Med students

Sometimes I catch myself becoming a little too Lao. Things that seemed odd at first become natural, like the idea of eating insects. But there are limits. If the smell of burning plastic ever becomes fragrant, I’m going home.

Years ago I remember having a strange conversation in which some guy would pepper every comment with precise percentages. “74% of the people in this district want to study English.” “98% believe that educating their daughters is important.” “I ended the conversation when he said something about 100% of some ethnic minority being liars.

Recently I was pressing medical students for percentages. Being good students, they were resistant. “How can we quantify what you’re asking for?” I wanted to know the breakdown of students at the medical school. How many are studying, how many are drifting and how many are there for completely other reasons. The student gave in and came up with numbers. 30% are learning, 20% are not and 50% are there because their parents want them to be doctors.

I felt that my intuitive assessment had been confirmed and was impressed with the 30%. At the Teachers Training College the rate of competency can’t be over 5%. Some who are more precise say 3%. Just this morning one student asked me in a new hybrid of Lao/English, “Jao si go where?” Does that scare you? These are future teachers.

I’d be really scared if these were the students operating on me, but so far, the med students seem more legitimate. Not only are the books selling like toasted rice balls, there are students with an entrepreneurial streak who have caught on. They’re buying books for 12,000 and selling for 17,000. They pay cash first. You can’t imagine what a relief this is to me and how much of a total nightmare it is to leave books on consignment.

I spent many years and tens of thousands of dollars to develop something I thought could be used as an English language curriculum only to be greeted with blank stares. I made these books in direct response to the miserable things schools are insistent on using. One teacher complained that if they used my books, I would make too much money.

I talked to someone who has done education work in Africa and is convinced that the language education field throughout the world is a dead-end, especially when money is thrown at it. Medicine is not my specialty, but let’s hope the next time you’re on a Lao operating table, this investment pays off.