Cao Lanh - Dong Thap Province

Our police office we’re at for the next three days is about ten minutes drive from our hotel, right on a tributary of the Mekong. I visited this station briefly in the summer. A semicircle of one-story buildings surrounding a courtyard of fruit trees – papaya, banana, lichee nut. There is a volleyball court and net out front (see picture, with motorbikes in front of the offices). Ants everywhere. The back of the lot is a small garden, and two feet beyond that is a tributary of the Mekong River.

Most of the equipment is here for the child friendly room, but not unpacked. Our “actors” for the skills coaching role plays for today and tomorrow are two little girls – Giau (pronounced Zeow) ten and Chau (pronounced Cho) twelve. One is the daughter of a woman who works at the station (cook/cleaner) and they both live in a local village. Naturally, nobody told them why they’re here. They ended up doing great. The twelve year old is a part-time lottery ticket seller. (see picture)

Later in the day, Giau did a scenario where she played a 15 year old boy who robbed a taxi at knife point. It was hilarious. She was so serious and intent, yet her feet couldn’t touch the floor from the chair she was in. The next day, the girls had a fit of giggles just as the police were about to start the simulated interview. It was contagious across the entire group.

The river picture with green in it is taken behind the police station. The less appealing picture is taken behind the Cao Lanh market. The street is one of the main streets here in Cao Lanh. 70% of the traffic is motorbikes, 28% of the remainder of traffic is bicycles, and the remaining 2% is cars, trucks, buses.

My room has at least one gecko. I saw him run across a wall, and now I can hear him/her chirping from behind the curtains. Last time here, when I was going to pack I moved some papers on the desk and one jumped out. I was so startled that I think I jumped higher than it did. I hope it keeps the cockroaches to a minimum.

This is a world where nobody is surprised to see somebody walk in the front door of a “local” hotel with a sack that is obviously moving. A large snake to be sold to the kitchen. Either there were several snakes in the back, or one very big one. Took the guy two hands to hold it up.

Another police “friendship dinner” followed the conclusion of the training days. This time, the “special” dish was bat porridge. Amazingly not bad.