Tips and advice to thrive in Laos

To adjust you first have to learn to speak the language and have an understanding of social norm.

I felt at home rather early in the piece and I think this was due to the way Lao people accept strangers.

By making the effort the locals seem to appreciate this.

For me, even after many years coming and going from Laos, it is still a learning curve.
Be open minded and prepared to throw any western preconceived ideas out the window.

I have written widely on this subject, my two principal books being "Culture Shock Laos" and "The Lao, Laos, and you".  The visitor will meet as many or more cultural differences in Laos as in other countries, but perhaps the thing that sets Laos apart is the marked tolerance of things different.  Thus the foreigner will never feel prejudice directed at him or her and rarely feel uncomfortable.  Partly this may be explained by the religion: Buddhism is the stated religion of the majority but a good third say they have 'no' religion or play the spirit world.  Formal religions like Islam and Christianity make up only about 2% of the population, and are extremely well tolerated (and the Constitution guarantees their rights).  The foreigner can therefore interact to the level s/he chooses.  If only more countries were as easy going as Laos...