Sao Lao

On our third day in Vientiane, we did the same thing, walked back to aunt V’s villa to take a shower and have breakfast. After a shower I told my parents that I wanted to do a white wash later in the afternoon. My father told me not to go next door to do laundry. He said I shouldn’t “lop kuan” my uncle and his wife. I can wait till I get to Pakse and there will be dek noi (kids) to wash my clothes for me. I told him I don’t want to do such thing and do not expect my relatives to do my laundry for me. If it is a problem with using the washing machine next door, then I can compensate with money to pay for the water and electricity. My father then told me to wash my clothes by hands in the bathroom. He said I can also wash his clothes and my mother’s clothes as well. Being a stubborn daughter that I am, I told him no. I have a back pain and there is no stool for me to sit on I told him. I would have to sit on the floor or bend down to wash the clothes.

Of course being the proud man that he is, my father decided to wash his own whites. There was no laundry detergent around and I had to be the one to go next door asking for some. I washed my clothes that needed to be hand wash along with my mother’s delicates. My parents told me to hang the clothes inside the house, which was very difficult to do since there is no rope or anything. They told me to go ask for a rope next door so I can make a clothes line. There is no rope that I can use from my uncle’s house. His wife asked me why we can’t hang the clothes on the clothes drying rack like I did yesterday. I laughed and told her to ask my parents. I found it funny when my parents decided to hang their clothes in the kitchen on the window. I asked my parents what would the guests to the house think when they come in the kitchen, through the back door, and their eyes will meet the undergarments.

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Aunt A took us to a Pho (Fer) shop for lunch. Afterward we went to a market near by our town. I bought a pair of blue flip flop for Pakse since I only have one pair of sandals. We later went by my cousin’s shop to visit her. I was very happy to see her. She is about the same age as my youngest brother. I used to watch her and her brother (Bee), along with my youngest brother on the weekend. It was more like watching each other since we were kids. I bought a couple of outfits for myself and for my youngest sister from my cousin’s shop.

My cousin told me that she thought I was going to be staying at her house and how they made a room for me. I told her that I’ve been in Pakse for a week. Apparently there was a misunderstanding and my mother didn’t tell either of my aunts that I was going to be in Pakse. Why my mother didn’t tell them that I was going to be with aunt K and my Grand-mama? I called my mother before I went to Laos telling her to not tell my two aunts to not pick me up at the airport and that I will only be in Vientiane for just one day. I didn’t think it would be proper for me to show up for just one day and leave and not stay with aunt K and my cousin Bay since we were going to Pakse together. Besides I wanted to meet all my mother’s relatives at once with my parents. Who would have thought going to Laos will create so much family politics?

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