When I travel, the smallest of shared experiences with locals provide me with the biggest and most impressionable of memories. Failure to communicate verbally does not hinder the ability to interact and share life with others. With this philosophy, I often venture to the most rural and local of places looking for opportunity of these experiences. I found one during a short walk through a home stay village in the jungles of northern Laos.
My experiences in Laos gave me the impression that the Lao people like to watch Western travelers with curiosity from a safe distance. As I walked through the village I always felt welcome, but always at an arm's length. Even our accommodations were an arm's length from the village life.
On my return to the hut, I was fortunate that one of the village locals reached out for a little cultural exchange. It is the custom of the village to host a small fire in from of the homes during the morning and evening. As I passed one such scene along the main 'road' of town, a young father eagerly beckoned me to warm myself by his humble fire as he tended to it. His wife was busily finishing her chores, and his daughter was playing nearby with friends. I felt blessed to receive such a open invitation and happily accepted.
I sat down on a small box and began warming myself. Our conversation was limited, but he was able to inform me through an assortment of gestures that he really liked Beer Lao (the only Lao beer and English words he knew) and ask me if I did as well. Upon learning of my beer drinking enjoyment, he invited me to drink a Beer Lao with him. Now, this is a real treat, I thought. Such warm hospitality. Next I was instructed to go to the little store at the end of the village and purchase two Beer Lao and come back so that we could drink them together. I laughed at this unorthodox invitation, but happily obliged and made the round trip toting a pair of beverages for us to enjoy.
I set the beers down and gestured the question asking if he had a bottle opener. He shook his head and took the two bottles attempting to teach me the local way of opening the two bottles using each other's caps. This, of course, didn't work, but I was able to get the caps off, and we toasted our new friendship. He was so excited with his prize that he didn't even wait for the toast before delving into such enjoyment. I was all to glad to bring such joy to my new friend.
We sat for a while as his wife and daughter joined our meeting. While I couldn't really communicate, I felt welcome and happy to share in this simple experience of drinking a beer around a fire.
It wasn't long before I realized that I had provided quite the treasure for my host. We were soon joined by a couple of neighbors who eagerly wished to take part in his joy. His wife quickly retrieved a couple of glasses, and we all enjoyed the international past time of drinking around the fire.
I enjoyed this experience leisurely for a time. While I may have been on the outside of the conversation amongst the friends, I felt warmly a part of their circle and hospitality. I eventually heard the arrival of our gear, and knew that dinner would soon be ready. I reluctantly excused myself to return to my companions. Each member of our group rose and affectionately bid me farewell, sending me away with more warmth in my heart than the fire could have ever provided.
