What's it like living over there?

In September 2007, Chris and I moved to Vientiane, Laos to take advantage of an opportunity to work and live overseas.  We lived in Vientiane until October 2009 and then moved to Bangkok, Thailand.  In just one month, we’re packing up and heading back to Vientiane for job opportunities.  While not looking forward to the move itself, we are optimistic about the return to a smaller (actually, tiny) city and the return to a slower pace – both positives while we have such young kiddies.

During our trip to the U.S. in April 2011, several friends and family members asked:  

(1) “So, what’s it like living over there?” and

(2) “When are you moving back to the U.S.?” 

Here goes my attempt to answer the first question more completely than: “it’s different”, as well as my attempt to convey why the answer to the second question is: “not any time soon”.  Hoping this makes for informative and sometimes entertaining reading.