The official language of Laos is Lao, but other ethnic groups speak differently. The most commonly learned language is english, mostly only people in urban places speak it. The main religion in Laos is Buddhism because they are located in Asia. People in Laos take religion very seriously, most people practice it everyday. Even people that aren’t very religious still worship at temples and dress up for various festivals. Believers in Buddhism follow the four main virtues; metta which means loving kindness, Karunna which means compassion, mudhita which means sympathetic, and uppekkha which means equanimity(Culture Grams). Something cool about Buddhist males are that at one time in their lives they will probably serve at a temple as a monk. Other religions include animists, who believe every living thing has a right to live, Muslim, and Christian.
Children in Laos start primary learning at the age of six, they are taught reading, writing, math, and culture. Even though school is mandatory, education is not great, the teachers get low pay, and schools are unsanitary. After primary school which lasts five years you can choose to continue on to secondary school which teaches advanced math, science, history, geography, and english. Kids who complete this schooling can go on to college but most don’t because they can’t afford it.
Healthcare in Laos is not good at all. Hospitals don’t have a lot of workers or supplies to deal with patients. Even though healthcare is poor it’s still expensive to go so that’s why poor families often die of preventable diseases.
Families in Laos on average have four or five kids. Families are usually larger in rural areas because the more kids you have the more workers on the farm. Three generations live with one another because they can’t afford anything else. Although it seems like a lot of people in one house they like it because it brings them closer together and work gets done faster. Children are taught to honer their parents and to do whatever they are told to do. The men in the household are usually the workers and the people who provide for their family, on the other hand women stay at the home and tend for their kids. Soccer is the main sport of Laos, many kids and adults play on teams to have fun.
Food in Laos consists of rice and vegetables. When they have dinner they do not sit on a stool, instead they eat on a mat. The most popular music in Laos is the Lao folk music, but they also listen to American music.
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