A polyglot and lover of historical fiction, intrigued by history, language, and culture, living in Laos since 2016. When we came to Laos, we stopped at every landmark and statue we saw. We had hoped we could learn something about the country that was to be our short-term home, only to discover that there was very little information available in English.

I’m the kind of person who can’t just walk past something without wondering why it’s there. If I see a statue, a building, or even a small detail, I need to know the story behind it. I ask questions, look things up, and piece together clues until it makes sense. For me, seeing isn’t enough — understanding is what really matters.

And so, to feed my curiosity, I read anything I could find and listened to many locals tell tales to uncover the stories behind the statues, temples, and landmarks of Laos, and I am happy to be able to share them with you.

(Take heart; national projects to make information more accessible are currently underway.)