Kopitiam – An Insider's Brew

Name: Russell Neu Wee Teck (extreme right)

Age: 31 years

Location: Vientiane, Laos

Period: One-year volunteer commitment from July 2008 to July 2009

Purpose: Teach English to government officials at the Laos Institute of Foreign Affairs (equivalent to the Civil Service College in Singapore)

Beneficiaries: Officials at the Laos Institute of Foreign Affairs, Vientiane

What do you do in Laos?

I teach English to government officials from various ministries at the Institute of Foreign Affairs in Vientiane. I teach two classes of 28 pupils each. Each class goes through a six-month course.

Why did you decide to do this?

I’ve always wanted to volunteer. When I first applied a few years ago, I was rejected because the SIF wanted someone with at least five years of teaching experience. This year I applied again in February. I went for the interview at the SIF in March and started teaching in July 2008.

How did you know about the Singapore International Foundation (SIF)?

I went to Henan, China, 5 years ago with the SIF when I was still a trainee teacher at the National Institute of Education, to help refurbish student hostels. Since then, I’d check the website occasionally and when I checked during Chinese New Year last year, I found the posting.

Had you been to Laos before this?

Yes, I’d been to Vientiane three times before. First, backpacking in 2004, then in 2007 when I was attached to the University of Laos’ Faculty of Education for three weeks as part of the Ministry of Education’s Teacher Work Attachment. Then I went again with Singaporean students to collaborate with a school there. We shared IT skills and brought books donated by the National Library Board. They taught us their songs and we taught them ours.

Do you have any family back in Singapore, and how do you cope with missing them, if so?

My family is here in Singapore, and I do not think they miss me! I’ve always been very independent, and it’s not my first long absence. When I was at the National University of Singapore, I had stayed in the hostel and came home only once every two weeks.

Also, Laos is not that far from Singapore. I have friends and relatives who came to visit me almost every other month!

Russell Neu (far right)

What do you miss most about home?

I miss Singapore food and social life! Especially going to movies with friends. Which is a fair trade for the quiet and solitude, periods of contemplation I have in Laos.

Are you given a stipend for teaching there, since you are doing a service for an official ministry, rather than say, a village?

I am currently on half-year full pay and half-year allowance, thanks to an MOU that the SIF has with the Ministry of Education, called the MOE OuTrEACH Scheme. In addition, I have enough savings to last me comfortably for a while in Laos—but no shopping and no whim-buying!

What do you think your Laotian students and friends have learnt about Singapore through you?

I hope that I have conveyed the development that Singapore enjoys, in terms of our transport system; our unique culture of a multi-racial and multi-religious society; and our fantastic food! I organised Singapore food-tasting sessions occasionally as there are some Singapore food shops in Laos.

What were you teaching in Singapore?

English as well, at East Spring Secondary school for six years.

How is life in Laos different from Singapore?

The pace of life is slow. In Singapore, we are always in a rush. In Laos, there is time to take stock of life, time for personal reflection. I have time to think about what I want to do in life, in the future. I felt very myopic while I was in teaching in Singapore. We were fire-fighting all the time. But I also realise how fortunate we are to be born in Singapore, to have the opportunities, facilities and infrastructure we have here.

What’s the most beautiful thing about Laos to you?

Its people. They are sincere, genuine, warm and truly hospitable. If you are a guest, they treat you so well, I feel embarassed sometimes. They go to the extent of preparing such lavish meals, with so many dishes, and cooking lots of meat, which must be quite expensive for them.

Has volunteering changed you?

Yes, it has broadened my horizons. The people there have little. In Singapore, we are so aware that we are in the midst of a financial crisis. For people there, life is the same because they didn’t have money to invest in the first place. Nothing has changed. Living there has opened up another world for me.

How are your students there different from your students in Singapore?

My students in Laos motivate me by their enthusiasm. Most of them are older than me, in their 50s. I read that the life expectancy for men in Laos is 50. Yet here they are, so enthusiastic about learning!

I feel that I can make an impact here. I can focus on teaching. There are no co-curricula activities and meetings are just once every four weeks. This experience has really rekindled my passion for teaching.

What were some of your initial challenges living there?

At first, I found it very hard to get food when I was hungry in the evenings. I have to walk half an hour to the pho shop nearest my apartment. Eating out costs more for Laotians so they tend to eat at home. Therefore, there aren’t many food shops open at night. Food is not expensive but in view of their standard of living (Laotian teachers earn from US$40 to US$80 a month), S$2 for a bowl of noodles is a fair bit.

Where do you stay?

In a small, cosy apartment in a building with six units. All my neighbours are foreigners too, like a Nepalese and a Filipino.

What do Laotians do in the evenings?

They love drinking and they are really good at it! There are lots of beer shops around, like our coffee shops back home—but serving just beer and snacks. They can teach us something, I don’t think most Singaporeans are very good drinkers, as I’ve found out to be the case for myself!

What would you say to encourage and prepare others like yourself to volunteer overseas for a long period?

Do this if you would like to experience something different from Singapore, and contribute to another community in a meaningful way. It is a journey that will get you out of your comfort zone!

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