TaalCafé

Rhythm is everything

Tag: Laos

De werkdag

2024-01-25 / / 0 Comments

s’Morgens sta ik meestal wat later op. Een bak flink sterke koffie markeert vervolgens het begin van de werkdag.

Veel informatie willen en soms ook moeten verwerken, maakt dat ik ook veel slaap nodig heb. Tien uur is vrij normaal. Alleen al daardoor ben ik anders dan mijn leeftijdsgenoten die ‘s nachts juist veel minder slapen en overdag geregeld indutten. Zodra ik op gang ben gekomen ben ik ook nauwelijks meer te stoppen. ‘s Morgens nog in bed en ‘s avonds nog niet volledig in slaap bereid ik mijn lessen voor. Gewoon in mijn hoofd want dat werkt het prettigst.

Ik heb een collega die in hetzelfde jaar geboren is als ik. Een collega die jaloers is. Ook hij is anders. Hij heeft een hekel aan de leerlingen en bereidt zijn lessen niet voor. Al jaren draait hij dezelfde lessen en doet daarbij heel gewichtig.
Dat werkt vaak in zijn voordeel.

Behalve dan bij de meer bijzonder dan andere leerlingen. Die stellen hem vervelende vragen. Vragen waar hij geen echt goed antwoord op kan geven.
Daarom heb ik die leerlingen toegewezen gekregen.

www.taal.cafe is er mede voor de leerlingen. Omdat de twee jongsten — 7 en 11 jaar oud — niet alles mogen lezen, heb ik op een aantal artikelen een wachtwoord gezet.

A Turbulent Life

2023-10-08 / / 0 Comments

Johnnie

Johnnie was a lovely boy. That’s what his Mum in the US had always told him. And indeed he was. Never ever did we hear him say anything nasty or demeaning. Never ever did we sense any envy when other guests stated their successes in life. True stories of real successes or just imaginary successes aimed at steering attention towards themselves.

Johnnie hitting the strings

Johnny liked to grab the guitar to play a few chords to entertain … Sure! …
Though he played foremost to attract attention, using Oanh’s guitar which she gracefully has made available to just anybody at the Rainbow Hotel who fancies hitting the strings.

Johnnie had a head start at just any conversation with anyone new. Whether it was your appearance, your new piece of apparel, your skills at speaking English or just anything that he could relate to you, being special. He would say something positive.

Johnnie would highlight the positive side of others.

Johnnie’s life was however not that positive. Johnnie had a talent for getting involved with the wrong kind of people. Women, notably! Down and out local women who had assessed him as easy prey. A man like a boy longing for sex and affection where the latter was never there for him.

At the conclusion of yet another nightly journey roaming the streets down town Vientiane he would arrive just in time for breakfast. Then started sleeping on the couch.

Waking up he would be thirsty for a beer and many more. Johnnie would then start telling about his latest sad adventure. She stole my money man! 300 dollars man! Shit man! She also took my keys. Shit man! I cannot enter my room. Shit man! Which explained why he had missed out on a good night’s sleep again.

Whenever Johnnie experienced unbearable distress he would utter:
“Mum always said I am a lovely boy”. And indeed he was.

Inconsiderate guests

2023-10-05 / / 5 Comments

Ocean Blue Hostel in Vientiane, Laos

My bicycle broke down. I was downtown Vientiane near the night market when the rear brake got stuck. Without any tools, no way to repair that kind of brake on the fly. It was already late at night and I was stuck! – well kind of.

To stay the night I decided on the Ocean Blue Hostel. A friend of mine had been staying there before. She liked it.
So … why not?

It was a bit of a mixed experience. Nothing wrong with the hostel though. 

Staff members are friendly. Breakfast is okay and quickly served. Mattresses and bedding are clean. The hostel is well designed and everything is kept in good order. There are separate dormitory rooms for men and women. They are on separate floors as well. That’s probably a good idea.

I guess it was just bad luck. One of the young men staying at my dormitory room was smoking during the night. That’s strictly forbidden and incurs a hefty fine. He apparently couldn’t care less. I guess inexpensive hostels sometimes attract guests who just refuse to behave. 

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