Deciding to Move: Due to issues we had been having with our neighbor across the street from the house we were renting, who had opened a bar on his front porch and aimed his large stereo speaker directly at our house, playing it so loud at times (mainly when his bar was devoid of customers) it was impossible for us to hear our own television, and allowing those customers to park in our driveway, blocking access to our garage, and permitting them to use the front of our house as their urinal, we decided it was time to look for a new place to rent.
Our lease expired near the beginning of the year, so we combed the city for suitable rentals but weren't having much luck. The place best suited to us was not for rent, but rather for sale, and the owner could not be convinced to rent it, so we ended up taking the plunge and making the purchase. It wasn't until 14 April 2013, when we got all the money in order and completed the necessary paperwork to transfer the title, that moving day had arrived.
Making the Move: The move was pretty simple since we didn't own a great amount of stuff. It occurred over the Lao New Year when Peep was able to take some time off to help cart boxes across town. We did call on a family friend to help with the big stuff, but that only took a couple of hours. However, before staying there for the night, our house had needed to be blessed.
Blessing the House: As part of their animistic beliefs, which many Lao practice alongside Buddhism, the spirits of the property must be honored and asked to permit us a healthful and happy stay on the land. Peep's assistant, along with her mom and aunt, came over the morning of our big move to perform the ceremony, where a short prayer is said and small offerings of food, incense, candles and money are made. A main offering is placed near the entrance to the property while four smaller ones are placed at each corner. Once the short ceremony was complete, Peep and I were able to inhabit the property. Our only requirement was to spend the next three nights there.
The House: The house is a single story structure that shares the fair sized lot with a storage outbuilding and a pavilion. It is similar in area to that of our house in the U.S., with bigger bathrooms and a bigger kitchen, but no closets and no covered parking. Outside the front door is a covered porch running the length of the front of the house. We have a wall that runs around our property with a gate at the front entrance. The lot sits on a gravel, dead-end alleyway along with just a couple other houses. Across the alleyway from us is the Mayor's office.
Living Room: Just inside the front door is the living room. We use the first part of the living room as an exercise area, with our home gym sitting nicely between the front wall of the house and the wall of the guest bedroom. There are no public gyms in Savannakhet to which we can join, so a home gym is our best option. Further inside the living room is the entertainment area, with seating and a television set.
Bedrooms & Office: There are three bedrooms in the house. Through the first door on the right as you go down the hall is the guest bedroom. We also use this room to store our clothes. The square-shaped rooms make it difficult to arrange furniture, but we found a wardrobe that just barely allows us to open its doors without interfering with the bed. The second door on the right leads to our bedroom. Our bed and a couple night stands are all we keep in there. The final bedroom, on the opposite side of the hall, is being used as my home office, where I keep my desk and a storage cabinet.
Bathrooms: Through the office sits our main bathroom. It is quite spacious with a large shower along the far wall. A second bathroom is located at the back corner of the house, through the kitchen located at the end of the hall. It is a bit smaller than the main bathroom, but still a comfortable size.
Kitchen: The kitchen is large. Just outside the door to the bathroom is a small built-in counter atop which sits our toaster oven and a single, portable propane burner. Next to the bathroom is the kitchen sink and more cupboards. On the opposite end of the counter from the sink is the microwave. We have a table set up in this large area. Through the kitchen is another area in which we have our refrigerator and dry food storage. We use the remainder of the area for general storage, with a large shelving unit set there for that purpose.
Lao Style Bathroom: Just outside the back door to the house is a Lao-style bathroom. In it is an eastern-style squat toilet. Once done, it is flushed by scooping water from the large tub next to it and pouring it in. The water in the tub is also used to scoop and pour over oneself for the purpose of bathing.