Today I woke up(barely) at 6 am like normal and then quickly passed out. Tom and I have established a system where if the other one hasnt opened their door by 6:15 the other one knocks. Luckily Tom woke me up and we headed to practice on one of the coldest mornings. The mist/fog was very thick and yet the team wore less than they do when its 95 and sunny outside. They really care about keeping their skin white. Sorry about the lack of posting lately. The last week has been more of the same 11 practices (we canceled saturday afternoon practice) and a lot of time spent at the library. We did end up going to a sports banquet at the Vocational school where all the athletes are staying. There was even a show with our dinner which featured some good local dancers.
Today Bob arrives and CLI gets back into the full swing of things. Most recently he was back in the states for the annual CLI board meeting. Everything I have heard said it went well and it was actually held at my moms house in Arizona. Made me miss home hearing about the updates. I should hopefully have more substantial updates about CLI after Bob arrives here in LP later in the day.
For the team I have been talking with Carol who runs an NGO library here in LP. Carol has helped us get real gym access so hopefully that will be happening this week. She is also the one who set up the interview of the athletes for her yearly newsletter and the film students are part of a class there. She is a great lady who has been living in LP for about 8 years now.
Life otherwise has been good the weather is starting to cool down, which is nice. I should have more updates soon.
Remember to check out the http://lpblibraryboat.blogspot.com/ for more photo updates from Chanta.
Luang Prabang
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Library Boat Blog
Just as a reminder I set up Chanta with a blog so be sure to follow the link and check it out.
http://lpblibraryboat.blogspot.com/
She is not much for the writing aspect but does upload some great pictures!
http://lpblibraryboat.blogspot.com/
She is not much for the writing aspect but does upload some great pictures!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Library Posters and Pics of the Stadium
In preparation for the National Games all of Luang Prabang is being cleaned up and a whole new athletics complex is being built. There is no track at this new complex so all of the running event will be held where we practice. The have repainted it and are now adding plastic chair to the large concrete steps. We also finally put up some new signs that months ago Chanta had told us we werent allowed to. I guess she forgot and now we are allowed to put them up.
Now for the photos.
The new plastic covered chairs being put into the stadium.
The athletes on their warmup lap happy to be in a photo.
The freshly painted stadium in a beautiful day in Laos.
Preworkout stretching.
The team doing drills.
Our two new signs that just recently got put up.
Chanta showing off some of the new cloth and scarves we got from Pakxeing district. All proceeds go back to the kids.
My homemade weight set which worked great until someone took them!!!!
Now for the photos.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Practice Update and Restaurant Review
For the last 3 days practice has been moved up to 6:30 and needless to say this isnt my favorite decision ever. I like to sleep! The running joke with some of my friends is that its the only thing I could legitimately do professionally. With 6 am wakeup it means bedtime is around 9 which really cuts into what movies tom and I can watch each night. Watching the new Harry Potter would have kept us up way past our bedtime.
Tuesday we had our quintessential American meals (although neither of which are actually American). Lunch was a Cheeseburger at the Arthouse Cafe on the Nam Khong. The Arthouse has in my opinion the best burger in SE Asia. Mind you I havent tried them all just most. This two story cafe has mostly deck sitting which is elevated over the road around the peninsula. It is run by Debra. She is an exmarine drill sergeant and you can tell if her staff get out of line. She has been in Luang Prabang for over a decade and is always open for some friendly conversation. She helps make Arthouse a regular spot for some of expat community. Plus the food is really good. Dinner was a take out pizza from Swedish bakery. Swedish bakery is on the main drag in the center of all the restaurants. This little two story building holds some of the best pizza, sandwiches and baked goods in the city. Swedish is a chain with other locations in Vientiane. The staff are very friendly and have gotten to know tom and I over the past year. Sometimes we are there twice a day we truly lack creativity. The pizza are thin crust but not flaky more doughy if that makes any sense at all. The sandwiches are made on home baked bread and the one I like has Salami the only place I have found it. Their super sandwich, my personal favorite, is make your own on a foot-long baguette. I choose to put salami, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, with mayo and mustard. Hits the spot every time. These are just two of our favorite spots in Luang Prabang and I have decided to keep giving some restaurant reviews in up coming weeks as story of practice become eerily similar.
We had some new people come to practice yesterday. Both were 14yr old girls who spoke the best english of anyone on the team. As we got to talking their line of questioning went like this. 1. Where are you from? 2. Whats your name? 3. Are you married? I dont know why but I am still shocked that 3 questions in every Lao person asks the same thing. Then I find out they think I am 14yrs old too so thats a complement right. Both girls are 4'10 and maybe 70 pounds suprising they would think we are the same age. Just another day with the Luang Prabang National Track and Field team. Sounds pretty awesome right?
Tuesday we had our quintessential American meals (although neither of which are actually American). Lunch was a Cheeseburger at the Arthouse Cafe on the Nam Khong. The Arthouse has in my opinion the best burger in SE Asia. Mind you I havent tried them all just most. This two story cafe has mostly deck sitting which is elevated over the road around the peninsula. It is run by Debra. She is an exmarine drill sergeant and you can tell if her staff get out of line. She has been in Luang Prabang for over a decade and is always open for some friendly conversation. She helps make Arthouse a regular spot for some of expat community. Plus the food is really good. Dinner was a take out pizza from Swedish bakery. Swedish bakery is on the main drag in the center of all the restaurants. This little two story building holds some of the best pizza, sandwiches and baked goods in the city. Swedish is a chain with other locations in Vientiane. The staff are very friendly and have gotten to know tom and I over the past year. Sometimes we are there twice a day we truly lack creativity. The pizza are thin crust but not flaky more doughy if that makes any sense at all. The sandwiches are made on home baked bread and the one I like has Salami the only place I have found it. Their super sandwich, my personal favorite, is make your own on a foot-long baguette. I choose to put salami, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, with mayo and mustard. Hits the spot every time. These are just two of our favorite spots in Luang Prabang and I have decided to keep giving some restaurant reviews in up coming weeks as story of practice become eerily similar.
We had some new people come to practice yesterday. Both were 14yr old girls who spoke the best english of anyone on the team. As we got to talking their line of questioning went like this. 1. Where are you from? 2. Whats your name? 3. Are you married? I dont know why but I am still shocked that 3 questions in every Lao person asks the same thing. Then I find out they think I am 14yrs old too so thats a complement right. Both girls are 4'10 and maybe 70 pounds suprising they would think we are the same age. Just another day with the Luang Prabang National Track and Field team. Sounds pretty awesome right?
Saturday, October 1, 2011
First Week of Practices
We finished our first week of two a day practices with a completely unrelated pork dinner. The pig had been living behind Chantas house since I arrived. Finally yesterday it was taken to the butcher. I was glad I didnt have anything to do with killing this animal. Brad and Yoxa joined Tom and I at Chantas house to have the feast. After multiple plates of pork came out I asked jokingly where all the good parts went because most of what we got to eat was very fatty. Then Chanta comes out with a bowl of the "good stuff" and it was spectacular. Just wow. The fatty parts were good but the pieces she brought out after were amazing. One of the best meal I have had in Laos.
The week of practices went well. We had one day where it rained during practice. My team changed sizes every day but the last day was the largest. I thought we needed some free weights so I bought some PVC pipe and then got some cans. I cut the PVC pipe and put it connecting the cans. I then filled it with concrete. Needless to say I was very pleased that it worked out. They have been used at both practices almost every day since. The weights have added a new dynamic to practice which I hope will pay big dividends at the end of the season.
Starting on Thursday Tom and I started helping the team with their English. Some of these kids arent going to school so they can live in LP and train everyday. The level vary greatly but it was good to have them help me with my Lao also. My daily schedule is wake up at 6:30 then get to practice around 7. Around 9 I head home or out for some food. If I head home I check my email then around 11 head to the library check in with Chanta then get some lunch. At 1pm I head over and teach Chantas sister in law english for an hour. When 2:30 comes around I head to the stadium to teach the students then we have practices starting around 3:30 till 6 at the latest come home relax read some and then head out for dinner. For me this is exhausting considering I am someone who loves their sleep and since it has started to get cool at nights it has made sleeping much easier.
Just finished a book called Scorecasting. It is basically Freakonomics about sports and it was really good. I suggest you check it out if you have any interest in sports. One of the best chapters is about the Chicago Cubs. You will probably not watch sports the same again after reading this book.
As always be sure to comment with questions or musings of your own.
The week of practices went well. We had one day where it rained during practice. My team changed sizes every day but the last day was the largest. I thought we needed some free weights so I bought some PVC pipe and then got some cans. I cut the PVC pipe and put it connecting the cans. I then filled it with concrete. Needless to say I was very pleased that it worked out. They have been used at both practices almost every day since. The weights have added a new dynamic to practice which I hope will pay big dividends at the end of the season.
Starting on Thursday Tom and I started helping the team with their English. Some of these kids arent going to school so they can live in LP and train everyday. The level vary greatly but it was good to have them help me with my Lao also. My daily schedule is wake up at 6:30 then get to practice around 7. Around 9 I head home or out for some food. If I head home I check my email then around 11 head to the library check in with Chanta then get some lunch. At 1pm I head over and teach Chantas sister in law english for an hour. When 2:30 comes around I head to the stadium to teach the students then we have practices starting around 3:30 till 6 at the latest come home relax read some and then head out for dinner. For me this is exhausting considering I am someone who loves their sleep and since it has started to get cool at nights it has made sleeping much easier.
Just finished a book called Scorecasting. It is basically Freakonomics about sports and it was really good. I suggest you check it out if you have any interest in sports. One of the best chapters is about the Chicago Cubs. You will probably not watch sports the same again after reading this book.
As always be sure to comment with questions or musings of your own.
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