The colour orange is everywhere in Luang Prabang and I love it. The abundance of this colour is due largely to the striking orange robes worn by the many monks on the streets and in the numerous temples around this beautiful town. Colourful (yet laid-back) is a good description for Laos life in general and it is so much more than a visual thing.

Last night, the colour orange brought with it the feeling of joy for me as I helped a 16 year old monk work on his English skills. It started with one, but ended up a group of three as two other shy, but curious, older students joined us. In Laos, education is a privilege and many students (including young monks) spend hours of their own time, outside of school, learning the language.

It was only two hours but those two hours provided me with an enriching experience that money can't buy. I was able to share in the look of delight on their faces as I taught them how to tell the time and then explain what 'a quarter to seven' means in English. They were so enthusiastic about what they had learned that we are meeting again tonight for another session.

A friend recently shared a quote with me about travel and it included the words "to gain all while you give". I'm starting to get it.