tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28244834326673598232024-03-13T00:31:10.955-07:00GVI Laos programmeWelcome to the GVI Laos Teaching and community programme blog where you can keep up to date with all the happenings and information from our work in LaosDanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12398472209765445922noreply@blogger.comBlogger281125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-30348234810755221062014-05-12T01:22:00.002-07:002014-05-12T01:22:17.592-07:00Baaaa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Rf5NwUnWgZEK9f_GXEJJllBE5OHmB2ExbUFSOduLmheyLg8nBvwYcQYk8gMlIjuHdMUhvTmuutTigcsViLtGG7bewXplDAs6bM7_-OY4ad_aaLryeqQ2imZ0j4ey50I7WPU7i6TbMCI/s1600/891770_10202902604840221_7548693478955408936_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Rf5NwUnWgZEK9f_GXEJJllBE5OHmB2ExbUFSOduLmheyLg8nBvwYcQYk8gMlIjuHdMUhvTmuutTigcsViLtGG7bewXplDAs6bM7_-OY4ad_aaLryeqQ2imZ0j4ey50I7WPU7i6TbMCI/s1600/891770_10202902604840221_7548693478955408936_o.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Together with my colleague James, I was teaching a class of novices how to use the possessive forms "apostrophe s" and "s apostrophe". I was looking for an example of a plural noun that does not end in "s" and therefore requires the <span>"apostrophe s". I came up with the word "sheep". But none of the Novices had any idea of the meaning of sheep. </span><br />
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<span>Thinking back to the excellent instruction sessions I attended at the beginning of my time as a volunteer, I remembered the importance of acting and mime as teaching tools. So I got down on my hands and knees, looked as stupid as I possibly could and said "Baaaaa, Baaaaa". Immediately the novices erupted in laughter and told me that they now understand the word sheep. I was particularly proud of my performance.</span></div>
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<span>Out of curiosity, I asked the class, "what is the Lao word for sheep". With a big grin, one of the Novices told me: "Baaaaa".</span></div>
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<span>- This blog post was written by Rod Tucker from Australia who was on the project for 4 weeks with his wife Gretel. </span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-79963793907930486712014-05-04T23:39:00.000-07:002014-05-04T23:39:01.649-07:00March 2014 Monthly Achievement Report: Internship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uFUX2cR3TM8yjo3UZrAwxDtvxzmj4ozkWpNdyNlahZQFtXMsC4JP5809fUXnHa8AjRMgBxki52BnlBRj6su2QUyY6Pk5Y5D7n8c4hhTXEuMn73keITCzCrnYiMqrgN5mGMqFBsH2slw/s1600/20140215_112850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uFUX2cR3TM8yjo3UZrAwxDtvxzmj4ozkWpNdyNlahZQFtXMsC4JP5809fUXnHa8AjRMgBxki52BnlBRj6su2QUyY6Pk5Y5D7n8c4hhTXEuMn73keITCzCrnYiMqrgN5mGMqFBsH2slw/s1600/20140215_112850.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">For March 2014, </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">GVI Laos
celebrates the achievement of having 2 long term volunteers on our Internship
Program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>GVI Laos has received the benefit
of these 2 committed volunteers simultaneously. Also celebratory, is the fact
that one of our Interns is a returning volunteer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">As participants of the GVI leadership course, they have been kept busy
with the everyday work of teaching English, and have also completed specialised
training in the area of leadership, attended meetings and debriefs with their
staff mentor and completed a wide range of tasks and assessments to build their
skills in team leading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In the past three busy months of their Internship, they have been
introduced to the theoretical concepts of leadership, gained knowledge about
the processes, responsibilities and difficulties of leading a team. However,
one of the most valuable marks of the GVI Internship programme is its practical
approach and the many possibilities it offers its participants to employ their
newly acquired leadership skills. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">A highlight of the Interns’ past three months was the village trip they
each organised. Not only was it an occasion for them to demonstrate their
organisational skills by establishing contact with a Lao teacher in a village
outside Luang Prabang, arranging the transportation, a visit of the village and
an English lesson at the local school, but it was also an opportunity to prove
themselves competent team-leaders. As such, their preparatory tasks for the day
comprised writing a comprehensive risk assessment, delegating the tasks to
their team members and leading team meetings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Both the preliminary tasks as well as managing the field trip itself
offered invaluable opportunities to develop and expand communicational,
organisational and leading skills, all on top of spending a memorable day with
a their fellow volunteers in an astounding Lao village.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Cordia New"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Read more about the Laos Internship Program on: http://www.gvi.co.uk/programs/teaching-internship-laos<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Written by Esthi Waldemeir, GVI Intern (pictured above) and Tricia
Feeney, GVI Laos Project Manager.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-46759460573919560002014-04-20T20:41:00.003-07:002014-04-20T20:41:29.378-07:00February 2014 Monthly Achievement Report
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScCpO7iBUNIwRiBoZJZSSRARs-DsT2ZGDvDotvFGxwju9wwKcHKtRa9EZ3AGeZX6bfE5u89SOWoWB_G87TY7r7pCmXZB9Yp4X8ZcOircQWBxmrgGEfRTZF4HYYmYrLf3xj-QdQ0GqfFw/s1600/P1060192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScCpO7iBUNIwRiBoZJZSSRARs-DsT2ZGDvDotvFGxwju9wwKcHKtRa9EZ3AGeZX6bfE5u89SOWoWB_G87TY7r7pCmXZB9Yp4X8ZcOircQWBxmrgGEfRTZF4HYYmYrLf3xj-QdQ0GqfFw/s1600/P1060192.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">February saw the
beginning of a new chapter for GVI Luang Prabang, as we began working with
students who have hearing impairment and / or intellectual impairment at the
School for the Deaf (SFD). This new environment provided a unique set of
challenges, forcing us to rethink our teaching practices so as to best meet the
specific needs of the students.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our time at SFD has
reiterated the importance of the unique skill set that each volunteer brings to
the program. We were lucky enough to have two wonderful interns working at SFD,
one with a background in signing, who have both been able to help establish
best practice as we developed methods for working with students with
disabilities. The passion, enthusiasm and patience that each volunteer has
brought to the program have ensured the delivery of high quality lessons, the
creation of invaluable resources and made for a very promising start to GVI’s
involvement with SFD.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRIvLhDXRFSRzvu5WDUYocQc5AF1p8S6WXND6T5o2fmiq58959IZ2OEA2ld4B_Yi-8yHWL-abpOzaPuKm40NOgbfGDTSiQUiGFOMc8fLl7bN19FgIzbrz62OXKUUDN0zo3hHUAQIr5pc/s1600/P1060200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRIvLhDXRFSRzvu5WDUYocQc5AF1p8S6WXND6T5o2fmiq58959IZ2OEA2ld4B_Yi-8yHWL-abpOzaPuKm40NOgbfGDTSiQUiGFOMc8fLl7bN19FgIzbrz62OXKUUDN0zo3hHUAQIr5pc/s1600/P1060200.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As well as confronting
the difficulties inherit in working with students who have a hearing impairment,
GVI has begun implementing inclusive practices aimed at meeting the educational
requirements of the school’s high need students . This development culminated
in the creation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Individual Education
Plans</i> for two students with intellectual impairment. The innovation was an
immediate success, allowing GVI volunteers to structure their teaching in a manner
that tailored the curriculum to the specific needs of the students; an
important step in bringing modern and inclusive teaching techniques to a
community where education for people with disabilities is still in its infancy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The success of GVI’s
first month at SFD is something to be proud of. The positivity and desire to
learn shown by the students has been matched at every step by the dedication of
our volunteers, and we look forward to its continued growth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To find out more
please visit our Twitter Page @GVILuangPrabang or find us on Facebook at GVI
Luang Prabang.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Written by
Patrick Rose, GVI Field Staff<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-83580044304993088372013-12-18T20:34:00.003-08:002013-12-18T20:34:38.094-08:00
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Happy Holidays to everyone all around the world!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNxR5UH73-YhRqvwEJt2wjIa1_HIzUlKCCpisBGeY0QUZrNYnkoe6y7WiVaH-OU4iYwCaagFzqXXl8itnSgO_TzO_YFB2YU7ll3JpPTrOpahxj2yCscmb74FsqCpfpD-HQOguDW0RCD8/s1600/20131126_165606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNxR5UH73-YhRqvwEJt2wjIa1_HIzUlKCCpisBGeY0QUZrNYnkoe6y7WiVaH-OU4iYwCaagFzqXXl8itnSgO_TzO_YFB2YU7ll3JpPTrOpahxj2yCscmb74FsqCpfpD-HQOguDW0RCD8/s320/20131126_165606.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This will be our last
Blogspot post but please stay tuned in early 2014 for our brand new blog site.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We had a fantastic
year in 2013. Here are some of our highlights:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Volunteers and staff traveled
to Xieng Khouang Province with over 100 college students to tour the famous
Plain of Jars<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-jeP7gSI2ZeJHFST1D5-mAWROE5YMzoK6RfAWD6st-4uCkWmP2isPf3838ccYkSYHWExzSnSfw3tvudenP9I9nXKQBV26htEzeLYtd7MsgGtRmaS2H3f9igGcUm_ZSEglGJslgKTwbo/s1600/20131128_173847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-jeP7gSI2ZeJHFST1D5-mAWROE5YMzoK6RfAWD6st-4uCkWmP2isPf3838ccYkSYHWExzSnSfw3tvudenP9I9nXKQBV26htEzeLYtd7MsgGtRmaS2H3f9igGcUm_ZSEglGJslgKTwbo/s320/20131128_173847.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- We raised 3640USD in
our annual Charitable Trust Challenge when GVI staff and volunteers woke up
at 5am 5 days in a row to give alms to Buddhist monks and novices<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- We started an Arts
and Childcare project where we have taught arts through English to over 50
Lao children<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Our construction
volunteers completed many projects around the community- at temples, The School
for the Deaf, Xayadeth College and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Library<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks to all our
supporters of 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-73847852849661308382013-12-17T00:09:00.001-08:002013-12-17T00:09:57.909-08:00Volunteer Blog Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFsmtcRC0mMHnBi4cEl0yH5oPPQuOYzFpOZsZ7QCk5T2hjJtwJcj6lbSGJpCp_bd61JBL3QOvgpWhc-fX-wHwH2eqPmIbBehHTjwj8h-8CuULj4KB2jFJk_vmg7wSU-1F_zbwA6d7JfE/s1600/noname+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFsmtcRC0mMHnBi4cEl0yH5oPPQuOYzFpOZsZ7QCk5T2hjJtwJcj6lbSGJpCp_bd61JBL3QOvgpWhc-fX-wHwH2eqPmIbBehHTjwj8h-8CuULj4KB2jFJk_vmg7wSU-1F_zbwA6d7JfE/s400/noname+(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-US">In 2012 I spent 6 weeks teaching English in Luang Prabang. I had a fantastic time and fell in love with Laos. I loved the program and being able to teach novice monks was a real privilege. In October this year I returned for 4 weeks with my newly retired husband, Rod. I wondered if it could possibly be as good again. I quickly decided that yes it was – my time in Luang Prabang was just as rewarding, fascinating and wonderful but in different ways. Teaching lay students was fascinating and I learnt a lot about Lao life from them. Life was a bit more relaxed as I didn’t feel the need to visit every temple in town – in fact I only went to temples novices and monks invited us to. The food was just as good – perhaps even better sharing it with Rod! I planned our trip to coincide with the festivities at the end of Buddhist Lent – an experience we will never forget!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">- Written by Gretel from Australia who is thinking about returning on the project for a 3rd time!!</span>GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-73790575991568587912013-12-11T01:03:00.002-08:002013-12-11T01:20:09.739-08:00Volunteer Profile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjDJb7prBW0fiFZhzePc6BLoBGItyuLerw5Cb4XSRhtMdbr1BIa4iJ_W5R6UlgPjh-VQI9vmjmJmEm2MPeMLR0QzpSv3Zwu1LqGRRRkE-RTAuLVd6tBxPYt3AT17LMYXixUQAw1fXAuk/s1600/1455961_10152008985696075_684399272_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjDJb7prBW0fiFZhzePc6BLoBGItyuLerw5Cb4XSRhtMdbr1BIa4iJ_W5R6UlgPjh-VQI9vmjmJmEm2MPeMLR0QzpSv3Zwu1LqGRRRkE-RTAuLVd6tBxPYt3AT17LMYXixUQAw1fXAuk/s320/1455961_10152008985696075_684399272_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Good day! My name is
Ben Cohen and I just finished the English teaching program in Luang Prabang,
Laos, with GVI. My story is a unique one. I was born in Bucharest, Romania, I
was lucky enough to be adopted by my mother at the ripe old age of two. Although
I have Romanian roots I really consider myself an Arizona boy, since I've spent
most of my life in Phoenix, Arizona. I have a deep love and appreciation for
the 110 degree (F) summers (43 C), the blazing sun, the cactus covered
landscape along with a special place in my heart for hanging out poolside with
a cold beer on a hot day.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother always had a bit of a travel bug
and it has seemed to rub off on me a bit over the years. I was lucky enough to
travel when I was younger and those experiences shaped where I am at today.
Seeing as I just finished up my two year degree at college I thought it would
be a perfect time to take a break from Phoenix and see the world a bit. Through
GVI and some other independent travels I have been able to start my journey,
going through such countries as Laos, Cambodia, China, Thailand and South
Africa. I'll be doing all sorts of things from teaching English, to working
with sea turtles, to working in a resort on a Safari. And six of my eight
months of travel will be with GVI over three different programs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Teaching was an
amazing and humbling experience. I honestly had no idea what to expect from
Laos. But whatever expectations I did have, Luang Prabang definitely blew them
away. The students have such a passion for learning that it makes it hard to
not be motivated and inspried by their attitudes and commitment. The staff and
accommodation were more than generous and extremely helpful whenever I needed
anything. It is very clear that everyone on the program is passionate about
creating a positve educational environment for all the students.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As far as Luang
Prabang goes it isn't a big city but there is definitely plenty to do. Between
the waterfalls, village treks, elephant riding, caves, and a decent selection
of bars around town<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>there is a little
something for everyone. Laos was my first stop in Southeast Asia and to be
honest, its a perfect introduction to this part of the world. The Lao people
are genuinely friendly,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the food is
great and the beer is cheap. Asking for a better experience for my first two
months would be selfish. Although its sad leaving Laos and the many amazing
people I've met a long the way, I can't wait to see a little bit more of the
world both independently and with GVI. Cheers!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-Ben Cohen</span></span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-59642339373018228452013-12-02T19:23:00.001-08:002013-12-02T19:23:43.086-08:00Lives as Novices Spent Studying, Meditation and Working (written by a novice)
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TDR6m8ob-HxgxSREQ_CErQCsZjZVlA14mfx6W0NhqBsI2XxVaDQdygHc3aq0XrBOnUmsHZSsQyO8Iy26upkXnQf0XTm2MxA10uEGk0QY2UmR41BnlxfGT1tb94W1JjdMVcfKeloUR1c/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TDR6m8ob-HxgxSREQ_CErQCsZjZVlA14mfx6W0NhqBsI2XxVaDQdygHc3aq0XrBOnUmsHZSsQyO8Iy26upkXnQf0XTm2MxA10uEGk0QY2UmR41BnlxfGT1tb94W1JjdMVcfKeloUR1c/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size: 13pt;">If you become a Novice
Monk, first you have to study about</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;"> </span><span lang="EN-SG" style="font-size: 13pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-SG;">the Pali</span><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size: 13pt;">
language, second, Buddhist teaching and third, meditation. All this things are
very important for Novices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size: 13pt;">When you become a Novice, you must change everything,
such as clothes, body and mind. Buddhist people are not allowed to suggest
another person should<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>believe in Buddhism. If people want to know,
they have to learn by themselves. Buddha says every religion is very good, and
people can choose what they would like to believe. After you become a Novice
for a long time, it depends on you which subject you want to study next. Like me,
now I'm studying English, Japanese, and Chinese. I also study the Lao language
at the Monk’s school. At the Monk’s school we have twelve subjects, sometimes
making me crazy about studying so many things.</span><span lang="EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Novices and Monks usually practice
meditation. When they practice meditation, they have to be calm and peaceful.
For example, while they are practicing walking meditation their mind must not
be thinking about their family, work or the world. If they don't have an empty
mind they can't call it meditation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
have to stop thinking about their work, family and friends. But they have to
think about the present moment and be aware of their body and their breathing.</span><span lang="EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On the weekend, Novices usually work
around their temples. At their temples, they have a leader Novice when they
work around the temple. He usually gives advice to the small Novices. Some
Novices sweep around the temple's yard, some Novices clean around the temple,
and some Novices cut the firewood in the forests. Some days they work very hard,
but some days not as hard. Most Novices get very tired except the old Monks
because they study about Buddhism instead of working.</span><span lang="EN-NZ"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The lives of Novices and Monks in
the temple are very busy. They spend many hours working, studying and practicing
meditation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-45803076769949703642013-11-28T20:29:00.005-08:002013-11-28T20:29:49.958-08:00Giving Tuesday"Giving Tuesday" is THIS Tuesday, December the 3rd! What is Giving Tuesday? It is a full 24 hours when Microsoft and Global Giving will match your donations 100 % !! <br />
<br />
Would you like to sponsor a student for English lessons? If so, go to the following website:<br />
<a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/english-lessons-laos/" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">https://www.globalgiving.<wbr></wbr></span>org/projects/english-lessons-<wbr></wbr>laos/</a><br />
<br />
One whole year of English lessons is only $144 USD!!<br />
<br />
The time to donate will begin on December 3rd, 2013, at 12:00:01 PM (noon) ET and will end December 4th, 2013, at 11:59:59 AM ET.<br />
<br />
Thank you!<br />
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-46463334743057203422013-11-26T01:42:00.000-08:002013-11-26T01:43:31.828-08:00Monthly Achievement Report October 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEndOjdBMONluxjVJfoppc3VEylreq87vXMOeuuOoEHFaUGJUjTUPPi8K9HywO0YyNPYOynZV_bI7rDUPF8oEWXZmOqmbvGXTp7_P7dP9T9pIxSdONBSXNJW1AwNNCb8fXkITQ39pGys/s1600/531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeEndOjdBMONluxjVJfoppc3VEylreq87vXMOeuuOoEHFaUGJUjTUPPi8K9HywO0YyNPYOynZV_bI7rDUPF8oEWXZmOqmbvGXTp7_P7dP9T9pIxSdONBSXNJW1AwNNCb8fXkITQ39pGys/s320/531.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfHW1HKmH5JILyq_VYbPMQUGwafuoYkvtZG9UbBVA3elrZ9S8iQ7UWA1tNlCXyd9Vf9mRNMHYZqDqRRd5JTPzt9aP6F5ZgTt7WQhgdJKvpHNgfM0HiJrl6hb4X0yJkuNiwrNHKAc7j5o/s1600/205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfHW1HKmH5JILyq_VYbPMQUGwafuoYkvtZG9UbBVA3elrZ9S8iQ7UWA1tNlCXyd9Vf9mRNMHYZqDqRRd5JTPzt9aP6F5ZgTt7WQhgdJKvpHNgfM0HiJrl6hb4X0yJkuNiwrNHKAc7j5o/s320/205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Arts Program
Begins in Luang Prabang, Laos<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Our new Arts and Childcare project is up and running! So
far we have had 2 creative volunteers sign up to share their love of art. Together
they have given 41 Lao children experiences that they may never have had
before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 16pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The very first Arts volunteer was Asia from Australia.
Asia taught 30 children between the ages of 4 and 10 years old at the library
in town. The children learned English while also experimenting with different
types of art. One day the children learned different colours and painted a
colour wheel to see what happens when primary colours are mixed together.
Pattern and the alphabet were also topics of another day so the children drew
all sorts of unique patterns on alphabet posters. We made homemade play dough
and formed triangles, squares and circles to practice shapes, self-portraits
were drawn and lots of fun messes were made.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Our second Arts volunteer Naomi, is from England and currently
on the project for 6 weeks. Naomi has a class of 11 students between the ages
of 10 and 18 years old. Many of these children have lost one or both parents
and all live together in a house a little outside of town. The students have
made dream catchers, their own homemade books about sheep in England, tissue paper
lanterns, maracas and animal masks, just to name a few of the activities the
students have loved doing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">To find out more about our Arts and Childcare
project please look at the following link- </span><a href="http://www.gvi.co.uk/programs/arts-and-childcare-volunteering-laos"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">http://www.gvi.co.uk/programs/arts-and-childcare-volunteering-laos</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Narrow"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-64623185144165576052013-11-04T19:26:00.001-08:002013-11-04T19:26:23.162-08:00Nursing School
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi636WPEezGT1BSV78XDLpGquwbeFfDTBWZPpi1UCeA6GojRqosAXdwDtwsMj5Yv29JhXsbd1eqsq25E9N-kP0VLiMU5moxWQl3OzETOjQBhXyzzXJQa0S3Xf5C63TG0Ye2AL1IFFMxdew/s1600/20131013_124000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi636WPEezGT1BSV78XDLpGquwbeFfDTBWZPpi1UCeA6GojRqosAXdwDtwsMj5Yv29JhXsbd1eqsq25E9N-kP0VLiMU5moxWQl3OzETOjQBhXyzzXJQa0S3Xf5C63TG0Ye2AL1IFFMxdew/s400/20131013_124000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Two of our former students,
Khamphet (on the left) and Goun (pictured in the middle) are leaving Luang Prabang and moving to Vientiane, the capital of
Laos. They will both be attending nursing school for the next 2 years. They are pictured above with our project manager, Tricia Feeney.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Good luck Goun and Khamphet!</span></span><br />
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-1625083058114491562013-10-31T21:19:00.001-07:002013-10-31T21:19:41.804-07:00Fundraising Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTf3YF7Hh0auIxUNvJimBsO69AL6Drq-7kjpvNxVf1Xn5Tg8us_ryE6oT5Vyu3peO8gzKiprBQajC5JFaFgCoHH4lD4Agd6a5DqHpIi2k5PKdcrp9YJgWWj9ESPuRXoqQBONgsNwBaII/s1600/491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTf3YF7Hh0auIxUNvJimBsO69AL6Drq-7kjpvNxVf1Xn5Tg8us_ryE6oT5Vyu3peO8gzKiprBQajC5JFaFgCoHH4lD4Agd6a5DqHpIi2k5PKdcrp9YJgWWj9ESPuRXoqQBONgsNwBaII/s320/491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">GVI Laos is holding a trivia night on November 23rd for all the volunteers on the project as well as Lao friends and colleagues. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Money raised from the night, through entry fees from the participants or donations will be used to sponsor 8 Lao students for English lessons. The 8 Lao students are pictured below:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmecQQIRb2DpKhenaqUpzglQH8Ih1zaJ4WPUsKgwbC20VCdQOcsTGWvkxY9WgVh3G05M-rQRPG6YCl0gkbWLeNICrDAbdi_rCo0L8_yj6Gp2S0VRieh7mI7ouTUKOPkUDU4P3uV7FzAag/s1600/531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmecQQIRb2DpKhenaqUpzglQH8Ih1zaJ4WPUsKgwbC20VCdQOcsTGWvkxY9WgVh3G05M-rQRPG6YCl0gkbWLeNICrDAbdi_rCo0L8_yj6Gp2S0VRieh7mI7ouTUKOPkUDU4P3uV7FzAag/s320/531.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Please visit our Just Giving page at:</span></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.justgiving.com/GVI-Laos-Trivia-2013?utm_source=emailvision&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FR_page_creation"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">http://www.justgiving.com/GVI-Laos-Trivia-2013?utm_source=emailvision&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FR_page_creation</span></a>GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-67301206064793370142013-10-28T02:07:00.000-07:002013-10-28T02:07:19.233-07:00A Student's Essay
The following essay was written by a student of ours:<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bitstream Charter","serif"; font-size: 15pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"></span></b> </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Bitstream Charter","serif"; font-size: 15pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";">Lao Culture, Tradition and Lifestyle</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
culture, tradition and lifestyle in Laos are very impressive and interesting
and include language, religion and food. </span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
official language is Lao, but English is commonly used in major tourist
centers, such as Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Lao language is spoken in the
education system . However, many students<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>received scholarships to study<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>English in Europe during the 1970s – 1990s. French was also spoken by
many people in the past, but not so many now.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Laos, there are three main religions, but most Lao people believe in Buddhism.
Two smaller ethic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>groups believe in
Animism and Hinduism. Buddhism has been around for 700 years. The King of Lao
brought Buddhism from Cambodia in 1359; after that, the people of Lao started
to build temples and send boys to them to study to be Novices Monks. Temples
are holy places for the Lao people to make merit by offering food or money. </span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lao food
is best on sticky rice, orlam (stew) and chili sauce. All of this food is
traditional food. Sticky rice is always served with hot sauce,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>spicy fish or shrimp-based sauce and eaten
with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the fingers. An essential part of
enjoying Lao food is Beer Lao.</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Liberation Serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Liberation Serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Religion, food and language are very important to Lao people,
because<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>they show how strong the Lao
culture is in the world. </span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-80863093147049996032013-10-22T20:39:00.000-07:002013-10-22T20:39:05.655-07:00September 2013 Monthly Achievement Report
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1;">Graduation
Ceremony of Xayadeth Students</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj898e2jECNKAfp0aOitPYxlGexguP65VNlppMxN6X1SlIcHy4jT_YknZFZcN0Jf1zsneM3FLTQcSbRcsSiWLtrrPnW7tcp1Q0mOBtyz2t1QJs2XMWaZhfAGeMMpYCGD4hiXqcYzJrSbMg/s1600/graduation+Xay+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj898e2jECNKAfp0aOitPYxlGexguP65VNlppMxN6X1SlIcHy4jT_YknZFZcN0Jf1zsneM3FLTQcSbRcsSiWLtrrPnW7tcp1Q0mOBtyz2t1QJs2XMWaZhfAGeMMpYCGD4hiXqcYzJrSbMg/s320/graduation+Xay+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In September
the graduation ceremony for the Year 3, 2012-2013 students was held. This
special event held in the Performance Centre of the Luang Prabang Museum is a
significant day for the Xayadeth students. After studying for 3 years part-time
and upon successful completion of assessments, the graduating students received
a Diploma of English. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a study
on factors that cause low English language learning in Lao students, published
in the International Journal of English Language Education, vol. 1, No. 1
written by <i>Thongma Souriyavongsa, Sam Rany, Mohamad Jafre Zainol Abidin,
Leong Lai Mei</i>, key indicators identified by students and teachers were: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The majority of students stated that
the English teachers are not well-trained; for instance, they use Lao language
when teaching, so they cannot perform well to attract the interest of the
student.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Students lack of English foundation
background. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Students lack of confidence to use
English because they are afraid of mistakes and feel shy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The curriculum is inappropriate for
helping students to improve their English proficiency. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">English language is difficult to learn
due to students not being well-motivated, encouraged and taught learning
strategies. Furthermore, students do not practice speaking English with English
native speakers, and the class environment is crowded and noisy and is not
fulfilled with teaching pedagogy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-background-themecolor: background1;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">GVI’s practices that address these points are:
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All GVI volunteers are taken through an
introductory TEFL training during their first week. Daily lesson planning
support and mentoring is provided by trained and experienced teaching
staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>English lessons are obviously
given in English with a minimum amount of Lao being used. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">GVI volunteers are encouraged to actively
observe students’ learning, assess regularly and address gaps in students’
knowledge. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">GVI volunteers are taught in their training
sessions to consider teaching techniques that encourage: </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-background-themecolor: background1; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>maximum
participation and challenge <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for all
students in all language areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening; <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>student centred vs teacher
centred</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>consider different learning
styles - <i>Visual, Aural, Kinaesthetic</i></span><span lang="TH" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vary the
interaction -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Individual, Pairs, Groups</span><span lang="TH" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">GVI has an extensive range of
resources and text books to support the set curriculum of Xayadeth College.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Students are taught by native or
fluent English speaking international volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through this exposure, the students become
familiar with different accents, expressions, western teaching styles. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-background-themecolor: background1;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">GVI congratulates the graduating students of 2013. We
hope that these students’ lives are enhanced by the teaching they received from
GVI volunteers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-20210052323697692322013-10-16T21:07:00.000-07:002013-10-16T21:08:39.159-07:00University is Back!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGES8bQQN33LB4hlQj0Zd5TwziEj6yW4GXl0_BGi6EWaK2p-3Dsox3b2y69-qgxu6cAR355ck18pa88KKJlP912uER8ou-EoFx02Woc-53syKMPk_RpyleQQDarNYeatO9T0wTDa4DM-w/s1600/20131016_090607_Phetsarat+Rd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGES8bQQN33LB4hlQj0Zd5TwziEj6yW4GXl0_BGi6EWaK2p-3Dsox3b2y69-qgxu6cAR355ck18pa88KKJlP912uER8ou-EoFx02Woc-53syKMPk_RpyleQQDarNYeatO9T0wTDa4DM-w/s320/20131016_090607_Phetsarat+Rd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="Standard" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">The 2013-2014 school year has begun!
Xayadeth College is back in full swing for another year of learning with native
English speakers. The college is located right across the lane from where the
volunteers live when they are on the project in Luang Prabang. The 8am teachers
find this very handy! We teach Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 in both the mornings
and the evenings. The college has grown so much that we teach 8 classes a day
which totals to 17 hours of teaching time thanks to our hard-working
volunteers. Men and women attend Xayadeth College as do a handful of novices
and monks. The subjects we are teaching include Writing, Environment,
Eco-Guide, Reading, Lao and Asian Culture, Listening and Vocabulary with two
English speaking volunteers in every class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-65112497163607603622013-10-13T19:45:00.000-07:002013-10-13T19:45:22.202-07:00Mekong English Centre Activity Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMDBREXftkhzkwqXJ26kHdCwJwVl81e4BgsdONSZ96Ielki4bzlh7diludcSWWkX159nGAQfLeKjR0ADcmA4pSTrGiPnog71PH42k2n4Kq4GDisRc2Yyufh66OHl7EIqPQxxKo4v4YeA/s1600/735819_10201378604021153_1411769732_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMDBREXftkhzkwqXJ26kHdCwJwVl81e4BgsdONSZ96Ielki4bzlh7diludcSWWkX159nGAQfLeKjR0ADcmA4pSTrGiPnog71PH42k2n4Kq4GDisRc2Yyufh66OHl7EIqPQxxKo4v4YeA/s320/735819_10201378604021153_1411769732_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Every Friday is an activities day at Mekong English Centre (MEC). Volunteer teachers are asked to plan a fun activity or two that reinforces some of the previous week’s lessons and provides a bit of entertainment. I told the teacher I am working with that I could possibly keep the students entertained for about 15 minutes with a game of word bingo. He said it would be much better if I could keep the students busy for a full hour. We negotiated a compromise of 30 minutes.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fortunately for me, another volunteer had prepared a bingo with words Lao students have trouble hearing and pronouncing e.g. pray and play. Realizing that I had agreed to keep the students busy for 30 minutes, I also prepared enough cards with alphabet letters on them for a spelling game, and eight plastic boards for a game of word-wrap.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I divided the class of 24 students into six teams and started with the game of Bingo. Before I knew it, 25 minutes had passed, so I organized a play-off between the two equal-top-scoring teams. Bingo – my 30 minutes was up! But I had two more games prepared, so we launched into the spelling game. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If the students were enthusiastic about bingo, they were positively excited and incredibly competitive with the spelling game. After much chatter, yelling, and for me – running around the classroom picking the winning team for each point, and again a play-off between the two equal top scoring teams, there was only 10 minutes left before the end of the lesson.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We finished off with a hectic and competitive game of word-wrap. In addition to the three teams who won the games. The teacher I am working with won his little competition with me – my activities went for the full hour. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I packed up all the bits and pieces and followed my teacher into his next class, for another full-on 60 minutes.</span></div>
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-This blog was written by Rod from Australia who is on the project for 4 weeks. His wife Gretel, who is a returning volunteer wrote the last blog "Dogs in the Classroom". Rod and Gretel are pictured above. Thank you Rod and Gretel! </div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-18013312666011397602013-10-08T22:05:00.002-07:002013-10-08T22:05:52.519-07:00Dogs in the classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejEXJ8Tzc_FXD-WC0MK-wQKPC9Z2Mbczn3x2jK74Nc-bpsgzLe39vJ8gO8ghCnDh9HowBl3VxQCaghDSRt6vXfhSz6djx0J7cOcXC4JSjknS75oRp9oK34MsYjR3gbs1QbYznwrpMHjQ/s1600/20130515_150518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejEXJ8Tzc_FXD-WC0MK-wQKPC9Z2Mbczn3x2jK74Nc-bpsgzLe39vJ8gO8ghCnDh9HowBl3VxQCaghDSRt6vXfhSz6djx0J7cOcXC4JSjknS75oRp9oK34MsYjR3gbs1QbYznwrpMHjQ/s400/20130515_150518.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A dog's life here is very different to Australia. Most dogs are free to wander – none have a collar let alone name tag. At first sight they seem neglected as they wander around town, hanging out with their mates during the day or sleeping in the middle of the road, but in fact they are important as watch dogs at night. While you never see fat dogs, most clearly have a home and enough to eat. </div>
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Dogs are just part of the scene. The other night, I was teaching at MEC, when a dog pushed open the classroom door and walked – well almost swaggered - in. He wandered around checking all the students out – they ignored him. Eventually he curled up on the floor for a snooze before making his way out again, leaving a muddy patch on the floor. </div>
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There are two dogs at Xayadeth College where we teach and do lesson planning. Mi Phu and her one year old daughter, Pepsi. Mi Phu is wary of outsiders, particularly men, but Pepsi loves all the volunteers as she has been spoiled by many. Pepsi frequently joins in our activities – she is the most ‘western’ dog I’ve seen. But Mi Phu asserts her dominance and has prime position sleeping on a mat in the doorway. No one moves her out of the way and everyone just steps over her! You can almost hear her saying – “I’m the boss, deal with it!”</div>
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- This blog was written by Gretel from Australia who is volunteering on the project with her husband for 4</div>
weeks.GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-13007889586049273622013-10-03T22:16:00.000-07:002013-10-03T22:16:31.607-07:00Mekong English Centre
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8JpA-qgQtnE6aTsMbHciizIYKTwUuDfDvQIJO7MH12ydkKf2HkTDiBvtbbMgd44vNfND0C2Wi3pthvJEscNaGQghNykzmjapGrkP8_Ad3Hviy2HWPx6vfO08dfgSqWoogthHEmz3Ubc/s1600/school_logo_small01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8JpA-qgQtnE6aTsMbHciizIYKTwUuDfDvQIJO7MH12ydkKf2HkTDiBvtbbMgd44vNfND0C2Wi3pthvJEscNaGQghNykzmjapGrkP8_Ad3Hviy2HWPx6vfO08dfgSqWoogthHEmz3Ubc/s200/school_logo_small01.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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GVI Laos is working alongside the Mekong English Centre in
Luang Prabang to help further the education of Lao people. GVI supplies
volunteers to the Centre to assist Lao teachers in teaching English. On Fridays
the volunteers normally lead an activities day where the students can review
what they have learned throughout the week while having lots of fun… and with some
friendly competition too! </div>
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We are very fortunate to be a part of this Centre which has
been thriving for a decade and has changed many lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To find out more about MEC check out the following link- <a href="http://www.mec-laos.org/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.mec-laos.org/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-38610620977911306032013-09-30T00:43:00.000-07:002013-09-30T00:43:11.239-07:00Xayadeth College Graduation Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDfORrCN3JFov-WCyOAB4Zy36Vj65iRHFLSBamKnJPtntf7Loiy_JESTDl_LIB_66Gm287zWqNpmeKUyjzpzlenmc8mxJHhfaKxO0t6_mUGOGG12q4RXFwrWtpH_nCN1gNZCsG_gmmYU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDfORrCN3JFov-WCyOAB4Zy36Vj65iRHFLSBamKnJPtntf7Loiy_JESTDl_LIB_66Gm287zWqNpmeKUyjzpzlenmc8mxJHhfaKxO0t6_mUGOGG12q4RXFwrWtpH_nCN1gNZCsG_gmmYU/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Last
Friday, the 27th of September, was a very special day for the Year 3 students
from Xayadeth College. It was their Graduation Day and a ceremony was held at
the Royal Theatre in the grounds of the Royal Museum in the centre of Luang
Prabang. Students from three different schools were present along with teachers
and special guests. The ceremony began with speeches from officials and
students. The Governor of Luang Prabang also made a speech, followed by the
presentation of certificates to the students as they went up on stage. Next
there were many photos taken of the happy students. The students' families and
friends waited outside the theatre with bunches of flowers and gifts to
congratulate them. Later in the evening a celebration was held at Xayadeth
College for the students, teachers and volunteers. There was plenty of food,
music, pétanque and fun had by all.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-13549378893925944112013-09-24T01:59:00.001-07:002013-09-24T01:59:19.079-07:00World Peace Day 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRq8ZgyAJulmEZ1ZMvtScFenhEbTzE3aAphCiReUZzlwZ2t0bSmgc4gwPpkFyN0tYGaDbeMPcCWJFBf83pFQlgZGOlwWpi9oAo162pqhEoDDDpqsNYPh7uxFweWIuGPTbXyAVK3vXN3AU/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRq8ZgyAJulmEZ1ZMvtScFenhEbTzE3aAphCiReUZzlwZ2t0bSmgc4gwPpkFyN0tYGaDbeMPcCWJFBf83pFQlgZGOlwWpi9oAo162pqhEoDDDpqsNYPh7uxFweWIuGPTbXyAVK3vXN3AU/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-743ca1d4-4f26-a0ab-9d7f-735cbd993fc8" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To celebrate World Peace Day on Saturday the 21st of September, the volunteers attended a local temple for a tour and evening chanting. The temple was Wat Thad Luang, an important and very old temple in Luang Prabang. The group was given a tour by Novice Somchit who gave a detailed history of the temple and answered the many questions the volunteers had. He spoke about the significance of the grand stupas in the temple grounds and the royal funerals and cremations that used to take place at the temple. As the sun slowly set everyone entered the temple for chanting. The novices and monks chanted for around half an hour, instead of the usual hour, as they had a busy day with construction work around the temple! Novice Somchit then rejoined the group, thanked everyone for coming and tied bracelets on the volunteers wrists as a blessing. He was very happy to have so many visitors at his temple and the volunteers thoroughly enjoyed this unique experience. It was a lovely way to spend World Peace Day!</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-10710545916267309272013-09-18T20:38:00.001-07:002013-09-18T20:41:09.269-07:00What a Wonderful World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two of our American volunteers are teaching the above song "What a Wonderful World" to their Year 2 Xayadeth College class. GVI is celebrating a whole week of PEACE leading up to International Peace Day this Saturday the 21st. Tomorrow, the Year 2 class will perform this song so stay tuned for a link to the video!<br />
We also have 5 new volunteers arriving this Saturday so all 13 volunteers and 3 staff members will be holding our own International Peace Day event. More information and pictures to follow!GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-21686400781138455882013-09-12T02:44:00.000-07:002013-09-12T02:44:41.569-07:00August 2013 Monthly Achievement Report<div align="LEFT">
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">15</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">th </span><span style="font-size: small;">August 2013 </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Luang Prabang, Laos <br />
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Summer Time School Fun at Xayadeth College, Luang Prabang <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkCT5nPfmWgxOulIkau8-uvvne2vvdsELPLo5-5tr0lQ-5aFBP5ENkwK5TxyZRJSo7DPn7CIVdDQArCjxcTZVFsvbn_ARicZGfYaWAwNwfglkF3Z8xmssDmBP8bWQuDw_TKak1aWhN3o/s1600/20130809_103119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkCT5nPfmWgxOulIkau8-uvvne2vvdsELPLo5-5tr0lQ-5aFBP5ENkwK5TxyZRJSo7DPn7CIVdDQArCjxcTZVFsvbn_ARicZGfYaWAwNwfglkF3Z8xmssDmBP8bWQuDw_TKak1aWhN3o/s320/20130809_103119.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div>
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</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri,Calibri; font-size: small;">The summer holiday is over and students are back to school, just in time for the end of the rainy season. For the past 3 years our hub in Luang Prabang has held classes at Xayadeth College for children during their summer holiday period. The past 3 months have been filled with laughter, learning and lesson-planning. This has been our biggest summer session yet with a total of 4 classes packed with eager students. We began with 2 classes but as our numbers of both students and volunteers rose we split the groups into 4 different levels of English ability. <br />
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The lower level class focused on simple vocabulary and sentences, introductions, foods and lots and lots of phonics practice. The children loved learning how to rhyme and the gestures that go along with each letter and its sound. At the end of the summer term this class and their teachers, Katy and Meagan, put on a mini performance of their phonics practice, using gestures while dancing to the alphabet song! The higher level Summer School class focused on more complex sentences, grammar points, questions to ask foreigners and we found out that they absolutely love playing spelling games. <br />
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The upper classes worked very hard on all 4 language skills- reading, writing, speaking and listening. At the end of the term both classes performed songs for the entire school and GVI staff- the famous "Sabaidee Luang Prabang" and "You’ve got a Friend". All 4 of our classes had 2 volunteers team teaching and were partnered with one of our very helpful and kind Lao teachers. Thank you to Mr. Ni, Mr. Chessy, Ms. Leh and Mr. Sipheng for all of your hard work. Thank you also to all of the GVI volunteers who came from all around the world to teach these smiling faces. <br />
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To see all 3 of the Xayadeth Children’s Summer School performances please click on the following link- https://www.facebook.com/GVILaosLuangPrabang </span></span><br />GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-54401755962612529582013-09-05T22:21:00.001-07:002013-09-05T22:21:19.577-07:00Boar Racing FestivalThis past week we celebrated the exhilarating Boat Racing Festival in Luang Prabang on the Nam Khan river.<br />
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One of our intermediate students wrote the following about the history of the festival:<br />
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"When the water level of the Kham rives has reached its peak, the city of Luang Prabang celebrates the Boat Race Festival. The long boats which are launched on that occasion are sacred objects: the race itself is a religious ritual which seeks to mollify and cajole the Nagas, who live in glass palaces at the bottom of rivers. It is the Nagas, fabulous beings, half snake, and half man, belonging to the Brahman and Buddhist traditions, which control the annual rise and fall of the flood waters and are thus responsible for the fertility of the rice fields."</div>
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GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-36816635086850424852013-08-29T20:04:00.002-07:002013-08-29T20:04:54.051-07:00Temple Visit to Wat Thad Luang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Last week we were invited to visit a very well known temple in Luang Prabang, Wat Thad Luang. It is known as the Royal Temple and has been used for many royal ceremonies in the past. We were first given a tour and shown around the amazing temple grounds by one of our students Novice Somchit who has lived at the temple for three years. He gave us a detailed history of Wat Thad Luang and it's famous stupas, one in honour of the last King of Laos and one in honour of the Queen. The grand stupas were quite a sight to see and held tremendous detail. We were even lucky enough to meet the temple's pet monkey, a gift for the novices from the local villagers. He kept everyone entertained, jumping around the chairs, tables and trees so many photos were taken. Then we entered the temple for chanting. The novices and monks chanted harmoniously for around an hour and also had some quiet meditation time. It was a moving experience and a temple visit we will never forget.</span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-31175968302184865282013-08-25T21:32:00.003-07:002013-08-25T21:32:44.511-07:00Wat Mano and Wat Sibounhouang Chanting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Buddhist monks and novices meditate and pray twice a day,
once in the morning and once in the evening. They kneel below their large,
golden Buddhas in black and maroon painted temples with intricate gold stenciling decorating the walls. We have been fortunate enough to be invited to
several different temples to listen to their mesmerizing chanting. One of our
students invited us to Wat Mano, one of the oldest temple sights in Luang
Prabang. 40 novices and several monks filled the temple so we all squashed ourselves at the back among the drums. This was a
different story at Wat Sibounhouang chanting where there are only a handful of
monks and novices. We were invited to this temple by one of our Lao teachers
who is a former abbot of Wat Sibounhouang. Both temples left every single one
of us feeling calm and content.<o:p></o:p><br />
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GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2824483432667359823.post-6604911351877018282013-08-18T23:56:00.003-07:002013-08-18T23:56:49.759-07:00July 2013 Monthly Achievement Report
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<b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">15<sup>th</sup> July 2013</span></span></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text2;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Construction
Galore<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fishponds
and floorboards were the order of the day for our construction volunteers
during July 2013.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We assisted several students to build an
extra fish pond 5m x 3m. GVI was thrilled to offer this unique experience
of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>working alongside Lao students who
have deafness to our 2 British female construction volunteers. The Lao students
were amazed at how the girls got stuck into the work, boots and all. Well done
Lucy and Olivia! You made us all proud!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The school
teaches its students both the standard Secondary
School Curriculum and a life skills program. It aims to ensure that its
students are both educated and trained in practical skills before they return
to their villages at the end of their period of time with the School. The
students raise several species of fish which serve as food for them and they hope
to eventually be able to sell mature fish as an income earner for the many
expenses the school incurs. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second
construction project was less glamorous but necessary and long overdue. A
skilled volunteer undertook the challenging job of repairing and replacing
broken floor boards in the classrooms and administration room. This completed job now means that the Novices’
or Teachers’ feet aren’t in danger of slipping through the holes. Well done
Geoff!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
GVI Laoshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691834228786925606noreply@blogger.com0