Sa Sa Life! - Working on a Sunset Cruise

Sabaidee everyone!! I hope you are all well, missing everyone lots❤️ I have spent the last week volunteering for a company called Sa Sa Life in Luang Prabang.

https://www.sasalao.com

This family business focuses heavily on equitable and environmentally conscious tourism and runs many projects including a Guesthouse, Sunset Cruise and Restaurant.

I worked on the sunset cruise each night which was a super enjoyable experience. The company like to have volunteers supporting on the cruise in order to support the Laos staff when speaking English and providing information in other languages (which meant lots of French speaking for me!)

Work on the cruise consisted of helping with bar work, clearing plates and drinks, chatting with people, and explaining the following Lao tradition which was completed on board each night.

Laos Tradition🇱🇦

This tradition has existed in Laos longer than Buddhism and is regularly completed by locals to bring themselves good luck and leave behind negative energy.

Every guest would be handed two banana leaves. On the first leaf, they can write a wish or a dream. On the second leaf, they can write a burden or something negative in their life. Later in the cruise, the wishes are released into the Mekong river to continue downstream with the fish, and the burdens are attached to a stone and sunk to the bottom. I took full advantage of this tradition each night, so technically I should have lots of wishes coming true soon and no more burdens😉

‘Sa Sa’ means slowly or softly in Lao and is definitely the way of life here! Everyone is super friendly and despite having little to nothing, they are really hospitable. You can really tell that family means everything to them, and they love their kids. Walking down the street in the evening, you will see big family dinners happening with karaoke going on late into night (not much different from a drunken night at Belmont really!)

When I wasn’t working on the cruise, I was spending time with the other volunteers, relaxing in a hammock, eating yummy food or going to local temples and museums. It was a lovely week with lovely people!

I am now in Vang Vieng after travelling here yesterday. It’s super nice to be able to explore a new place and see some more of Laos🤩

Love to all xoxo