A Country That's So Close and Yet So Far
"A country with a name that means 'Land of Ten Thousand Elephants'"
Hiromi Kimoto
July 9, 2001
It is a country with a name that means 'Land of Ten Thousand Elephants'. It is about the size of England with a population of five million; half of them are Lao, and the rest are minority mountain tribes. The population is very small compared to neighboring Vietnam, which has seventy-seven million people. According to the United Nations, it is the tenth poorest country in the world, but there are no hungry people. The literacy rate is about 55 percent, and the average life span is fifty-two or so. Racially and linguistically they are quite similar to Thais, but they have no friendly feelings toward Thailand because of their long history of being invaded and plundered. However, financial support from Thailand is indispensable in developing the country. Although it is necessary to get along well, they have to beware to not let the Thais bring their Americanized public morals.
This is the country called Laos where I'll be headed for tomorrow, leaving Boston at noon and enduring the long flying hours that feel like they last forever. Right now I feel both excited and anxious about going to a country I've never been to, and I also feel sad and find it hard to tear myself away from a familiar town and people. I'm in a strange mood of mixed-up feelings. But this time, it is a bit different than usual. Probably it's because that I've read a book about Laos. Oh, your country respects old people too, and takes care not to shame others in public just like my country. Well, the feeling "just like my country" might not be right any more, because my country has been losing such social concepts.
When I get there, I wonder whether if I'll come to be feel at home and relaxed and comfortable, or I'd be disgusted into thinking "What an old-fashioned country. This country will never get richer like this...." I'm excited and also a bit afraid at the same time to see how I'll be feeling and looking at the people in Laos. Although it's a poor country, it seems like they have access to the Internet. So I'll make use of it to write about my day-by-day emotional state, and send it to you.
Well, good-bye until then.
Translated by Maiko Noda
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