An Expat Talks about Living in Vientiane, Laos

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Vientiane

How long have you lived there?

10 months

What activities, clubs and organizations would you recommend to newcomers to help them meet others?

It all depends what you are interested in. For women there is WIG (Womens International Group) who do various activities. There are many sporting clubs (Rugby, Australian Football, etc). A volunteer group called Paws for Thought who focus on animal welfare in Lao. Most are advertised in the Vientiane Times OR on facebook/internet..

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In terms of religious, racial, economic and cultural diversity, are the people of this city or town diverse? Are they accepting of differences? Describe.

I think people here are quite accepting of differences. Some are open to it. A lot of the older people though not so much. As long as you come here with an open mind and are respectful of Lao customs and beliefs etc then you shouldn't have a problem!

What are the main industries in this city? What types of career opportunities commonly exist? How do most people find new jobs?

There aren't a lot of career opportunities here. Most wouldn't come here UNLESS they already have a job in Lao ready to go. I guess the main industry would be in mining.

In general, what are peoples' priorities in this city? For example, do lives revolve around work, family, socializing, sports, etc.?

For Lao people, all of the above!

For many foreigners here it's mostly spending time getting to know Lao, visiting its more popular places, socialising etc. It all depends on what you want to do and spend most of your time on.

For my family it's sport, socialising and seeing what Lao has to offer!

If a friend of yours was thinking of moving to this city or town from far away, what other advice would you give them.

Things here run very differently. It's slow and has to be done a certain way. It's best to go with the flow. Come here with an open mind and you should be ok! Don't expect much of a nightlife as there isn't one.