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http://www.laopride.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.cgi General Category >> General Lao Board >> Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos http://www.laopride.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.cgi?num=1301288729 Message started by Lao Pride Administrator on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 5:05am

Title: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Lao Pride Administrator on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 5:05am

Father and his daughters walking on the streets of Vientiane.

We often hear about the growing number of mixed Lao-Vietnamese in Laos, but mixed Lao-Western (Lao-Falang) children especially in Vientiane and Luang Prabang are also on the increase as westerners continue to immigrate to Laos to start a family with a Lao wife.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by William Kelley on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 5:50am

Only one picture?

Maybe we will have one. 55555

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Larb Dip on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 9:44pm

How do you know that they stay in Laos and are not just holidaying?

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Old Man on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 11:51pm

Larb Dip wrote on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 9:44pm:

How do you know that they stay in Laos and are not just holidaying?

I know that guy. He worked for me as a teacher. Here's a picture of my son, Michael. Father (me) is English. Mother is Lao.

Can you see it? It's a jpg image.

And our wedding?

Our house

Old Man

My wife, Chanthone (Noi)

I think I've got the hang of it now (I downloaded them first to flickr.com) Please let me know if you can see these pictures.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Larb Dip on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 12:34am

wrote on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 11:51pm:

Larb Dip wrote on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 9:44pm:

How do you know that they stay in Laos and are not just holidaying?

A crayfish in the river? CAN'T BE!

I just noticed too, that you and your wife's sashes are draped on opposing shoulders. Is that the custom? A reserved shoulder reserved for each sex?

It must have co$t a bit for a pad like that. You even have a duck pond!

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Lao Pride Administrator on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 12:41am

Your pictures are displayed fine this time. I think you've got the hang of it now.

They are very nice pictures of you and your wife, and your son is handsome.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Lao Democratic on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 4:06am

You got a nice house and family. I like your house and backyard. Make me want to live in Laos. Thank for sharing the picture.
8-)

wrote on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 11:51pm:

Larb Dip wrote on 28^th Mar, 2011 at 9:44pm:

How do you know that they stay in Laos and are not just holidaying?

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Lao Democratic on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 4:41am

Old Man if you don't mine me asking. How long have you live in Laos? And what make you decide to make Laos your home?
:)

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by William Kelley on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 8:57am

Very nice pictures. Thank you. I like it very much when I can put a face to the people who post. Nice looking family and beautiful home!

I am with Lao Democratic in asking what made you decide to live in Laos and not anywhere else.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by JSEA on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 10:31am

Your house is really nice, and that's a huge crawfish!

I'm also curious about your decision to live in Laos. What originally brought you there?

I'm waiting to hear back about a job in Vientiane myself, should hear back sometime next week.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Old Man on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 6:54pm

wrote on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 8:57am:

I was a monk in Thailand and needed to come to Laos to renew my Thai visa. I liked the place so much that I stayed, found a job as a teacher, got married to a Lao woman and have been here 20 years now and have two teenage sons and have recently retired.

I also do occasional Buddhist retreats in Lao temples. Here's a picture of me on one of my Lao retreats in a local village temple

And recently in our garden with Cookie the dog.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Old Man on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 7:57pm

Larb Dip wrote on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 12:34am:

It must have co$t a bit for a pad like that. You even have a duck pond!

It would cost a lot now if someone were to buy it. But 20 years ago, it was just a small piece of forested land on the river that nobody cared about. No buildings - just unkempt forest. I bought the small piece, worked and saved a couple more years and bought another piece next to the first piece. Built a small house. Saved more, bought another piece. Enlarged the house. Saved more bought another piece. Dug the fish ponds. Swopped our tuk-tuk with a neighbor for another piece of land. Saved more. Planted the fruit tree orchard. Saved more.

And so on. It took us 20 years to get to where we are now.

Next step is to complete the rock garden I'm working on now.... :)

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by JSEA on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 8:40pm

That's really fascinating. I have been to Laos twice now, once on my way to Thailand from Vietnam (Hanoi), and a second time to do a visa run. I always feel a little bit sad when I leave. The only other place I've felt like this is San Francisco.

Two of my best memories are, 1) seeing a little girl hiding behind a parked motorcycle, who eventually popped her head up and said "SABAIDEE" with a big grin on her face, and 2) simply drinking Beer Lao in Bor Bpen Ngyan while watching the sun set over the Mekong.

I really hope they offer me the job in Vientiane :(

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Larb Dip on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 10:04pm

wrote on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 7:57pm:

Larb Dip wrote on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 12:34am:

It must have co$t a bit for a pad like that. You even have a duck pond!

Tuk-Tuk in exchange for land, UNBELEIVABLE!

Yes, you must post your comleted rock garden :)

By the way, what was your employment? How can you do you manage to save, save, save, save with a Lao salary?

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Old Man on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 10:12pm

Larb Dip wrote on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 10:04pm:

Tuk-Tuk in exchange for land, UNBELEIVABLE!

Yes, you must post your completed rock garden :)

By the way, what was your employment? How can you do you manage to save, save, save, save with a Lao salary?

Yes, I thought the tuk-tuk for land was a good deal - especially since it was second or third hand tuk-tuk when we bought it. But at that time, nobody thought the land out here was worth very much anyway. Times have changed.

I was a teacher of English. Started out on a very low salary, but over the years increased my income in line with my experience, growing reputation and skill and eventually ended up earning over $2,000 a month.

But it took a long time.... ;)

Yes, I will post pictures of my rock garden when it's finished.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by abercrombie on 29^th Mar, 2011 at 11:59pm

Great pics Old Man! (I've always wanted to call someone that.) And a job well done!

Are there any stigmas with mixed people in Lao? If what they think in China is any indication, people always assume they are "beautiful" and "smart." Probably true. That's for children at least. I'm not sure if they experience any negative hurdles once they are adults, though.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Old Man on 30^th Mar, 2011 at 2:43am

My teenage sons have no problems in that regard, and I don't expect them to face any in adulthood.

My eldest son recently appeared in a reality show for Lao TV. He and the other contestants had to win the affection of the beautiful Lao girl while spending as little money as possible.

He didn't win.... :(

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Lao Democratic on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 1:48am

Lao TV sound like a good show. Does your son speak English and Lao very well?
8-)

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Old Man on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 2:30am

llX wrote on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 1:48am:

Lao TV sound like a good show. Does your son speak English and Lao very well?
8-)

Both my sons speak Lao and English fluently. Writing, however, is a different question. Writing is the generally the last language skill to be perfected when leaning a foreign language.

They both go to social network sites, facebook, etc. and IIRC, I think U no wot righting iz like on those sitez. Not gr8. LOL. WTF.

Thank goodness Lao Pride forum is not like that.... ;D

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Lao Democratic on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 2:57am

I used to go myspace. I don't go Facebook, but seem like everybody else does. They wrote Lao fluently, but not English?
8-)

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Old Man on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 3:18am

llX wrote on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 2:57am:

I used to go myspace. I don't go Facebook, but seem like everybody else does. They wrote Lao fluently, but not English?
8-)

Their English writing is better than their Lao since they've had more practice at it.

At some point, they will need to polish up their Lao writing, but because the Lao language is much simpler than English, it shouldn't take too long.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by ປະເທດລາວ Democratic on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 6:38pm

wrote on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 3:18am:

llX wrote on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 2:57am:

I used to go myspace. I don't go Facebook, but seem like everybody else does. They wrote Lao fluently, but not English?
8-)

Was your kids born and living in Laos? If they live in Laos their Lao writing should improve. I have not write or read in Lao for about 20 year. If you don't used them you lose them.
8-)

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by JSEA on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 6:43pm

Looks like you can still figure out how to type Pathet Lao though :P

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by ປະເທດລາວ Democratic on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 6:46pm

JSEA wrote on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 6:43pm:

Looks like you can still figure out how to type Pathet Lao though :P

I copy and paste. I still can read but not very well. Just need a review.
:)

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by JSEA on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 7:07pm

Haha fair enough.

Title: Re: Mixed Lao-western kids in Laos
Post by Lao Democratic Republic on 2^nd Apr, 2011 at 2:36am

JSEA wrote on 1^st Apr, 2011 at 7:07pm:

Haha fair enough.

I'm going to be honest about it.
;D :D