Letters Across Ocean Shores: The Day in Pictures

This weekend we planned to go to Sonexay's village on Saturday. Unfortunately, mom got sick and couldn't go with us, but we had a lot of fun inspite of mom missing out. It was actually really hard for me that she couldn't come because it was our "big" event of their whole trip, but it turns out the Father was really doing a sweet work in her heart during our absence. And just like with so many other things here that I am unable to understand, the Father is teaching me to trust His character, especially when I don't understand the way He's working (or, as it can seem to me...isn't working...though I know that's not true, it's just that I cannot see!)

Anyway, random musings from Julia's heart. Now for some pictures of the weekend...

It started out on Friday night. Sone and three of my other students stayed over because we had to leave from the bus station at 6am. So we had quite the full house but it was a lot of fun! We started out by making tacos.

Here's Christa and Sone "cutting the cheese" - Last time I made tacos with Sone I taught her that idiom and she loves to say it all the time. So we decided to take a fun picture!

We played some intense games of Uno

Staged pics with the guitar...I'm wearing clothes, really I am. I was trying to be modest by holding the pillow in front of me, but I think I only succeeded in making the picture appear more scandalous. Oh well.

Ok, so this is staged, but the 4 girls (L-R, Thippachanh, Orn, Sone and Palinya) really did all sleep in my bed! Lao people are totally fine with sleeping 3-4 in a bed, very unlike most of us Americans who "like our space."

We took the bus to Sone's village and then her parents took us around all day in their truck.

Sone washing the fish

Eating breakfast at Sone's house

Bing Ba...grilled fish. One of my absolute favorite things to eat in Lao!

Sone's mom and dad...This pic is so cute! (Unfortunately, all my up and down pics load funky on here. Sorry about that!)

We walked over to Sone's grandparents' house...the bunch of us girls. Sone's sister Nouy and her friend also came along

Sone's mom and I on the bridge to her grandparents' house

My dad really wanted to take a picture of a dog riding on a mtorbike, so Sone staged this pic at her house with her dog Dudy.

In front of Sone's house

Dad and I posing by the "sea" in Lao

Our whole group (just missing mom! They must've said they were sad she couldn't come about 15 times throughout the day!)

We went to the famous Ngam Ngum Dam that is close to Sone's house. I love this pic because of everyone's faces and dad looks like he's hiding behind his fan.

The girls running towards the camera. I love the carefree expressions on their faces

Dad and Sone's dad driving around to pick up the ladies

Orn and Thipphachanh

I love it...Lao girls get out in the sun and the jackets go on...American girls get out in the sun and the jackets go off. We love the sun and getting tan, they love the shade and staying white!

Sone, Thipphachanh and me in the back of the truck

Nouy, Sone and their grandparents

Dad drinking Beer Lao at the random wedding we walked by on the way to Sone's grandparents. We walked by and they invited all of us to join the wedding...so they brought out a new table, covered it with a table cloth and served us a ton of food (and beer too, of course!).