Laos – land of a million elephants with its French colonial charm, Buddhist persuasion, burgeoning rice fields and village lifestyle. A land where the people are warm, generous and always ready for a good belly laugh. Whenever I think of Laos I think all these things, and of pink lotus’, steamy nights, flourishing open markets and the cute chirp of the gecko hidden away in the woodwork.

Laos is a wonderful country in which to find yourself living and working.

I came here to volunteer in early 2008 for a small local NGO called SEDA-Laos. My role was to develop various communications. But before long I found myself involved in the installation of a bio-gas system on a traditional medicine centre, and spending time at a women’s weaving centre helping with the design of some marketing materials.

I had come to Vientiane for one job and ended up jumping into everything I could for four fun-filled and challenging months.

That’s not to say working in Laos was easy. The organisation I was working for was barely getting its feet at that time. Projects I had thought I would be documenting fell through or were put on hold due to politically motivated barriers, and sometimes corruption. The office was bare and there was no internet connection. I could not speak the language and the level of local workflow and organisation just did not fit with mine.

But with those challenges came so much inspiration – in the people I met and in the culture. Through all the chaos, I began to understand so much about myself and why I was here.

By Marian Reid