“simplicity is sexy” – a way of seeing things

I have turned 30 years on October 12, 2012.

Initially I thought of spending this special day, who is at the end also just another day in our everyone’s life and lifecycles in Ho Chin Minh City. Away from the big Vientiane crowd but still around people I know, I thought that would be the best way to break out and have something different from that special non-special day in my life. Plans changed and after all, it was not decided by myself, but simply by the company I am working for, how may day will look like.

Celebrations started with a party for the “German National Day” on Oct 11, including Sauerkraut, boring speeches, real good cold German wheat beer, dancing and good laughs until after midnight. With a headache and as birthday child I had delivered a cheese egg bagel to the company trip departure place at 8am on October 12 in the morning. The beer did not wait for long and with music the Sunlabob Party Bus started crossing Vientiane and moving out of town to the biggest water reservoir of the country: Beautiful Nam Ngum

The day went by fast. I had a lot of fun driving on the jetski on the lake, be thrown off and throwing off, have the wind in the hair while flying with 80km/h above the water. Have a wakeboard under my feet and trying to challenge the limits of my muscles. Towards the end of the day –sitting on an air tube in the water, watching the sunset and have a chat. Later in the evening, having a bottle of Champaign with my closest friends, have a laugh and a good night sleep. It is a birthday I will remember, less for the fact that it was the Oct 12, 2012, which as such is also a special date looking at the numbers, but just as a good and cheerful day.
More and more I realize or I am made of the value of keeping, seeing, doing things in a simple and moderate way. Probably it is the country and the people of Laos, where one is inevitably reminded that not much is needed to find self-satisfaction and contentment. Always striving for more, being caught in the starting point of loosing the enjoyment of little things by setting more values on materialistic things – has not reached certain parts of the country. Does not mean there is no jealousy, no injustice or that everything is perfect, but it is a form of “plainness”, which is good to see and be reminded off. I feel like my life has become much simpler, I have become more casual and less stressed out or serious about things. I am still a person which is quite opinionated, sometimes too judgmental, but I have learnt more to see things from different angles – making me softer. I know who I am, what matters and this current environment gives me the freedom to be that and further evolve. I am very happy having reached that point, which is of course subject of further development – it is by far a moment of time where things become static, I would say it is a step of self-recognition which is going to evolve in something different. I am happy having reached this level with 30 years. Surely, others are getting there much earlier in their lives, some much later or not at all. It follows every individuals own rhythm of life.

This state of being, I feel I have become attractive to myself, driven by contentment of what I do, how I approach things, how I resolve things and how I decide to live my life. It allows a great amount of self-love, which is a wonderful feeling and the basis to be able to give something to others in form of thoughts, ideas, positiveness and passion.

Here a little birthday gift I got, which just connects to the thoughts above:

Auf leisen Sohlen gehen
Nicht stehen bleiben
Nicht zu hoch hinaus
Ziele sehen
Die Welt im Kleinen
Macht das Leben aus.

(M.Minder)

I would also take this opportunity to thank my parents for the gift of life they have given me. My Mama and Papi are the source of my being in a first place and then of course largely influenced and defined of who I have become and who I am today. I don't think there are enough words of gratitude and respect I have for you and please apologies my lack of words and incapability to express the love I have for you.

Being finally an out of Vientiane explorer

Sitting and relaxing at home is nice. Moving into a new house, making it feel home and cozy is nice too and a cool hobby. Being immersed into gardening, get up in the morning to see how many flowers, the orchids in particular has grown, brings joy and a feel of happiness.  Indeed, at the end it’s small things which make the day.  But wait – that sounds also very much as if I had been domesticated, settled down and what’s next: Getting stuck?

No no no no – explorer Andrea has come out there with several activities in mind. First: South East Asia exploration. Vientiane is not on an airline highway, but still not at the end of the world. It is connected to more and more cities, thus making travelling easy. Targets are Kuala Lumpur, Phom Phen, Ho Chin Minh City, Myanmar, Southern Thailand, Chiang Mai.  Second: Vientiane Adventures.  Get a bicycle, a truck or motorbike and just go out of the city. Be it for a waterfall, a night in a tent, a swim in a lake, a floating restaurant or a visit of the tattooed monk. It all serves the purpose  of changing my mind, experience moment with people I care, move and have the feeling of “having done, having lived” something. All of that does not happen alone – doing such things alone, to be honest, sucks. But, together with my adventure mates, it is real fun and I actually do start enjoying this country a lot more, even though not all the things I discover are “nice and good”, often the things seen are sad.

Example. There are beautiful forests and in certain areas the governments has established natural parks, to protect and conserve them. This does not stop illegal logging, it also does not prevent people to throw and leave their garbage in plain nature – in a so called “National park”.

Another example is how they treat animals here. We discovered a very nice spot, with little bamboo huts a long the lake, cushions. Walking around, we were all impressed, until we discovered two bears in tiny steel cages sitting just a few centimeters above the water. Then, a couple of monkeys, closed up in a little cage and crocodiles, in a space, locked underneath the water surface, barely able to move. Really shocking.
Sometimes I don’t understand this world, the simplest and most common things seem to be un-understandable to others.  Everything becomes relative; there is no such thing as “common understanding” or “obvious things” in the jungle where at the end you do not know if it is because of education, culture, ethnics, ignorance or intention to do things which are cruel and disrespectful. But I guess, I also have to watch myself what I say, sure, also me – I am not perfect, starting with failing in trying to be a vegetarian (and instead enjoying to eat jumping shrimps)

The Lao Chalet or the Lake House?

I moved into a new house. After my holidays in Switzerland in June I had a hard time to get used to work and the Lao circumstances again. What means Lao circumstances. I mean with it all the things which don't work in Laos, things I could not change and where I have 2 simpel options: Accept it and be happy or move on and fine an alternative. As much as I loved my little Hoettli, I could no longer accept the low water pressure in the morning to the extent I could not take a shower anymore. I could no longer stand the mouldy smell of my freshly washed clothes, because my cupboard is constantly wet. I could no longer stand the leaking roof and and a new change: The Lao Sauna just next to my wall giving sounds of Lao music, people showering and laughter. My friend THE Fxx Rooster - I do not need to mention him, almost driving me crazy and giving rise in a feeling of "I just want to shoot him" can of attitude. I needed more peace and this I found in my new Lao Chalet or the Lake House. I like it here and as soon as you come an visit me here you know why. Like many other places it has its own specificities:

- to get here, one has to take a nasty dirt road. When the rain is on, there are even ducks swimming in the road bumps. Not surprising, then the canal parallel to the road is more of a sewage then a water canal and imagine how bad that is if the ducks prefer to swim on the road?

- Laos has an economic growth of about 8%. This mean there is construction everywhere. My luck is that the Lao Chalet has view to a swamp (or lake, thus some friends prefer to call it the Lake House) and at the end of the swamp, euh Lake, there is some construction ongoing. I can watch the (probably Vietnmaese) workers who live on the construction site itself, coming to the swamp, do their morning toiletries or go fishing - why not, one feeds the other and the other way around.

- The Lao Chalet is a little further away from work, means, I can enjoy more Lao traffic, which is so ridiculous, it's almost funny. example: In front of the school, the parents, who come in big SUV's or brand new limousines would just stop and park their car in the middle of the road until they finished accompanying the kid inside the school. Concept of parking, or even putting the car on the side of the road, so that all other could continue passing; seems foreign. Luckily, with my little motorbike I am quite mobile, I go slalom in between the cars, hopping on the sidewalk if needed and be a little aggressive when something is in on my way.

- Diverse animals are also accompanying here and I have made new acquaintances.

Termites! The Lao Chalet has been suffering from termites and continues to undergo serious anti-termite treatment. Unlike the rooster, these little bastards are silent, but big in destruction. Amazing, but also sad to see how little the landlord cares. If this continues like that, this house needs to be rebuilt in 2-3 years.

Rats! I am lucky, this house has an actual ceiling, which comes with an additional inhabitant. Rats which love making party when I am asleep. I am know contemplating with different options to get rid of them. The lao way: Distribute glue on the ceiling, which would glue them down and have them die miserably. Or poison, which is not a less respectful way and does not solve the problem of collecting them once they have died. Other solution: A wild cat: Risking that still dead rats may end up on the ceiling and I see myself climbing up there and collecting the rest of it. First - need to find a cat who can do that job efficiently. What about a very simple solution - a trap? This is unknown here - simple rat traps are not to be found. Thus, there is no good solutions existing here - or do you, dear Reader have any idea?  I have to say, most of the time the rat party happens at night, when I usually have a good deep sleep. We'll see when it comes to the point where more action is required.

Besides these specificities, the Lao Chalet is great. It comes with a real gas cooker, including an oven, I have a little garden, a comfortable couch, 2 nice bedrooms and a very cozy balcony with view on the swamp with funny frog noise. But the best: i can have real hot or cold shower at any time of the day. The house comes with a Mitsubishi water pump and a 1500lt water storage tank - and even if I am listening very hard, their is no rooster around. That is simply fantastic!

First time in India - with a start in New Delhi

since the last article my life has changed quite a bit. I have become much more active, started moving around more in outside of Vientiane and took a good decision. To move into a new house. That itself is worth an article, but today, I would like to write about a project I had been taking care of and I had been fighting for - even sacrificed parts of my holidays and risk family conflict. When seeing these pictures from me being happily in New Delhi I hope my family forgives me for my being busy during my rare holidays in Switzerland.

It is the Indian project, about which I may have told you already. Several months ago I had 2 crazy Gentlmen visiting the company and I took care of them, from the beginning on open, but also putting all the cards on the table. Talks followed talks and then action came. The result is respectable and brought me to Indian for the actual inauguration.

The entire project's objective has been to provide WHO standard drinking water to 750 students and their families, coming from parts of the society with low incomes. The water source is salty, thus not suitable to drink but in the same time there is too little money to buy bottled drinking water. It was great I could be part of it. We provided technical advice, designed the system, made sure it was delivered and installation quality standards are respected. It was a big honor for me to go and be part of the inauguration, which earned high political acclaim. Here a set of pictures and links. Soon, there will be another more extensive article on the company's website.

The trip to India was a short one. I arrive on Friday afternoon and left on Monday morning. But it felt actually quite long. It was very intensive - good conversations, very valuable insights and simply spending time with people which are good.

Thus, most of the time I spent with the following Gentlemen here, who are at the source of the Indian project and also took care of me while in New Delhi.

Then, during the time I had for myself, I made the move and visited the Taj Mahal. Famous beauty and indeed a historic and impressive building. The Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal who apparently died during the birth of their child, finished in 1653 after 22 years of construction.

Les papillons m'aiment

Ca fait un moment que j'observe que souvent les papillons, s'il y en a, aiment bien venir vers moi. Il y a deux trois semaine j'ai eu la preuve: Pendant que je nage dans une riviere, il y a un papillon qui vient s'asseoir sur mon front. Oui, au milieu sur mon front, ET il ne voulait pas partir. Ben vous me dites - donnes nous une preuve. Euhh, imaginez, je suis en train de nager, voila une photo de ca, puis apres - alors, comment je pourrait faire une photo dans ce moment specifique? Donc, je n'ai pas de photos de preuve. Par contre, plus tard, le papillon est revenu s'est assis sur ma jambe, puis a fait une autre pause juste a cote de moi. Peut-etre un peu bizarre, mes ses quelques papillons etaient toujours autour de moi pendant cet apres midi, a cote du fleuve, dans le parc naturel the Phou Khao Kouay, a 80km de Vientiane.

A follow up from Bali

A picture of all the participants during the conference in Bali - who would have thought that a couple of years ago. Check out also the link below for an article:

http://www.sunlabob.com/news-2012/innovative-rural-electrification-approaches-in-asean-at-the-ace-workshop.html

A new culinary experience

I thought, with spiders, chicken feet, stuffed frog, various intestines, and jumpers - I had seen already quite a bit of things other cultures enjoy to eat. Since last week, I can count on another highlight on my list "the weirdest things I have eaten": Baby Bees! Fresh from their honeycomb about 4 cm long and just little time before they would come out of it. Firstly I refused, then I saw how my Lao colleagues enjoy it and I overcame my initial auspiciousness. I ate one of them, enjoyed it, and got another one! I would have never believed how good that it, but it was! I learnt that this is a delicacy, which costs 20USD/kg

Switzerland is strange, but funny

I observed a few things which I have never seen anywhere else. I am not starting here an article about the typical Swissness, or how Switzerland is being different than anyone else – believe it or not, whoever dares to say this must first of all travel the world to see that it is all about the mix, which is indefinite. Thus, I would never arrogate to write such thing, but keep it to “points to be amused of, observed in Switzerland”.

The traffic jam of the well-behaved. If, on a swiss highway, two lanes merge into one because of construction or any other reasons, drivers would already start just using one lane way before the actual lane merge. And as of politeness, one can not just drive past all the well-behaved, there is a snowball effect, ending up in a traffic jam and in a one lane use, while for hundreds of meters there are two!

Cleaning does not stop from nature. We were driving down a small cement road where suddenly the car in front of us stopped and would not move. After a minute, we were wondering what the reason might be, in the middle of farms and cowland. I could not believe when I saw a street cleaning machine crawling up the mountain, grasping some leaves and hay. Ridiculous – that is waste of money, energy and insulting the farmers and poor cows in the living space.

An honest tax department? I went through the paper work to unregister from Switzerland.  After completing my 2012 tax declaration and trying to sort out what I had paid and was what still open on communal, cantonal and federal level; I started giving a shit about it and thought: Mister Swiss Fiskus would know anyway. And how they did! This young, good looking and friendly tax accountant (go and find that first of all) searched back several years and figured out that I must have paid too much and now, the federal department would owe me money – but as all the departments seem to like each other, he would even get it back for me! First laughing about it and offering to invite him for a coffee if that happens to be true, that sum would have easily turned into an upper class dinner. But no, professionalism and swiss conservatism goes beyond flirting. I took my bag and sneaked away - with the money.

Me, a tourist in Switzerland?

What I have to tell you today is probably not going to be much different than of what you can read in a Tourist Guide book about Switzerland, but still I want to write about my impression of my first proper holidays as a tourist in Switzerland.

Let’s start from the beginning of the beginning, which is, as often a story – a sleepless night granting an upgrade. Unfortunately nothing romantic nor exciting, but the usual “Andrea a la bourre”, procrastinating the most important thing, in this case PACKING.

Packing at night, getting up early and luckily being able to count on my companion joining me to Munich. Having an upgrade to Thai Airways (Because my flight from Turkish Airline got cancelled and I refused to wait 12h at the airport to wait for the next one) from Bangkok to Munich, I have to say that I was granted a very smooth arrival in Munich. The Intersolar, every year crazy big, too long distances to walk and odd looks given to all those women who bear the high heals while running kilometers between the halls. Me, rather in the Flip Flop Outfit (what else coming from Laos, where proper shoes are found like cheese in the desert – not impossible, but who cares?) Almost sleepless nights continue as meetings hunt each other, followed by receptions, handshakes and smiles. Once this theatre survived, a comfortable train brought us from Munich directly to Zurich. I was also excited that my best from Lao accompanied me and I hope I gave her an authentic picture of Switzerland and some unforgettable memories. Arriving in Zurich, there it was: Warm, comfortable weather, lakes and still snow covered mountains. A glorious arrival, topped with a first initial meal of amazing food, with an amazing price of course. Welcome in one of the most expensive countries in the world.

The days were already quite packed and I thought from the beginning: Take it easy, do not overbook yourself, but there was no choice: People overbooked me, not having enough time for any of my friends, including my family has been tearing down the energy. I probably did most of the things a tourist can dream off when visiting Switzerland, but I did not have enough time for my dearest. To give you an idea of crazy Swiss days, here a few thoughts and anecdotes.













Lazy as we have become (except good Dada), we took a cable car up the hill, to hike in mysterious fog and in the middle of nowhere, somewhere, only accompanied by the sounds of cowbells (but no cows visible). Looking for the place where Christian’s accident happened, we found it covered by snow and difficult to access, but that was ok. Suddenly, as the sun was rising towards lunchtime, all clouds started disappearing and then you found yourself in the middle of a beautiful valley, surrounded by 2000-3000m high mountains. It’s like being in a simple dark cinema, where, within a few minutes the screen is turned into a 360 degree, 3D, life size show, lit by the sun. A beauty surprise which could not be topped. A picknick, a foto-shooting, a visit at the local cheese making place and a few good laughs with the mother of the Alp serving us a Kafi met Schnaps (very sweet instant coffee with liquor) and homemade Cherry Pie. Later the afternoon, walking down the hill (just 1000m), would make us remember the day not only with beautiful picture but also merciless muscle pain - for several days, each step we made.

The journey was topped by an Open Air Festival, in Interlaken, one of the most famous and visited tourist locations in Switzerland. Surrounded by Rock Fans, we enjoyed “die Aerzte” and other bands.

Big hugs were distributed to my old and closest friends at a “Frauetreff” in Zurich. If someone would have wanted to describe us, he would have said : “A bunch of crazy hens cackling around”, I have to say, an amusing and nice way to have an update.

Another sports adventure: Sailing!!! Wow, spending words about it, is not worthwhile, but the pics shall do it.

Time with family, never enough, but having the opportunity to go to a mountain hut was fantastic. On the edges of the Pilatus, this little simple hut (in Lao quality a very solid and professional house) hosted parts of my family and friends for a few days with all the goodies of simplicity found in remoteness: Fresh mountain air, source water as cold as freshly unfrozen ice, a century old wooden oven keeping us warm in the morning and night, as well as all kinds of sounds of the nature from animals, rain, storm and wind. The intensity was also given by my sister’s two kids, with whom I spent fantastic moments of joy and laughter.

We were blessed with another sports adventure: Wakeboarding. How fantastic was that, I would have never imagined that. Also, somehow, I just felt like using the waves to jump – an there I went, Andrea jumped, I flew (at least for a fraction of a second), I thought as next, I will have growing wings.



With almost NO people on the lake (because everyone thought there might be a thunderstorm), the mountains in the background, the adrenaline in the blood, together with people I love, it felt surreal. Can that be – am I dreaming? For the sake of giving proof, here some pictures.



The evening was topped with a cold beer, fresh fish from the lake and Aelpermakkaroni – while of course watching the sun go down, just a minor detail to highlight the kitsch and perfectness of the evening.

These words show many the "activity-side" of my holidays. Besides these adventurous moves, there were always in between little moments of total tranquility and contentment. I could see and feel where I had been coming from, while being comfortable with. I was able to spend time with people I love and without any constraints, I could let it go and enjoy. I knew, I only had a few days and I think only little could have been done to enjoy more.

Found

This little quote I found while cleaning my mess on my desktop. I do not remember when I had found that, why I did not post it earlier, but I guess it does not matter - it's been valid throughout.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn...'t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain

Back in Indonesia and Bali

A conference on rural electrification organized by ASEAN member countries brought me this week to Bali, 5 years since I was in Indonesia last time. Strange but good feeling. I realized I had totally lost my Indonesian language skills, but it was not sooo difficult to get back to it. To my biggest pleasure was that I met Ari while having a stopover in Jakarta. He is still the same, same mysterious look, strong but humble. He came with his daughter and Lucy and it was all a huge pleasure to meet them all. Communication was strange, without internet and google translate we dealt with basic words, pictures and smiles.

Once in Bali: SEAFOOD a gogo. Here at a restaurant, Bale Udang, a beautiful pick, recommended by Balinese. You see a very happy Andrea with, King Prawns in tasty sauce, Soup in Kelapa Muda, Octopus in Honey, some veggies and something that should never miss on an Indonesian meal: Tempe Goreng

A decision

It's been discussed, decided and action is taken. After completion of my first year in Laos, I will stay a bit longer. Life is good, work sucks at times for sure, but overall I have a role I like and I see a meaning of the things I do. I am surrounded by people I like and I have plenty of time to be. At the moment, I can not add much more.

News to look forward to to: I have the pleasure to travel to Bali for a workshop on rural electrification, organized by the ASEAN member countries. On June 12, I will be heading to Munich for the Intersolar and then: Two weeks of family time in Switzerland. The summer will be a good one and will pass by very fast.

Work is good, enables us to follow some of our principles and our believes and if lucky, we are also blessed by the opportunity to apply that in daily life, in our daily environment.. That is the best case as only least of the people can follow it, the reason being in not knowing what they actually want. But putting aside this high claim and fulfillment one could experience at work, overall it allows us all to think, it is challenging us, we make mistakes, earn criticism and glory, have drawback, learn and grow out of it. But, it is a curse when it starts stopping ourselves from about thinking of who we are and what the meaning of our life is.

Be like the flowing river,

Silent in the night.

Be not afraid of the dark.

If there are stars in the sky, reflect them back.

If there are clouds in the sky,

Remember, clouds, like the river, are water,

So, gladly reflect them too,

In your own tranquil depths.

Manuel Bandeira