Jan 14th - Big Brother Mouse

Games with students at Banchane Primary School

This was what I'd been waiting for.  Hard to believe I was really here, after all - it was a dream triggered by picking up a random mystery novel in the little train depot library in Lyons, Colorado.  The mystery was written by Colin Cotterill, and set in Vientiane, Laos.  I did a double-take on that . .  who sets novels in Vientiane??
After reading the book, Google led to emails, and Colin C. put me in touch with Big Brother Mouse.  And here I am, getting yanked off my feet by a line of kids in a tug-of-war game outside Luang Prabang.  Who knew?  There are worm-holes in the Lyons library . . .  

Here is Big Brother Mouse, the mascot for the Laos Literacy Program based in Luang Prabang and Vientiane.  Sasha Alyson, an ex-pat American, got this going, but the goal was always to make this a Lao-run non-profit, and that goal has been met.  
In Laos, many children outside the few cities have never even seen a book, much less learned to read and write in their own language.  In the interest of helping the people hold on to their culture, become literate and independent, BBM's Lao staff write, illustrate, and publish books to take to the villages. They are fostering the love of story-telling and art that are already part of the cultures of Laos, and bringing new skills to children and adults.  An educated populace is a lot more likely to control its own destiny in the modern world, something long overdue for Laos. Go to: bigbrothermouse.com to learn more.

At the small shop, we meet Sasha and staff, and arrange for tomorrow morning's trip across the river to Banchane School.  Karen M will go with us, she's also been contributing to BBM, and we're all excited to get off the beaten path.

Japan friends, check this out - BBM is looking for funding for a book on Japan!  I funded a small geography book, and they sent a copy to me.  It's in Lao, so I can't read it, but it looks cool!

This is the typical scene along the river, subsistance farming during dry season.  In summer, the river rises to cover much of this riverbank, depositing new soil.  The changes in the river flow due to China's dams may become a problem.

Electricity for these small villages comes from turbines using the river current.  One line from the turbine (in covered rock structure) comes into Banchane.  

                

As we go upriver for about 20 minutes
and then walk to the village, Karen, Jules and I learn more about our BBM hosts.  Lathsavong, below with Karen, grew up in the Plaine de Jars region of upcountry Laos, an area VERY heavily bombed.  As a 10-year old, he and other kids would use slingshots to try to explode UXO left from the war, shooting and ducking . . . to sell the scrap metal to pay for school.  The goal of both Lathsavong and Sipay, our games leader and immensely entertaining reader-aloud, is to get through the University of Laos, in Luang Prabang or Vientiane.  Sipay spent 4 years in a temple in LP, after his father died, and would like to continue in this smaller town.  He says he is wary of gangs in Vientiane; he's heard that young men can be coerced into joining drug rings, and he is not comfortable in the "Big City".  This raised our eyebrows, and will make us look a little closer next time we are in VTE.    The biggest obstacle to university education is cost.  Each year's tuition is a MILLION kip.  Sounds like a lot, right?   It comes to about $150 dollars American.   And this makes it almost out of reach, requiring much dedication and patience.  

 Here, the kids are bringing out benches to sit on as we assemble outside in a big clearing.  It was a Saturday, and school is not in session, but all the teachers, kids, and some parents assembled to see us (the first Westerners to visit in over a year).  This Book Party is a big deal, a huge celebration.
The students spent an hour in class, working on writing and drawing.  This was for real - the teachers took advantage of the gathering, and we got to see what and how they are learning.


In general, the students worked really hard!  They helped each other, and the teachers walked through to guide.  There is now a standard Lao alphabet that everyone learns, although there are many tribal languages here.  


             

Jules presents books from BBM to the teachers and Principal of Banchane Primary School.  BBM also is running programs on teaching teachers how to use the materials, and modern instruction techniques.  This is gaining regional recognition, and they are now hosting clinics.  The movement grows!




Kids get to choose their own book to read for a while.  Then they exchange at school.
They were completely engrossed.




                                                    
GAME TIME!  Evidently, games are not something traditionally part of the school day.  We played Laughing Ball, in which the leader would toss a ball up, and only during its air-time were we allowed to laugh.  Anyone laughing after the ball was in his hands was OUT!  But then you could make your friends laugh!  We also played a game like Simon Says, naming body parts to touch - the leader would sometimes touch a different part than what he said, tricking the kids.  And then of course, Tug-Of-War!   
If the VIDEO looks black, just hit the Play button at bottom.  Too cute for words.

As we went back to Luang Prabang on the boat, we realized how lucky we had been to take part in this celebration.  Siphone, who is running the day-to-day operations, had worked hard to make sure we could attend during our short stay.  Sometimes, it takes days on boats, hiking, and even elephant rides to reach remote villages with books.  And yet here is Banchane, practically across the river from Conde Nast Traveler's recommended $1500 per night hotel rooms with spa and pool in Luang Prabang!    More on that next post.  Meanwhile, time for a cool one at my favorite spot in LP.