Short Version:

Our guide while we were at the village, Andy Phanno, invited us to his home outside the village for a few days after we were done teaching. His whole family welcomed us with open arms and showed us even more Thai hospitality. We learned so much during our time with Andy's family, including Thai customs, Thai language, and the business of selling homemade products. Andy's mom makes Thai desserts and sells them at the local market. During our visit, we helped make the desserts and even sell them at the market. We were the first foreigners to operate a stall at the market.

Our time in Isan has by far been the most rewarding part of our trip!

Long Version:

Near the end of our teaching stint, Andy invited us to stay at his house, learn how to make Thai desserts with his mom, and sell them at the local market. How do you turn down an offer like that?

So, for three days after the village, we stayed with Andy in his town called That Phanom. He gave us his room and his mom made wonderful meals every day. Andy's brother, Aon, is a soldier in the Thai army, and his dad drove trucks in Saudi Arabia and Iraq after the first gulf war. We had a great time with the whole family, including their dog, Tan. They all became our Thai family.

We got up at 4AM to help his mom, Mae Wan, make Thai desserts. She runs an entire desert business with no oven, just a stove-top burner. Her desserts looked easy, but we never really got the hang of properly wrapping the coconut milk confection in banana leaves. Most of what we attempted, Mae Wan had to re-do. Turns out our "help" was more in the form of entertainment for the family than actually making the desserts!

We went with her to the market, where we sat next to her on top of the table at her stall and sold desserts. We learned to say "Falang makai thai kanom…alloy alloy!" which means, "Foreigners sell Thai desserts…delicious delicious!" People would crack up, stop in their tracks, and they would buy partly out of curiosity at the crazy falang, aka foreigners.

Mae Wan's desserts are awesome, so she would usually sell out by around 7:30 AM or so. We then had breakfast across from the market, with a full day behind us by 9AM!

We had some interesting meals with Andy. At one point we went to a restaurant in town where the menu wasn't entirely clear to us. We asked Andy about it and he told us it was "pork," so we tried it. We found out after lunch that the crunchy, brown, pork and mushroom meat-roll item was none other than a pig's EAR, cartilage and all. New rule--crunchy meat--BAAAAD. Also, details are important!

On a much more pleasant note, one night the family ordered a delivered meal of Korean sliced beef barbeque that we cooked on a small grill at the middle of the picnic table. That one was a winner!

They made us a nice card before we left, and they drove us up to the bus station. We were super sad to say goodbye.

Andy got out and asked the driver to take care of us and make sure we got on the right bus on the other end. The driver kept his word, and he practically carried us to our bus to Nong Khai, on the border with Laos around 20km from the capitol of Laos, Vientiane.

Andy taught us so much about Thai culture and Buddhism during our time with him. He was an amazing guide, and we are proud to now call him our friend. Andy, if you are reading this, thank you, my friend!