Qurantine time
After spending several days in Vientiane, I was about to go to Thakhek. I bought the ticket and was a bit nervous, getting ready to leave the hostel and to head back to the south to experience the beautiful motorbike loop drive. However, I met an American girl who'd kind of changed my plans. We were talking about the current situation with the virus and lockdown in many countries around the world. Suddenly I got the idea that I may go straight to Myanmar because I found a place for my volunteering-in a Buddhist centre, helping poor people, old people, orphans, sick people, etc. So I was thinking about going to Luang Prabang, spending two or three days there and then going by boat to Thailand and by bus to Myanmar. The plan sounds perfect. Me still not being sure, I was sitting in the tuk-tuk and heading to the bus station to take the bus to Thakhek. But my thoughts were jumping from side to side and after arriving at the bus station I decided that I wanted to go to Luang Prabang instead. Of course, I did not get any refund, but the tuk-tuk driver took me to the head office to buy the ticket and then to another place where I could wait for my night bus.
I am really glad I changed my plan and instead of going to Thakhek, I went to Luang Prabang. The first morning after putting myself up in the hostel, I met the French woman who I had met on the bus from Pakse to Vientiane several days ago and who was heading to Vang Vieng. But she was here and thanks to her I moved to a nice hostel and met nice people who became my roommates for the time of the corona quarantine.
However before we were asked to move out, because the hostel must have been closed, I went for evening prayer and chanting to the temple near our hostel. I was missing my Indian temple’s family. The day before I met an Italian girl in the other temple, who was calling those monks also as her family and she told me about teaching them English. I felt a bit sad and maybe jealous because I left the monks thousands of kilometres behind and I would love to be also helpful here in Laos somehow but none of the workaway places accepts volunteers these days. So I went to another temple the other day, I did not feel satisfied at first. The chanting was impressive. Several monks and a few local people and me. Although I did not know the words I was enjoying their chanting and felt a very good energy. After it finished, I was on the way out when a young novice came to me and started talking to me using very simple English but having a sweet smile and a positive attitude. So we were talking and laughing for a while when he asked me if I can teach them English. Without any hesitation, I answered yes. So we started immediately, and the next day we had morning and evening lessons, and the next day again and again. Sometimes I was discussing with the only monk speaking English, about Lord Buddha’s teaching. We both felt I belong to this place at this moment.
Unfortunately, after a few days of my English teaching, I was asked to finish, because of the corona issues around. I know it was only a short time with these wonderful boys, but I know it was an important lesson in our lives.
The main and important thing is to be happy.