I spent six weeks in Lac Xao, Laos, at an in situ wildlife conservation facility teaching our local employees animal husbandry. The village had approx 6 hours of electricity a day and were a 7 hour bus trip from the nearest medical care. We spent half of our time digging up unexploded (American, mostly) ordinance from the war. In spite of the griding poverty, the poor health (intestinal parasites, malaria, amputations), and the lack of exposure to the rest of the world, the people were astonishingly open, friendly, positive and a joy to work with. The experience changed my life. Returning to American consumerism was a shock.