This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Lao diaspora. And for some former Lao teachers, it took all 40 years to be able to reunite with past classmates and colleagues at the 3rd Lao Teachers Reunion. The biannual event took place from June 27th-June 29th, 2015 in Streamwood, Illinois and brought together nearly 700 guests from all over the world, including the U.S., France, Australia, Canada, and Laos. The attendees shared one common connection: they all spent their early teacher training days at the School of Pedagogy in Dongdok Village, Vientiane. The festivities kicked off on Saturday with a dinner reception and evening soiree at The Seville Banquet and Conference Center. The program began with opening remarks by past and present organizers, followed by an energetic performance of the song, “Dae Pheuan Kru,” (“For My Teacher Friends”). The song, written by esteemed Lao song writer Ajarn S. Sengsourivanh who was also in attendance, expressed the strong bonds of kinship among Lao teachers, eloquently capturing the emotions of the evening. The night continued with traditional Lao dance performances as well as a Lao band that encouraged guests to dance the night away.   Though the performances provided great entertainment throughout the …