Catering in Laos

News from Katherine

My relaxing life in Laos has drastically changed this month. I’ve been working two jobs at the Embassy this month. And I’ve learned a good lesson: I’m not doing this again -- I’ve been missing aerobics classes, lunches, tennis games… the horror!!!

My second job is working in the Public Affairs Section on the celebrations for the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the U.S and Laos. So far we’ve had a reception and photographic exhibition, a free showing of Back to the Future at the Cultural Hall -- complete with free popcorn and soda (Michael J. Fox goes back in time to 1955 -- the year diplomatic relations began), a seminar (starring Vice Consul Phillip B. Nervig), a soccer game (starring left forward Phil Nervig and Coach Katherine), and in two weeks there will be two concerts (luckily not starring Phil Nervig).

Working with the caterer for the reception was the most memorable. Although I loved sitting in the theater and listening to the Lao laughing at the slapstick comedy during Back to the Future. Anyway, I thought I remembered everything for the reception at the Lao National Cultural Hall, tables, tablecloths, an extra corkscrew and bottle opener, garbage cans and bags. But the one thing I couldn’t have thought of was training the caterers. As we were setting up I ask which two waiters would be working the bar and got two reluctant volunteers. I quickly realized why: no one (of 10 waiters) knew how to use a cork screw. Not one, so I spent the rest of the time opening up as many bottles of wine as I could before the party started.

I also couldn’t have ever imagined that I should have told the wait staff not to re-use the already used wine glasses. That’s right, when we ran out of real wine glasses instead of the using the plastic glasses I had showed them earlier, they decided to just wipe the glasses with a paper towel and pour another glass of wine. You can imagine my surprise when I saw I large tray of wine glasses being offered to guests when I knew we had already used all the real glasses! Yikes!!!!!! When I asked them why they weren’t using the plastic glasses, they told them they were ugly. I couldn’t really argue with that….

The adventures with the Public Affairs section ends next week. Then, I’m off to training in Washington DC with a stop off in New York to see my Larchmont folks and then head up to Renselearville for Labor Day. I’ll be in training for my ‘real’ job at the Embassy: the Community Liasion Office Coordinator. It is two weeks of training and should be interesting and very helpful. It’ll be strange to be back in DC without Phil, our friends from A 100 (Phil’s training class) and not being able to see my stepbrother Kent and his lovely wife Meghan who are now in Texas.

We're back from our Sunday morning tennis lessons and now Phil is watching badmitton on TV -- I think he's trying to learn some strategy for his next game.

I hope everyone is back home is doing well and enjoying the end of summer!

Love,

Katherine