Absolutley totally off topic.

The_Traveler · Aug 21, 2014

I am incredibly happy this AM because of two wonderful things (imo) that happened yesterday.

First I finalized that I will be teaching a course in statistics this fall at a local high security prison. While that doesn't sound like much of a treat, I have been told by the coordinator (Professor at George Washington U) that the guys who take these courses are incredibly eager for knowledge, dedicated and damn intelligent (most are lifers or have very long sentences and the accumulation of knowledge is the only real outlet they have) - and I love teaching statistics.

Second, my travel buddy and I made flight reservations for our 3 week trip to Laos in February. We fly to Bangkok (stopping at Dubai Airport for a layover which is a treat in itself) then from Bangkok to Chiang Rai then by bus to northern Laos up where China, Myanmar and Laos meet and then a loop down through Laos by bus and boat to Luang Prabang (a world heritage site and a wonderful place) and fly back to Bangkok and home.

I am so buzzed I can barely sit down.

(I have decided that I will do at least one foreign trip every year. My next destination will be, I hope, Cuba.)

http://imageshack.com/a/img910/9669/ZiSa0H.jpg

Designer · Aug 21, 2014

Have fun and stay safe!

407370 · Aug 21, 2014

sounds like a fantastic trip. All I will manage this year is a few work trips to Jeddah.

Post up the pics.

Msteelio91 · Aug 21, 2014

Congrats Lew!! Sounds like an absolutely incredible trip, I'll be asking about it during the meet for sure.

The prison gig sounds interesting as well. What facility?

oldhippy · Aug 21, 2014

Kudos to you for the teaching job. Great new about the return trip. I love this, because the picture are always awesome. Ed

keyseddie · Aug 21, 2014

That's great, Mr Traveler. I usually do two foreign trips a year and always look forward to them. They are work trips, but I always have at least a week alone time before the group arrives. Coming up early October is the Amalfi Coast and Capri. They told me I was in Laos once, but I never went back to that part of the world after my big camping trip there. Have a great adventure. I have been investigating and studying Cuba myself. Living winters in the Keys puts me pretty close and if the opportunity arises this winter, I may take a boat to Hemingway Marina in Havana, where I have a contact.

ronlane · Aug 21, 2014

Happy for you Lew. Exciting things are happening.

SnappingShark · Aug 21, 2014

Congrats! I'd probably be more excited about the prison teaching!! Having such an audience with a thirst for knowledge is something that teachers relish, I am sure!
Laos sounds alright, too!

pgriz · Aug 21, 2014

So Lew, does the statistics training help them in their poker/blackjack games?

As for your trip, really looking forward to your documentation of the trip, which I assume you will post on your blog and perhaps even here. It's interesting to see those places through the eyes of someone who's not just playing "gee-whiz" tourist. :hail:

molested_cow · Aug 21, 2014

Hey Lew, the golden triangle sounds like an awesome destination but don't get too high!

And since you will be in the area(relatively), why not swing by my turf too?

The_Traveler · Aug 21, 2014

Thanks all.
It is hard to say which one I am more excited about.
Except for my last trip, I had always traveled alone and while that gave me lots of flexibility, it was also more difficult. No one to share decisions, to watch bags during a search for a place to stay, no one for any of the times you'd like to have a friendly person to talk with when travel is difficult. My travel buddy is a very good friend and we share an interest in photography and enjoy each others company.
We are going to be traveling in the very north of Laos and, for the most part, getting away from anything that could be really called a tourist destination. This far-north area is populated mostly by the ethnic tribal minorities and we will be seeing their villages and the markets. As Molested_Cow has mentioned, this is the Golden Triangle; luckily my drugs are limited to those for blood pressure and headaches.
I have never come back from a trip without regretting that I hadn't taken more pictures so I am determined to photograph everything that moves or stays still. Although I'd like to swing by and visit Molested_Cow, whom I met in person here, I will have to put off China for a year or so.

In regards teaching stats and probability to inmates, I'm planning to use the ideas of dice and card counting in teaching probability. There are incredible restrictions in what we can bring in -specifically forbidding any gambling articles. Virtually everything has to be shipped through the librarian and, on teaching days, we enter through a search that is more strict and less high-tech that airport security.

I've been assured that the selected 'students' are incredibly interested and involved.

There is an interesting twist to this. I have always gone by my first name with students to encourage free interaction.
From what I've been told, the students here would rather address me formally as Professor (which I'm not but all the other teachers are at local universities) or Doctor (which I am but dropped years ago except when making dinner reservations on the phone). After a discussion with the organizer, my first hunch is that, being in a formal classroom relationship with a teacher with some formal status makes them feel like the class confers some status on them and is an additive to their self-respect; respect is probably in hard won in confinement.

In any case, assuming that my wife's health stays at the current level and the earth doesn't split apart and fall into the sun, the next few months will be the best I've had for years.

L

mmaria · Aug 21, 2014

I'm really happy for you and you already know that I envy you a bit

Overread · Aug 21, 2014

I guess also being taught by someone of importance (doctor, professor) likely makes the inmates feel more self worth because someone of skill from the outside is choosing to come and teach them. Ergo they are not just being passed off with the second rate infil teacher who is only there because they have spare time/can't teach good enough to teach anywhere else etc....

Also congrats sounds like some great times ahead for you!

*makes mental note - next time stats needs doing, pester Traveller!*