in front of a Buddhist temple
For the grand finale my colleague Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin and I were invited to celebrate the International Women’s Day at the house of Dr Phetsamone Khattiyavong and Mr Sonexay Pasitkhammun. Then, we were sorry to say goodbye. However, we are really looking forward to further collaboration with our SKU partners in Germany and in Laos later this year.
Womens’ Day Party at Dr Phetsamone Khattiyavong’s house…
… another Womens’ Day Party at the Mr Sonexay Pasitkhammun’s house
Farewell and thank you dinner on the Mekong in the “River View” Restauranter.
Text & photos by M. Remmele
A new partnership: Lao university delegation visits University of Education Karlsruhe – the German perspective
First contact between University of Education Karlsruhe and Savannakhet University
My “Fact-Finding Mission: Laos” (“FFM”) from 18 March to 6 April 2017 was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, “DAAD”).1 Mr Somlith Virivong, then Director of the Lao-German Technical College, was appointed by the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) to officially drive and accompany me and my research assistant Ms Heike MĂĽller on our fascinating journey through the mid- and southern parts of the country. We had 26 appointments in total, at universities, colleges (Teacher Training Colleges, Technical Colleges), and also the Vocational Education Development Institute (VEDI) in Vientiane.
One of the last places we visited was Savannakhet, where we visited the SKU, the Teacher Training College (TTC), and the Technical College (TC) on 28 March 2017.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bounpong Keorodom (President), myself, Assoc. Prof. Dr Sitha Khemmarath (Vice-President for Research), Dr. Bounheuang Ninchaleun (Vice-President for Academic Affairs)
.. with our contact person Mr Somlith Virivong (left) and research assistant Ms Heike (right)
Dr Sitha & I start making plans
Dr Sitha, the Vice-President of SKU, promptly invited us to come back the next day to continue our discovery and discussion of possible joint interests and a potential for joint projects and research in the subjects of English and Food Science. Little did we know at the time that this was the beginning of a most interesting new cooperation – but exactly half a year later, the visit was returned. The leaders of SKU also ended up staying one day longer than planned to have more time to talk and develop plans together.
Lao university delegation visits University of Education Karlsruhe
On 28-29 September 2017, a Lao university delegation from the University of Savannakhet and the National University of Laos visited Germany (cf. Dr Sitha’s account with photos). They were travelling as members of the Lao Vice-President’s three delegations (economic, political, academic).2 The academic delegation’s first stops were the TU Aachen, the University of Göttingen, and the PHYWE company. They had had previous contact with the latter.
Some of the delegation members then travelled on to Karlsruhe to inform themselves about teacher education at our University of Education (“PH Karlsruhe“): Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bounpong Keorodom (President University of Savannakhet), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sitha Khemmarath (Vice-President University of Savannakhet), Assoc. Prof. Vixay Vankham (Head of Academic Affairs, Division Faculty of Engineering, National University of Laos), Mr Khansem Sisavon (Vocational Training Centre Vientiane), and as advisor from Thailand, Mr Woropanya (NEO Didac).3 They were accompanied by Mr Mark Metzbaur (PHYWE).
They received a warm reception in the Senate Room by the hosts Prof. Dr. Annette Worth and Ass. iur. Ursula Wöll (Rectorate), Ms Julia Friedl and Ms Franziska Teckentrup (International Office), Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin and Prof. Dr. Götz Schwab (Department of English), Mr Ralph Hansmann (Department of Sciences/ Technics), Ms Heike Müller (Department of Daily Culture and Health/ Nutrition), and Ms Rebecca Dengler and Ms Lena Wink (returnee volunteers of the project „Teaching English in Laos“).
Reception
Laura Kringe (volunteer), Julia Friedl (International Office), Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin, Ass. Prof. Dr. Bounpong Keorodom, Ms Ursula Woell (Chancellor), Ass. Prof. Dr. Sitha Khemmarath, Prof. Dr. Annette Worth (Rectorate/Research)…
… and a beautiful present (sinh fabric) from Savannakhet back on their return-visit 6 months later
For Laos’ integration into the ASEAN, its younger generation needs good schooling, vocational training, or a university education – and sufficient English skills. Technical and economic advancement cannot be achieved without skilled workers, and these will need to be able to communicate in the international language English to cooperate with their new foreign partners in the Western world. „In order to educate young people well, we need highly qualified teachers“, said Assoc. Prof. Vixay Vankham.
Apart from the questions of quality in teacher education, which are also very frankly addressed in the governmental analysis of 2018, The Lao PDR Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (p. 26), the more urgent educational problem in Laos seems to be the lack of teachers. As the average age of the population is 23, this means overcrowded classrooms with 40, 50, or 60 children. In rural areas, it is therefore not unusual for one teacher to teach all grades (1 to 5) together in one class, as in this example from a school outside of Savannakhet:
Rural primary school near Savannakhet…
…grades 1-5 in one classroom…
… taught by novice Mr Keo Parkdee (graduate of Savannakhet University)
I had prepared the following two-day programme and thankfully was supported by many colleagues from other subjects,4 which meant that our visitors were able to see a wide range of facilities of education at our “PH” within a very short time:
Thursday, 29 September 2017
14:00Â Â Reception
- Welcome, short addresses, snacks
- Lao delegation, German visitors and German hosts introduce themselves
- International Office presents profile of PH Karlsruhe
15:00Â Â Guided tour around the PH campus:
15:00Â Â Building 2
15:00-15:15 Sports hall
15:20-15:30 IT/Media production-room
Mr Stephan Weber demonstrates the Media Lab…
… Prof. Bounpong tries 3D…
… for an edu-game.
15:35-15:45 Minima – Maths lab for children
Ms Schoener explains the Maths Lab (“Minima”) for primary school pupils…
… and gives a presentation…
… on the didactics of primary maths.
15:50:-16:00 physiK2A – Science lab for children
Mr Ralph Hansmann shows the Science Lab…
… and demonstrates an experiment.
16:00Â Â Building 3
16:05-16:15 Sewing and ironing room
16:15-16:30 Technics room: metal, wood, children’s workroom
Mr Franz-Martin Walser shows the Technics Room, which seems to revive happy memories for a former Lao student in East Germany.
16:30-16:40 Research studio
16:45-16:55 Lending Library Primary English (editor’s note: I share my office library with my students)
Lending Library Primary English
17:00-17:15 University Library
17:30Â Â Introduction and reports about Lao-German co-operations
17:30  Prof. Martin reports about the developments of the “Teaching English in Laos project” (with the Angels-for-Children Foundation), her “Fact-Finding Mission” in Laos (spring 2017), and application options for research and teaching/ development funds (Erasmus+, DAAD).
17:45  Returnee volunteers (Ban Phang Heng Secondary School, Lao-German Technical College) report about their experiences in the “Teaching English in Laos” project and the challenges to ICL (Intercultural Learning) and cross-cultural understanding.
A very busy day ended with a relaxing dinner at “Yangda”, a renowned Cantonese Restaurant in Karlsruhe. Our visitors were sceptical about trying “Asian food” produced in Europe, but were pleasantly surprised.
There is good Asian food in Karlsruhe, bright lighting included!
Friday, 29 September: Continuation of guided tour and conference
9:30Â Â Â Teaching kitchen
Ms Heike Mueller explains her project…
… shows the…
… teaching kitchen…
… hands out flyers….
… and Dr Sitha takes notes.
9:45Â Â Â Â Language & self-directed learning lab
10:00Â Â Cafeteria
10:30Â Â Lao delegation and the representatives of the subjects English, Sciences/Technology, and Culture of Daily Life and Health/Nutrition exchange ideas about possible future co-operations.
(lunch in university dining-hall)
14:30 Â Ideas and plans are discussed in more detail in smaller groups according to the needs/interests, a “Memorandum of Discussion” (MoD) is drafted.
Final considerations…
… are agreed.
15:30Â Â MoD is discussed with the Chancellor of the PH in preparation of a “Memorandum of Understanding” (MoU).
16:00Â Â Final summary, outlook: An MoU will be the formal basis of our first cooperation.
It took two more 1-week visits at SKU in 2017 (spring and autumn) for getting to know one another’s structures, goals, and restrictions in order to arrive at a more elaborate and concrete definition of the character of our cooperation.
My second visit at SKU…
… with a present from Mr Ralph Hansmann (Technics), quickly turned into two little robots…
Our MoU was then signed by both Presidents and took effect on 13 March 2018:
- SKU (Savannakhet University) and KUE (Karlsruhe University of Education) agree to cooperate as partner universities
- staff and student exchange
- joint research on teaching and learning English in Lao PDR
- writing joint grant proposals
- strengthening the subject English at SKU by tandem-work with English staff in English language and didactics and methodology, tandem-teaching, co-teaching, coaching
- extension of cooperation to other Faculties (Natural Sciences, Nutrition)
Cooperation begins
Our first two cooperation projects were then prepared in detail over the spring and summer 2018 and started in September 2018. These are the “Volunteer Programme” (2018ff.) and the “Erasmus+ Mobility Programme” (2018-2020).
1. Volunteer programme
This programme has three goals and is piloted in the academic year 2018/19:
- It provides the linguistic and organisational basis of our joint grant applications and research projects in English, natural sciences, and food science;
- it gives the German returnee-volunteers the opportunity to go back to Laos when they are fully qualified teachers5 to tandem-work at a higher level and for longer together with Lao SKU staff;
- it supports Lao SKU staff in teaching methodology and general professionalisation and thus helps to improve the quality of education in Laos.
1-2 volunteers are invited by SKU to spend an academic year at the university, receive a Lao intensive language course, and are also subsequently supported. In return, the volunteer(s) teach 20 hours in English (5 English, 2×5 tandem, 5 for students or special purposes).
2. Erasmus+ KA107 Mobility Programme
Our first joint mobility grant application for the exchange of students, doctoral candidates and staff was submitted to Erasmus+ KA107 on 1 February 2018. We scored 82 points out of 100, which meant the application was granted. Excerpt from the report: The relevance of the strategy “is of fairly good quality, not only because the mobility is comprehensibly embedded here, but also because the relevance for both institutions is shown very conclusively on the content level. Also, [the quality of the cooperation agreement] is worked very convincingly. [The c]riterion [effect and dissemination] sets out in greater detail the methods and instruments for the dissemination of mobility projects. The impact of the planned collaborations on the internationalization of the participating institution is largely convincing. Responsibilities are named. Dissemination of results and information concerning the action are given sufficiently detailed.” The weak point we need to work on more next time: “Monitoring and evaluation are not sufficiently presented.”
The programme runs from July 2018 to 2020. Our first German volunteer at SKU, Mr David Schrep, was instrumental in translating forms for the outgoing staff and in coordinating the necessary organisational steps of the first exchanges, as the “responsibilities named” had already changed and mail was not yet a routine or reliable medium of international communication at SKU at the time.
In this way, we achieved our five cooperation goals already in the first months of the pilot-phase of the volunteer-programme. This, in turn, means that the volunteer-programme is to continue in the next academic year – and this means that we can prepare a second application for a continuation of the Erasmus+ programme next year. “Fact-Finding Mission” accomplished!
Our first exchange visits began in February 2019 with two German (English and biology) and two Lao (English and animal husbandry/biology) staff, with a third Lao staff to follow in May (micro-biology), and we will publish our first reports on our mutual visits at SKU and KUE here shortly.
It has been a most interesting and memorable journey to get this far together, and we are already developing new plans as I write this, i.e. two new volunteers getting ready for the next academic year at SKU, the first German doctoral candidate getting ready for research at SKU later this year, and our first International Symposium on “Sustainable development and higher education” on 12 October 2019, in honour of the the official festivities planned on 13 October for the 10th anniversary of SKU.
Chapeau to our partners for achieving so much for their country in only one decade!
Text by I. Martin
Photos by V. Botthoulath, S. Keobonalapeth, P. Khattiyavong, H. MĂĽller & K. Buttgereit
Notes
1 An article on the “Fact-Finding Mission” will follow.
2 The Vice-Minister had to cancel at the last minute, as did the Vice-Minister of Education, but their delegations visited as planned. Now the Prime Minister of Lao PDR, Mr PM Thongloun Sisoulith, was invited by our Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel to visit Berlin on 12-13 March 2019 (cf. press conference). The Lao-German Friendship Society was also invited. It was the first time that a Lao Head of State visited Germany.
3 Our talks were conducted in English, German, and sometimes also French, as all of our guests can communicate in at least one of those languages. They studied in East Germany, France, Belgium, or Hungary in the 1970s or 80s.
4 My thanks go to the following colleagues who showed us their rooms and demonstrated some of their equipment: Ms Schnaible, Mr Stephan Weber, Ms Schöner, Mr Ralph Hansmann, Prof. Dr. Waltraud Rusch, Mr Franz-Martin Walser, Ms Helen Schneider, Ms Heike Müller.
5 It takes around 6 years to qualify as a full teacher in Germany. In our federal state Baden-Wuerttemberg, after the Master’s degree in two school subjects, with pedagogy and psychology as minor subjects, graduates are required to take an 18-month-traineeship in a school. This also involves further theoretical education at the regional “Seminary” and finishes with another thesis and the assessment of several lessons held in both subjects. The topics for those “visited lessons” are announced two weeks prior to the exam.
Spotlight on intercultural encounters – an interview with Ms Mittaphone Sichampa and Ms Phovang Inthavong
Dear readers,
First of all, let me (re-)reintroduce two of my lovely tandem-teachers: Ms Mittaphone “Mit” Sichampa and Ms Phovang “Noy” Inthavong. “Re-“, because you might already know them as they were amongst the first teachers to join the project. Alternatively, you might have read some contributions by them in the blog series “Letters from England”. Their impressions and experiences of their time in Europe1 will, in fact, make up the biggest part of this interview.
A happy trio: Lao teachers Mit (left) and Noy (right) with Meike
But first things first – how did this come about?
Both intercultural learning and intercultural competence have been given much attention and become prominent teaching goals in the Western world of language education and in business. This is owed to societal changes and globalisation on the one hand, and a change in the perception of the relationship between languages and cultures on the other.2 Nowadays the two are seen as inextricably interwoven, as every utterance is culturally embedded. The result is a new understanding of “successful communication” for which linguistic proficiency is no longer enough but which demands an intercultural component in order to be sufficient for communication across languages and cultures (cf. Grimm, Meyer & Volkmann 2015).
Intercultural (Communicative) Competence (ICC)
This was soon taken into account and applied to foreign language education. The – till then – predominant communicative approach was extended by an intercultural component, thus making Intercultural Communicative Competence the overriding principle and ultimate goal.
According to Byram (1997), ICC consists of three different components, which are distinguished into cognitive, pragmatic, and affective competences. The cognitive component consists of factual knowledge about the other culture and its customs, but goes beyond that in that it also includes the rational knowledge that cultures differ from each other.
The affective component, in the widest sense, comprises the willingness to accept these differences, and engage with them with an open mind.
Pragmatic competences consist of linguistic skills which are flexibly used during communication with regards to culture-specific norms such as politeness. All three together have to be developed in order to reach the desired outcome of critical cultural awareness, which then encompasses both the ability to successfully communicate in a foreign language and appropriately act within the corresponding culture.
Development of ICC & intercultural learning
What was now shortly outlined does in reality span a huge field with a high range of indispensable sub-competences, whereby the linguistic ones are much easier to define than the culture-related counterparts. The fact that culture itself is a heterogeneous concept with a variety of relevant facets associated with it further adds to this notion. Consequently, scholars have turned to research the formation of ICC, rather than the outcome. Bennett (1986, 1993, 2004), for instance, researched six different steps towards Intercultural Sensitivity. While his model links up with Byram’s affective component, Grosch & Hany (2009) concentrated on the development of cognitive aspects.Â
Scientific evidence suggests that the development of ICC builds up gradually, and to a large extent depends on recurrent intercultural learning opportunities, which holistically take all components into account. There is a consensus for this to be a life-long process,3 which should therefore be an integral part of foreign language learning.
These theoretical considerations gave rise to further thoughts as to how intercultural learning can be initiated and fostered. Nowadays, there is an understanding that intercultural learning does not only consist of learning about and from the other culture, but of learning about one’s own culture at the same time. Contrasting different cultural phenomena to each other and reflecting on similarities and differences seems to be a sensible way to foster intercultural learning, and should be done with growing complexity, thereby allowing to delve deeper each time (cf. Brunsmeier 2015; Kirsch 2011).
Intercultural learning & “The Laos Experience”
“The Laos Experience” project holds extensive potential for intercultural learning processes for everybody involved,4 which lies within the nature of the project itself.
One the one hand, the project relies to a large extent on tandem-work, i.e. close cooperation between Lao and German teachers, during which both partners are inevitably confronted with the other culture. This both necessitates and facilitates learning about and from each other, in order to establish an environment of trust, which is the basis of working well together. These bi-directional learning processes, in turn, do not only foster but also require a minimum of intercultural competence(s) in that positive attitudes and a willingness to engage with the other culture are essential.
In addition to that, the German volunteers immerse themselves in a wholly different world, have to get used to being surrounded by another language, and adapt to differing cultural elements such as food, customs, religion, and beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that I have frequently observed a phenomenon I could not fully make sense of myself, and therefore turned to my tandems Mit and Noy for an explanation. Luckily, they never grew tired of my questions but were kind enough to answer them patiently each time, thereby providing me with a better understanding of the Lao way of life and thinking. This learning on my side, I hope, also made my teaching better in the sense that I learnt to customise it to the Lao conditions.
At some point, I realised the two of them must have found themselves in a similar position when they were invited to come to Europe for 2 months in the summer of 2017, and so I was curious about their impressions, experiences, and memories of this time. I was wondering about how they found their way around, what they learned and thought of the place that I come from, and whether they found some things strange or curious that I consider “normal”. Was it easy for them to adapt, and how did it make them feel to be in a country in which they could not communicate in their mother tongue for the first time? At first, these questions would arise every now and then, and then became the subject of many conversations during both our shared English lessons and free time spent together. When I finally asked them both for a more structured and extensive conversation on the topic, they kindly consented to this interview.Â
Conclusion & findings
What started off with my interest in Mit’s & Noy’s experiences and seeing my own culture through their eyes happened to be very interesting for different reasons: Many of the things they said I could relate to very well, on other occasions my own experiences differed, and other statements simply made me smile.
In the end, the interview turned out to entail additional value insofar as this was the first time to receive an insight into subjective impressions rather than “objective” descriptions of everyday life and trips. This form of feedback is beneficial insofar as it helps the project to uncover and shed light on (possible) “blind spots” by finding out what was (and stayed) difficult or problematic, and making use of that knowledge in the future by thinking of ways in which these challenges could be reduced or avoided. 2 months seem to have been a reasonable time to overcome challenges such as homesickness and culture shock, and to adjust to new surroundings and learning to live in them, thus returning home with the pride of having managed.
As would be expected, their stay was both intense and challenging at times, but on the other hand also a memorable and formative experience. So now, I hope you enjoy reading about their journeys through a variety of impressions, experiences, and memories.
Interview
Meike: First of all, thank you for letting me interview you. So, I’m ready to start with my first question: I already know that you both were predominantly happy and excited about the opportunity of going to England and Germany. What were your first impressions when you arrived, was it like you imagined it to be?
Mit: Look like I dream. Why I am here? Because I can’t believe I can go there. And is first time for me for this very long journey, I never have been before. Very long flight. And before, I worry that it’s very cold, but it wasn’t cold. I like the weather, it is good, just warm. Not too cold, not too hot.
Noy: I don’t know a lot about before I go. Yes, I feel very excited. Before I never go another country, I only live Lao country. I am very excited. And I think really surprise me, because different everything. The first airport. Because in Lao small airport, but there very big, I think difficult for the find the gate or something. I ask some people. Yes and food, the same.
Meike: You gave me an excellent keyword right there! Because my next question would have been what differences you encountered. We can start with the food, what about it – did you like it?
Noy: Yes. I like fish and chips. Famous of England.
Meike: Yes. You also said one of your favourite dishes here is grilled fish?
Noy: Yes, fish and chips there. Really good, I think. But I heard about the … we eat fish a lot, almost every day. And there, we never.
Mit:Â Yes, I like some food, I forgot the name. Some food is good, yes. But I really like spaghetti with tuna.
Meike: Did you miss Lao food?
Mit: Yes, very much. Especially papaya salad! Sticky rice and grilled fish… But sometimes I can cook.
Meike: Oh, good! And was it easy for you to find all the ingredients for cooking?
Mit: Not easy. But before I also bring a few ingredients from Lao.
Meike: What did you bring?
Mit: I brought seasoning for the soup. And also rice I bring from Lao.
Meike: Is the rice different from the one here?
Mit: Yes, very. Very different. In Lao, the colour is white. But in England, big one and the colour also, looks like brown. So different from here, yes.
Meike: Did you like the rice there, or not so much?
Mit: Yes, I like. Just different. And we only eat sometimes, because they don’t eat rice much. Only maybe two or three times per week, but in Lao we eat rice every day.
Meike: Ah yes, it’s the same as what Noy said about fish. We eat more bread or potatoes.
Mit: Yes, there was one dish with potatoes I didn’t like. Mashed potato, I think.
Meike: What about you, Noy, did you miss Lao food or were you happy with your fish and chips?
Noy: I’m happy, but I’m also very lucky, because my host family is very kind. And the wife is from Thailand and only the husband is from England.
Meike: Oh, that’s good to hear! Because I read your posts, and in one of them you said you also feared a bit to live in a house with people you don’t know. Was that okay with you?Â
Noy: Yes, they are friendly, and they are kind. Very kind. And they take care of me. I think I really lucky, because the friend, they can come and eat with us. My friends, Mit and Donekeo, I never go to their house. But my host, “This week my friend, they can come?” and she said “yeah”. So I invite them and she cook food or something a lot, or we make together.
Meike: That sounds nice! Could you then also have food that you know from home?
Noy: Yes. Because sometimes she cook for me and have papaya salad, the same – and sticky rice or steamed rice, the same. Lao and Thai food, some food similar.
Meike:Â Sounds good! So apart from the food, what else was different for you?
Noy: Ah some things I think are different in Lao. Because anything different in Lao. Example: Food or people and language.
Mit: I think it’s very clean. In Laos, I clean my shoes a lot. And in England, I can wear them a long time before I have to clean them. Also, I think they don’t have mountains, only small ones. But here I think there are many mountains, if you go to Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang, right? But I cannot see mountains in England. And there is no traffic jam in the city we stayed, different to Lao. Only in London.
Meike: Yes, there are no big mountains. Only hills, which are a lot smaller than the mountains in Laos. Ah, I didn’t know you went to London, too! What did you think of it?
Mit: Many people, I think, very crowded. And the clothes and food very expensive, I think. Also in Germany, I go and buy perfume – very good smell, I like it, but very expensive. I bought, I think 25€. In Laos 250.000 kip.
Noy: I forgot something, about the money. Really funny. When I bought something, I don’t know. I bring the money, and they should look for the money. Pound or – I forgot – when I go there, I bring enough. But I don’t know what to give them. The same you, when you came to the market – you show about the money.
Meike: Yes, because in the beginning your currency really confused me. Even now, sometimes I still mix up the note for 1,000 and 10,000 kip. And if I have to pay like 8,000 kip, I often accidentally give the wrong note, and I don’t even realise until the ladies at the market show me. But it’s getting better now!
Noy: Yes, and in the school, we have restaurant. In the first weeks, I show the money and they pick, really funny. But in Lao, no coins. Only the paper. But have coins and small coins, and big coins, a lot. And then the colour is different, I think three colours. But in Lao only paper.
Mit: And I think free style for the clothes, right? I think they don’t need to wear uniform in school.
Meike: School children in England have to wear them. But for teachers, no, they don’t. They just have to make sure they dress appropriately, e.g. cover their knees and cleavage.
Mit: But for students in the school I was, free style. I like that, we can wear what we want.
Meike: Ah, for you at Hilderstone College, you mean! I see, I understand now.
Mit: Yes, and also, they can smoke. A lot. The students and also the teachers. I think they like to smoke. Also my host family, they like to smoke a lot. One classmate asked me “Do you want to try?” I said “no, thank you”. And I saw a couple kiss at an activity, I think karaoke in the evening. And after break, they have a table where we can sit and relax. So not in the classroom, but in the school area.
Meike: Ah yes! So now you both mentioned many interesting aspects that you observed! Were some of them, or also other aspects, difficult to get used to for you?
Noy: The first week difficult for me, because everything new for me – the road or the people and anything is new. I think the first week, I worry. And then the time, the same. The first week, I can’t sleep. And when I go to school, I really tired. Some teacher asked why. Because in my country it’s different, it’s afternoon. But in this country, it’s morning. Six hours different!
Meike: Yes, I’m all too well familiar with this!
Mit: For me, on the first day, I went the wrong way. This is difficult for me, because I didn’t know which way to go, is this north or south, I didn’t know the way. And yeah, the first month we find out how to go, my life will change, how to get along with them. We almost took almost one month. In that month, we feel some a little bit difficult to live.
Meike: What was difficult for you?
Mit: I mean, how are we… we don’t know how to stay with the host family, and we worry that “how can we help them?” and what we should do when we stay at home. First month, yes, I’m confused a little bit.
Meike: Yes, so you needed some weeks to settle in properly.
Mit: Yes. But yes, I think, after the second month everything will be good.
Meike: So in your family, what were you confused about in your first weeks? Like how can you help with the dishes or …?
Mit: Yes, how can we help them to… with the house. And then what should we do, what should we not do?
Meike: Okay, did they have any rules? Like did they tell you what you can do or cannot do?
Mit: No. Because I wanted to help and then she told me “you don’t do anything. You have only study, you have to go to school and study. And come back home and just rest.”
Meike: I see. That must have been very different for you, because you are used to coming home and doing different things and she wanted to be nice and therefore said “oh, don’t worry about it, you’re my guest”.
Mit: Yes. And sometimes, I wash the dishes. And clean the bed. And wash my clothes by myself. But for the clothes, she said “just put here, I will do for you”. That was nice.
Meike: What about you, Noy? In one of your articles you said your host family told you that there are some things you can do, and some things that you can’t do. Do you remember some of the things?
Noy: They said something I can do, example she said when you go visit some friend at the house, you should go inside, you waiting until they invited you come, they said. Or something, if you want something you should ask they. If they say yes, you can; yes, I can.
Meike: Alright! So during that first one month you needed time to settle with your host family. What about the school?
Mit: Yes, and also with the school as well.
Meike: How did you deal with that, did they help you in the school to settle in? What did you have to get used to, what was different to here maybe? What was new for you?
Mit: About the time. We have to go on time. If you come late, you cannot go inside. You have to go to the office, and we have to get a note or a ticket. And then the teacher lets you wait, maybe 30 minutes, and then you can go next hour but you cannot go to the lesson. So that’s different. So, they say you have to go on time, and then I always go on time.
Meike: Anything else that was different at school, maybe how they taught you? How did they teach you English?
Noy: Yes, the first. I think different the first about the classroom. Different, because in Lao a lot of students – there, it look quite a lot of students, but one class small. Only six or eight people.
Mit: And they teach by like projector, just a little bit, but they use projector and Internet almost yes, every lesson. And we work in groups a lot, also in pairs. And we walk. And they have lots of activities like sport and listen to story and karaoke in the evening.
Meike: Were there other things that you found funny or strange, or were curious about?
Mit: Just one classmate. A Turkish girl, she is unfriendly. She said she doesn’t understand me. But I think they have three men from Turkey, but they understand. But only she. She really didn’t want to speak with us.
Noy: For me, I think, it’s market. Yes, market different. Over there, they said market, but it look like a supermarket or shopping mall in Vientiane but market in Lao no! Different in Lao. And when we bought something, I never know about the plastic. If we want, we should buy plastic for the give something inside.
Meike: The plastic bags! Because you have to pay for them, you mean?
Noy: Yes. But in Lao no, if we buy they put in the plastic. Over there, Souvanh bought something, and quite a lot, and “why you don’t have plastic bag?” he say. “If you want plastic bag, you pay”. And then “Why?!” (sounds surprised)
Meike: Yes, they introduced that rule maybe 3 or 4 years ago. Before you always got plastic bags for free. But now they said you have to pay for it, because maybe it will stop people from using so much plastic by bringing their own reusable bags from home instead.
Noy: Yes. And the same, bottle of water – you get money back! I never – I saw teacher Martin, Prof. Martin, in the car have the bottle of water. When we go to, I don’t know the name, she bring us the bottle for free, and then I saw she put the bottle in the machine and there’s money come out.
Meike: Yes, then you get money back, so you don’t throw it everywhere, and the plastic can be used again in the future.
Noy: Yes, but in Lao no, different. And German country very clean. Very good. The first I like the flower. Look like the plastic flower, the same. But I touched, it’s real. Real flower.
Meike: You gave same very good examples there. That’s normal life for me, but I can totally understand you must have found that strange or funny, wondering what exactly we are doing and why we’re doing it. What were your favourite memories or top 3 experiences?
Mit: I really liked this place I lived (Broadstairs in Kent), because it’s close to the beach. So I always go and walk, and if I have free time I walk along the coast. It’s also good for the exercise, walking and jogging along the coast. Sometimes I walk alone, and sometimes I go with the Lao teachers, Donekeo and Noy. And every weekend we have two trips to another city, like I went to Brighton or London. I like these trips! And also Prof. Martin, I think they stay with us one week. And we stay together, I think we have lunch together at the beach. And then we go to the books, to the library. And we also went to see the film in the evening together. Looks like an old story of England. I think story about England before. And also go shopping together. I forgot the name. They said… I can’t remember. A big center. I just bought present to bring. I brought socks for my niece and nephew, and also watch for my sister. And also cosmetic and lipstick. That was England, and back in Germany she also let us go and buy perfume. Very good smell, I like it, but very expensive.Â
And John, first three days, I think. First day, he let us go the host family, and second day, he let us go to school. And third day, we go around the beach together and walk. And John, he suggest we go to a traditional pub, but some teachers are tired, and go back home, so it was only us. I also have a very good memory of Germany. The day we went to picnic together. I think, all team they come to meet together and then we go to picknick. And we went to… how to call that one, we go to the top and then you can see the city. I don’t know the name, but we go to the top and it was very nice.
Meike: Turmberg (tower hill)? How did you go there, by a tram?
Mit: I don’t know. We go by the car. Isabel’s car. We go to the top, very nice. And we go down and then we can see the nature. What was the name of the park? Schlossgarten, yes, very nice. We walk around and picnic. And afterwards we have a barbecue, very nice. We stay together until the dark.
Noy: For me about the study. I remember, example, I remember teacher, and I can learn about another country, when we study together. I know a little bit about the country of them. Example, the church. Before I never go to the church. Look like temple in Lao.
Meike: That’s something I find very interesting, too!
Noy: And people in my class are very friendly. And before we go back, my classmates they go to pub together for me to celebrate together. Some of them, he can’t drink, because he’s from the Turkish. He live far from the school, go with bicycle for the go to school. Last night, he has no signal about the phone. He drive bicycle around, for find me because tomorrow I leave. He find and he stop bicycle and he said tomorrow you go, but I can’t celebrate with you, because I can’t drink, I go home. Okay never mind, tomorrow we meet again, I said. They are friendly. When we go out, they are send me at home because I afraid go alone. Because in Lao, I know everything about people and something. I can guess about people, but foreigner, no I can’t. Because everything new for me, I should careful something, and example, cannot drink as much as [would be normal] in Laos.
Meike: Sounds like you both, and probably the other teachers, too, had a very intense – in a positive way – a nice time in Europe. I’m glad to hear you mostly liked it and were able to take home nice memories, meeting new friends in the language course, meeting former friends again…
Noy: Yes, a good experience because I never lived another house. And I never leave the country. My family missed and worry about me, because I never never far from my country. Only I go another province, or visit my friend, only two day or one day or three day. Not go a lot and long. And when I go, I live with my sister and Vientiane, I live with my brother. But the first time.
Meike: Did you sometimes feel homesick then?
Noy: Yes, sometime I am homesick about. Because when I live in another house and host family, only in my room, but in Lao when you live you can talk and say anything for dinner or breakfast or something together. But when go back from school, all in the room, after that eat.
Mit: Yes, sometimes.
Meike: Did something happen then, something bad, or just generally?
Mit: I think generally. But I miss, yes. Sometimes, it looked like. When I was in the school it was okay, but when I go home sometimes I stay alone because my host family go out and have a drink with their friend and let me stay at home alone. Then I miss home and Anna (daughter).
Meike: Could you speak to your families on the phone?
Mit: Yes, I speak with Anna often.
Noy: Yes. The first, when I go to England, my sister, she pregnant. I dream about her. I dream she can’t give birthday. I go to the London, and then I say to Mit, last night I dream about my sister, but she can’t give birth, she have incision, I say. When I go back, I call my brother in-law: where are you, I want to talk about, with my sister. She… he said now I at the hospital, because your sister want to give birthday. But he… she can’t give birthday. She has incision.
Meike: Oh wow, just like you dreamt.
Noy: Yes. Mit said to me, next time you dream about lottery! (laughing)
Meike: (laughing) Yes! Okay, last question: Probably you also made a lot of progress with the English language. Do you feel it is easier to speak and communicate in English now? That was definitely the case for me after I came back from England.
Mit: Yes, before I worried to have conversation with the foreigner, or with them. But when I go there, and then I think yes, I can communicate with them. When I talk with them they understand, they know they understand what I mean.
Meike: Okay, so you got more confidence!
Mit: Yes, so I am happy to be there, so if I have chance again, I would like to study more than two months, so I think my English will be improve better if I stay longer, because also difficult the first month.
Meike: Yes, I understand!
Noy: For me, not easy I think. So so, I think. Not easy, not difficult. First, I was worried, but over there no. Sometimes when they said I don’t understand, I explain or when I don’t understand they explain. So then yes, I can understand.
Meike: Thank you, that was very interesting for me, and I bet everyone who’s going to read this is going to find it interesting, too. Again, thank you very much for your time!
Text & interview by M. Weis
Interviewees: Mittaphone Sichampa & Phovang Inthavong
Photo by P. Faix
Notes
1 In 2017, four of the English teachers were invited to come to Europe to foster their competences further by participating in an eight-week course at Hilderstone College in England. The stay was sponsored by the foundation Angels for Children, and included two visits to Germany, too – on arrival and before departure – during which the Lao teachers and the German volunteers of different teams had the chance to catch up (Team I, III) or get to know each other (Team V, VI).
2Â Societal changes encompass globalisation, internationalisation, and migration, for instance, which evoked political debates about peaceful communication across languages and cultures with a focus on diversity. For the other aspect: Formerly, languages and cultures were believed to be two separate areas, or distantly related at most.Â
3Â With regard to ICC, the notion of a life-long process does not mean that the goal of successful communication can never be reached, but rather that intercultural learning does not have a defined end goal and no matter how high one’s competences already are, there is always capacity for further growth.
4Â These learning processes and contents are very individual and can differ considerably from person to person. This circumstance is rooted in differing prior knowledge of and experiences with other cultures regarding Byram’s three components, but also owed to motivational factors. In other words, the subjective, current level of intercultural competence defines the next steps of intercultural learning.
References
Brunsmeier, Sonja (2015). “ICC? – Why, What and How!” In:Â Grundschule Englisch (52), 38-41.
Byram, Michael (1997). Teaching and Assessing Intercultural Communicative Competence. Clevedon, Bristol, Toronto, Artamon, Johannesburg: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Grimm, Nancy, Michael Meyer & Laurenz Volkmann (2015). „Intercultural and Transcultural Learning“. In: Grimm, Nancy, Michael Meyer & Laurenz Volkmann (eds.). Teaching English, 151-172. Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag.
Grosch, Christiane & Ernst Hany (2009). “Entwicklungsverlauf kognitiver Komponenten des interkulturellen Verständnisses”. In: Hu, Adelheid & Michael Byram (eds.). Interkulturelle Kompetenz und fremdsprachliches Lernen. Modelle, Empirie, Evaluation. TĂĽbingen: Gunter Narr Verlag.
Kirsch, Claudine (2011). Teaching Foreign Languages in the Primary School, 154-169. London, New York: Continuum.
Website
Intercultural Development Research Institute. “Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity”.
     https://www.idrinstitute.org/dmis/ (accessed: 23rd February, 2019)
Interview with a Chilean expat in Vientiane – the Bacan CafĂ©
It was on the 18th of September, the day Team VII arrived in Laos, that we ate our first pastries from our (soon-to-be) favorite coffee shop in Laos. After 16 hours of travelling and some hours of making ourselves at home in the “Villa”, we had our first and very lovely acquaintance with one of our tandem-teachers, Mrs Saysamone Singhalat, her sister Noy, and Pol, her brother in- law. After having some “summer rolls” for dinner, we were served the tastiest “filo apples” for dessert. We wanted to know where they got them from, and Pol told us about a new Chilean CafĂ©, “Bacán“, that had opened on just that day in Vientiane.
Soon after we entered the CafĂ© for the first time ourselves and were welcomed by a friendly smiling face. After having carefully studied the menu, our orders were taken by the man with the smiling face. This took longer than expected, as we ended up chatting for a while. He told us about his Chilean background and his Lao wife, who was currently busy in the kitchen. This was to be the first of many ensueing conversations with him and – later – with his wife.
Still, after many weeks we still did not know each others’ names, but we (Malin and Jasmin) got more and more curious about how a man from Chile ended up in Laos running a Latin American CafĂ©. This triggered our idea to do an interview, as we had many other questions. (The English of the interview was edited by us, to make it easier to follow and understand.) We had to start it with the most embarassing questions:
Malin, Philaylack Sackpraseuth, Cesar Escarate, and Jasmin during the interview
Cesar takes our orders.
“Filo Apple”
What are your names and how old are you?
Cesar Escarate (grinning):Â That is a funny question to start with. Well, my name is Cesar Escarate and I am 39.
Philylack Sackpraseuth: My name is Philaylack Sackpraseuth and I am 31 years old.
How did you two meet and how did you end up here together in Vientiane?
P: Our paths crossed in Sydney, Australia, in 2010. We both went to university there. I was studying business administration and Cesar was taking up graphic design. We met at an English course and during that year we fell in love. Australia became the first country we got married in. After three years of living there we decided to move to Santiago de Chile – Cesar’s hometown, where we spent another three years and renewed our vows. To be honest, I was not too happy there for multiple reasons. First of all, although we were in the capital, people did not make an effort to speak English with me. That is probably due to the fact that Chile is only surrounded by Spanish-speaking countries, which is why English is not as omnipresent. In addition, Santiago has an enormous population and everybody seems to live quite anonymously. I took Spanish classes for a whole year but still people seemed to find it rather exhausting to communicate with me.
On top of that there were rarely people from Asia and I felt alone with nobody who shared my cultural background. I could not even find a restaurant with authentic Asian food and music in Santiago. This really surprised me, as I had no problems finding those in Germany or Greece, for example.
Which countries did you visit in Europe and when?
P: I only visited two countries, Germany and Greece, in 2008. I was an athlete at that time and went there for competitions.
C: One has to say that she was an Olympic athlete in Greece (2004) and China (2008) and she represented Laos in Germany for another smaller tournament. Sadly she got injured and started to study in Sydney.
P: The lifestyle in Santiago is exactly the same as in Sydney, everything is about money – and expensive. It does not mean I do not like the time there. I can say that Santiago de Chile was better than Sydney, because it was cheaper than Sydney but still there were many things to pay for because it is developed already.1 Everything has to follow a system and we felt like it was too much pressure for us. I figured, why don’t we try in Laos? Go back to the past and see how life is there. Here everything is slower. Life is not such a rush and we won’t have to fight (to make a living). “Let’s try”, I said.
What did you know about Laos before you got here and what surprised you the most?
C: Before I met my wife, I didn’t have an idea about Laos. I knew about Asia but nothing specifically about Laos. I think what surprised me the most was the traffic here. I don’t know how it is in Germany but in Chile or Sydney there are rules that people actually follow. Besides, I love to drive fast which is not possible here, everybody drives so slowly. You have to learn to drive again.
P: I’m really glad that other than this he does not have serious issues with the Lao lifestyle. I know many foreigners that have big problems to cope with Lao food and culture and cannot stay here long-term.
C: What makes it even easier for me is that there are more foreigners in Vientiane than there were in Santiago, and many Western markets where I can find nearly everything to be able to make south American food. This makes me feel a lot closer to my home country.
Has it always been your dream to open a café?
P: No, but it was our dream to build our own business together. Many ideas came up, for example to open a printing shop, as Cesar is a graphic designer. But all the machines would have been too expensive. And then we realized we both love to cook more than to go out for food and both of us have experience in the gastronomy sector. Why not open a café?
How did you find this location and why did you choose it?
C: Actually, we had already decided on another location in a more touristy area, but a big disadvantage was that it did not have a parking lot, which is quite hard to find in Vientiane anyway. Then my wife stumbled upon this one on Facebook.
P: I stopped by it the same day and the Japanese owner was so nice. It has parking, the price is affordable, and it is very central. I personally loved that this location has two floors. I could picture our café straightaway, with the cashier and the cake display downstairs and the chill-out area upstairs. The library that you can find on the first floor was a present from the owner as well. It brings a cozy and relaxing atmosphere to the Café, even though not all costumers can use it, as the books are mostly Japanese.
C: Besides, the owner owns the apartment building behind our shop, which has 24- hour security. This, plus the fact that we have neighbors on the left and right side of the café lowers the danger of burglaries.2
P: The owner also helps us with anything that needs to be fixed, we only must pay for the rent. With all the upsides to this location it did not take very long for us to decide that this is going to be our “Bacán Café”.
Entrance of the cafĂ©…
…view from the little upstairs balcony…
…Patricia works while enjoying fresh coffee and cake…
… and Jasmin looks for some English books in the little library upstairs.
What were your difficulties with opening a café in Vientiane?
P: I could not be present all the time when we started to organize our café, so I think the biggest difficulty was for my husband to communicate our ideas and visions on how to furnish the café. But many people gave their best to help us and soon we had arranged ourselves quite well.
C: The next step was to find our suppliers. We wanted to find the best quality and local food and coffee beans. People tend to buy all exotic foods in Thailand, as it is easier, but after having searched for quite some time, I was able to find everything I need somewhere in Laos.2
P: Our coffee beans are all from the Bolaven Plateau in the South of Laos, but it was a long journey to find the right supplier. So, we ran from café to café to order two coffees, one with milk and one without. You can only imagine how fed up we got with coffee, but it was all worth it, I think.
C: The next problem was that we both had no idea how to use a proper Barista machine. Â That is why we ended up taking up a Barista course. Last but not least, it was hard to find staff that was able to speak enough English to communicate with me and the customers. Through recommendations from friends we found five amazing Lao employees with basic English knowledge. As we find it important for our staff to be able to chat with customers, two friends of ours started to give them English classes twice a week. They do it for free, they only expect some delicious food in return.
What is special about your Café?
P: Firstly, we serve Chilean food, which is unique in this city. Before opening the Café, we carefully checked the restaurant/café situation in Vientiane for South American food and could only find a few Mexican Restaurants. But as we wanted to present both our different nationalities we decided to add some Asian dishes to the menu. Secondly, our food is simple, made with good, local ingredients to make you feel like your eating at your mom’s. We avoid fancy, non-tasting decorations but make it more appealing by presenting it in direct conversations with our customers.
C: What is special to us, is that our customers are mostly regulars. This, and the close, family-like relationship to our employees makes everyone – including ourselves – feel like home.
We always get some extra sweets as a treat.
Pauline plans her trip to Vietnam enjoying the cozy atmosphere upstairs.
One of the Asian dishes on the menue, Pad Thai
Display at the cashier’s desk with the traditional Sout American Cookies “Alfajores” and coffee beans from the Bolaven Plateau
What does “Bacán” mean?
C: Bacán is Chilean slang and means something “cool”, we can compare it with the American “cool”. In Chilean this word can be used many times in just one sentence. The name “Bacán” attracts many Spanish-speaking customers from different countries. They are happy to see a Latin guy and enjoy ordering and chatting in Spanish with me.
One is always welcomed with the friendliest smiles from Cesar and his wife Philaylack.
Cesar and Philaylack bring our food to the chill-out area upstairs.
The colorful logo of the café created by the owner and graphic designer Cesar Escarate himself.
What are your bestsellers?
P: The most ordered Latin American dishes are definitely the Empanadas and the Tacos. Many people also love what we call the “family- food”, that means Spaghetti Bolognese or Carbonara.
C: In the café section I think it is our Brownies and a classic Americano that are best- sold. There are some police men stopping by and order Iced Americanos almost every day.
Our favorite deserts: Passionfruit tart, apple pie, and one of the best sellers, chocolate brownie.
Bestsellers: Empanadas, with a choice of beef or chicken, and for the vegetarians Cesar sometimes makes cheese- or soy-Empanadas.
Bestsellers: Tacos,with a choice of beef, chicken, or vegetables
Where do you see yourself in five years?
P: Our plan is to stay. We are happy with what we have created here and have good people around us. In Laos it is possible to live a slower and more simple life. Wherever we would move, we would always have to start from zero. Besides, we plan to have a family.
C: But you never know what life brings.
How often can you see your family then?
C: During the last three years here, I have visited my family in Chile once. In the future we would rather like them to visit us in Vientiane. I actually wish my mom to live here and bake the Empanadas together with me.
With this question we ended our interview after two hours of interesting talk and laughter. We were already slightly sad, as we knew that this would be the last visit for some of the volunteers, but happy at the same time, because we got to know Cesar and Philaylack better before flying back to Germany.
We all know that the “Bacán CafĂ©” will be our first destination whenever we come back to Vientiane!
Smile! Jasmin and Malin with Philaylack and Cesar
Text by J. Unterweger & M. Frahm, notes by I. Martin
Interviewees: Cesar Escarate &Â Philaylack Sackpraseuth
Fotos & videos by A. Schuler, J. Unterweger, M. Frahm
Editor’s Notes
1 The common usage of the word developed implies that there is a gold-standard for “development” overall, with a desirable (refined, superior) state of development at one end of the scale and an undesirable (“raw”, unrefined, primitive, inferior) one at the other. The binary of “developed countries” and “undeveloped” or “underdeveloped countries” is a value statement rooted in eurocentricism and colonialism; the criteria by which a country is deemed developed are chosen by those who deem themselves to be developed.
2 With consumerism on the rise, the crime rates are augmenting in Laos, too.
Websites
Bacán CafĂ©” online:
Facebook:Â https://www.facebook.com/BacanCafeVientiane/
Instagram:Â https://www.instagram.com/bacancafe/
Letters from Laos (Savannakhet, no. 3) – by Thaithanawanh Keokaisone (Erasmus+ participant)
Hello! Everyone, Sabaidee tooktookkhon! and Hallo! Jeder
My name is Thaithanawanh, you can call me (Thai) and I am 33 years old. I am a teacher of English. I teach students at Savannakhet University, Laos. I have taught students here since 2012, I also study for my master at the weekends. I am a student too, my majors are English and rural development.
Thai in front of the President Building of SKU
Thai’s “English Writing” class at SKU
Students in a lecture
I will be studying at Karlsruhe University of Education, Germany. I will be the exchange student there, I will stay there 5 months, it starts from 1st March, 2019 to 31st August, 2019, Â I am supported by Mobility Program between Savannakhet University(SKU) and Karlsruhe University of Education and under scholarship of Erasmus Plus, I am very happy to be a part of this project which coordinates by professor Doctor Isabel Martin.
David Schrep is our tandem teacher in SKU. So I know all of them, they are very great relationship with our colleagues.
I have never been to Europe previously, Now I cannot wait to get to Germany to meet the Buddies, lecturers, new friends and new experience.
In my leisure time, I enjoy watching sports and news on TV. Going for walks, travelling around city, playing rattan ball, volley ball, football and Petanque. I also like cooking Lao food as fish Laab, beef Laab and Chicken Laab.
Home where I stay with family…
… football match with colleagues…
… Team Faculty of Linguistics and Humanities vs Team Faculty of Argiculture and Environment
I will be a part of your community to learn as much as possible about the German culture and language. I very much excited to meet my PH buddy Miss Eloise. I am really sure this project will be an improving the experiences and it will also help me growing as lecturer for the national human resources in university and future.
See you soon!
Text by T. Keokaisone
Photos by T. Keokaisone, P. Chantavong, S. Inthichack, B. Lattanathongxay, V. Saytavanh
Letters from Laos (Savannakhet, no. 2) – “A special gift from Germany” by Viengvilaiphone Botthoulath (Erasmus+ participant)
Hello everyone!
My name is Viengvilaiphone Botthoulath. I am 26 years old and as my background is Biotechnology therefore, I am recently working as a lecturer at the Department of Food Processing Technology, Faculty of Food Science, Savannakhet University. Currently, I am mainly teaching Food Microbiology and Food Biochemistry, plus English for development and technology subjects for senior students in my department.
Product of food processing in the technology laboratory (me in the middle)
As my background is Biotechnology therefore my working is almost involved in laboratory. Taken together, I also teach English in both internal and external University. For the external teaching, it is my part time job.1
My part-time job teaching English (evenings and weekends, 4$/hour)
In my spare time, I love to listen to music, listen to philosophy, cooking, and doing Yoga. I am always excited and delighted to learn new things, exchange experiences with experts, help people, and make new friends.
Rescue of the flood victims in the Attapeu region (note 2)
When I was young, I had a dream that I would like to have a chance to touch the spectacular of reality Europe countries. Then I know that I got invited to be one of the exchange staff mobility for training between KarIsruhe University of Education, KarIsruhe, Germany and Savannakhet University, Laos. At that time, I just told myself that wow! my dream comes true. Now, it’s time for me to get rid of all hesitation. I should let my feet off the ground, the time is now my journey is going to start. I am very lucky that I got a chance to meet Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin and her volunteer assistant, David Schrep.3 I am in his class, and he showed us many new teaching techniques.
Applying “Gallery “Walk” activity to my class
They gave me such a wonderful gift in my life. Therefore, I should take this opportunity to do my best. For my visiting 2 months there (in May-June) on a “Training Mobility”, I will have many activities to do such as job shadowing of colleagues in the Biology and English Department, Lesson observations, exchanging and learning about the biodiversity of both countries, tandem-teaching, visiting at schools or relevant institutions. I can also visit any classes at PH Karlsruhe.
I am very happy to learning as much as possible about German culture and language. I am also really looking forward to meet Dr Martin Remmele from PH Karlsruhe for his presentation on interest topics such as digital visualizations for learning biology or species knowledge and species identification when he arrives in Savannekhet soon on his “Training Mobility” in the project. This will be initial for our collaborative research in the future.
I am sure that I this project will be enriching my experiences as internationalization and I can convey the knowledge learned, to bring most benefits to my university.
See you soon!
Text by V. Botthoulath, notes by I. Martin
Photos by V. Botthoulath &Â A. Sayta
Editor’s Notes
1 It is normal for Lao teachers to have a second job (e.g. private English lessons) for subsistence and/or to have a small family farm, rice-fields, or fish ponds on the side because salaries are low or may not be paid regularly, sometimes not at all. University teachers with a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree who come from other provinces may be hired as “Volunteers” without pay for three or four years. Depending on their degree but also on performance amongst other things, they may then get permanent positions. The salary then depends on the degree and position, from then on also on the length of service. The average salary for a Bachelor teacher at university is about $120/month, for a Master about $150/month, and with a Doctorate $300/month.
2 The dam collapse in Attapeu on 23 July 2018 after heavy rains caused flash flooding through dozens of surrounding villages, a high number of casualties, and homelessness to thousands (cf. The New York Times, The Guardian, or BBC news report).
3 SKU and PH Karlsruhe have two cooperations: One is the Erasmus+ Mobility Programme (2018-2020), the other one an independent cooperation between both universities formed on 23 April 2018 “to enhance academic cooperation and to develop academic mobility as well as cultural exchange, student and staff exchanges, reseachers, and other related activities” (MoU confirmation letter of 21 February 2019). It is part of the larger educational network strengthening ties between Europe and Asia. (New blog posts about these are forthcoming.)
You must be logged in to post a comment.