Definitely Missed this in High School History...

So I feel a little strange still posting now that I've been back for over a week; but I had wanted to write about this since the first week and for whatever reason, never did. Also, I was showing my family pictures last night and was horrified by how much I am already forgetting about Cambodia!! So even if no one else ever reads this, I'm writing for my own sake...

What do you know about the Khmer Rouge? Are you aware that this reign of terror occurred in the late SEVENTIES and that over 1.7 MILLION people (1/5 of the country's population) were murdered in the genocide that ensued? Prior to going to Cambodia, I had definitely heard at least the term "Khmer Rouge" and knew there had been Cambodian refugees as a result, but that was the extent of my limited knowledge and I surely do not remember learning about it in school.

There is SO much that could be said, but to state it as simply as possible, a violent communist regime came to power in 1975 under the leadership of Pol Pot with the desire of creating a Maoist, classless, anti-intellectual, and solely agrarian society. In attempts to bring this about, anyone who threatened this ideal---hence the educated and middle class---were exiled or executed in the most gruesome ways. Teachers, lawyers, doctors, government officials, those who spoke a foreign language and thus were suspected to be enemies of the state, even those who wore glasses as they were assumed to be educated and therefore a threat---all were tortured and murdered. Families were divided as they somehow were believe represented capitalism and children were often pulled in to join the regime.

Those in the capital of Phnom Penh were literally marched out into the countryside to work the fields. All industry was brought to a halt. One of the main places that those who were believed to be deviants of the regime were brought was called TUOL SLENG.

This was formerly a high school, but since the goal was to do away with all forms of education, it was transformed to a prison and place of torture. Over 20,000 people were interrogated in order to try to get them to name friends and family who would then in turn also be tortured and ultimately killed.

The "most important" prisoners were assigned to their own room like above while the others were chained together in small rooms on the second and third floor.

Look at the floor in the picture above. What's horrific is that you can still see dried blood along the walls or puddled on the floor in these rooms where the torture took place. Yet another reminder that this is recent history...

While visiting, we met this man, Chum Mey, who was one of 7 survivors of Tuol Sleng. (he's on the far left of the other 6 in this picture he is standing beside) He described the horror of seeing his wife and son murdered and the torture of having his head pounded, toenails twisted and ripped off, sticks jammed in his ears, fingers broken, and the other gruesome things that were done to him. He was kept alive because of his high mechanical skills and now frequently visits the genocide museum to share his story.

We also had the opportunity to go to Choeung Ek. While most of the country could have been considered "the killing fields," this area was notorious for the deaths which occurred here and has now been made into a memorial museum. After torturing the people at Tuol Sleng, they were sent here to be executed.

This monument was constructed for remembrance and is filled with 17 tiers of skulls, bones, and clothing from the victims.

In an attempt to save on costly bullets, people were murdered in whatever way was most convenient-- beaten against a tree, a blow from a shovel or ax, etc. Then chemicals were poured over the bodies to reduce the stench and to be sure that no one was left alive. 126 mass graves have been uncovered here...

This happened just 30 years ago. The survivors are alive to tell their stories. The country is still recovering from the aftermath--both physically and in its government and education systems. Refugees are still relocated. And yet we are seldom taught about the Khmer Rouge in schools or hear about it on the news even though there is still so much happening with regard to it.

In fact the trials are still going on. Just Monday BBC released THIS article on "Duch," the leader of the interrogations at Tuol Sleng. He was finally tried in July (though we heard very little about it while it was happening) and sentenced to not life, but 35 years in prison-- since then, it has been shortened to 19 years. What shocks me is that trials did not actually begin get under way and become fully operational until 2007 and that Duch is the first to receive any sentence.

Sorry for being so wordy and full of gruesome detail, but this is history and reality and something I think we should, at the very least, be aware of

Back

After nearly a day on a plane, I managed to make it back to the US safe and sound with miraculously no complications whatsoever!

However, though I've barely been home for 24 hours, the transition has been uncomfortably easy so far. Where is the reverse culture shock and extreme jet lag that I fully expected and have experienced many times before? I'm not complaining I guess; but it's just strange to be sitting here, plucking away on my computer, as if I never even left.

Granted I have been (pleasantly and gratefully!) shocked by some things--- being able to simply turn on the faucet and DRINK whenever I'm thirsty, the lack of oncoming traffic in the right hand lane and not having to fear for my life every time I cross the street (though apparently I do need to be more conscious & cautious of the T...), discovering toilet paper in public restrooms, sleeping in a bed and not waking up in a puddle of sweat, hearing so much English spoken around me, and other small things.

Yet Cambodia already seems so far away and removed from life here. There is no point of reference from which to share about it with others. It just feels so distant-- like a whole other life and world. Perhaps it's because, in my short time home, I've already traversed half the state of MA and beyond, have immediately become caught up in everything here, and haven't had a chance to rest. However, today, upon my first sip of the iced coffee I pulled over for, I was instantly struck with the reality that the $2.00 I easily shelled out for this could have bought dinner for an entire family in Cambodia. My hope and prayer is, as I continue to settle in and continue to process, that Cambodia wouldn't become just "an amazing summer trip" or a "great experience," for though it surely was both, I want it to have a lasting impact on myself and others. I'm just not sure what this is going to look like yet...

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane...

It's 3:30 AM.

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I board a plane bound for the US in less than 7 hours.

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Am I asleep? No (obviously...)

Am I packed? Nope (though I'm almost done!)

Am I instead wasting time doing completely arbitrary things (like writing this post about absolutely nothing)? Of course!!

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I vehemently LOATHE packing and so always leave it until the last possible minute and typically do not sleep the night before I travel anywhere. It's not the process of putting the items into the suitcase that I hate. I actually quite enjoy organizing and arranging everything to make it fit perfectly. I think it's more the fact that packing means change as I leave one place and go to another. As much as I am excited to GO back home, I do not want to LEAVE!!!

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Despite the fact that when I first arrived, I was wondering what in the world I was doing in CAMBODIA and nearly at the point of counting the days before I returned to the states, I have grown so attached to this country, especially the people I've met here! I had many series of goodbyes today, though some are just being prolonged until the morning. Now that I'm leaving, it's so easy for me to get caught up with regretting all of the things I wish I had done, places I wanted to go, conversations I should have had, and wishing I had more time to do those things. Yet this has been an amazing summer and it is all of the experiences that I DID have that I want to focus on. Likewise I'm realizing that there are so many other things I wanted to post about and had composed in my mind but never had a chance to actually write up. So perhaps I will play catch up for a bit once I return as it will be a good way for me to remember all that did happen!

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OK, now to throw those last minute things into my bag and maybe catch an hour of sleep. But then again, why sleep now when I have 20+ hours trapped on a plane for exactly that...?

This is like the funeral pyre thing I was trying to describe before. Now imagine it in a dark village, illuminated by green lights with people chanting all around it. It was a strange combination of beautiful and eerie.

If I was going to be here for another month, I'd also have the opportunity to attend a Khmer wedding or two of different friends I've made here. But alas, I am heading home and am even more excited for the weddings that await me there!

The First of Many Lasts

It's hard to believe that I'll be heading back to the US in just a few short days. I also never expected how SAD I would be to leave this country, especially the wonderful people I've met here!

This morning I said my last goodbyes to two of our team members who were heading out to one of the provinces for the week and will not be back to Phnom Penh until after I've already boarded the plane home.

Today was my last day at Morning Star Center. For the past two weeks I have been working with some of the teen girls, teaching them how to make jewelry. (The few computers they have are quickly biting the dust and now they're down to one. So instead of having both Tigor and I working with the same student, I was asked to do this and definitely didn't complain as this is something I'm MUCH more interested in and skilled with) Though I'm sure the girls would love to keep the treasures they make, they've chosen to donate all of the items to a small street bazaar that the center will hold come September in order to raise funds to help support some of their peers to go to school, pay for supplies, and to put towards other activities. It was fun working with them and, as seems to be a trend, learning how to explain things without words. The girls were so excited to see what they had made, as was evidenced by the way they modeled the jewelry and complimented one another with "sa-at" (beautiful!). It was amazing too to see their creativity and the way they took to teaching one another.

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In addition to teaching the kids some new games and learning some myself, I also had a chance to help Ay Ling, the director, write up the story of how Morning Star began and it was amazing to hear of God's faithfulness and complete provision throughout all of it.

They didn't realize until I arrived that it was my last day; yet before I left, the teens gathered around to thank me, pray for me, and give me sweet letters they had written and little gifts of their own things. I was only there once a week and so don't feel like I really got to know them that well, but they were so grateful. Honestly, their stories and the evidence of their tremendous faith has been more of an encouragement to me than anything.

Baking in Cambodia

I LOVE to bake and have been going through withdrawal since being here as baking is just not a Khmer thing to do. NO ONE has an oven. Anything you might possibly use for baking is imported. Cambodians, for the most part, do not care much for sweet and think Westerners are crazy for liking it so much.

However, I had the rare opportunity to bake not just once, but TWICE this past week---and both were successful adventures!

1. The first time was with one of my advanced students as we set out to make a birthday cake for another of the women in the class. Now Marady is an unusual case, for while I said no one has an oven here, she used to work at an American bakery located here and once it went out of business, she continued to bake on commission out of her home. (However, unfortunately she cannot make much of a living off of this as many of the ingredients are so expensive and there just is not much of a demand for cake here...) Anyways she picked me up on her moto and brought me back to her house, which also doubles as a center and dormitory for around 30 university students who have come from the provinces to Phnom Penh to study.

We made a vanilla cake and it was incredibly dense and delicious! The process was very much like what I'm accustomed to back home, except flour and such is weighed on a scale like in the UK and we added Coke and powdered milk to the batter, which I have never done, though I know it's not uncommon. The cake expanded far above the top of the pan, so we feasted on the the 3 inches we had to hack off the top while we cut flowers from fondant-like material and waited for the cake to cool.

The health inspector or FDA would have had a heyday with us though as we worked amidst flies, ants, and geckos and did everything, from forming fondant to greasing the pan, with ungloved hands. (look closely at the picture above. I realized afterwards that I managed to capture some of the obnoxious little flies atop the flowers) It trust all the germs baked off... Nary loved it nonetheless and I really enjoyed having the opportunity to bake with Marady, whom previously I probably knew the least out of our class. Since it took us nearly four hours, we had fun just talking and I loved learning about what brought her to Phnom Penh, how she met her husband, what it is like to share with these students who come to the center, her difficulties in trying to find a job, and so much more.

Happy Birthday Nary!

2. The second baking venture was a bit more of an experiment. Rika, our wonderful Indonesian host, wanted to learn how to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and asked me to teach her. First off, let me remind you that Khmer seldom bake and therefore the necessary items are either unavailable (such as chocolate chips...) or exorbitantly priced (2 sticks of butter=$3.00; and don't forget this is Cambodia where I can order a delicious MEAL for $1.00) However, you just get creative and learn to improvise.

Yet it wasn't the lack of ingredients that made things so interesting. Not having any traditional measuring devices, we proceeded through a process I fondly call "dump baking" where you simply eyeball it. It became tricky when Rika wanted to know exact amounts in order to replicate the recipe because, not only was I completely guessing, but in my baking world of using cups and teaspoons, I also have no concept of GRAMS. Oh, and did I mention the OVEN?

Fitting only four cookies to a sheet and having to twist the timer every five minutes made it a slow process. But it worked!

Believe it or not, they actually cooked and were remarkably delicious---as attested to by the fact that I am admitting it, my American teammates are in agreement, and all of the cookies have DISAPPEARED :)

Perhaps we can next attempt pie...?

ALWAYS is neither CONDITIONAL nor OPTIONAL

"Rejoice ALWAYS, pray continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I was forcing myself to dwell on this verse last week when I was trapped in a cramped, stuffy, and filthy taxi, impatiently waiting for over an hour to leave the parking lot. Rejoicing was not my first instinct. I wasn't feeling particularly thankful. I wanted to sit there, all sweaty and sulky, just feeling sorry for myself. But this verse, this command, kept coming to mind. It doesn't say, "Rejoice when you're cruising along in your air-conditioned car, pray when you feel like it, and give thanks when life's just peachy keen." No it says, ALWAYS. I started with the prayer part because I knew thankfulness and joy were not going to come of their own accord and there was a significant shift in my disposition by the time we arrived in the village.

I am slowly learning to put my life into perspective. The things I am often quick to complain about are so petty; and in light of what so many others actually struggle with on a daily basis, they are NOTHING. Ya, being squashed in that dilapidated van was not the most pleasant experience, but you know what?--it was merely an hour; it sure beat walking; and though it only costs around $1.00, being able to travel so freely is a luxury many in the village will never have.

A few days ago I also found myself getting so irritated when we lost electricity and internet. How ridiculous to be upset and grumble over this?! I just take so much for granted and have grown far too comfortable in it. First off, when I go to the village, no one there has electricity and I'm sure a computer is a rare sight for most. Secondly, when I came to Cambodia I didn't even expect to have these things myself, so how can I complain about losing them for such a short time?

I feel foolish like Jonah who becomes irate with God for taking away the shade which He had just provided Jonah with to shelter him in the scorching desert, rather than being thankful for the respite he had been given... (Jonah 4:4-10)

Dropping Like Flies...

(And it is the stupid flies that are leading to our demise...)

Please pray for the health and stamina of our team!

*Madan, one of the Indonesians we are staying with, has been diagnosed with Dengue Fever. Thankfully it is one of the lesser strains, but he is still weak and close to bedridden.

*Tigor came down, last night, with what he believes is the flu and was feeling so ill that he could not make it out to the village.

*Alex is recovering from a moto bike accident that happened last week. Praise God it wasn't worse, but he did have to get eight stitches above his eye and has been prescribed a slew of medications as he continues to heal.

*The rest of us are just dealing with minor bouts of cold, upset stomach, and general fatigue.

*And Jessica returned to the US yesterday (not on accord of illness though; it had been planned in advance)

I include this picture only because Alex has been so good natured about it all (if you can't tell from his giant grin) and is quickly recovering. Tomorrow he gets his stitches out!

Meet Baby-G...

This is a completely pointless and arbitrary blog post that I am writing simply because I want to write something and I have many things I want to write about, but at the moment, I do not want to write about anything that I want to write about.

So instead I'll introduce Baby-G, the watch I have affectionately named according to its inscription along the top.

Upon arriving in Phnom Pehn, I realized, have previously become pathetically dependent on my cellphone, that I had forgotten to pack any other device that would both tell time and wake me up in the morning; so in the first day or two, I set out to rectify this situation. I bartered for this little gem in a shopping mall (yes, I said bartered. Haggling here is not restricted to the market or hailing tuk tuks).

However, it has been nothing but an annoyance all summer as the stubborn thing refuses to serve its only purpose in life. It will not keep time. Instead it arbitrarily gains a few minutes each day. Mind you this is done with no regularity, so it is not even as if I can predict the time based on how many hours its been since I last reset it. One might think that a clock that runs fast on its own accord could be good (especially for me) as it would keep you on you toes and prevent you from being late. However, when you are in a country where time is completely relative, there is absolutely no value in punctuality...

There's simply no translation for "Hokey Pokey"...

So I know I've made mention of how I spend a night in a village in Kampong Speu once a week, but I don't think I've really described much about it.

Every Wednesday morning, Tigor and I take off for the province, never having any idea of when we'll arrive as each leg of the journey---from the tuk tuk ride, to finding a taxi, waiting for often over an hour for it to leave, picking up the seemingly endless passengers along the way, and lastly the motodop ride---are all beyond our control.

In the village I've been asked to teach a total of 11 classes, with students ranging from 4-64, each at very different levels, in 3 separate schools. As initially suspected, upon arrival I was placed in front of a class with no further instruction, and told, "OK nea-crew (female teacher), TEACH." Though at first intimidating, the experience has definitely forced me to think on my feet and get creative... You learn quickly by trial and error and if one thing doesn't work, you make up something new on the spot. The limited resources and language barrier do complicate things, but as can be imagined, the kids are so receptive to song and games. So I'm OK with making a fool of myself trying to get them to imitate me as I over-enunciate Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes and do the "Hokey Pokey" if its effective in teaching body parts and left and right...

Even so, there have been numerous funny experiences and miscommunications. None of the teachers' English is very strong so it was interesting trying to explain that there is simply no Khmer word for hokey pokey and so, like the students, they were just going to have to stumble through some pronunciation and roll with it. Then when I was teaching Left and Right to one class, every time I would use the word "saddam," which is Khmer for "right" the students, expecting English, would fold their hands, say "thank you teacher," and SIT DOWN.

We teach at one school all day Wednesday and then spend the evenings with people and families in the village, just cooking/eating together, practicing English and Khmer, buzzing around on motodops, and playing games. With much gesticulation and knowing at least my numbers and colors in Khmer, I was able to introduce UNO and neither the kids nor adults seem to be able to get enough of it. Then they taught me three completely different games you play with only elastic bands. I've loved seeing how creative and resourceful, especially the children, can be as they use next to nothing to play games that will entertain them for hours. In the village you typically go to bed early as because when the sun goes down and you have no electricity, there isn't a whole lot to do after dark. Besides, the roosters are guaranteed to wake you up, literally at the crack of dawn and we start teaching at 7:00 anyways. However, last week when I stayed at the pastor and his wife's house, I was floored to see the way so many neighbors, who are living in conditions that most Americans cannot even fathom, gathered together late at night, on a mat around a battery operated light, in the midst of flies and mosquitoes, to pray, worship, and thank God.

This past week though, because of the funeral and the rain, I did not stay with them and instead spent the night at the house of the woman who cooks for one of the schools. I'm just so frustrated that I CANNOT SPEAK KHMER!!! And since I don't, her adorable daughter and I pretty much just sat in the area we were supposed to sleep, staring at each other, until she decided she was tired and through motions we were able to figure out who was sleeping where. She did however place a bucket near me and at least I knew what that was for---so that I didn't have to venture out into the rain to find a nice grassy spot should nature beckon in he middle of the night... Thankfully I did not need it because once I pulled the mosquito net over me I did not awake until the roosters did.

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Here are some pictures from the village (though I apologize for the quality of some of them as they were taken via motodop; don't worry I wasn't driving this time):

A Funeral in the Rain

In the movies, it seems so often that in order to accentuate the gloom of a funeral, it is set in the rain. Black umbrellas pop up amidst the dark grey sky as everyone gathers around the grave. The scene was slightly different Wednesday night in the village when I was unexpectedly invited to the funeral of a Khmer woman I had never met.

We agreed to go and set off by motodop- in spite of the ominous sky. Five minutes into our trek it began to sprinkle. Then it began to POUR. It wasn't so bad when we were on the main road, aside from the fact that we were going quite fast and so each droplet pelted us in the face; but as soon as we turned onto the dirt (or by that point mud) road leading to the other village, the driving became nearly treacherous. We unsuccessfully attempted to swerve around knee deep puddles and there were several places at which we had to dismount in order to make it through. We stopped to take shelter for a minute and buy ponchos by the side of the road, though by that point the damage had been done. We were completely SOAKED. By donning the florescent ponchos, each in a different color, and piling back on, three to a moto, all we did was create quite a scene as this rainbow entourage appeared at the funeral.

However, the sky was the only black thing present here since in Cambodia, white represents death. There was actually a lot of color and in the center of the whole affair was a stage with a large tiered awning type structure that I can only describe as looking like a wedding cake. It had many layers and a green trim and was illuminated both inside and out. Within in it was the body awaiting cremation. I wish I had some way of showing what it looked like, but I wasn't about to take pictures at a funeral and while I hoped I might be able to come across an example online, it seems others feel equally uncomfortable... This CLIP is the best I could find, and though it doesn't show the aforementioned structure at all, it does capture some of the chanting and songs as well as the bright colors of the Buddhist icons.

In addition to wearing white, many also shave their heads as a sign of mourning. Yet while we were there, people did not seem to be grieving. Perhaps this is partly because according to Buddhist belief as the deceased is just passing on to the next cycle and being reborn. Perhaps it is also partly because Khmer funerals can be a multiple day affair--often the longer the funeral, the more wealthy the family is as they can afford to preserve the (typically already healthier) body longer. The only mournful part was the chanting and sorrowful songs coming from stage area.

People were so kind and hospitable, even in spite of their grief! When we first arrived, my moto driver (and only hope for some translation) took off to find the other motodop and so I was left to fend for myself. But everyone was patient as I failed miserably at speaking Khmer. The man whose mother had passed away, who I knew from the village I am in each week, graciously held an umbrella over my pathetic sopping wet self and guided me to a sheltered area where I could confusedly observe everything going on. I somewhat uncomfortably accepted the invitation to sit at the main table where he and several other family members were seated and was quickly served a steaming bowl of rice porridge with pork, shrimp, squid, and other unidentifiable sea creatures. I had the impression that this same meal is eaten continuously throughout the day. Just when I was feeling accomplished for making it through most of it and relieved that I only had a bite or two left, out of nowhere appeared a hand bearing a gigantic ladle which ever so kindly and eagerly topped off my bowl once again...

It was an honor to attend and definitely not an experience I would have ever expected to have. I just wish, as I was sitting there, that I knew more of what was going on. But it's been interesting these past couple of days to be able to ask about it and learn more about the traditions of funerals in Cambodia.

Adding to My Repertoire of Transportation Modes

So in the last two weeks I have also made it from point A to point B via:

BOAT

This is not necessarily a common way of getting around---unless you live in one of the floating village at Siem Reap which is where this was taken.

BICYCLE

I've taken to exploring the city and running errands by bike as it is free, requires no Khmer (unless you have to apologize to the security guard when he blows his whistle at you for apparently pedaling where you shouldn't be...), and is always guaranteed to be an adventure. However, if you've ever had the unfortunate experience of witnessing me darting around the streets of Amherst or State College, you know what a ridiculous sight it is. Now envision that in a setting where I truly stand out; cars, buses, tuk tuks, motodops, and wagons coming at me from every direction; and me, backpack slung across my front instead of my back to deter thieves, trying to navigate the unfamiliar streets while simultaneously trying to take in everything around me (sometimes camera in hand...). The sight is nothing short of hilarity and it's a miracle there have not yet been any casualties.

and MOTODOP, but this time as the DRIVER

I learned to drive while out in the province and while I won't be braving the streets of Phnom Penh on it anytime soon, I feel perfectly comfortable jetting from school to school when in the village. Perhaps a class M license is calling my name upon returning to the states...? :)

I still have yet to mount an elephant, or any animal for that matter, but hopefully in time

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On different note, one of my student/friends and I went out after class to grab dinner from a vendor outside the market. During the day this place is bustling inside and out as you can find nearly anything you desire here--meat, vegetables, small appliances, paper supplies, tools, clothing, houseware items, souvenirs, etc. But at night the inside closes and the outside comes alive as small tables spring up and stands emerge selling all types of rice, noodles, soups, fried chicken feet, unidentifiable Khmer dessert, fruit shakes, and so much more---I just don't know what it is. All of this pandemonium became white noise though as she and I spent nearly two hours just talking, trying to come up with the right English words for things, laughing, and praying together. I loved getting to know her more as we talked about work, our families, hopes for the future, and so on. She is the youngest of ten children and shared some of the difficulties of not only supporting that many people but also the challenge of being the only Christian there. In fact, her Buddhist father told her that if she was going to choose to follow Christ, she had to get out and leave their home and her parents both also initially forbade her from being baptized. However, her continued joyful presence seems to slowly be softening them. She is such an encouragement to me and though I'm looking forward to coming home, I am definitely going to miss the people here.

What am I doing here?

One of the main highlights of being in Cambodia has definitely been getting to know some of the amazing people I have met here and building relationships with them. Part of the reason I chose this trip over others was because I didn't want to just continue in collegiate ministry, simply overseas. I wanted to DO something and have a "purpose" here --- and yet I am learning more of what it is to BE. Having majored in English and Education, teaching English is what particularly appealed to me about coming here. But honestly, as much as I am enjoying teaching, it is really the ministry aspects, exactly what I initially sought to avoid, that I am LOVING the most!

There are no tangible expressions of the "work" we are doing. We're not building homes, establishing medical clinics, supporting orphanages, providing clean water, or any of the other things you often go on these trips to DO. Instead we are teaching English. And even in this, there is nothing to show for it as you can't exactly chart the progress of students or materialize learning. With the young children and the basic learners, we are simply covering the alphabet and vocabulary, but with the more advanced speakers, we are practicing through conversation. And it is through conversation that I am establishing FRIENDSHIPS.

Here are some of the Khmer teachers who I have been working on advanced English with. We were all able to celebrate Anin's 22nd birthday together (something Anin has never done in her life. Birthday's have always just been another day for her and not even her parents recognize it with a "Happy Birthday") Anin and I had lunch together the other day and I know she appreciated the English practice as even in our small class, she can get left behind as those who are older and more proficient in their English can sometimes dominate conversation. I loved just getting to know her more and hear more of her story.

After celebrating, a few of us went out so that they could introduce me to Cambodian karaoke. It was hilarious and so much fun! As evidenced in the TV screen above, the lyrics were all written in Khmer script so I obviously (and fortunately) was spared from singing. But it was comical just watching the others get into it and belt out the words while I imagined my own version based on the ridiculous, overly dramatic music videos.

This is Muytiang and I at the Royal Palace. In spite of our conflicting schedules, we've been able to share a few meals together. Last week she took me out on her motodop and we were able to take part in some traditional Khmer dancing and did one of her favorite things--play basket ball at the arcade. It's been such a joy hanging out with her!

One of the signs of friendship here is holding hands and so I've been honored to have these friends clasp my hand while walking along together.

A year or two ago I would have had a very difficult time with this trip because I wouldn't have felt I was DOING enough. I would have felt completely useless and wondered what in the world I was doing here. However, I am truly loving just talking with people, getting to know them, sharing life, reading scripture together, and learning more about Cambodian culture. And all of this has just happened so naturally and is nothing I originally expected for Cambodia. Yes, I enjoy teaching English, but if I could just spend the rest of my time here with some of the students and others who I can now call my friends, I would be perfectly content.

Angkor Wat continued

Here are some more pictures of Angkor Wat. However, after spending hours trying to master the slide show tool, I have no words left to accompany it...

Angkor Wat

Sorry I've been so lax in posting, but things have been crazy here lately! And I can't believe a week has gone by already---in an hour or so I head off to the village again.

This past weekend we left the hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh and headed 6 hours north along windy country roads to Siem Reap, Cambodia's former capital. This area is most well known for the temples of Angkor Wat that surround it, but the town has a few sites of its own. When we first arrived, we took boat out on the Great Lake Tonle Sap to see one of the floating fishing villages.

The entire village--homes, schools, markets, etc is suspended on water and only accessible by boat.

The next morning we were up at 3:30 to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Though it as hard to keep my eyes open and pronounce coherent sentences for the first few hours, it was well worth it for the AMAZING view!

Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century King Suryavarman II and though it was originally a Hindu temple, as religion in this country shifted to Buddhism, the temple was likewise rededicated. It is such a massive structure and with three levels and countless rooms, and yet it is so intricately decorated with thousands of bas-relief carvings and other embellishments.

Ugh, I am having difficulty uploading pictures and we're about to take off for the village (wish me luck on the dreaded "taxi"...) but I wil try to add more when we return tomorrow.

Grateful

On another note, if I don't have a chance to post anything more about the village this week, I just was to say that I am GRATEFUL for plumbing-and not only running water, but water that is both clean and potable, electricity, beds, communication, screened doors and windows that keep lizards, rats, and five-inch spiders out of the house, even having a home

and the PRIVILEGE of being born into such circumstances that living means MORE than simply surviving...

Welcome to the Kingdom of WONDER!

I find it so appropriate that Cambodia refers to itself as "The Kingdom of Wonder," as I am left in complete and utter AWE at least once a day here.

Words cannot begin to do justice in recounting my experiences in the past 36 hours and if I was to even attempt, it would fill a novel of epic proportions. However, I will start by trying to describe just the journey alone in getting to the village yesterday...

Tigor and I began by hailing a tuk tuk to the "bus terminal" in order to then find a taxi to take us from Phnom Penh to the village in Kampong Speu. Before you start envisioning a yellow cab like the ones you see buzzing around US cities, replace that image with a rusty, dilapidated van that you wouldn't trust to go more than five miles without losing a tire or having the door fall off. Now multiply that vehicle by about 40, all pointing in different directions, but packed so tightly you have to hold your breath as you shimmy between them---there's the so called bus terminal for you.

(I'm hesitant to even include pictures because they far from capture the scene, but perhaps it will provide just a glimpse)

The drivers weren't quite sure what to make of me, but as soon as they saw us, they swarmed over to accost Tigor on where we were going and to try to persuade us on why we should take their "taxi." Tigor made an offer and we piled in, joining six others in the van. Even with the windows open, it was stifling hot and I was reluctant to inhale out of fear of lung poisoning from dozens of idling vans seeping exhaust. Despite being assured that we were going to leave right away, we ended up sitting there for at least a half hour while the driver dashed around desperately trying to recruit even more passengers. When he finally was satisfied with 15 (mind you, back home this van would legally hold no more than 10. But this is Cambodia---no rules!) we began the process of maneuvering OUT of the parking lot. Basically this consisted of a lot of horn honking and impatient yelling as at 6-7 drivers frantically raced back to move their perpendicular/parallel/diagonally parked taxis.

And then we were off! I wish I could say it was all smooth sailing from there, but the driver seemed to get a thrill from weaving between traffic at top speed and incessantly laying on his horn. Just as I started to get accustomed to this style of travel and began to contemplate sleeping, we came to a screeching halt and the driver jumped out to beckon in another passenger. Lo and behold, over the course of the hour trek, this scene was repeated multiple times: driver slams on the brakes, pries open the half corroded door, shoves everyone farther back, and squeezes in the new arrivals. By the time we reached our destination, we had a total of TWENTY-FIVE people (including a fully robed monk who received VIP treatment by being ushered to the front seat...to join the four others already sitting there). All I could do was hold my belongings tight to my chest while trying to take up as little room as possible and LAUGH.

(I felt awkward taking pictures inside the van itself, but snuck one on the way out. Note the monk in front)

Foreigners seldom take this mode of transportation and so I received more than a few strange looks. At least I provided some amusement for the other passengers as they kept smiling and asking Tigor about what I was doing as we were obviously together. Though he is Indonesian, he can pass for Khmer a whole lot better than a gigantic, pasty white girl with green eyes and dirty blond hair, decked out in jeans, Keens, a backpack, and a Nalgene...

(And we took a "taxi" back today, but this one had more furniture than it did passengers...)

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Tomorrow we're embarking on another adventure, but I'm bracing myself for whatever may come. We're making a SIX hour jaunt to Siem Reap to see the legendary ancient temples at Angkor Wat. Considering I can't even stand short CAR rides in the US without going stir-crazy or becoming ill, I'm not looking forward to the drive (which I believe is by bus, yet at this point I use the term loosely). But I am excited for the destination! I just wish I had brought along some Dramamine...

Teaching English

I really love teaching English here! It'e been so interesting though to try to come up with lessons and activities to suit different levels as some cannot yet pronounce the alphabet and others have a strong grasp of the English language and are just looking to refine conversation skills. I am particularly enjoying being with the Khmer teachers. I am with them 4-5 times a week and, especially since their English is advanced, I am getting to know them well. They are so much fun to talk with and we are learning from each other as we share about language, holidays, history, stories, and our own lives.

Yesterday I share American fables with them and once they recognized the form of the story, were able to explain some Khmer ones to me. As we went over some idioms earlier in the week, I learned that Khmer has its own expression for "That's a piece of cake" which roughly translates: "It's as easy as peeling a banana." To which, if you don't agree, you respond, "Ya-- a GREEN banana!" We had some varying opinions on whether speaking Khmer was a ripe banana or a green banana. :)

So often we just talk and I think we all enjoy and benefit from this. A few days ago I completely scrapped the lesson after starting class by asking them to share something they had learned over the weekend. I had planned on just saying something simple such as I learned that the Cambodian royal court wears a different color depending on the day of the week. However, the woman who started the discussion shared that she's been learning about fear and how how she needs to trust God in the midst of it because fear is not from Him. She shared her anxieties about moving to the US (she will be marrying an American in September) but also how she is learning to surrender these to God. As a class we were able to look at a few passages of scripture that address fear and discuss them in both English and Khmer. The next to share about what she learned responded on an equal level as she talked about how she has been disappointed and depressed recently, especially with regards to her relationship with her boyfriend, but also shared ways she's been encouraged and how she's learning to take it before God. So many of the conversations I've had with them is just like talking with friends back home. I really enjoy spending time with them and am excited to continue to build these relationships.

Today I head back to the village. It will definitely be different here as I am pretty much thrown into a classroom of onlooking eyes and told to teach English, not knowing any idea of where they are at. It will be challenging but I'm looking forward to it!

ACTS Project

On Friday I was at the ACTS school again working with the teachers on English and helping with various administrative tasks to free them up to do other things. ACTS stands for Assisting Children To School and has the goal of supporting 500+ previously unschooled children from Phnom Penh and several surrounding villages (including the one I am also teaching in) to make it into schools and remain there at least through grade nine. Though it is all completely locally run and so employs people from the community, equipping them to become teachers, promoters, drivers, cooks, and fill HR and administrative positions, its funding comes from two outside cooperations.

kids playing a form of jump rope with rubber-bands while they wait for school to start

The education system in Cambodia is pretty corrupt. In talking with some of my older students who attend university here, they explained that you can essentially buy your way into the next year and the lower you score on your final exams, the more you are expected to pay for tuition the following semester. At the elementary and high school level, teachers seldom have adequate, if any, qualifications and are notorious for being unmotivated. The other day I was talking with a girl who I knew was supposed to be at school twenty minutes prior and asked "Aren't you going to be late?" She replied that it was OK if she was late because she always makes it there long before the teacher.

Yet I can see where the lack of teacher motivation stems from. We complain about teachers' salaries in the US, but here experienced teachers in government funded schools typically make $50 per month---even by Cambodia standards, that is far from sufficient to live on! As a result, they typically look for other ways to make money and so it is quite common for teachers to withhold information and not teach everything during the regular school hours (which, to begin with, are only 3 hours/day!) and so charge those who want to learn more to come for extra hours. Consequently, most students cannot afford to pay for these extended hours, especially not after paying for their materials, and so are incredibly shortchanged in their education.

Also, many students drop out of even the government funded hours as education does not seem to be highly valued here. Part of this I think comes from the lasting effects of the Khmer Rouge as the government is still trying to reconstruct the education system after all schools were destroyed and educators murdered during this horrible regime that reigned in the seventies. In addition, the grim reality is that families need their children to work in order to add to the family income. Also, in the provinces and some of the slums, transportation to and from school becomes an issue as it can be expensive and unsafe-- if it is even available.

Alex teaching a simple drawing lesson

ACTS focuses specifically on children who are living below the poverty line, neglected by parents, or who have undergone trauma in order to supplement their government schooling and provide them with a strong education, life skills, extracurricular recreation, school supplies, and nutritious meals. I've loved getting to know some of the teachers and having the chance to play with the kids. It's exciting to see the way these schools are growing and also the way in which parents and the community are getting involved and beginning to value their children's education.

eating lunch with the teachers

Sorry to bog you down with so much information but I can't help share some of what I've been learning. It does makes me question though why I am vying for a teaching position in Boston when there is such a need for teachers here... I've actually already been asked to consider returning and teaching here long term. Don't worry Mom, I'll be back in August, but it does make me think

It's a good thing that I'm so adept at being flexible, patient, and just going with flow; that changes in plans don't phase me, I excitedly relinquish control, and am perfectly content not knowing every detail. It's truly allowing me to THRIVE in this country! ;)

Kampong Speu

We left Phnom Penh in the midst of prime traffic and made our way along the bumpy gravel road to the province---not that I would really know much about the ride since I was thankfully passed out for the majority of it... However, when we turned on to the narrow roads of the village, there was no hope left for sleep as we had to brace ourselves so as not to be jolted against the roof with every ditch and divot. Palm trees taller than any I've seen in the states, emaciated cattle traipsing across the street, and, in every direction, people knee-high in water harvesting rice, all indicated that we were clearly no longer in the city.

The homes here look quite different from those in the city as they are sided with dried palm leaves and placed upon stilts to prepare for flooding. The flies too will be something to get used to as they just SWARM everywhere; though, by the end of the day, I had grown pretty accustomed to just having them perch their nasty little bodies all over my arms and legs.
These pictures aren't great but they're all I took becuase first of all I felt a little weird and secondly, my battery died...

I will be coming out and spending the night here every Wednesday as I'll be teaching English at several schools. It actually worked out really well that this week ended up being just one day in the village as it became more of an orientation and I now know better what to expect. I was able to meet some of the teachers and students as well as the school cook and see where I'll be staying. I only gave one English lesson today---teaching ABCs to a fifty-year-old woman who teaches in the single room school. Though I wasn't fully prepared, it went surprisingly well; I just can't imagine how difficult it must be to go from Khmer script to the alphabet-- especially to a language as idiosyncratic as English!


It's been interesting though to get creative and discover so many ways that we can and do communicate without language. The language barrier is gong to be particularly difficult and exhausting here, but at least I'll be with Tigor who is nearly fluent in Khmer. Despite the barrier, everyone was so gracious and hospitable. We gathered at the cook's house for lunch and all sat upon a low bamboo table-like structure. They kept offering more food and so I was able to add the phrase "I'm full" to my limited repertoire. Kinyum Ch-I-it. After eating, the dishes were quickly taken away and, in Cambodian style, mats and pillows were laid out on the same table in order for us to rest.

Tigor sitting on the table after lunch

Kampong Speu is definitely going to be different from being in the city, but I'm looking forward to it. Also, I know it's going to make things in Phnom Penh that took some getting used to--like our makeshift bathroom and sleeping on mats on the floor, seem like a complete luxury. It's crazy how much we take for granted...

Change of Plans

As suspected, plans changed and apparently there was a staff meeting here in Phnom Penh for all of the teachers in the provinces so we did not go out to Kampong Speu.

However, instead we joined the teachers in the afternoon and in the morning two of us spent a couple hours chatting with the Indonesian ambassador's daughter. How often does that happen..? At first I thought we were asked to get together with her in order to practice conversational English, but upon meeting her, it was evident that was not the case. (Having lived in D.C. for 3 years while her father was stationed there, her English is impeccable!) Perhaps it was just for company that we were asked because she's only been here a little over a week and so really doesn't know anyone.

She'll be entering 12th grade in Phnom Penh in the fall and it was so interesting talking with her and hearing her contrast her experiences living in Indonesia, France, D.C., and now Phnom Penh. When we asked about what she has found different between Phnom Penh and Indonesia, the first thing she said was "It's so much cleaner and calmer here." I, on the otherhand, have been thinking these past few days how any of my qualms about whether or not I'm cut out to live in the city have been completely alleviated because Boston's going to feel like a lush suburb after this city. I can't even imagine living in Jakarta!

Between talking with the ambassador's daughter and living with three Indonesians, I feel like I'm learning almost as much about Indonesia as I am about Cambodia. It's been so interesting! Yesterday we were invited to crash angklung practice at the Indonesian embassy as they prepared for their Independence Day celebration that will happen in August. If you know what an angklung is, you definitely have one up on me!

For those of you clueless like me, basically it's a traditional Indonesian instrument made out of bamboo and shaped into two tubes that resonate when shaken back and forth. It doesn't make much of a sound on its own, but each angklung has a different length tube so that when particular ones are played together, a chord is struck. It was fascinating to hear it all come together even in spite of the fact that our unskilled hands probably tainted the sound...

See if you can figure out what song we're playing!

And tomorrow I will go to the village!