LaLaLaos

Maybe this is mentioned already, in that case let’s stress it another time: I was just astonished by the happiness and humility of literally every person from Laos we met during our volunteer experience -especially considering the fact that Laos is the most bombed country in history (1960’s, part of the Vietnam war). Laughing and being friendly just seems so natural for them… and it’s so catchy, like a great song! People from Northern Europe, for example, can learn from this for sure.
Lalala for me means sunshine and joy. It comes when you feel so happy that you want to start singing a song, but it’s so overwhelming, that you cannot think of a song quick enough and you just start singing a random melody starting with lalala. That’s what my time in Laos has given me many times.
A great example (one of many):
I had my 22nd birthday, by chance, on my last day of volunteering (construction and renovation). So on my last night, we decided to celebrate it, along with a farewell last night for two other volunteers. We sat in front of the guesthouse with about 20 other volunteers, like we did every night, having cosy down time with a little bit of inevitable Laolao (local spirit). Suddenly, half-way through our night, a birthday cake came out of the restaurant of the guesthouse and everyone started singing happy birthday! Some other volunteers, whom I still call good friends till today, had arranged the cake, made by the wife of the owner of the guesthouse. After dividing the cake in about 25 pieces (and having leftovers!), we all got in the back of two pickup trucks. A few minutes later we arrived at a Karaoke place, where each group can rent a private karaoke room for a certain time. I never saw this before! Apparently it’s an Asian thing…
Seeing my fellow volunteers there, including staff, enjoying themselves, definitely made this a Lalala-night to remember.