Photo credit: Sierra Van Tent
By Sierra Van Tent, MIPP
While researching before my move to Vientiane, something that kept coming up was that it is a very small city. At the time, I assumed they meant physically small, a quieter city compared to what I was exposed to in Toronto, or even Waterloo. But after spending the past nine months living and working here, I realized they meant something else entirely. Vientiane feels small because, eventually, everyone seems to know everyone.
Arriving in a new country where I knew very few people, I expected it would take a long time to build friendships and feel settled. But, within weeks, familiar faces began appearing everywhere. Joining a dinner invitation would lead to meeting someone who somehow already knew a friend from work. There is something unique about the international community in Vientiane. Because the city is small and many people are living abroad away from family and support systems, friendships form quickly and naturally. People are open, welcoming, and eager to include newcomers. What might take years to build in larger cities can happen here over a few shared BeerLao, weekend trips, or conversations at lunch. Over time, Laos became less unfamiliar and more comfortable.
An unexpected part of this experience was finding a strong Canadian community in Laos. I was lucky enough to be joined by three other Canadian interns in the UNDP office (including two BSIA alum!), and we quickly became friends. During our time here, we’ve travelled together to Vietnam, Thailand, and around Laos. We’ve also accompanied each other through the quieter moments of daily life, like meetings at the office, to the grocery store, and one unfortunate time to deliver an EpiPen.
The shared experience of being far from home creates a sense of understanding. Living abroad changes the way people show up for one another. There is an awareness that everyone is navigating unfamiliar experiences in some way, adapting to a new culture, learning routines, managing homesickness, or figuring out life far from family. Because of this, people tend to be more intentional about building community. Dinners become larger than planned, and small acts of kindness carry extra meaning; although this also means that you learn to get better at saying goodbye.
As my internship ends, I am grateful that my time in Laos will continue. I have accepted an offer to continue working with UNDP as a Project Coordinator on the National Planning and Financing for Inclusive Development Project under the Inclusive Growth Unit. This means I will keep supporting the work I became involved in during my internship while also being able to take on more responsibility and continuing to grow professional. What initially started as a temporary experience abroad has gradually become something much more meaningful, both personally and professionally. I am incredibly grateful for the BSIA community and UNAC for the support I received during my internship and I very much look forward to carrying the lessons, perspectives, and experiences I gained both inside and outside the classroom with me as I begin this next chapter of my career in the Lao PDR.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BSIA, its students, faculty, staff, or Board of Directors.