NORFOLK, Neb. — Doctors? Sure. Teachers? Obviously. But what could a trained chef do to help people overseas?
That was Eric Seevers' reaction to friends David and Jennifer Kruse approaching him about working in Laos. But it turned out to be the perfect opportunity to combine his skills and compassion for others in just the right measure.
"In a weird way, this is kind of home," he said from Vientiane, Laos.
For his first 17 years, Seevers called Norfolk home. He has spent the past 18 months living and working in Laos.
The Kruses approached Seevers and others at Christ Is King Community Church in Norfolk about working in Laos to help different organizations there.
A graduate of Norfolk High in 2007 and the South Dakota Culinary Academy at Mitchell Technical Institute, Seevers wondered how he could be of service.
It happened the Kruses' good friends Verdun and Kaek Augustine wanted to open a cafe and bakery. Two others from the church — Amy Nealeigh, a 2005 Norfolk High graduate, and Chance Buss, a 2005 Pierce High graduate —- went on to work in Laos, Nealeigh as a teacher and Buss for a drug rehabilitation program.
Seevers arrived Aug. 12, 2010, to find construction of Common Grounds Cafe well under way. The cafe opened in May 2011.
Seevers works as the production manager for the cafe, a Westernized restaurant and bakery that focuses on homemade and unique foods.
"We have Mexican food, which is not the only place that has it, but I would say it's by far the best," Seevers said. "So that's something that people definitely come for. One item that we have that's unique is an English muffin sandwich. We're the only producers of an English muffin sandwich in the entire country."
Mostly the restaurant caters to expatriates and their families.
Profits from the cafe go to help disadvantaged women in Laos.
"I was thinking of feeding people," he said. "But this is the first opportunity I've had to use my training as a chef to help people in a practical way."
The financial support of family and friends have enabled him to stay in Laos.
"I get paid with food," he said. "Soon I will be earning a salary, but being that the goal of the cafe is to help people, I'm not going to ask a large sum. The cost of living here is so low that the amount that I initially thought would work for one year I've used for a year and a half. The money goes a lot farther, but it doesn't last forever."
The most challenging part of living and working in Laos is the language, Seevers said.
Within a few days of arriving in the country, he started six weeks of study. Since then he has been learning through interacting with Common Grounds staff, all native Lao.
"Initially I was able to talk about many different kinds of food, but I didn't know how to talk about anything else," he said.
Now Seevers said people have told him he speaks pretty well.
"The learning curve has been very steep at times," he said. "I'm still not fluent, but I enjoy getting to know my staff better and developing friendships as my ability to communicate increases."
Seevers will be back in Norfolk for a wedding this May, but he's set to stay in Laos through February 2013.
When his time there comes to an end, he isn't sure he'll be ready to leave his newfound home.
For starters, there's no one willing and able at this time to replace him at the cafe.
"It's something that's become an important part of my life and something I want to keep doing," Seevers said. "I'm thinking about staying longer."
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