Inter-Team Photo Contest: Laos

If anyone has tried to get you hooked on Laos, you’ve likely been shown a series of pictures displaying the splendor that is home for our team. And while its natural beauty is well documented (and rightfully so), we wanted a chance to reveal what Laos means to ELIC. Each…

Her Name is Lin

Her name is Lin.

We know because we asked.

We asked because she walks by our house nearly every day.

She walks by our house every day to collect trash.

Word Association with Laos

These members of Team Laos agreed to a round of Word Association with terms that are especially specific to life in our corner of Southeast Asia.

Neighborhood Folk

by Jonathan Sweeting

“Hello, Jon-a-sin!” Cia Nan greets me with a large smile and a friendly wave.

“What do you want?” she asks. Her husband looks up from his wok and also smiles and nods.

Ellie’s Take from Laos

“Life is unbelievably insane right now. I don’t think I knew what it meant to be busy until classes started two weeks ago.” — Ellie J.

It’s not uncommon to feel this way at the beginning of a school term. We always seem to anticipate that it’s going to be crazy…

I think I might be a little crazy

Today I’m traveling back to Asia. After a sleepless night, I woke up this morning with a paralyzing thought… “Who does this?” Who in their right mind flies halfway around the world for a job? Who crams their life’s possessions into two suitcases like some kind of…

The Dean’s in China

Teams make up a large part of our lives overseas and every member brings value to the overall dynamic of the community…

A Letter to Phnom Penh

Dear Cambodia,

We just met, but I already like you. A lot. I like the way you welcomed me with sweat and a glass of orange juice. I’m thankful for how kind you were to carry my teammates and I’s luggage to our room. I like the way you smile at my brothers, my…

One of the best weeks ever

April is a special month for Lao people as it holds the biggest holiday of the year. This holiday is called Lao New Year and honestly it’s beyond description. Just imagine what it would be like for every person, both child and adult alike, to be armed to the teeth with anything…

Saying Goodbye is Always Hard

My last few days in Luang Prabang were a lot of things: emotional, busy, rushed, exciting, sad…you get the picture. But above all else, those last days were full of love. For a while there, I thought my heart was going to explode.