On the way to my Baci yesterday, Kumsook took me to his old school half way up the mountain. This was a real eye opener. A school of more than 1200 students, with electricity sometimes, not a computer within cooee and a thousand beautiful smiles. No foreigeners get here, and I could certainly tell by the reaction of all the kids. Even the teachers were surprised to see me with Kumsook, as he took me to the priciples office for a translated chat.

What a school, unlike any that we have been educated in, the prniciple asked if I could help develop the school in a way to raise funds to buy more books and just in general contribute to the future of the students. I was a little perplexed that I had been asked to do such a deed, but after being there and seeing what it wasn’t all about, I now feel obliged to do whatever I can for the school.

I am still thinking of what I can do, first things first I guess, I will start a facebook page about the place and go from there. Maybe I can find someone to start up a website and a back office on line where people can donate just small amounts to pass on. Maybe sending books, I don’t know, but when I get home I will get amongst it and see what I can do.

So, today, Kumsook took Graham and I to the school that he left his village for here in Luang Prabang. This place is a lot more developed than yesterday’s, but still nothing flash except for the beautiful hearts of the young ones that study there. The football pitch was a dusty track, the foodhall/tuckshop was under a tarp, only 1 room had computers, half of which didn’t work.

We sat in the maths class whilst Kumsook took an exam. I was pleasently surprised how well he did, for some of the students had no answers for any of the questions as we perused the room. Maths wasn’t my best subject, but I really felt for the ones that had no answers. A little sad, so I paid particulat attention to them.

Of course, as we all had in our class at some time, the smart ass who would finish the exam really quickly, probably with a perfect score as he roams the room bragging about it. Yeah, you know who I mean… I bet you are thinking about that one kid at your school~!

Anyway, off to English class where I was really keen to participate, and so I did. You see, many moons ago I spent a couple of years in Tokyo teaching English and I really enjoyed it. Spending nearly 18 months with some students whos started with no practical conversational skill, and leaving you having reasonably fluent chats was very gratifying, so I was really keen to put my whole self into this class here today.

This was heaps of fun, the special guests in the class, a real honour for us and Kumsook, we roamed the class helping the kids with their exercise books that had been supplied by the Australian government. I got up in front of the class and went through the page on ‘a typical Laos kitchen’ and ‘renting a house’. Most exciting, I really felt an impact was being made, and so it was according to the teacher with broken English, Kumsook and the expressions on the kids faces. The class finished a little early as the teacher was actually late! This one both fun and fantastic, I will definitely do it again next time I come to Luang Prabang.

It is however, time to move on from here to the next destination of which today I will decide. Maybe I will head to Vang Vieng where all the Backpackers tube down the river and take drugs, or maybe just head down south to Koh Tao in Thailand and see Gatty and the crew down there. I will let you know.

Out.