Reflections - Why I Stay.

Happy 2013! Goodness, life has been busy. River just turned 6 months and time is flying. La's father has come to stay a little with us and it's been almost 3 months. Lao style, you never know exactly when family is coming or going.

view from bedroom of house-in-progress.

The past few months to be honest I've been in a very "un" Lao mood. So much is changing here, people leaving, life... that I've been experiencing a little burn out on Laos. (I'm rarely around foreigners, although I am trying to change that. ) At times I need to remind myself (and my dear hubby) I am not Lao. Actually he's wonderful about it, he's open minded about cultures... well of course he is or else I wouldn't be with him. So instead of listing all the negatives about living in a developing country, I've chosen to remind myself why I stay.

Life, even as hectic as mine is, is slower than in the US.
I like the closeness to nature... from daily life to shopping in the markets.
I can mix crazy patterns with my clothes and noone cares. :D
I owned 3 houses in the US but the one we are building here feels more like a "home" than any of the others ever did.
There is no snow.
You can buy DVDs for 10,000 kip. (About a 1.20) (Sometimes it's the small things..)
All the fresh fruit.
and for the most part, I enjoy the culture...
Besides...where else would reading/speaking Lao be useful? Minnesota? See above reason to stay about no snow.
I feel useful here. I like teaching English. I like the burgeoning Art scene. (Hope to work more with it in the future.) We have dreams and ideas, and there is possibility..potential here.

So, yes, I miss family. I miss my mom's cooking. I miss friends. I miss one stop shopping, my car and the diversity a "real" city offers...but.. in the end, I stay. Although at some point I want to spend some time in the US again...the reason is for River to know his family/friends there..and that's probably the only reason. Because, right now I'm home.

..and now since La's working on our house again today, I'm off running again, as River is sure to wake soon.

If your in Lao reading this, why do YOU stay? Share :)