Mark and I have walked up and down the charming streets of Luang Prabang’s old city numerous times. On one of our walks, we chanced upon Big Brother Mouse, a nonprofit founded by an American man named Sasha in 2003 in collaboration with a couple young Laotian men. Their mission was to publish books in Lao and to get Laotians—especially children—reading. When Sasha visited Laos for the first time in 1997, because publishing was his career, he noticed that Laotians did not read. He learned that school textbooks were the only books Laotians had, if they had any.
Since 2003, Sasha and his colleagues have published hundreds of books, some in Lao, some bilingual ones in Lao and English, and some in Lao sign language, Lao and English for the deaf. Three years ago they established a school about a 30 minute drive from Luang Prabang where they have more than 300 pre-school and primary school (up to 5th grade) students enrolled currently. Yesterday 9 other English speakers and I volunteered at the school from 9am-4pm to teach and converse in English. An exhausting and fascinating day.
At the Big Brother House Center 3 blocks from our Sokdee Guesthouse, English speakers of all kinds may converse with young people typically from 16-23 years old from 9-11am and 5-7pm daily so that young Laotians can get used to all kinds of accents in English and so they can improve their English. I’ve volunteered three times already, separate from yesterday ‘s experience, and each time has been a hoot. Two days ago I explained how I got the nickname TT first from my brother, Conrad, and then from my sons and the young Laotians were amused.
