Another crazy day in Pakse

Three things to report... not all actually happened today, but this weekend was full for sure.

First... a two hour assembly at the TTC in the afternoon heat, listening to Lao speeches, enduring the heat, watching the bored students and teacher... that's the way I like to spend my afternoon.

They were apparently addressing several issues or topics (I only caught bits and pieces of the Lao speeches... it is EXHAUSTING work to try and follow long speeches when they speak so fast). One was the opening of the Listening Lab and different changes at the TTC for the students. Another was the dress code. All students wear green ties with their school uniforms. The boys wear dress pants and the girls wear sihns. They also addressed turning off cell phones in class. Some students will actually answer their phones in class and talk for awhile before you get them to hang up (I am glad they mentioned that one although I don't have that much problem in my classes with cell phones).
More pictures of the engaged crowd:

Even the Director was just writing notes... although he might have actually been coming up with what he was going to talk about for an hour:



Second... AND MORE CRAZY... Today (Monday) We were in the office and heard some very loud crackling like firecrackers going off... I thought it was just someone doing construction or throwing rocks. Well, the students started to yell and scream outside our office. The power started to flicker on and off. Suddenly, there were much louder crackling and burning could be slightly smelt. The power went out completely! Teachers and students were all looking beyond our building... I had to go investigate!

AND.. it was an electrical fire! Now the poles are made of cement and rebar so they don't burn (which is good). But a small box on the side (my guess is a transformer of some kind interfacing the main lines and the ones going to the office) had shorted out and caught on fire. It was still burning on the ground when I arrived.





... and because the power went out, I missed the end of "The Pacifier" in Thai that was playing in our office! I still can't figure out if Vin Diesel was the good guy or bad guy in the movie... weird how Thai dubbing will do that to a movie!

THIRD... Wigo is out of his cage!!! He ran to greet me last night leaving a trail of pee again... I think he's learning to control himself better... wait... nevermind. He just rolled over while peeing on himself. Well, at least he's a faithful watchdog!