Living Crafts Center

The cafe and Jo's home.
Silk drying after dyeing
Spinners
Ikat in progress on the Loom
Batik made at LCC
Dyer's Hut
Weaver's Hut
The View of the Mekong
My Favorite spot at the Treehouse Cafe at the Center
Orchids growing out of Coconuts

Can you believe I get to call this work. While I don't work at the center, I get to spend time here to work on the new store design and also work a little bit on the Guest House. It is such an amazing place. All that Jo and Veo have accomplished in the past ten years is beyond inspirational. I feel very lucky.

I still some learning to do (more Lao) before I can share what I know, and the right ways to strengthen and grow the business. While getting back to work after a year is a pretty huge adjustment. There is plenty to be done daily and the only thing I really crave is that really strong coffee jolt mid-afternoon when I am tired from the heat.... I assumed it would take about a month to get it all sorted, and I think I am just about there at work and personal. I get to move into my new home September 1st! I can not wait to get settled and feel like I am actually living here. Staying in a guest house has been great, but feels way to transitional and living out of bags is not fun at all!

More fun work things to share soon...

Hearts for Buddha

Hearts are made out of silver and gold foil and placed like tree sculptures around Buddhas and at the alters. There are hearts hanging from temples. Hearts are everywhere.

Hot Hot Hot

Hot and Humid. Not many places to escape the heat. The rains bring comfort at night for a cool morning. There is a breeze by the river and sometimes in the shade. It has taken me the last three weeks to adjust and I am still not quite there.

I feel tired, lethargic and sweaty. It is not a good look.

Best Friends

Best Friends II

Night Market Food

Night Market Goods

Current State of Mind

SHIFT:

a change or transfer from one place, position, direction, person, etc. to another
a dislocation of seam or stratum; fault
Inspired by the occurrence of change, SHIFT is both slow and sudden.

Slowness and the marking of change over time, like striations inscribed by rock fragments in a glacier moving across the earth’s surface, allows contemplation and subtlety.Suddenness, like a fracture along a fault, brings attention to one point, if just for a moment.
Although naturally drawn to the slow, the sudden helps us see that which is familiar in a new way.

First Impressions

Welcome to Luang Prabang

I arrived in Laos one week ago. I flew from LA to Bangkok, had a few hours to wait until I boarded the flight to Luang Prabang. The flights were manageable, except for the aches I still feel in my knees and back, I tried to get up and walk around as much as possible. I flew out Thursday evening and arrived Saturday afternoon. It has been a week and I am still unable to adequately describe how beautiful it is here, how nice the people are and how lucky I feel to be working with Ock pop tok. It has exceeded my expectations and know I will be hard at work this year, but it might possibly be the best job.

The team and the inspiration and dedication to what they do and how they do it is like nothing I have ever been a part of. The creation and dedication to tradition and craft makes me feel like I am part of something so much bigger than myself, which is exactly what I hoped for. The work done with villages and helping them become more prosperous is something I am not involved with specifically, but to hear the stories and the work being done by OPT in these remote areas it makes me so proud to be a part of by just being with the company.

The first week at work I was all out of sorts. Taking in the sights, sounds and customs. I was worn out and let loose at a party on Saturday night partying with my new coworkers and new friends. I got to spend some quality time sleeping yesterday and now feel like the past week is all starting to soak in and I am now getting into the groove.

I really feel so lucky to be here and be working and be inspired.

Now... to find a place to live and get settled.