The Fugitive

You know when you get that feeling that something isn’t quite right? Like you shouldn’t be where you are at that very moment? That actually happened yesterday. I was at work (yes, for the fourth day in a row!). I was reading a comparative study on the effects of Introducing Sanitation and Hygiene Practices to Indigenous Hilltribe Villages around the world. Yes, believe it or not, not everyone has a flushing toilet, or any toilet for that matter. People still practice open defecation. Not everyone has safe drinking water, and if they do, they do not know how to wash their hands or how to keep their environments clean to prevent disease. These projects that I am working on are seriously a dream come true. I am the most privileged person that is able to pick up their family and leave the comforts of a first world country and move to a developing country. In the past two weeks that we have been here, we have actually learned to do without. Starting without a car. We actually walk places. In unbearable heat and humidity nonetheless, and you know what? We have actually survived! Some of the outdoor markets are hotter than ovens. I thought I was actually going to pass out while Marc was torturing himself over what color Crocs to buy (I hate shoe shopping with him. But that is another story). Thankfully, the shopkeeper had a fan. So, I went and stood by it until the feeling of death dissipated. If Ari complained about the heat one more time I was going to kill him. Yes, we know it is hot. Yes, we are all uncomfortable. NO we ARE NOT GOING HOME. No, we are NOT taking a tuk tuk home. We are going to walk back to the boat. We are not going to spend money on unnecessary things just because we are uncomfortable. Get used to it, I said. Between you and me, I would have killed to have an air-conditioned van pick us up. Between carrying heavy bags of groceries, the unbearable heat and humidity, Marc stopping to take pictures of EVERY FUCKING FLOWER AND PIECE OF FRUIT, and the serious swamp ass I had going on, I was just about at my tipping point. Nope, cannot freak out. Have to show both of them that it is ok to be uncomfortable, that we will actually survive this. That we will feel good once we make it back to the boat that will take us across the Nam Khan River back to Ban Phanlunag, our village. Back to an ice-cold shower. We argue on the boat who gets to shower first. Who gets “shotgun”. I give in and let them go first. I can take this stench a bit longer.

Wow, I got completely side tracked from the beginning of my day. I did go to work today. I did ride my bicycle to work as I have done all week. I still hate riding a real bicycle. One a real road…I miss my Soul Cycle. Riding in the dark to loud music on a bike that doesn’t go anywhere. My bicycle has only one gear….ME…..It’s way harder than the rides I have done for the past two years. Anyhow, I was at work, when all of a sudden three local police walk in. My stomach dropped. I don’t know why it did, but it did. “Madame” one of the officers says to me nodding his head. I smile and say hi. Shit this isn’t good I think…Why are they here? The girls in the office get up and quickly start opening folding table and pulling out extra chairs. I don’t know why, but I grabbed my backpack and headed for the back door. I don’t know if anyone saw me leave. I just felt I needed to get out of there ASAP. I walked around the building to Leeva’s window and whispered to her why were the police there? She said they were probably coming to do a check on the office. To make sure everyone there is legit….OMG! seriously? I didn’t have my passport with me, (come to think of it I really don’t even know where it is), and I haven’t gotten my work papers yet. They are “coming” they are in the Ministry of Affairs office down in the Capital city Vientiane right now. Who knows when they will be ready. This is The PDR of Laos remember….”Please Don’t Rush”….I tell Leeva I have to go, that I cannot be there….Shit what am I going to do? Of course you all know the answer as well as I do. I call Sakai. Surely, he has been in worse situations. I am laughing as I call him whilst dodging behind parked cars down the street trying to be as stealthy as I can. Oh I wish he were here. We would be rolling on the floor in hysterics. He answers, and I tell him what just happened. He says go hime right now. They have already seen you. You cannot be on the streets. Really? Isnt that just a bit much? I mean they have no idea why I was there. It didn’t look like I was working. Maybe I just stopped in to ask for directions? I decide that I will try to go back and get my bicycle and go home. I call marc to tell him I am coming home soon and why. He doesn’t laugh…He actually thinks this is quite serious and cannot understand why I would be laughing. Well, it was funny! Before I head back I walk over  to the tailor to pick up my newly designed Sinh (traditional Lao skirt), my uniform for work. Then I headed back to the office, I notice the police car was gone, so I went in. The girls were all laughing at me. I tell them that I cannot be here without work papers. That I will have to pay a fine. A LARGE one and who was going to come to jail with me?  They think it is funny. They tell me that the police did ask who I was and why I was there. Gulp! They said I was lost and needed to use the bathroom. Good answer! I tell them that I really need to leave for the day. I will come back on Monday to speak with my boss, who is down in Attapeu helping with the relief efforts from the tragic dam collapse. I will ask him to find out when my papers will be finished, and what we can do till they are here…….