From the desk of Lily Poulom Baugher
During the spring semester of my freshman year, I was unhappy with the direction my life was taking. My major at the time, computer science, no longer felt like the right fit for me. I was close to failing my coding class, and the rest of my grades reflected my struggles. Noticing my behavior, my dad decided to buy plane tickets for us to Laos in the summer of 2023. He told me the trip would be a perfect getaway from my stressful life at school. It was my first time back in Laos since 2012. I was able to reunite with my grandma and the rest of my family.
For the first time since leaving, I explored Laos.
We visited Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, two cities we had never been to before. There, we experienced the breathtaking beauty of Laos in ways we hadn’t seen during our stay in Vientiane, the capital. From the stunning karst mountains of Vang Vieng to the French-Lao fusion architecture in Luang Prabang, it felt like we had entered a whole new world. During our trip, we encountered incredibly kind and helpful locals. One man even offered us a discounted ride to the train station instead of having us take a tuk-tuk.
We visited Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, two cities we had never been to before. There, we experienced the breathtaking beauty of Laos in ways we hadn’t seen during our stay in Vientiane, the capital. From the stunning karst mountains of Vang Vieng to the French-Lao fusion architecture in Luang Prabang, it felt like we had entered a whole new world. During our trip, we encountered incredibly kind and helpful locals. One man even offered us a discounted ride to the train station instead of having us take a tuk-tuk.
One of my most memorable experiences was buying a set of aprons for myself and a friend back home from a young girl. She was selling hand-sewn aprons at the side of Mount Phu Si's steps. She left a lasting impression on me—just 11 years old, the same age as my sister, she was selling her mother’s handiwork alongside her little brother to support her family.
During a scenic route through Vang Vieng, my dad shared his desire to volunteer and give back to the Lao community. He spoke about how privileged we are compared to many others. This conversation led us to discuss the Secret War in Laos. He explained the history of the bombings carried out by the U.S. government to hinder traffic along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, supporting the Royal Lao Government against the Pathet Lao. After the war, the land was left riddled with unexploded ordnance (UXO).
Since middle school, I had always waited eagerly for Laos to be mentioned whenever the Vietnam War was discussed in class—but it never was. Thinking back to the young girl at Mount Phu Si, I couldn’t help but imagine children stepping on UXOs and losing their lives or livelihoods in an instant. It was heartbreaking. How could we sit back and do nothing to help? This thought lingered as I returned home. Soon after, I discovered Legacies of War and decided to change my major from computer science to geography.
After researching Legacies, I was touched and felt like my change of major was the right choice. I desire to provide relief and aid to the Lao people along with GIS mapping and implementing sustainable development goals that would address the major development priorities of the Lao people, which includes a life free from UXO. I encourage everyone to educate themselves on the impact of the American wars in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam as much of the history is unknown to the general public. Legacies provides a plethora of resources on the war from articles, books, films, podcasts, etc.
I wish for the day that Laos can be UXO-free. Everybody deserves to explore Laos and fall in love with the country as I have.
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