Interview with Bouangeun and Souphaphone
At the end of our stay in Laos, I gave my two students Bouangeun and Souphaphone the following questions to think about. I collected the questions in order to gain a little insight into how our visit affected them and what they would hope for the future. The following day they showed me their answers and asked me about the meaning of some of the questions. In the end I actually asked the questions in form of an interview.
1. Interview with Bouangeun Hanthavong (written version)
What’s your name?
My name is Mrs. Bouangeun HANTHAVONG.
What’s your position at the school?
Assistant of Mrs Engel.
How long have you been working at the school/ with Mrs Engel?
I started working ten years ago at school but I have been working with Mrs. Engel for fifteen years.
How long did you study English? Where did you study English?
I didn’t learn at school but in 2006 I started English at province Education with a teacher from France and 2008-2010 we have a private English teacher at this school.
How was it for you personally that we came from the University of Education to teach English?
for me it’s very important for learning English because I learn many words and I understand many people.
Do you think this project will help your school to become an even better school in the future? Why? How exactly?
Yes, good help because my students learn better because of different teaching.
Where are the problems we still need to tackle?
The problem is we need more time to learn English.
What part of the project is the most important in your eyes? What would you like to have more of?
I think it’s good this year but if you have more good ideas please try them.
How can you work independently in the meantime, while we are back in Germany?
we can work with the books
Do you have any ideas for the future to improve the project? If you had 3 wishes, what would you like to have?
- help English teacher
- help English students
- help them with the computers.
2. Interview with Souphaphone Vongphachan (written version)
What’s your name?
My name is Ms Souphaphone VONGPHACHAN.
What’s your position at the school?
I have position at the school is director
How long have you been working at the school/ with Mrs. Engel?
I have been working 19 years \ 12 years working with Mis Enggel.
How long did you study English? Where did you study English?
I study English sine I was at secondary school about 22 years.
How was it for you personally that we came from the University of Education to teach English?
I think very good because will help teach English in school speak better.
Do you think this project will help your school to become an even better school in the future? Why? How exactly? Where are the problems we still need to tackle?
Yes, I think this project will help us school to become an even better school in the future becacuse this project will help to improve english to teacher to better, now activity and improve communication
What part of the project is the most important in your eyes? What would you like to have more of?
the most important of the project is help teaching english to teacher and students.
How can you work independently in the meantime, while we’re in Germany?
we sould use books and internet
Do you have any ideas for the future to improve the project? If you had 3 wishes, what would you like to have?
I would like you improve the teacher to be a good teacher speak english very well and work well with children.
Text by F. Frister
Photo by J. Zeck
Things to do in Laos
This report is to sum up some of the amazing things we have done in our free time. This is not to be mistaken for a list of Dos and Don’ts. Consequently, this list is not intended to be exhaustive.
Sauna and massage
There is nothing better after a hard day of teaching than going to the sauna. Accompanied by a massage it becomes a priceless treat. However, the Lao price is just 65,000 kip (approx. 7 €) in total! You can use the herbal sauna for as long as you wish at the maximum cost of 15,000 kip. But how should you imagine a Lao sauna?
Well, it is quite basic. There are two narrow cabins made of bricks, equipped with wooden benches on two sides. Thick (and unfortunately sometimes filthy) curtains over the cabins’ entrances keep the steam inside. The steam is produced in a giant boiler behind the sauna and carried into the cabins through hoses. At the end of each hose is a bucket full of lemon grass and other herbs, making the sauna a “herbal sauna”. The two cabins, as well as the rest rooms, are strictly separated, one for men and one for women. Men have to wear a towel or bathing trunks while women need a sarong (an Asian wraparound skirt). Hot tea and water are available for refuelling your body. After some rounds of sweating and relaxing you should be ready for a Lao massage. Some massage parlours offer a variety of massages, ranging from head and back massages to foot or oil massages. One 60-minute full body massage costs 50,000 kip (5.50 €). A Lao massage is somehow more rustic than what you might have experienced before. At some stages you literally hear your joints creak. Nevertheless, it is a very pleasant treat and you feel like a new person afterwards. Go for it as often as you can. Your body and soul will thank you!
Luckily, you do not have to search long for the nearest sauna as there is one (without massage, unfortunately) just around the corner of Sikeud (13,000 kip only/1.50 €). Just follow the road 13 towards Vang Vieng for less than 5 minutes and you will find a small sign on the left hand side leading into a narrow alley.
A very nice sauna plus massage parlour, a bit tricky to find, is situated in Vientiane. It is east of the city centre, next to the German Embassy and the Wat Sok Pa Luang (on Sok Pa Luang road). Their small sign leads into an even smaller alleyway. They speak English.
Karaoke
You might know that karaoke is popular throughout Asia. Laos is no exception here. Almost every restaurant is equipped with a karaoke machine. People enjoy their food and drinks and sing along, with the lyrics displayed on a screen. Once you get the hang of it, karaoke can be so much fun. Moreover, it is a nice way to get in touch with locals. They are always impressed by a “singing falang” (falang is Lao for “Westerner”). Oh, how many karaoke sessions have led to a big night out for us. However, not only the restaurants have these machines. A lot of Lao households have them, too – in your neighbourhood. And they really like to use them, especially on the weekends. The small ghetto blaster-like machines with microphones might probably become one of the main reasons for your sleepless nights.
Clubbing
Clubbing in Laos is an experience you should not miss out on. However, always remember that it is Laos, so be prepared to find something absolutely different to what you expected. First of all, the music in Lao clubs is loud. It is not only very loud, for us it is definitely too loud. We experienced a constant ringing in the ears in the afterhours. Popular club music is a rough and fast techno style with a focus on the bass drum. I guess this is not everyone’s cup of tea, either. The second curious thing about a Lao club is hilarious: there is NO dance floor. Just in case you are thinking you misread the last sentence: THERE IS NO DANCE FLOOR! Well, this is not entirely true. It is just that the whole dancefloor is furnished with round tables. All clubbers stand around those tables (mostly in groups), drink Beerlao (the local beer) and pretend to be dancing. If you want to dance, you need to make some space by pushing aside some tables. Unlike in other countries, parties end fairly early in Laos. We have not been out clubbing for longer than 3 a.m., which already is an exception to the usual closing time.
Ice coffee
This ice coffee makes me want to live in a country where it is always hot. Find an open love letter to Lao ice coffee here.
Gin bia
Lao people are crazy about karaoke, their mobile phones, motorbikes, Lao food, football, volleyball, and Sepak takraw. But there is one thing they are even crazier about: Beerlao, the delicious and refreshing local beer.
And along with Beerlao they like to party (this is where karaoke comes into play, too). They do not need a particular reason to celebrate. Partying is the compensation for a hard day’s work, I guess. You will not find a Lao party without “gin bia” (Lao for drink beer)
and its superlative “gin bia lailai” (drink lots and lots of beer).
Beerlao is brewed by the Lao Brewery Company, based in the outskirts of Vientiane. It is said to be the best Southeast Asian beer and not only the Lao people love it. Mostly, Beerlao comes in big 660 ml bottles and is enjoyed with plenty of ice. The secret behind Beerlao is the master brewer, who received his training in Germany earlier on, and the usage of rice instead of barley. Furthermore, it is said that it turns non-beer-drinking travellers into beer-drinking ones after their return.
Sepak takraw
Sepak takraw is one of the favourite sports in Laos. It is a combination of volleyball and football tennis. It is played on a field 13 metres long and 6 metres wide, divided by a net of 1.5 metres height. Each team has three players who try to score. The ball can be played with every part of the body (mainly foot and head) except the arms, trying to put the ball over the net and into the opponent’s field. Three contacts are allowed and the plastic ball, approximately 40 cm wide, must not drop. It is a very fast, athletic game and quite addictive. From young to old you can see them play Sepak takraw at every corner, even in our school yards. Check out youtube to get an idea of this incredible sport.
Text and photos by T. Mayer
“My personal highlight” by Tobias Mayer
Deciding what THE highlight of my Laos experience was is an impossible task as my time in Laos was bristling with so many highlights. One thing, however, clearly stands out – one thing I have been thinking about many times: the heart-warming friendliness and openness of our Laotian friends and colleagues. Imagine someone from a foreign country enters your comfort zone. What would it be like? How would you react? Against all scepticism, every single person I encountered in Laos faced me in a more than welcoming way. They were more than happy to have us in Laos and did not waste an opportunity to show it. Very often, I was invited by Lao colleagues but also by random people I met in the streets. One evening, I had dinner at a food stall of fairground people (they had some stalls where you throw darts at balloons). My dinner time met with theirs so they invited me to sit with them behind their shack and we shared the meal. Such lovely people!
The children are also very special.
Lao children are amazing: they always smile and you hardly see them crying or even being unhappy. From the very beginning, they were keen on meeting us and engaging with us, so it was really hard to say goodbye to them. But check out yourself and click here.
There are two people I would like to mention in particular: Mittaphone and Bounleud! Despite the fact that they live a modest life, they opened their houses and invited me and some others for dinner multiple times. These events were always amazing and they showed us such great hospitality. Compared to other countries I have been to, the Lao people belong to the friendliest I have met. Khop chai lailai!
A teaching highlight took place in the schoolyard of Sikeud Primary. During lunch break I sometimes had to make my way through hordes of pre-schoolers screaming and shouting “Good afternoon, Tobi”. Every now and then I checked their English progress by asking them “What’s your name?” If I was lucky I could expect a “My name is …”. This one time it was different. This time, little Sonya did not only answer my question with “My name is Sonya”, but asked me “What is your name?” in return! This was the first time one of the students seemed to have understood the concept of conversation. It was an amazing and happy moment. I could have cuddled her.
Definitively worth mentioning are my adventures on the motorbike. You can learn more about them here.
Text and photos by T. Mayer
A normal day in Sikeud
My alarm greets me at 7.00 a.m. Pressing the snooze button at least two times is part of my daily routine. Then I get up, take a shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed. When I reach the breakfast table at around 7.40 a.m., it has already been set up by our lovely hosts, and it features different cereals, a choice of bread and spreads like honey, marmalade and Nutella, as well as coffee, tea, or the popular Ovaltine. After the strengthening breakfast, I feel ready for a day of teaching. At 8.00 a.m. I start work with training my two lovely Lao English teachers, Mit and Noy.
I teach them new vocabulary, help them to improve their pronunciation and grammar, with special regard to the sentence structure. Also, we have many interesting conversations about life in Laos or Germany, intercultural differences, English learning and so forth. After one hour of teacher training there is some time to prepare my daily English lesson for pre-schoolers with “Mister Mopsy”, the dog hand puppet. Afterwards, at 9.30 a.m. sharp, the ritualized gymnastics and tooth brushing ritual takes place, followed by tidying the school yard, where every student has to participate.
Then it is Mister Mopsy’s and my turn at 10.30 a.m. I pick up one of the four groups of pre-schoolers in their classroom and together we go to the library. After 30-40 minutes of English learning, fun, and encouragement, I have enough time to dry my shirt that usually becomes sweaty from the constant moving and jumping around, before heading back to the “Trio” canteen for lunch (learn more about Mopsy here).
“Trio” is only a stone’s throw away from the school. On the way, we pass many small shops and food stalls. In the canteen, a scrumptious three course meal awaits us: delicious soup, rice, one plate with curry, another one with laab, stir fry or fish, and savoury fruits like water melon, mango, papaya, bananas, apples or pears. Back at school, there is time to let the food settle and to relax or have an ice coffee (for coffee love click here). School continues at 1.30 p.m. The afternoons are reserved for observations in the classrooms. I join one of my cooperation teachers for their class 3 English lessons and observe their teachings. Alongside, I make notes on what goes well or what could be improved. After the lesson, we sit together for a feedback round based on these notes and the knowledge I have gained throughout my studies at University of Education Karlsruhe.
Every day from 3 to 4 p.m. we have activity time which is a time after school where every child is free to join an activity according to their liking: dancing, hula hoop, football, volleyball, Sepak takraw, or the English activity. Usually standing in a circle we sing songs and play clapping games on the basis of the Singlish workshop (for more details: check our Singlish workshop article here).
The rest of the day is free for everyone, at least theoretically. Very often, we have other things to do, for example:
- visiting the speaking zone of the University of Laos in Vientiane (to check out the report click here),
- choir rehearsals (to find out more click here),
- preparing workshops for teaching the English teachers or
- managing our special tasks (read more about those here).
However, we still find enough time for recreation. Find out more about the things we do in our free time in the article “Things to do in Laos (click here).
Text and photos by T. Mayer
“Expectation – The volunteer from Germany” from Done Keo Keositvong
“What were your expectations, hopes, and fears when you heard that five German volunteer teachers will come to your school?”
For the German teacher come here to send the new technique, games, knowledge and another for Lao teacher. We were happiness with you knowledge to send to us. You made us to have development pronunciation, speaking, reading, listening for our. It is a good for our and every students at Sikeud Secondary school. Our students like to enjoy in the class for learn the lesson. We know sometime our students there were noise, but you never mind to teach, you are a good teacher for ous and students. You have endure for work to send the knowledge. We hope you have successfully with everything, have a good time. In the future we want to see you again. We are so lucky. Thank for you very much. We love you and neve forgot if for a long time we don’t forgot a good teacher.
Text by D. Keositvong
Photo by T. Mayer
“The teacher vunlunteer from Germany” from Bounpheng Singhalaht
“What were your expectations, hopes, and fears when you heard that five German volunteer teachers will come to your school?” First of all teacher vunlunteer from Germany we felf very happy. Specially all the teacher English. For me because I learn with teacher foreigner. But, I think so about teacher Julia. She is teach for the both she send the knowledge and technique for Lao teacher and English teacher and she teach for me such as: pronunciation, read the stories and recomend the grammar and another. Also give our devilope and she is explain the difficult words for me and recomend. She is bring to the students play game in the freetime such as: sing a song, learn the words. Example: colour, but I think for hor. She is the kind and she has hospitable with everybody and she is very beautiful she is a good partner for me and her tell me when don’t understand my homework. She gave the recommend for me. However I will try to practise everyday. I’m sorry I can here for here. She like Lao food but she don’t like spicy. Firnally, however it I was good luck the teacher vunlunteer from Germany come to visit Sikeud Secondary School especially Julia. She is teach for me and Donekeo
Thank you so much.
If we make something with you to unhappy we will say with very sorry.
(Thank you for reading)
Text by B. Singhalaht
Monk ceremony and other Lao celebrations
During one of our English lessons Mit told me that there would be no school the next day. When I asked for the reason, she told me about a big monk ceremony in a big temple near our village. She informed me that all teachers from the surrounding schools would attend this ceremony, the Sikeud and Phang Heng schools, too. After telling the others, we decided to join them and become part of this event. Souphaphone, the principle of Sikeud, even invited some of us to have lunch at her place beforehand. Never miss out on such an opportunity as Laos never becomes more authentic as at people´s homes.
And so next day we were sitting at Souphaphone´s opulent lunch table: Bamboo soup, papaya salad, grilled fish, noodles, vegetables, dips, sticky rice, and soft drinks. No need to mention that it was finger-licking good. When our bellies were full we went on to another teacher’s house from Sikeud. Recently, she had given birth to her first child and everyone was curious to see the new-born. To my great surprise I was allowed to hold the baby, too. As with many other cultural traditions, childbed culture is very different in Laos, too, as is the entire medical system (few people have sickness insurance and are used to relying on healers). Modern health care is one of the big development areas, like education.
After that, we jumped on our motorbikes and rode to the temple. The ceremony had already started and we quietly sat down at the back rows. The monk ceremony was serene and colourful, spiced up with humourous patches (people laughed), but of course we understood little else. Noy tried to translate some of what the monks said: The teachers were blessed for their work and told to be good teachers and role models for their students and to follow the right path in life. The monks also talked about the importance of education. Towards the end, the teachers could ask questions, which the monks answered. This whole event took three hours.
The only way to receive education for children in remote areas in Laos where there are no schools is to become a monk by joining a temple for a number of years, which is not unusual mostly for boys in their teens and in young adulthood.
In this temple, one of us who had sneaked out after an hour to go exploring saw some female monks for the first time (they don’t seem to be visible elsewhere, i.e. in village or city life) and was allowed to watch their “house”work outside and their preparations of food. Later she spoke with some male monks who lingered outside and were glad to practice their smattering of English. One of them will visit North America soon to teach Buddhism and asked whether Germany was possibly close by.
Thinking of the immanent temperature change, Prof. Martin asked whether he had any plans to get warm clothing in preparation for the stay abroad, but the concept of socks and boots or coats and hats was either alien or unworthy of contemplation. Right next to him stood another monk whose shoulder symmetrically displayed parts of a tattoo of a temple. He had been a body-guard, a tuktuk driver, a teacher, and a security officer before.
After the ceremony we lingered at the temple a bit longer before we followed the last invitation of the day and headed off to Bounmee´s house, to have delicious food, some drinks, and some fun. After dark, she dropped us off in Sikeud.
Text by T. Mayer & I. Martin
Photos by T. Mayer
Souphaphon´s crib
Principal Souphaphon (in blue)
Jummy
Lao food
Dig in!
Soft drink, mmhjummy
Kitchen
Temple´s main door
Many teachers
Buddha
Sikeud teacher crew
Lao scaffold
Sleeping cat ^_^
Temple site
Lä and Noy
At teacher Bounmee´s
“Why I wanted to become a teacher” by Bounleud Sengsavangvong
(I choose the topic)(why do I want to be a teacher)
First of all when I finished studying at high school of NaXayThong district Vientiane
capital of Laos. Since 2003 I wented to continue at the University of Laos or college.
I went to examinate some sollege but I couldn’t pass the exam. I was very sad
because I didn’t know which way. I could study at the college or University of Laos. I
couldn’t find that way. How can I study at the college? I talked and sicussed with my
mum we talked a lot about my life I head headache while that time then I had to
wait to study at the college for a year. In 2005 I talked to my mum again about my
life in the future we must find out which job is best form e. My mother asked me do
you want tob e a teacher? I said to her…yes I do. Then my mother siad to me you
have to study at teachertraining college Tounakhom disctrict ViengChanh province.
Then my mum talked to her friend who worked at the same office with my mum he
knew that college more than my mum. After that they bought some forms form e.
Then I had to go tot he college fort he exam. I felt very happy and excited there
were many people to test at teacher training college but I couldn’t pass that exam
because I didn’t have English language basics before I felt so sad that time. I
thought a lot about my life in the future.
Then I discussed with my mother agin. How I could study that college. We talked
together about my life. After that we found away to learn at the college. We went to
a teacher. He taught at the teacher training college he helped me to learn at the
college I felt very happy when I heard that news. Then I choose English course I had
to study at the college for three years after that. I got the certificate from the teacher
training college Tounakhom district ViengChanh province in 2007. I felt very happy
that time because I finished studying while I was getting the certificate ceremony no
body of my family came to join that ceremony. I felt a little sad because there was
only me. After that I was a volunteer fort he first time at a secondary school for three
years and in the evening I had to teach at private school to practise my English.
Then I went tot he examination at the Vientiane capital of Laos. I went tot he exam
there three times. How tob e a teacher oft he goverment. Finally I was good luck in
the third times I could pass the exam from the goverment in 2009 and I could be a
teacher oft he government in 2009. I felt very happy more than anytimes.
(The end thanks for reading)
Text by B. Sengsavangvong
Photo by T. Mayer
“My expectations” by Bounleud Sengsavangvong
“What were your expectations, hopes, and fears when you heard that five German volunteer teachers will come to your school?” My expect is very exciting and really happy to meet them because this time there are many Volunteers from Germany all oft hem are more experiance more teaching skill and best pronounciation for English language. Someone told me they were friendly and kindliness they will come to help me. How to use the teaching skill and join lesson. I felt afraid and exciting a little bit in the first then I thought this time it is a best chance for me again because I will be practice my English language with them I felt very happy and I want to say thanks very much for this project and thanks very much for verybodys to got this chance to and to Laos. I will to learn from them such as teaching skill, knowledge and pronounciation. I have to ask the question about English or when I find the problems in English I will to get the knowlegde from them. I will to share about the teaching skill with them or if I had somethings I am not sure in the lesson or I cun’t pronounciate the hard words in English I need to get the advice from them then I will get that advice to improve my English and I have to better than non after that I have to use the knowlegde to teach my childrens
and I hope the childrens in Laos they will be better for English later and the have to
comunication with foreigner by using English language.
Text by B. Sengsavangvong
Photo by A. Pola
New Literature page
We have collected some books, articles, facts and other background information about Laos, such as the education system, general information about the country, foreign institutions involved in the education system, the history of the country, information for travellers and publications on the Lao language. We will update this page regularly and will also share our own publications about our work in the future – so stay tuned!
Text by J.Zeck
Lao Vice Minister of Education and Sports visits Angels for Children in Ban Sikeud and Ban Phang Heng
The end of the pilot teaching project over the last eleven weeks was crowned by a high-ranking visit on Tuesday, 5 January 2016: the Vice Minister of Education and Sports, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kongsy Sengmany, and the German ambassador in Laos, Michael Grau, visited the schools supported by Angels for Children, accompanied by several officials. We had invited them in order to present the field work done in our project “Teaching English in Laos” and to discuss possibilities for extending our work to the Lao education system in the future.
Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin and her team of graduates from the University of Education Karlsruhe showed a range of the new modules that they had developed during the project, aimed at both Lao pupils and their English teachers, so the visitors could get an impression of the changes and progress for themselves. Among the lessons visited were an individual English language lesson with one of our Lao English teachers, an English pre-school lesson as well as some activities for children from all grades, and of course, regular lessons following the state curriculum, enhanced by communicative teaching methodology.
Prof. Dr. Kongsy commended the project as well as the modern infra-structure of the schools in general and sees the “model school” status of the AfC schools as a basis for trying out and using modern teaching methodology throughout the country.
To help kick-start this cascading effect, our involvement in teacher training programmes and curriculum development would be asked for, which would require a larger organisational basis. For this, new partnerships and funding options need to be investigated and coordinated with the work done by the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), the Australian Institute, the US Embassy, and various NGOs.
Through Prof. Dr. Kongsy and his team, our project and the cooperation between the Foundation and the University received a seal of approval by the highest level of the Lao education system after only eleven weeks.
We see this as a milestone and further incentive to try and reach our new goal of helping English lessons to become more communicative, effective and modern not only in Ban Sikeud and Ban Phang Heng, but also beyond.
We cordially thank Prof. Dr. Kongsy Sengmany and Michael Grau for their visit, their interest and support, and we look forward to working together henceforward.
Text by J. Zeck
Chairwoman of Angels for Children Gerlinde Engel shows the Lao reading books from the library in Ban Sikeud Photo by J. Zeck
The guests visit the physics room Photo by E. Sieber
Johannes Zeck shows Prof. Dr. Kongsy Sengmany and Michael Grau the new physics room Photo by E. Sieber
Group photo of all visitors, volunteers and children, who patricipated in the activity Photo by E. Sieber
Photo by E. Sieber
Strategy planning for the future: ambassador Michael Grau, Prof. Dr. Kongsy Sengmany and Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin talk about the future framework of the project Photo by J. Zeck
Prof. Dr. Kongsy Sengmany perpetuates his name in the visitors book in Ban Sikeud Photo by J. Zeck
The German ambassador Michael Grau and Prof. Dr. Kongsy Sengmany Photo by E. Sieber
Would you like to join our project?
“Teaching English in Laos”
New places for internships available in Ban Sikeud and Ban Phang Heng
in spring 2016 (start: mid-February) and autumn 2016 (start: September/October)
Info session: 27 January 2016, 6 p.m., at the PH Karlsruhe (in building III room 312)
Bismarckstraße 10, D – 76133 Karlsruhe
Directions: plan for guests
Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin and her first team of interns and Johannes Zeck from the Angel for Children Foundation will introduce the project and talk about their experiences.
Here you can find further information on the internships:
PH students, please note: The internship may count as “Professionalierungspraktikum” or bridge the gap between your state exam and the “Referendariat”.
You have a good command of English and teaching methodology, successfully completed your ISP, are a reliable team-player and not afraid of maximally foreign living and working conditions? Then we look forward to seeing you on 27 January!
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