Happiest Hour

After spending most of the week brainstorming for the QLA and various fundraising efforts, I decided to attempt to make a website for the organization.  While World Education has it's own fancy spot on the interweb, QLA doesn't even get a mention on anything but facebook.  We're trying to get legit so website it is.  

I spent the greater part of the morning piecing together different bits of information I had spent the morning collecting and was finally able to get something that actually looks functional up.  You can check it out here, but don't let it go viral or anything.  

Despite plugging away at the computer, Thoummy, the director of the QLA who is in Vientiane for the next week, pulled me away and invited me to lunch.  Due to the opening of a special stupa at the end of our road (which has caused massive traffic jams every morning, forcing me to bike in a cloud of motorbike smog) the usual pho place was packed and we were forced to venture to the other side of the street for a bowl of pho at a cleaner looking restaurant.  Although they said that ordering rice was not possible, we witnessed the man who walked in after us, be served a heaping plate of fried rice, but bor pen nyang.  Thoummy and I quickly decided that the quality of pho is inversely proportional to the cleanliness of the restaurant, and after making our way to the bottom of the bowl, vowed to never visit again.  

The afternoon seemed to run away from me and after an hour or two of scheming with Barbara, I received the call that it was time for happy hour.  Although the email invitation noted that HH would start at 4, the 3:37 phone call was no surprise.  If Lao people are on time for anything, its happy hour.  This is taken very seriously.

Today's happy hour was in celebration of three things.  First, we were saying goodbye to the acting Medical Project Officer on staff, Dr. Oukham, who is returning back to the hospital she used to work at.  Second, we were welcoming Dr. Saykhek, the new MPO who will be working to improve the quality of trauma care in Xieng Khouang Province.  And finally, and unofficially, we were celebrating Bounsong's new car, which she drove off the lot only hours before.  

Dr. Oukham, Tor and Bounsong at Happy Hour!

With the new Toyota Fortuner parked outside, we raised our Beerlao glasses to the doctors and happy hour began.  Memorable moments include Vongdala mixing beerlao and prune juice (what's happy hour without prune juice?), reminiscing about my trip to XK and the sleeper bus and Lao inappropriate humor that only goes from bad to worse.  I love it.

After most of the staff had gone home, Barbara, Bounsong, Davee, Thongma and Dr. Oukham remained.  Barbara decided that we had to bless the new car by sprinkling BeerLao over it.  We held a little ritual ceremony outside, but then were forced in because our "drunkenness" was not appropriate in such close proximity to the new stupa, which crowds had again gathered to bless.  

Dr. Oukham, Bounsong and Barbara blessing the new Fortuner

I hung around the office for a while longer before Kiki messaged me to join the Vientiane Times happy hour at the beer garden close to my office.  I bid my BeerLao farewells and biked off.  The group of reporters, photographers and sub-editors was a motley one and it was interesting to finally put famous to infamous names.  Kiki and I didn't stay long and after one more glass of BBL, we hit the road.

It was the much anticipated sleepover night and Kiki and I quickly decided to head straight home and veg out on the couch.  Wasabi peas and a couple episodes of the Wire later, we were both passed out.  I finally got up to tuck Sok in and sleepily made my way to bed.  After a long week, it had been a very happy hour.