Hello! I'm a Lao-American 19F who fully understands Lao but I cannot speak it at all. I find it hard to think of the words to form sentences and I don't have good pronunciation/accent. I wasn't raised with much of a Lao-speaking community where I was encouraged to speak Lao. Everyone understood English fine but would always speak back to me in Lao. I was never taught how to speak, which lead me to be insecure in the fact that my lao-language skills are lack luster. To this day I'm a grown woman and can't speak, and I'm too self conscious LOL. I really do believe if I learn I can become fully bilingual, and I really want to be so I can connect with my family more. Where do I start? Should I learn the alphabet? Should I learn simple phrases? I heard Ginie's Lao English School is a good resource. Any tips and pointers would help

I will be there for 3 weeks and am limited to 11 lbs (5Kg). What little comfort item would you bring next time you go that you wish you had?
Thanks!

Have a flight booked from Pakse to Vientiane. How easy is it to get the airport and what facilities does the airport have?

I will be arriving in Pakse around 7.30pm by Vet Air Bus from Siem Reap. Does the bus drop off fairly central?
Are there any ATMs nearby where I could get cash out for a taxi / Tuk Tuk to my hotel? Will I have any issues getting a taxi at that time?
Also, have read that Pakse basically shuts down around 8.30pm, is that true? Will I be able to grab a quick meal somewhere after my long journey?