Laos, a place that started out with half built houses, abandoned buildings and magnificently coloured and decorated temples with many nagas or dragons. Going around Laos, I realized that the buildings are all very short. And the tallest would be a hotel which is not exactly very tall too. That which I had just described is the main city so not to imagine the rest of the other provinces. It seems to me that Laos is not really developed and is really quite backward, not seeing any fast food outlets around. However, the strange thing is that the food and other commodities are not really cheap compared to the other Indochinese countries. Asking around, it seems that the economy was spoiled by the westerners.
Upon entering the school, I was also taken aback by the state of the school. Although the school is located in the city, it does not resemble the impression of what a city school should look like. Its tables and chairs were all made of wood. Their construction was also fairly rough and did not seem like the work of a trained carpenter, but more of an amateur. There were broken benches and tables around while some others were already shaky and showed signs of giving way. The school…..although the main buildings were not too badly built, what it contained was not so.
On the first day, when we started teaching in the school, I was surprised to find that the whole class was rather noisy and disorganized even though the trainee teacher was there. Nevertheless, to her, it seemed like an everyday thing. She would just shout at the top of her voice, while smiling, playing games with them. The students all seem to be enjoying themselves together with the teachers. However, when we took over the trainee teachers, they were only too happy hand over the class to us.
During the teaching of the class, I noticed that the class is actually rather spontaneous and lively. However the standard in the class is usually quite uneven. There is usually one kid who is exceptionally good in English. This kid would usually answer most of the questions and the other kids would try to get the answer from that kid. However, the kids at Nong Duang school are generally not really hardworking. This is apparent as although when we teach, we usually revise what they have learnt and copied previously but they always have to refer back to the book to find the answer to our question.
The other thing that surprised me is that when the exams were coming, the teachers stop going to class and the students just come to school and play around until it is time to go home for lunch. After lunch, they would come back to school and play more while we ‘English’ teachers would try our best to teach although they are not really interested to learn. I can never understand how the kids could play while their exams are coming. They seem to have a disregard for results and exams it seems.
In Laos, when we helped out in the construction, I found the kids and contractors to be very friendly and amiable. Other than that, they were quite a relaxed bunch of people. That seems to be the whole culture of the Laos people where they take their time to do things slowly at a leisurely pace. Comparing that with Singapore, I see that the pace of life in Singapore is much faster than them. Everyone is rushing their work to increase productivity. As such, the natural consequence would be that Singapore would have a better economy compared to them.
While we were there, we went to see one of the local festivals called the rocket festival. It was a festival where the locals would shoot rockets into the sky and where males cross-dress as females to irritate the gods so that they would send down lightning and thus rain. During the festivities, Lao beer was a staple. Everyone was making merry and drinking Lao beer. Lao beer during lunch, Lao beer during diner. In fact, it seems to me that they drink the beer the whole they and yes, they have an incredible alcohol tolerance capacity. That seems to be what they do a lot.
Now back to the people and kids of Laos. In the midst of allthe drinking and merry making, one can see that the Lao people is still fiercely traditional, with strong family values. It truly surprises me where everyday, I see the Laos kids and teachers and principal and everyone going back home for lunch. That is almost unthinkable in Singapore. In Singapore, I think it is also likely the case that even if one wants to go back home for meals, they would not find any piping hot meals waiting for them at home as most likely there would be no one to cook meals at home as everyone is working. However, that is the natural consequence of the demands of an island nation with a thriving economy.
All in all, it is difficult to compare Laos and Singapore because both countries have different sizes and function differently. The people there are relaxed and stress free while the people here are very stressed and work at a very much faster pace. And the difference is clearly reflected in our economies. As it is always with human nature, people are always looking to improve themselves. As such, the young in Laos are now trying very hard to master English in the hope that they may be able to get a better job and thus pay. I find them to be rather curious about the world outside of Laos and maybe that’s why they are already slowly lapping up western, Korean, Japanese and other cultures. In 10 years time, with the zest the youths there are displaying, I think Laos would have changed as more of them try to explore the world. Erosion of family values? Better sanitary, better economy? But at what price? That leaves to be seen.
Upon entering the school, I was also taken aback by the state of the school. Although the school is located in the city, it does not resemble the impression of what a city school should look like. Its tables and chairs were all made of wood. Their construction was also fairly rough and did not seem like the work of a trained carpenter, but more of an amateur. There were broken benches and tables around while some others were already shaky and showed signs of giving way. The school…..although the main buildings were not too badly built, what it contained was not so.
On the first day, when we started teaching in the school, I was surprised to find that the whole class was rather noisy and disorganized even though the trainee teacher was there. Nevertheless, to her, it seemed like an everyday thing. She would just shout at the top of her voice, while smiling, playing games with them. The students all seem to be enjoying themselves together with the teachers. However, when we took over the trainee teachers, they were only too happy hand over the class to us.
During the teaching of the class, I noticed that the class is actually rather spontaneous and lively. However the standard in the class is usually quite uneven. There is usually one kid who is exceptionally good in English. This kid would usually answer most of the questions and the other kids would try to get the answer from that kid. However, the kids at Nong Duang school are generally not really hardworking. This is apparent as although when we teach, we usually revise what they have learnt and copied previously but they always have to refer back to the book to find the answer to our question.
The other thing that surprised me is that when the exams were coming, the teachers stop going to class and the students just come to school and play around until it is time to go home for lunch. After lunch, they would come back to school and play more while we ‘English’ teachers would try our best to teach although they are not really interested to learn. I can never understand how the kids could play while their exams are coming. They seem to have a disregard for results and exams it seems.
In Laos, when we helped out in the construction, I found the kids and contractors to be very friendly and amiable. Other than that, they were quite a relaxed bunch of people. That seems to be the whole culture of the Laos people where they take their time to do things slowly at a leisurely pace. Comparing that with Singapore, I see that the pace of life in Singapore is much faster than them. Everyone is rushing their work to increase productivity. As such, the natural consequence would be that Singapore would have a better economy compared to them.
While we were there, we went to see one of the local festivals called the rocket festival. It was a festival where the locals would shoot rockets into the sky and where males cross-dress as females to irritate the gods so that they would send down lightning and thus rain. During the festivities, Lao beer was a staple. Everyone was making merry and drinking Lao beer. Lao beer during lunch, Lao beer during diner. In fact, it seems to me that they drink the beer the whole they and yes, they have an incredible alcohol tolerance capacity. That seems to be what they do a lot.
Now back to the people and kids of Laos. In the midst of allthe drinking and merry making, one can see that the Lao people is still fiercely traditional, with strong family values. It truly surprises me where everyday, I see the Laos kids and teachers and principal and everyone going back home for lunch. That is almost unthinkable in Singapore. In Singapore, I think it is also likely the case that even if one wants to go back home for meals, they would not find any piping hot meals waiting for them at home as most likely there would be no one to cook meals at home as everyone is working. However, that is the natural consequence of the demands of an island nation with a thriving economy.
All in all, it is difficult to compare Laos and Singapore because both countries have different sizes and function differently. The people there are relaxed and stress free while the people here are very stressed and work at a very much faster pace. And the difference is clearly reflected in our economies. As it is always with human nature, people are always looking to improve themselves. As such, the young in Laos are now trying very hard to master English in the hope that they may be able to get a better job and thus pay. I find them to be rather curious about the world outside of Laos and maybe that’s why they are already slowly lapping up western, Korean, Japanese and other cultures. In 10 years time, with the zest the youths there are displaying, I think Laos would have changed as more of them try to explore the world. Erosion of family values? Better sanitary, better economy? But at what price? That leaves to be seen.
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