Re: MS Digital Camera issue

Bhante,

>> [I'm told that Sri Lankan tea-plantation labourers earn about
>>$60 / month, by comparison]) 
>>
> Those teapickers do quite well it seems. Rs 6000,- is a fairly good wage
> here. I earn nothing at all.

The main complaint (from the tea-planters) is the cost of educating their
children.  As I've mentioned before, a public school teacher in rural Lao
earns only $15 / month.  However, the solution here is probably not to
import Laotian teachers ...

> Are you interested to help photographing
> manuscripts, old printed editions, and organising a proper project? We
> could get UNESCO and/or PTS support and possibly you will be able to
> earn more than you do now. To have a lay westerner organising things
> would be ideal.

And, given my current (limited) abilities in Pali, this would probably be an
ideal job for myself as well (in other words: I could more quickly become
competent in taking photographs than translating colophons).  I am currently
engaged in (what I might call) semi-humanitarian work in Lao --and it is
expected that I will return here in January (i.e., after a month in Sri
Lanka) to continue teaching the English language.  However, I can break off
my engagements here at any time; and, as Mme Filliozat has just informed me
that there aren't any Kaccayana MS worth reading in Laos, I have even fewer
ties to this place as each day goes by.

We could discuss the matter further when I arrive in Sri Lanka; if I decide
to relocate to the island "permanently" (and, I'm told, all is impermanent)
I would then stop learning Laotian and resume learning modern Sinhala.  If
you'd like to see my CV/résumé, etc., let me know.  In other words: I don't
know if I'm qualified for the job, but then, unless Lance Cousins is going
to volunteer for the position, I might not have much competition.

Incidentally: U.N. agencies (including UNESCO) have a very interesting
definition of "Volunteer".  A U.N. "Volunteer" teaching English in Lao earns
US$2000 / $3000 per month (whereas a Laotian paid by the government to do
the same job earns $15 per month, as mentioned); this truly elevates the UN
staff to "millionaire" status in one of the poorest countries in the word. 
All U.N. wages are indexed against the cost of living in New York City.

E.M.

--
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