VOICES FROM THE FIELD

a collection of notes & photos from our current PiAers in the field

The Lao people with whom I have come in contact have been some of the most kind and generous individuals I have ever met. From my colleagues, with whom I spend 40 hours/week, to the mechanic who fixed my flat tires and the woman who sells pad thai in front of M-Point (think Lao 7-Eleven), there seems to be a culture of “help your neighbor”, which is amazing. It’s a tremendously welcoming environment. On one of my field trips, I had the opportunity to share a meal with a Lao colleague in his childhood home. We had a simple country dinner with catfish and frogs caught in the rice paddies washed down with BeerLao, and talked the night away (talking made way for singing at some point in the night as well, nothing like it). You quickly get roped in to the PSI family, so get ready for a wild ride!

4 There were many little moments this week that I enjoyed immensely, but my favorite probably has to do with running. I decided to wake up even earlier so I could leave on my run by 5:30, when the sky was still dark and the stars are still shining. The world was still quiet when I got beyond the early noises of the market, and as I began running, the way the pale pinks of the early dawn silhouetted the towering forms of the mountains was just stunning. I loved running through the villages of Nonghet before they woke up, and the beauty of the increasingly brightening sky only added to the feeling of absolute peace and joy I was feeling...

Perhaps the best part of all, though, was that when I got back, I chatted with Ai Ser, and he said he wanted to come with me, and so did the other Ai Ser, and half the staffhouse. Today, it wasn’t just me setting off on a morning run, but a group of six of us. Everyone seems committed to it, and it’s an incredible way to spend time with my colleagues. I’m so happy that just by running I accidentally started this daily exercise/bonding activity. It’s the best note to start my day on.

Casey Morrison - ChildFund Nonghet, Laos

7 I work at our beautiful Dongzhimen office developing a curriculum centered around narrative learning and enterprise education, which includes exciting units about presentations, debate, drama, self-reflection, and mindfulness. In the afternoons, I teach this curriculum to middle and high school students in seven different Beijing public schools! The best part of the job is getting to see how different each of the schools are. My classes are all different sizes, ages, student backgrounds, and English levels, and as a teacher, I’m challenged with adapting my instruction style to suit every kind of classroom environment. It’s a rare and really rewarding chance to get a first-hand look into China’s education policy and its public school system...Flourish is growing exponentially, getting noticed all over Beijing, and frequently being cited as the best program the Dongcheng District has to offer. I’m still in awe that I get to be part of it.

Kathryn Gundersen - Flourish Project Beijing, China