Results 2nd Annual Travel Writing Contest to Europe
Thank you to everyone who submitted an essay and entered our 2nd annual travel writing essay contest! We received so many excellent essays - it was difficult picking one winner.
Essay Grading Procedures:
1) Every essay was read at least once and scored based on our 4 categories**: (1) Originality and creativity (25%), (2) Writing style (25%), (3) Grammar (25%), (4) Responsiveness to Contest theme question (25%).
2) About 1/3 of the essays went to round two and were read and scored twice per the above categories narrowing the number of essays down to ten.
3) The final ten were read at least 2 more times before choosing three top essays and then the final essay shown below.
**Essays with spelling/word usage errors (there were tons) lost points in the grammar category. Essays using "travel writing cliches" (there were tons) did not receive the most possible points in the orginality and creativity category. Essays that exceeded the 500 word maximum lost points in category 4.
The winning entrant is (see below for the 9 top finalists)
Nina Krieger, Oakland, CA who wrote the following essay:
“Mwaaauuunng Nnnngggoi,” he drills for the umpteenth time, as if his drawn out enunciation might make the nasal “ng” sound palpable to a foreign tongue. He is enthusiastic to engage and eager to please. A bright, young Laotian boy, he has waited and watched backpackers trickle into the neighboring guesthouses while his father finished building their bamboo huts. It is opening night and he draws the curtain on his home, his village of Muang Ngoi, Laos to welcome you.
Located on the Nam Ou River, this one-dirt-road town has no cars, no scooters and no motor vehicles. The scene is reminiscent of the great spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone… minus the six-gun bandits. Strolling the main drag your greatest threat of attack is posed by a sexually frustrated turkey. Interfere in a youthful rendition of bocce ball for the ill equipped and risk injury from a ragged flip-flop flung by children competing to knock rubber bands from squares scribbled in the dirt.
Telephoto out from the commotion of the street and see the stage in its entirety. Lush coconut palms line the dusty road and two tree studded karsts at each end frame the proscenium.
Act I begins at dawn. Watch the scene unfold from your bungalow veranda with the fog-shrouded mountains guarding the slinking river. Test the various hammocks on the merits of arch, swing and comfort while men set out on boats resembling small dugout canoes.
Armed with nothing other than hand thrown nets they will return with Catfish or Pai- a dinner that will be eaten by candlelight in this electrically deficient town of warm beers and cold river showers.
During intermission the sun burns through and it’s time for a game of soccer. Be careful not to fall into the bomb craters. While your school education may have glossed over the “secret war” in Laos during the Vietnam era, the fact remains that more bombs were dropped on this country per capita than any other in the history of warfare. Remnants of bomb cluster casings are used for fences, benches, boats, and potted plants. These resourceful and artistic landmarks are a reminder of Laos’ devastating history and a symbol of its creative and resilient people who have moved on.
At dusk, the final act opens with fires that spring up for warmth, for light, and for distilling Lao-Lao, a homebrewed whiskey made from sticky rice. This liquor is as ubiquitous and free flowing as the friendly cries of “Sabaii-Dee” (“Hello”). One-by-one, cheerful hosts pass shots around until they have exhausted their overpowering kindness and generosity, or the bottle, as is more often the case. Their hospitality extends into an invitation to the town wedding and a dance with the bride’s father.
When the spectacle is over, smile your most appreciative “Khup-Jai-Lai-Lai” (“Thank you”) as you walk the main street once more. Exit stage left, the boat dock, and wave your last goodbye, a curtain call, as you have become a part of the show.
The other nine finalists in no particular order are:
- Kelly M. Weber
- Jessica Kingman
- Thomas D Babin
- Vicky Gomelsky
- Meryl Cohen
- Caitlin Shamberg
- Meaghen B Simms
- Sean P. Killian
- Christine L Sommers
Their essays can be read by downloading the following word document:
top 10 essays
thank you again to all contest entrants, we appreciate the time and effort each one of you has put into submitting your essay!
Sincerely,
David Barish
Publisher
