Six short months has come and gone. For me they flew by, but for those at home it drug on and on. I can't believe its that time to pack my things and say farewell to my home in Phnom Penh. I've learned so much about the Cambodian culture, life and especially myself. It amazes me that that people here live some of the happiest lives I've ever seen, with nothing. I keep telling my coworkers that it's not goodbye, its see you later. I will be back someday and I look forward to see what changes have been made to Cambodia and PSP.
Things I will miss
-Priceless Cambodian smiles - absolutely the best!
-Fruit Fruit Fruit, especially Mangostienes!
-The first place I've lived on my own
-Olympic Stadium and EVERYTHING about it - the energy of individuals in dozens of different dance classes, their own random (and quite humorous) exercise, Khmer music, volleyball, the same handicapped man that gives me the biggest smile every time I run by him, and so much more.
-The smell of meat on the barbecue first thing in the morning - although I never ate it
-Khmer Boxing
-Yoga on the patio
-My little Cambodian brothers that live downstairs!
-My bicycle as my mode of transportation
-The noodle lady, who just so happens to also make the best iced coffee in the world!
-Bargaining for clothes, food, transportation and everything else!
-Tuk Tuks
-Russian Market
-Beer Lao on ice
-Fish Amok at House #11
-The generosity and happiness of the Cambodian culture...
Things I won't miss
-The smell of the open bubbling sewage pond I pass every time I go to Olympic Stadium, and the sadness I feel when I see the same 3 children that eat, sleep and play next to it barefoot and barely clothed.
-Bug spray as my signature scent
-The eerie feeling I get when walking by Toul Sleng
-Getting bit by mosquito's everyday sitting at my desk at work.
It is so bittersweet to say farewell to my life in Cambodia. As sad as I am go leave, I am also looking forward to seeing so many of you at home! I hope you've enjoyed following me on my journey as a volunteer in Cambodia... akun charan! leahye :)
Friday, August 14, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sophea's Story
Getting to know my coworkers at PSP has been a true joy! Lots of learning and laughs have been shared by all. Most our conversations are about our daily lives, their spouses or children, and many questions for Meghan about why she isn’t married! Because of the devastation during Pol Pot’s Regime (if you don't know about it, read up to better understand before continuing below), I never asked too many questions about family history. After my father and I visited Toul Sleng Museum, I began speaking with one of my only female colleagues, Sophea about my thoughts of S-21 and she opened up to me in a way I wasn't prepared for and significantly opened my eyes.
Sophea was in her mothers’ womb when Pol Pot's Regime began. Out of everyone in her immediate and extended family, 53 were tortured and killed, leaving only her mother, herself and her uncle. At the time even, her uncle had a son studying in Germany and he was tortured until he agreed to bring his son back to Cambodia to join the regime. Upon his arrival, they killed him, and her uncle lives the repercussions of his decision everyday. This made me immediately think of my family as both sides are quite large, with many aunts, uncles and cousins galore which quickly brought tears to my eyes. Sophea was eventually born into nothing. Her family was gone, their long time hard work in the fields and building family businesses were ruined. She grew up uneducated and scraping for anything to get by.
Once she was older, her mother arranged a marriage with a longtime colleague saying he was a good man and he would be a good husband for her. They never dated before the wedding, nor were they in love. The date was set, guest list made and day’s events were arranged. After being married for a year, they had a son, a beautiful son. One year later, he left his family because he had a new Cambodian girlfriend. He recently moved with his girlfriend to Australia and is putting Sophea through custody battles from hell trying to take their son since she doesn’t have much money. He has not once supported them since he’s left and the battle keeps getting drawn out.
On top of that, she is searching for a new place to live in Phnom Penh with her mother and her son. When I told her I was moving out of my place, she lit up with excitement! I asked her what her price range was and she said she was looking to pay $50/month for rent. The place I currently live in is $250/month and I couldn’t bring myself to even tell her that. I let her know my landlords were raising the prices of my place and don’t think they would rent it for that amount. It’s amazing for me to think about all the things I don’t have, compared to what I have at home, and she is looking to pay 20% of that.
To this day, she still wears her wedding ring and has her wedding day photos displayed on her computer when it becomes idle. I have never seen her cry, nor have I ever felt that she’s been upset. Each day she wears a smile and asks how I am doing. She’ll bring me fresh fruit she finds in the market because she wants me to try something new, and won’t accept any money in return. She is only one of millions of Cambodians that have suffered through the result of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot’s regime and showed sympathy for me when I marched into work devastated when my purse and camera were stolen.
It’s hard for me to write this and not feel guilty for ever being upset or feeling pain over instances of what now makes me think are so childish compared to the daily struggles she endures. Sophea has truly opened my eyes. She is one of the sweetest, most selfless people I have ever met and am so thankful I’ve gotten to know her. Next time you feel like the world has come to an end or the worst has happened to you, think of Sophea, and life might not seem so bad after all.
Sophea was in her mothers’ womb when Pol Pot's Regime began. Out of everyone in her immediate and extended family, 53 were tortured and killed, leaving only her mother, herself and her uncle. At the time even, her uncle had a son studying in Germany and he was tortured until he agreed to bring his son back to Cambodia to join the regime. Upon his arrival, they killed him, and her uncle lives the repercussions of his decision everyday. This made me immediately think of my family as both sides are quite large, with many aunts, uncles and cousins galore which quickly brought tears to my eyes. Sophea was eventually born into nothing. Her family was gone, their long time hard work in the fields and building family businesses were ruined. She grew up uneducated and scraping for anything to get by.
Once she was older, her mother arranged a marriage with a longtime colleague saying he was a good man and he would be a good husband for her. They never dated before the wedding, nor were they in love. The date was set, guest list made and day’s events were arranged. After being married for a year, they had a son, a beautiful son. One year later, he left his family because he had a new Cambodian girlfriend. He recently moved with his girlfriend to Australia and is putting Sophea through custody battles from hell trying to take their son since she doesn’t have much money. He has not once supported them since he’s left and the battle keeps getting drawn out.
On top of that, she is searching for a new place to live in Phnom Penh with her mother and her son. When I told her I was moving out of my place, she lit up with excitement! I asked her what her price range was and she said she was looking to pay $50/month for rent. The place I currently live in is $250/month and I couldn’t bring myself to even tell her that. I let her know my landlords were raising the prices of my place and don’t think they would rent it for that amount. It’s amazing for me to think about all the things I don’t have, compared to what I have at home, and she is looking to pay 20% of that.
To this day, she still wears her wedding ring and has her wedding day photos displayed on her computer when it becomes idle. I have never seen her cry, nor have I ever felt that she’s been upset. Each day she wears a smile and asks how I am doing. She’ll bring me fresh fruit she finds in the market because she wants me to try something new, and won’t accept any money in return. She is only one of millions of Cambodians that have suffered through the result of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot’s regime and showed sympathy for me when I marched into work devastated when my purse and camera were stolen.
It’s hard for me to write this and not feel guilty for ever being upset or feeling pain over instances of what now makes me think are so childish compared to the daily struggles she endures. Sophea has truly opened my eyes. She is one of the sweetest, most selfless people I have ever met and am so thankful I’ve gotten to know her. Next time you feel like the world has come to an end or the worst has happened to you, think of Sophea, and life might not seem so bad after all.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
July Visitors Part II – PP and Angkor WHAT???
Dad, Tara G. and I moved on to Cambodia! When we first arrived in my city PP, I remember both of them blown away by the differences between Thailand and Cambodia. Phnom Penh, the capital is even so much more underdeveloped than smaller towns we visited in Thailand. Trash on the not-so-much of a sidewalk, few driving laws (and the ones that exist aren’t even obeyed), pollution from the poorly maintained vehicles, people walking barefoot carrying baskets of food on their head, etc. are just a few of the examples. But one thing they also noticed quickly is that not only do these people live so poorly, they are also some of the happiest, most generous and patient people they've ever met.
The first full day in PP I arranged a cyclo tour so they were able to see the town in one of the many ways Cambodians get around. We visited many sights including the Royal Palace, National Museum, Wat Phnom, both Central and Russian Markets and also my coworkers at the office. I took them to my noodle lady in the market to have my usual, which the lady knows by heart :) Also consumed the best coffee in the world! No exaggeration, ask Tara! The rest of the time in PP we did a good amount of shopping, ate delicious food and had many tuk tuk rides around town. Words can’t express how much I enjoyed showing them around my city and loved having them there.
Next we were on to Siem Reap where we spent about a day and a half touring the famous Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, my personal favorite Ta Prohm, and many others. It’s amazing that at one point this area was a hidden city but with an enormous population. The formations were stunning and unbelievable to walk through. We had more delicious food (have I mentioned that Khmer food in to die for?!?) spring roll, pumpkin and coconut curry, fish amok to wash down with ice cold Angkor drafts (yes, ice cubes in the beer glass!)
The day we headed back to Phnom Penh was my 26 birthday! A 6 hour bus ride wasn’t the most desirable way to start the day, but once we got there it was good fun. We headed to the Russian Market so for some last minute buys for Tara, and for Dad and I to keep filling up his suitcase! Headed to Olympic Stadium to show them where I spend time before and after work a few times a week and had some good laughs. Olympic Stadium is something you can’t describe but have to experience. Usually thousands of people partaking in dance or exercise classes, running around the track, playing futbol, tennis or volleyball, sitting around to catch up with friends or eating from street vendors. The most humorous part of my days is to watch some of the exercises individuals will do like walking backwards downhill, flicking their arms in the air, or moving their hips fast paced in a circular motion. Also, women exercising in pj’s, work attire or running in flip flops? Classic! Got some good videos!
Birthday dinner was at a restaurant that looked like it should be in New York on the riverside (which you couldn’t see because of construction and billboards taking over). It was a modern/posh setting that didn’t fit in with Cambodia, but the food and cocktails were still great!The next day was Tara’s last day :( We ran around doing last minute things before she had to pack up. Saying goodbye to her this time was much harder than when I originally left, not sure why, but everythings better with your best friend around!
The rest of the time my dad and I did more shopping at the market, returned to Olympic Stadium since it was better weather, ate more and more delicious food and also toured Toul Sleng Museum, S-21 prison during the Khmer Rouge which isn’t for the light hearted and in fact gut wrenching to learn everything that went on during that time. Before he left, I treated him to a 4-hands Khmer massage (2 ladies at once!) for father’s day since I wasn’t home for it. It was harder to say goodbye this time to him too! I think having a little piece from home when I’m away is the best gift! And I never wanted it to end. I enjoyed sharing my Asian life with friends and family, and looking forward to having my next two visitors at the end of my trip!
The first full day in PP I arranged a cyclo tour so they were able to see the town in one of the many ways Cambodians get around. We visited many sights including the Royal Palace, National Museum, Wat Phnom, both Central and Russian Markets and also my coworkers at the office. I took them to my noodle lady in the market to have my usual, which the lady knows by heart :) Also consumed the best coffee in the world! No exaggeration, ask Tara! The rest of the time in PP we did a good amount of shopping, ate delicious food and had many tuk tuk rides around town. Words can’t express how much I enjoyed showing them around my city and loved having them there.
Next we were on to Siem Reap where we spent about a day and a half touring the famous Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, my personal favorite Ta Prohm, and many others. It’s amazing that at one point this area was a hidden city but with an enormous population. The formations were stunning and unbelievable to walk through. We had more delicious food (have I mentioned that Khmer food in to die for?!?) spring roll, pumpkin and coconut curry, fish amok to wash down with ice cold Angkor drafts (yes, ice cubes in the beer glass!)
The day we headed back to Phnom Penh was my 26 birthday! A 6 hour bus ride wasn’t the most desirable way to start the day, but once we got there it was good fun. We headed to the Russian Market so for some last minute buys for Tara, and for Dad and I to keep filling up his suitcase! Headed to Olympic Stadium to show them where I spend time before and after work a few times a week and had some good laughs. Olympic Stadium is something you can’t describe but have to experience. Usually thousands of people partaking in dance or exercise classes, running around the track, playing futbol, tennis or volleyball, sitting around to catch up with friends or eating from street vendors. The most humorous part of my days is to watch some of the exercises individuals will do like walking backwards downhill, flicking their arms in the air, or moving their hips fast paced in a circular motion. Also, women exercising in pj’s, work attire or running in flip flops? Classic! Got some good videos!
Birthday dinner was at a restaurant that looked like it should be in New York on the riverside (which you couldn’t see because of construction and billboards taking over). It was a modern/posh setting that didn’t fit in with Cambodia, but the food and cocktails were still great!The next day was Tara’s last day :( We ran around doing last minute things before she had to pack up. Saying goodbye to her this time was much harder than when I originally left, not sure why, but everythings better with your best friend around!
The rest of the time my dad and I did more shopping at the market, returned to Olympic Stadium since it was better weather, ate more and more delicious food and also toured Toul Sleng Museum, S-21 prison during the Khmer Rouge which isn’t for the light hearted and in fact gut wrenching to learn everything that went on during that time. Before he left, I treated him to a 4-hands Khmer massage (2 ladies at once!) for father’s day since I wasn’t home for it. It was harder to say goodbye this time to him too! I think having a little piece from home when I’m away is the best gift! And I never wanted it to end. I enjoyed sharing my Asian life with friends and family, and looking forward to having my next two visitors at the end of my trip!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
July Visitors Part I - Malaria Daria and Shrip-m’s
So, as you read in my last blog, I couldn’t have been more enthused about my first round of visitors in Southeast Asia, my parents, best friend and college sorority sister! I’ve been planning our trip through Thailand and bringing them to Cambodia to see my home for months. But when an unexpected turn of events occurred, it brought all of my excitement to a teary halt.
My guests arrived in Bangkok on a Wednesday and were going to explore for two days and I would meet them in the Bangkok airport on Friday evening. My flight from Phnom Penh was an hour and a half delayed, leaving me not more than two hours to catch up in the airport as planned, but only 45 minutes to find my family and connection flight in Bangkok. I was so frazzled and literally running through the airport like a movie when I finally spotted my dad and tears of happiness came over me! I gave him the biggest hug and he looks at me, starts to tear up himself and says “Megpie, I have bad news”. I think at this point my face went completely blank and he continues “Mom broke her ankle and is going home”. I look down the way to see my mom in an ace bandage in a wheelchair with her foot propped up. I started running towards her as the tears kept flowing! It all happened so fast and I only remember repeating “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” when kneeling down to hug her. How could she come all the way to Asia after not seeing her for 4 months to break the first bone ever in her body on the second day of her trip? The next flight available home was in two days but she wouldn’t let me stay with her and wanted me to continue my travels with my friends. My dad planned to stay with her in Bangkok of course and then would join us in the Thailand islands and to see my home in Cambodia because that’s what she wanted. So, after my long awaited visit from my parents, I only got to see my mom shy of 7 minutes before I had to run to my connection flight…
As I tried to make the most of my next few days, they were still pretty difficult since I imagined everything to be so different. I even called my mom the next day at her hotel to check in and she could tell that I didn’t sound like the typical “Meghan”. Luckily I had great friends to keep me occupied and we soon started having tons of fun. We started on the island of Phuket sunbathing on the beach, shopped and ate delicious Thai food. The hotel we stayed at was beautiful and I was even able to have my first “American” breakfast since I’ve been in Asia (yay buffets :). My father soon joined us and we all enjoyed our first Thai massage which was quite different than any other massage we’ve had. Lots of pulling, pushing, stretching, etc. which was really nice and also humorous at times! The next day we took a tour to monkey hill, river rafting, waterfall and an elephant ride. The rafting was one of the best trips with constant rapids from beginning to end and although our guides didn’t even need our assistance and only knew how to say “hold the rope” we still had a great time (I uploaded a picture to prove it!)
After Phuket, we took a boat to Ko Phi Phi Island for a day to relax on what most claim to be the most gorgeous island in Thailand. It was stunning! White sand beaches and crystal clear water made it easy to relax and take tons of photos. We rented beach chairs and lounged for a few hours, then walked through the market for some shopping and lunch. After, we took another boat to our next destination, Ao Nang Beach in the province of Krabi. We stayed at another beautiful hotel that was a close walk to the beach, shopping and delicious restaurants. While in Ao Nang, we got pedicures and foot massages, rented moto’s half a day (and got lost on the way home!) and did more shopping for people in Cali! Time was coming to an end when we had to say farewell to Thailand and Tara Cook :(
My guests arrived in Bangkok on a Wednesday and were going to explore for two days and I would meet them in the Bangkok airport on Friday evening. My flight from Phnom Penh was an hour and a half delayed, leaving me not more than two hours to catch up in the airport as planned, but only 45 minutes to find my family and connection flight in Bangkok. I was so frazzled and literally running through the airport like a movie when I finally spotted my dad and tears of happiness came over me! I gave him the biggest hug and he looks at me, starts to tear up himself and says “Megpie, I have bad news”. I think at this point my face went completely blank and he continues “Mom broke her ankle and is going home”. I look down the way to see my mom in an ace bandage in a wheelchair with her foot propped up. I started running towards her as the tears kept flowing! It all happened so fast and I only remember repeating “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” when kneeling down to hug her. How could she come all the way to Asia after not seeing her for 4 months to break the first bone ever in her body on the second day of her trip? The next flight available home was in two days but she wouldn’t let me stay with her and wanted me to continue my travels with my friends. My dad planned to stay with her in Bangkok of course and then would join us in the Thailand islands and to see my home in Cambodia because that’s what she wanted. So, after my long awaited visit from my parents, I only got to see my mom shy of 7 minutes before I had to run to my connection flight…
As I tried to make the most of my next few days, they were still pretty difficult since I imagined everything to be so different. I even called my mom the next day at her hotel to check in and she could tell that I didn’t sound like the typical “Meghan”. Luckily I had great friends to keep me occupied and we soon started having tons of fun. We started on the island of Phuket sunbathing on the beach, shopped and ate delicious Thai food. The hotel we stayed at was beautiful and I was even able to have my first “American” breakfast since I’ve been in Asia (yay buffets :). My father soon joined us and we all enjoyed our first Thai massage which was quite different than any other massage we’ve had. Lots of pulling, pushing, stretching, etc. which was really nice and also humorous at times! The next day we took a tour to monkey hill, river rafting, waterfall and an elephant ride. The rafting was one of the best trips with constant rapids from beginning to end and although our guides didn’t even need our assistance and only knew how to say “hold the rope” we still had a great time (I uploaded a picture to prove it!)
After Phuket, we took a boat to Ko Phi Phi Island for a day to relax on what most claim to be the most gorgeous island in Thailand. It was stunning! White sand beaches and crystal clear water made it easy to relax and take tons of photos. We rented beach chairs and lounged for a few hours, then walked through the market for some shopping and lunch. After, we took another boat to our next destination, Ao Nang Beach in the province of Krabi. We stayed at another beautiful hotel that was a close walk to the beach, shopping and delicious restaurants. While in Ao Nang, we got pedicures and foot massages, rented moto’s half a day (and got lost on the way home!) and did more shopping for people in Cali! Time was coming to an end when we had to say farewell to Thailand and Tara Cook :(
Friday, July 3, 2009
Times a tickin'
Well, it's coming down to the wire. I have a little shy of 2 months left in Southeast Asia and it honestly feels like I was just in Ottawa for VSO training!
It's been an interesting few weeks for my emotions. Recently my Executive Director asked if I could extend my placement with PSP another 6 months because of my "impressive support and guidance" (his words not mine :) the past few months and how the organization truly needs my help. I've been told that NGO's do this with their volunteers (the last volunteer at PSP extended her placement) sometimes giving a sad guilt trip. I actually got a bit teary eyed when explaining my situation to him; that I'm here on a business partnership which is different than regular volunteers who leave their job at home for a life changing experience, or volunteer for the sake of being out of a job, and that I have an obligation with my employer at home. Randstad has been such an amazing organization to work for, providing me with this opportunity and I don't think it would be fair to stay as they have been holding my seat open for my return. Also of course, with this economy, who knows what it would be like another 6 months from now trying to find a job in the states? I have family events, my best friends wedding which I'm the maid of honor for and of course, miss many people dearly. I want nothing more than to help PSP improve and grow, but when the time comes, I will have to say farewell.
After explaining to him that I needed to return home for thse various reasons, the workload came! He's now asked my assistance for monitoring and evaluation reporting, annual reports, recruiting for a newly open position, proposal writing and more. I am FINALLY busy most of the day and itonly started near the end of my assignment. I think he's realized he put all his eggs in one basket hoping I would stay and now that I can't, is stressing out a bit. I feel completely terrible about the situation and working as hard and fast as possible to get as much done in my final weeks as I can.
On the flip side, I am heading to see my first visitors in Southeast Asia today! My parents, best friend and close girlfriend all arrived in Bangkok a few days ago, and I will be meeting them to head to the Thailand islands for a week, and then bring them to Cambodia to show them my home. I couldn't be more excited to have a piece of home with me for a portion of my journey and during my birthday! I'm at the point where I don't even care where we go or what we do, just to sit in the airport and catch up would be fine by me! But, the added bonus of white sand beaches, elephant trekking, snorkeling, etc. sound appealing too!
With stressing about letting the Executive Director hear the words that heprayed not to and the excitement of seeing some that I love, its been an emotional roller coaster. I wish everyone a fun and safe 4th of July weekend!
Off to Thailand!
It's been an interesting few weeks for my emotions. Recently my Executive Director asked if I could extend my placement with PSP another 6 months because of my "impressive support and guidance" (his words not mine :) the past few months and how the organization truly needs my help. I've been told that NGO's do this with their volunteers (the last volunteer at PSP extended her placement) sometimes giving a sad guilt trip. I actually got a bit teary eyed when explaining my situation to him; that I'm here on a business partnership which is different than regular volunteers who leave their job at home for a life changing experience, or volunteer for the sake of being out of a job, and that I have an obligation with my employer at home. Randstad has been such an amazing organization to work for, providing me with this opportunity and I don't think it would be fair to stay as they have been holding my seat open for my return. Also of course, with this economy, who knows what it would be like another 6 months from now trying to find a job in the states? I have family events, my best friends wedding which I'm the maid of honor for and of course, miss many people dearly. I want nothing more than to help PSP improve and grow, but when the time comes, I will have to say farewell.
After explaining to him that I needed to return home for thse various reasons, the workload came! He's now asked my assistance for monitoring and evaluation reporting, annual reports, recruiting for a newly open position, proposal writing and more. I am FINALLY busy most of the day and itonly started near the end of my assignment. I think he's realized he put all his eggs in one basket hoping I would stay and now that I can't, is stressing out a bit. I feel completely terrible about the situation and working as hard and fast as possible to get as much done in my final weeks as I can.
On the flip side, I am heading to see my first visitors in Southeast Asia today! My parents, best friend and close girlfriend all arrived in Bangkok a few days ago, and I will be meeting them to head to the Thailand islands for a week, and then bring them to Cambodia to show them my home. I couldn't be more excited to have a piece of home with me for a portion of my journey and during my birthday! I'm at the point where I don't even care where we go or what we do, just to sit in the airport and catch up would be fine by me! But, the added bonus of white sand beaches, elephant trekking, snorkeling, etc. sound appealing too!
With stressing about letting the Executive Director hear the words that heprayed not to and the excitement of seeing some that I love, its been an emotional roller coaster. I wish everyone a fun and safe 4th of July weekend!
Off to Thailand!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Weekend in Pursat
Happy Birthday Queen of Cambodia! With another day off, I decided to make use of a long weekend and head to visit my ‘Mike and Tara’ of Cambodia, Mel and Richard, a great couple from the UK that I met during training with VSO who are placed in a neighboring province.
It started with a 4 hour bus journey which wasn’t too bad. Mel and Richard greeted me at the bus stop with their favorite tuk tuk driver, Rath. I believe they mentioned he was 1 of only 4 tuk tuk drivers in their town and the only that spoke a bit of English. That was the first of many rides with Rath throughout the weekend. We went to their home to relax for a bit, eat lunch and catch up. Their place is absolutely adorable and very comfortable, including my guest bed that was probably the best I’ve slept in Southeast Asia.
That afternoon we called up Rath to take us on a tour of the little town. Pursat is known for its amazing marble sculptures so he took us to different shops where some men were working away at their carvings. I was really impressed with how much detail even the smallest or the largest sculpture had. We then drove along the river for a bit and back to their place to get ready for dinner, went to one of their favorite Khmer restaurants and were all pretty exhausted so called it an early night.
The next day, unfortunately, Mel and Richard didn’t have off like I did. I joined Mel in the morning for their daily market run to get fresh produce from local farmers for the day. We then went to this little man-made island, that looks like a ship, to walk for a bit and boy was it hot early! As they headed off to work, I got ready for an exciting bike journey that I’ve been looking forward to all week. No map, no directions, just me, my Ipod, water and the bike. The journey lasted only about 4 hours because I thought the tires were going to burst since the roads are so bumpy, but I made it through a few villages on some rural dirt roads, some along the river, had a kind family pump up my bike tires and the mother actually proposed to me for her son!, watched a very intense volleyball match with some locals and took some great photos. I’ve grown to really enjoy long bike journeys and hope to find some trails in San Diego when I return!
I guess it was a good thing it only lasted about 4 hours because less than 30 minutes after I returned started a wonderful Cambodian monsoon! That afternoon, I relaxed and then ran to the store to pick up a bottle of wine to greet the two when they got home from work! We headed off to dinner and once again, the sun and ride took a lot out of me, and after some wine and beer, called it a night!
Saturday was our ‘big plans’ day! We went on a bamboo train ride for close to 5 hours which was quite the experience. Pretty much, they put wheels on the track, set some woven bamboo on top (about the size of a queen mattress) attached a motor to the back and we all piled on. It was very bumpy, very loud and pretty painful having to sit in awkward positions but what a great way to have a scenic tour of Pursat Province. Every time another train came we all jumped off, disassembled our train, let the other pass and reassembled to continue on. I don’t know why but it felt like we were ALWAYS the train to have to disassemble… At the farthest stop Richard was hungry and decided to order something to eat and got some sort of mystery soup! It was pretty entertaining to witness him moving various things around in a bowl not knowing what it was. On the way back, at one point we had to stop and disassemble for about 20 minutes because various trains were coming back to back. I noticed we were in front of a house that had a volleyball court and 3 boys playing. With the little amount of Khmer I know, and assistance from Richard since he was lucky enough to get 6 weeks of language training (I only had 3 days since I’m a short term volunteer) we asked who I think was the father if I could go on their property to play and he agreed. After the doubles game started, I remember looking over to see practically every person that lived in that area watching intensely. I don’t know if it was because a white person was playing, or a female (probably both, and this is typical here), but we were definitely the afternoon entertainment. And might I add, my serve was killer!
The rest of the ride home we were trying to cover up with anything possible (and by anything I mean Mel and I had both our arms pretzeled in our motorcycle helmet bags!) to keep the sun from leathering our skin, it was hot hot hot! As much as we covered up, we still resulted with awful burns! We were pretty exhausted and decided to head to the market in search of ingredients for homemade Cambodian spring rolls they had a recipe for from a cooking class. After a long search, and fun times in the kitchen, we had our spring roll feast and pretty much couldn’t move for the rest of the evening!
The next day I headed back to Phnom Penh fairly early to allow myself time in the afternoon to unwind and run errands. I’m so glad I went to visit them and had such an amazing time. The provinces are by far the best way to get a true taste of Cambodia and hopefully I can take a few more weekend trips before heading home! Thanks again Mel and Richard!
It started with a 4 hour bus journey which wasn’t too bad. Mel and Richard greeted me at the bus stop with their favorite tuk tuk driver, Rath. I believe they mentioned he was 1 of only 4 tuk tuk drivers in their town and the only that spoke a bit of English. That was the first of many rides with Rath throughout the weekend. We went to their home to relax for a bit, eat lunch and catch up. Their place is absolutely adorable and very comfortable, including my guest bed that was probably the best I’ve slept in Southeast Asia.
That afternoon we called up Rath to take us on a tour of the little town. Pursat is known for its amazing marble sculptures so he took us to different shops where some men were working away at their carvings. I was really impressed with how much detail even the smallest or the largest sculpture had. We then drove along the river for a bit and back to their place to get ready for dinner, went to one of their favorite Khmer restaurants and were all pretty exhausted so called it an early night.
The next day, unfortunately, Mel and Richard didn’t have off like I did. I joined Mel in the morning for their daily market run to get fresh produce from local farmers for the day. We then went to this little man-made island, that looks like a ship, to walk for a bit and boy was it hot early! As they headed off to work, I got ready for an exciting bike journey that I’ve been looking forward to all week. No map, no directions, just me, my Ipod, water and the bike. The journey lasted only about 4 hours because I thought the tires were going to burst since the roads are so bumpy, but I made it through a few villages on some rural dirt roads, some along the river, had a kind family pump up my bike tires and the mother actually proposed to me for her son!, watched a very intense volleyball match with some locals and took some great photos. I’ve grown to really enjoy long bike journeys and hope to find some trails in San Diego when I return!
I guess it was a good thing it only lasted about 4 hours because less than 30 minutes after I returned started a wonderful Cambodian monsoon! That afternoon, I relaxed and then ran to the store to pick up a bottle of wine to greet the two when they got home from work! We headed off to dinner and once again, the sun and ride took a lot out of me, and after some wine and beer, called it a night!
Saturday was our ‘big plans’ day! We went on a bamboo train ride for close to 5 hours which was quite the experience. Pretty much, they put wheels on the track, set some woven bamboo on top (about the size of a queen mattress) attached a motor to the back and we all piled on. It was very bumpy, very loud and pretty painful having to sit in awkward positions but what a great way to have a scenic tour of Pursat Province. Every time another train came we all jumped off, disassembled our train, let the other pass and reassembled to continue on. I don’t know why but it felt like we were ALWAYS the train to have to disassemble… At the farthest stop Richard was hungry and decided to order something to eat and got some sort of mystery soup! It was pretty entertaining to witness him moving various things around in a bowl not knowing what it was. On the way back, at one point we had to stop and disassemble for about 20 minutes because various trains were coming back to back. I noticed we were in front of a house that had a volleyball court and 3 boys playing. With the little amount of Khmer I know, and assistance from Richard since he was lucky enough to get 6 weeks of language training (I only had 3 days since I’m a short term volunteer) we asked who I think was the father if I could go on their property to play and he agreed. After the doubles game started, I remember looking over to see practically every person that lived in that area watching intensely. I don’t know if it was because a white person was playing, or a female (probably both, and this is typical here), but we were definitely the afternoon entertainment. And might I add, my serve was killer!
The rest of the ride home we were trying to cover up with anything possible (and by anything I mean Mel and I had both our arms pretzeled in our motorcycle helmet bags!) to keep the sun from leathering our skin, it was hot hot hot! As much as we covered up, we still resulted with awful burns! We were pretty exhausted and decided to head to the market in search of ingredients for homemade Cambodian spring rolls they had a recipe for from a cooking class. After a long search, and fun times in the kitchen, we had our spring roll feast and pretty much couldn’t move for the rest of the evening!
The next day I headed back to Phnom Penh fairly early to allow myself time in the afternoon to unwind and run errands. I’m so glad I went to visit them and had such an amazing time. The provinces are by far the best way to get a true taste of Cambodia and hopefully I can take a few more weekend trips before heading home! Thanks again Mel and Richard!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Questions answered...
I've been getting similar questions via email so I thought to do a blog entry rather than send the same email to 15 different people! Here are some common answers to your questions...
Q: What do you miss the most?
A: Of course the obvious are the company of family and friends. But if we're talking about other stuff, it's the little things. The one that comes to mind most often is a freshly dried towel right out of the dryer! Hung dried, sand paper texture towels just don't do it for me. I miss the excitement of Diesel (my roomie's dog) when I get home from work, which also made me realize that I don't enjoy living by myself as much as I do with friends or a pet. I miss the smell of my favorite lotion, "Butt Naked" (I know, interesting name for a lotion) and if you know me well, you know the scent :) I miss wearing high heels and although many Cambodians and some expats wear high heels, I don't know how well I'd do riding a bike or walking far distances in them. I stick to sandals. I miss cozying up on the couch with sweatpants, a sweatshirt and maybe even a blanket. Here, I can't even comprehend the thought of putting layers on.
Q: What is the strangest thing you've done so far?
A: Maybe I haven't branched out enough, but last week my coworkers brought in a bag full of cooked crickets and with no hesitation, I tried them. Amazingly, they weren't bad thanks to the added salt and crunchy texture. Soon, I plan on trying the ever so popular tarantula! And don't worry, I'll take pictures!
Q: What has been your favorite place you've visited?
A: This question is too difficult as everywhere is so different, especially country by country and the purpose of my trip. In Vietnam, I loved Ho Chi Minh City for the shopping, Hanoi for the culture and Halong Bay for the relaxation. In Laos I loved Luang Prabang for the culture and beautiful waterfalls and Si Phan Don for the remote island getaway. In Cambodia, I loved my Kampot/Kep weekend riding moto's and touring the caves but of course am pretty biased with loving Phnom Penh because I've gotten to know it the most. All in all, I've enjoyed each place I've been for what I got out of it.
Q: What is your least favorite thing about Southeast Asia?
A: The bus rides. They are long and never on time. You can't really sleep on them because of the constant sound of the driver honking the horn at anything and everything in its way.
Q: What's your favorite Southeast Asian beer?
A: I'm more of a wine drinker but so far Beer Laos takes the cake in the brewski category. There are still many I haven't tried, I'll get workin' on it!
I think that about covers it! Let me know if I missed any questions!
Q: What do you miss the most?
A: Of course the obvious are the company of family and friends. But if we're talking about other stuff, it's the little things. The one that comes to mind most often is a freshly dried towel right out of the dryer! Hung dried, sand paper texture towels just don't do it for me. I miss the excitement of Diesel (my roomie's dog) when I get home from work, which also made me realize that I don't enjoy living by myself as much as I do with friends or a pet. I miss the smell of my favorite lotion, "Butt Naked" (I know, interesting name for a lotion) and if you know me well, you know the scent :) I miss wearing high heels and although many Cambodians and some expats wear high heels, I don't know how well I'd do riding a bike or walking far distances in them. I stick to sandals. I miss cozying up on the couch with sweatpants, a sweatshirt and maybe even a blanket. Here, I can't even comprehend the thought of putting layers on.
Q: What is the strangest thing you've done so far?
A: Maybe I haven't branched out enough, but last week my coworkers brought in a bag full of cooked crickets and with no hesitation, I tried them. Amazingly, they weren't bad thanks to the added salt and crunchy texture. Soon, I plan on trying the ever so popular tarantula! And don't worry, I'll take pictures!
Q: What has been your favorite place you've visited?
A: This question is too difficult as everywhere is so different, especially country by country and the purpose of my trip. In Vietnam, I loved Ho Chi Minh City for the shopping, Hanoi for the culture and Halong Bay for the relaxation. In Laos I loved Luang Prabang for the culture and beautiful waterfalls and Si Phan Don for the remote island getaway. In Cambodia, I loved my Kampot/Kep weekend riding moto's and touring the caves but of course am pretty biased with loving Phnom Penh because I've gotten to know it the most. All in all, I've enjoyed each place I've been for what I got out of it.
Q: What is your least favorite thing about Southeast Asia?
A: The bus rides. They are long and never on time. You can't really sleep on them because of the constant sound of the driver honking the horn at anything and everything in its way.
Q: What's your favorite Southeast Asian beer?
A: I'm more of a wine drinker but so far Beer Laos takes the cake in the brewski category. There are still many I haven't tried, I'll get workin' on it!
I think that about covers it! Let me know if I missed any questions!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Russian Market Steals
I visit the Russian Market at least once a week here in Phnom Penh. Its filled with food stalls, which my favorite noodle lady is at, fresh produce, clothing, electronics, Cambodian gifts galore, you name it, its there! I made friends with an older couple that has a DVD and CD stand and am so happy about my purchases thus far!!! They work on my laptop, lets just hope they work on DVD players...
14 DVDs for $18.50!!!
Slumdog Millionaire
Bride Wars
Valkyrie
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
The Reader
Blood Diamond
Juno
Marley and Me
Sex and the City Movie
Milk
Pearl Harbor
Brokeback Mountain
27 Dresses
Movie nights when I get home anyone?? I'm starting to make a list of movies that I want to stock up on before coming home. Any requests, let me know!!!
14 DVDs for $18.50!!!
Slumdog Millionaire
Bride Wars
Valkyrie
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
The Reader
Blood Diamond
Juno
Marley and Me
Sex and the City Movie
Milk
Pearl Harbor
Brokeback Mountain
27 Dresses
Movie nights when I get home anyone?? I'm starting to make a list of movies that I want to stock up on before coming home. Any requests, let me know!!!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Running in Phnom Penh
Well, I've finally adjusted enough to the climate in Phnom Penh and worked up the courage to go on a run yesterday. Let me start by saying that when I already felt I couldn't possible get stared at anymore that I already do just walking down the street (Cambodians don't walk, they ride moto's or take tuk tuk's/cyclo's, etc.), running was a whole new ballgame. I soon realized it probably wasn't a good idea. Maybe not culturally appropriate to run around the streets and decided to head to Olympic Stadium which is about half a mile from my house.
My colleagues have told me Olympic Stadium holds dance classes in the evenings and has food stalls and such, so I was excited to check it out. Little did I know EVERYONE and there mom was there. It was so fun to watch. There was probably close to 10,000 people in many different groups following instructors' dance routines, some running and walking around the track, hanging out by the bleachers or enjoying BBQ corn and other popular Khmer street food. The most hilarious "workouts" I saw were individuals standing in place and moving one or two limbs at a time in various rotations. It's difficult to describe so I'll have to take a video to share! Bordering the stadium there were even some make-shift soccer fields, volleyball and tennis courts where I noticed only men were playing. I just ran around the track for a while, sometimes stopping to pause my Ipod and listen to the cool beats everyone was dancing too. I definitely plan on taking some classes soon as it seems pretty fun. Maybe soon I'll work up the courage to ask some of the volleyball groups if ladies are allowed to play.
All in all, I was pretty impressed with the energy and feel of my surroundings at Olympic Stadium, and impressed I can even run for the amount of time I did in this humidity. I look forward to going back with a camera to capture it all!
My colleagues have told me Olympic Stadium holds dance classes in the evenings and has food stalls and such, so I was excited to check it out. Little did I know EVERYONE and there mom was there. It was so fun to watch. There was probably close to 10,000 people in many different groups following instructors' dance routines, some running and walking around the track, hanging out by the bleachers or enjoying BBQ corn and other popular Khmer street food. The most hilarious "workouts" I saw were individuals standing in place and moving one or two limbs at a time in various rotations. It's difficult to describe so I'll have to take a video to share! Bordering the stadium there were even some make-shift soccer fields, volleyball and tennis courts where I noticed only men were playing. I just ran around the track for a while, sometimes stopping to pause my Ipod and listen to the cool beats everyone was dancing too. I definitely plan on taking some classes soon as it seems pretty fun. Maybe soon I'll work up the courage to ask some of the volleyball groups if ladies are allowed to play.
All in all, I was pretty impressed with the energy and feel of my surroundings at Olympic Stadium, and impressed I can even run for the amount of time I did in this humidity. I look forward to going back with a camera to capture it all!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Laos in a nutshell...
Thanks to King Heihamoony and his 3-day birthday holiday, I was able to escape on yet another trip, this time to Laos. Also, thanks to Mr. Schwalbe himself (what a shout out :) he gave me some great information on places to visit in such a short time.
Laos is absolutely breathtaking with rolling green mountains and rivers which made for amazing scenic drives and photo opp's. Unfortunately, in the beginning of my trip on an overnight bus, my camera was stolen out of my bag while sleeping. But, fortunately, I was traveling with someone who was able to snap some photos of me and let me use her camera.
We started in the nation’s capital Vientiane, which wasn't as exciting as I expected for a capital city but there was still a good amount to see. We met two really nice girls early on and all decided to do a walking tour together. We embraced many sights like Patuxai which resembled the Arc de Triumph in Paris with a roundabout and all, saw many more Wat's of course, and my two favorites of the day were Buddha park which holds dozens of concrete Buddha in a variety of poses and That Luang, a gorgeous golden stupa reconstructed by the French which is said to actually hold a hair of the Buddha. It was one of the most beautiful architectural monuments I've seen in Southeast Asia. After that we enjoyed a delicious dinner by the riverside in a hurry because of a wind storm that came and jumped on our overnight bus to Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang is the former royal capital of Laos and declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995. It's filled with a blend of French Indochinese architecture and Buddhist temples while sitting along the Mekong and Khan Rivers. It ended up being my favorite place in Laos. Golli and I rented moto's the first day and rode through rice fields, mountains and dusty villages to get to Kwang Si Falls. These limestone formations and sparkling turquoise pools of water were nothing like I've ever seen before. We hiked to the top of the waterfall and then relaxed afterwards at the bottom in the biggest pool and used the rope swing a time or two :) In the evening we climbed close to 300 stairs of Mount Phou Si, meaning Holy Mountain for the sunset because it’s known for the most amazing view of Laos.
Day two in Laos we set out to see the Pak Ou Caves, upper and lower. These limestone caves face the river and filled with various Buddha statues but to be honest, I wasn't too impressed with them compared to other caves we've seen. Afterwards, we took a one hour elephant trek through the mountain and rivers! It was quite fun, although extremely slow and you could imagine! I don't know how someone could do that all day long (there are also day trips). We then stopped at a weaving village which we were first greeted with free Laos whiskey tasting?!? I'm not a fan of whiskey at all, but the first two were fruit flavored so pretty tasty, and the last one burned my insides for probably about 30 minutes. I observed ladies weaving scarves and bought two from a really nice lady.
The next day we set out for Vang Vieng, boy were we in for a treat. We took a minivan with 10 others all very close to our age so it was pretty fun. I would say Vang Vieng is the spring break of Laos. Tubing down rivers with bars lined up for tourists to enjoy, some of the people we met stopped in Vang Vieng during their backpacking excursion intending to stay 2-3 days and have been there 1 week, 3 weeks and two guys even 180 days! I couldn't imagine as one day on this river was plenty for me, although a really fun time! Many tree swings and zip lines definitely added to the enjoyment. Also, (get ready Minnie) most restaurants and bars in this town played DVDs of Friends on repeat! So both evenings, we'd lounge in short tabled, cushion seating areas watching Friends episodes for 2-3 hours. Nice little American break for me :)
We then headed down to the last part of our journey to Don Dhet, a remote island of Si Phan Don a.k.a. 4,000 islands. We stayed in a bungalow for $2 a night! And spent our two days soaking up the sun, bicycle riding around and to the island of Don Khon to view some waterfalls and hidden beaches. This wasn't a place for any Laotian culture whatsoever, but a great way to end the trip by relaxing in hammocks and sipping delicious fruit shakes!
Laos is absolutely breathtaking with rolling green mountains and rivers which made for amazing scenic drives and photo opp's. Unfortunately, in the beginning of my trip on an overnight bus, my camera was stolen out of my bag while sleeping. But, fortunately, I was traveling with someone who was able to snap some photos of me and let me use her camera.
We started in the nation’s capital Vientiane, which wasn't as exciting as I expected for a capital city but there was still a good amount to see. We met two really nice girls early on and all decided to do a walking tour together. We embraced many sights like Patuxai which resembled the Arc de Triumph in Paris with a roundabout and all, saw many more Wat's of course, and my two favorites of the day were Buddha park which holds dozens of concrete Buddha in a variety of poses and That Luang, a gorgeous golden stupa reconstructed by the French which is said to actually hold a hair of the Buddha. It was one of the most beautiful architectural monuments I've seen in Southeast Asia. After that we enjoyed a delicious dinner by the riverside in a hurry because of a wind storm that came and jumped on our overnight bus to Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang is the former royal capital of Laos and declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995. It's filled with a blend of French Indochinese architecture and Buddhist temples while sitting along the Mekong and Khan Rivers. It ended up being my favorite place in Laos. Golli and I rented moto's the first day and rode through rice fields, mountains and dusty villages to get to Kwang Si Falls. These limestone formations and sparkling turquoise pools of water were nothing like I've ever seen before. We hiked to the top of the waterfall and then relaxed afterwards at the bottom in the biggest pool and used the rope swing a time or two :) In the evening we climbed close to 300 stairs of Mount Phou Si, meaning Holy Mountain for the sunset because it’s known for the most amazing view of Laos.
Day two in Laos we set out to see the Pak Ou Caves, upper and lower. These limestone caves face the river and filled with various Buddha statues but to be honest, I wasn't too impressed with them compared to other caves we've seen. Afterwards, we took a one hour elephant trek through the mountain and rivers! It was quite fun, although extremely slow and you could imagine! I don't know how someone could do that all day long (there are also day trips). We then stopped at a weaving village which we were first greeted with free Laos whiskey tasting?!? I'm not a fan of whiskey at all, but the first two were fruit flavored so pretty tasty, and the last one burned my insides for probably about 30 minutes. I observed ladies weaving scarves and bought two from a really nice lady.
The next day we set out for Vang Vieng, boy were we in for a treat. We took a minivan with 10 others all very close to our age so it was pretty fun. I would say Vang Vieng is the spring break of Laos. Tubing down rivers with bars lined up for tourists to enjoy, some of the people we met stopped in Vang Vieng during their backpacking excursion intending to stay 2-3 days and have been there 1 week, 3 weeks and two guys even 180 days! I couldn't imagine as one day on this river was plenty for me, although a really fun time! Many tree swings and zip lines definitely added to the enjoyment. Also, (get ready Minnie) most restaurants and bars in this town played DVDs of Friends on repeat! So both evenings, we'd lounge in short tabled, cushion seating areas watching Friends episodes for 2-3 hours. Nice little American break for me :)
We then headed down to the last part of our journey to Don Dhet, a remote island of Si Phan Don a.k.a. 4,000 islands. We stayed in a bungalow for $2 a night! And spent our two days soaking up the sun, bicycle riding around and to the island of Don Khon to view some waterfalls and hidden beaches. This wasn't a place for any Laotian culture whatsoever, but a great way to end the trip by relaxing in hammocks and sipping delicious fruit shakes!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A weekend in Cambodia's coast!
I had a lot of first’s this past weekend! An obvious being the first time in these two breathtaking coastal towns, and more excitingly were the first time renting/driving my own moto, sleeping in a bungalow over water, staying the night on a secluded island and my first goose bumps (yes, I was cold!) in Cambodge!
I heard great things about Kampot province in the southern part of Cambodia. Kampot is a sleepy little town set on the Kampot River, perfect for a relaxing getaway with amazing views of Bokor Mountain. Unfortunately, Bokor National Park is closed this time of year, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying our time.
Since we’ve been told to always purchase one more seat than we actually need in a shared taxi, Golli and I purchased 3 seats from Phnom Penh to Kampot. We shared the back seat of a small car with one Cambodian woman, and if we had only purchased two, one other person would have joined us. However, the front consisted of four! Two people in the driver’s seat (the driver was sitting on someone’s lap) and two in the passenger seat! The driver had his right hand on the dash and driving with his left the whole time. Who knows what foot he was using!?
When we first arrived we headed straight to our guest house Bodhi Villa to decide how we were going to spend the day. The surrounding area was flourishing with all types of vegetation leading right up to the river. We stayed in a floating bungalow set just over the river, which is a MUST if you ever go to Kampot. The bungalow was open with curtains blowing in the breeze. We decided renting moto’s was the best way to see the town efficiently as we only had about 24 hours. As we negotiated, the rain started so we waited for it to pass while relaxing in papasan chairs having lunch and sipping coffee. We met some other travelers that just arrived to the villa, Mikkel, Adam and Janine who all randomly met while traveling alone so we decided to join on an adventure together.
We set out in search of the Wat on Fish Island but instead found ourselves roaming many dirt roads which didn’t make for the easiest moto ride, but very fun nonetheless. We ran into a group of kids that wouldn’t mind if we spent hours taking pictures of them and then showing them the photos. I’ve never seen children get such a kick out of it before! We continued to do this for close to an hour before it started to rain again so we headed back. Of course on our way, we found the Wat and had to go in. We were greeted by very kind monks who showed us around and explained the history of the Buddha and what its like to be a monk. They invited us to come back the following day to teach English to children but unfortunately Golli and I already had plans to go to Koh Tonsai (Rabbit Island). Mikkel, Adam and Janine decided to join them and I am cant wait to hear how it went.
That evening we stopped a local market to pick up some wine and snacks to hold us over until dinner. We sat for about 2 hours sharing stories and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We headed back in to town motopooling (same idea as carpoolingJ) to grab some dinner. This restaurant had an abundance of options from burgers, blue cheese steak, pasta and of course Khmer food. I went with a fish curry and it was so delicious! After that, we rode home, which was when I got my first real goose bumps in Cambodia (this excludes goose bumps caused by my everyday showers because of no hot water)! The cool breeze off the river was very refreshing for about 30 seconds, and then I was so cold!
The next morning was by far one of the best I’ve ever had my entire life! I awoke to the sunrise facing our bungalow right over the river. I was literally lying in bed reading “First They Killed My Father” (a must read about the Khmer Rouge) and taking pictures every 5 minutes. I think I was in my swimsuit by 7am, lying on the bungalow just simply relaxing and soaking it all in. I couldn’t get over how peaceful it was and wish I could have stayed there for a long time.
That day Golli and I planned to visit Phnom Chhnok, 7th century ruins with amazing caves. We were greeted by very eager kids with flashlights wanting to take us through for a small tip. They were so friendly, helpful and entertaining. They had us climbing up gigantic rocks and through caves, and at some points even lifting us! I will admit that I was pretty scared at certain parts. We were in the complete dark, just Golli and me with about 6 boys (and some bats!) who knows what could have happened! We never made it to the very top before we had to take our moto’s back and catch our tuk tuk for the 2nd part to our weekend!
After a hour long tuk tuk ride in the rain, a scenic 25 minute boat ride, we arrived to Koh Tonsai, a beautiful island, covered in Palm Trees off the coast of Kep and fairly small as you could walk the perimeter in about an hour and a half. There is only electricity on this island from 6pm-10pm, which is quite helpful when wondering what time it is and then hear the start of a generator! We met up with friends Drew and Katie who are with Kiva, another volunteer organization, and were staying on the island as well. We had lunch (I had fresh fish which they literally brought in from the ocean) and then headed in the water for about an hour. The beach had bamboo beds that we laid on soaking up the sun. That evening we walked up the side of the mountain for the sunset (and many photo shootsJ) had another glorious dinner followed by chocolate and banana crepes! Oh I was in heaven! Katie and I decided we wanted to lie on the bamboo beds again just staring up at the stars. I don’t even know how much later, but a staff member woke us up making us aware that we completely fell asleep!
The next morning was Sunday L I didn’t want to leave this quaint little island and wish I had just a few more days. After breakfast and soaking up some rays, we got back on the boat to the mainland and headed home. It was nice to get home at a decent hour (about 7pm) to unwind and get good rest before another busy and productive week at PSP.
I heard great things about Kampot province in the southern part of Cambodia. Kampot is a sleepy little town set on the Kampot River, perfect for a relaxing getaway with amazing views of Bokor Mountain. Unfortunately, Bokor National Park is closed this time of year, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying our time.
Since we’ve been told to always purchase one more seat than we actually need in a shared taxi, Golli and I purchased 3 seats from Phnom Penh to Kampot. We shared the back seat of a small car with one Cambodian woman, and if we had only purchased two, one other person would have joined us. However, the front consisted of four! Two people in the driver’s seat (the driver was sitting on someone’s lap) and two in the passenger seat! The driver had his right hand on the dash and driving with his left the whole time. Who knows what foot he was using!?
When we first arrived we headed straight to our guest house Bodhi Villa to decide how we were going to spend the day. The surrounding area was flourishing with all types of vegetation leading right up to the river. We stayed in a floating bungalow set just over the river, which is a MUST if you ever go to Kampot. The bungalow was open with curtains blowing in the breeze. We decided renting moto’s was the best way to see the town efficiently as we only had about 24 hours. As we negotiated, the rain started so we waited for it to pass while relaxing in papasan chairs having lunch and sipping coffee. We met some other travelers that just arrived to the villa, Mikkel, Adam and Janine who all randomly met while traveling alone so we decided to join on an adventure together.
We set out in search of the Wat on Fish Island but instead found ourselves roaming many dirt roads which didn’t make for the easiest moto ride, but very fun nonetheless. We ran into a group of kids that wouldn’t mind if we spent hours taking pictures of them and then showing them the photos. I’ve never seen children get such a kick out of it before! We continued to do this for close to an hour before it started to rain again so we headed back. Of course on our way, we found the Wat and had to go in. We were greeted by very kind monks who showed us around and explained the history of the Buddha and what its like to be a monk. They invited us to come back the following day to teach English to children but unfortunately Golli and I already had plans to go to Koh Tonsai (Rabbit Island). Mikkel, Adam and Janine decided to join them and I am cant wait to hear how it went.
That evening we stopped a local market to pick up some wine and snacks to hold us over until dinner. We sat for about 2 hours sharing stories and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We headed back in to town motopooling (same idea as carpoolingJ) to grab some dinner. This restaurant had an abundance of options from burgers, blue cheese steak, pasta and of course Khmer food. I went with a fish curry and it was so delicious! After that, we rode home, which was when I got my first real goose bumps in Cambodia (this excludes goose bumps caused by my everyday showers because of no hot water)! The cool breeze off the river was very refreshing for about 30 seconds, and then I was so cold!
The next morning was by far one of the best I’ve ever had my entire life! I awoke to the sunrise facing our bungalow right over the river. I was literally lying in bed reading “First They Killed My Father” (a must read about the Khmer Rouge) and taking pictures every 5 minutes. I think I was in my swimsuit by 7am, lying on the bungalow just simply relaxing and soaking it all in. I couldn’t get over how peaceful it was and wish I could have stayed there for a long time.
That day Golli and I planned to visit Phnom Chhnok, 7th century ruins with amazing caves. We were greeted by very eager kids with flashlights wanting to take us through for a small tip. They were so friendly, helpful and entertaining. They had us climbing up gigantic rocks and through caves, and at some points even lifting us! I will admit that I was pretty scared at certain parts. We were in the complete dark, just Golli and me with about 6 boys (and some bats!) who knows what could have happened! We never made it to the very top before we had to take our moto’s back and catch our tuk tuk for the 2nd part to our weekend!
After a hour long tuk tuk ride in the rain, a scenic 25 minute boat ride, we arrived to Koh Tonsai, a beautiful island, covered in Palm Trees off the coast of Kep and fairly small as you could walk the perimeter in about an hour and a half. There is only electricity on this island from 6pm-10pm, which is quite helpful when wondering what time it is and then hear the start of a generator! We met up with friends Drew and Katie who are with Kiva, another volunteer organization, and were staying on the island as well. We had lunch (I had fresh fish which they literally brought in from the ocean) and then headed in the water for about an hour. The beach had bamboo beds that we laid on soaking up the sun. That evening we walked up the side of the mountain for the sunset (and many photo shootsJ) had another glorious dinner followed by chocolate and banana crepes! Oh I was in heaven! Katie and I decided we wanted to lie on the bamboo beds again just staring up at the stars. I don’t even know how much later, but a staff member woke us up making us aware that we completely fell asleep!
The next morning was Sunday L I didn’t want to leave this quaint little island and wish I had just a few more days. After breakfast and soaking up some rays, we got back on the boat to the mainland and headed home. It was nice to get home at a decent hour (about 7pm) to unwind and get good rest before another busy and productive week at PSP.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Change
Before I first met with my Executive Director Dr. Chantha, I had many goals written down to work towards throughout the duration of my placement. After meeting with him, we narrowed it just to a few, although deep down I still wanted to work on more. After about 2 months, I've realized why these goals were narrowed.
Building capacity in a small non profit organization with limited resources is much harder than I expected. I came out of training from VSO knowing that the pace of production is slower than at home, but didn't realize the feelings that I would get when asking myself "why can't we just start doing this? What about changing this? Or implementing this? Etc..." Reality is that change is good, but slow. As we work together to fulfill our mission effectively, I've had to change my thought process drastically.
At home, my work environment is very fast paced. I don't think I ever left the office at the end of each day without at least a few more things I could do. Here, I create a lot of my own work and do a lot of observation to assist with training and development. One of Dr. Chantha's biggest requests was a manageable database. I went through their enormous shared folder to find many databases scattered, some with similar information but different formats, some not updated since 2006, etc. I've never seen a system so scattered in my life. Since we don't have the funds to purchase a database program, I took it upon myself to create a template on Excel to hold all customer information and activities. I've compiled all the databases into one file, different tabs of course to make all information more organized and accessible. I've trained Boran, our marketing/sales/advertising colleague (yes, it is such a small organization he does all of it) to use this database, filter through categories, update information and keep track of activity to increase production. I still run through it step-by-step with him every once in a while to ensure he understands all the benefits of the database and he seems to be very receptive.
Many of my colleagues also wanted assistance with improving their written and verbal English skills. With our Admin Narom, I assist her with creating agenda’s for meetings and also writing the minutes following those meetings for colleagues to see. Verbally, she really enjoys learning everyday communication which usually ends up being a very comical couple of minutes. With Boran, I assist him with writing emails to clients, sales communication and creating business proposals. He also really likes hearing about the differences of sales in Cambodia and the states, which is an incredibly different type of sale! Everyone has all the time in the world to meet with you, literally an 80% scheduled meeting/call ratio, but very hard to close the deal since this country is so poor. We are pushing through though!
I’ve joined Boran to attend meetings and seminars to network and increase exposure for the magazine, which we gained a new sponsor for our next issue! After this, Dr. Chantha asked me to give a short speech to the entire team about the importance of networking and building not only a business relationship but also a friendship with current and potential customers. In addition, for the first time since this organization has been in business, we’ve successfully secured funding to print the next 4 issues! We all jumped with joy when the email came through from WHO with the request for the 3rd and 4th issues of the year to be topics of ‘Pneumonia and Diarrhea in Children’. Dr. Chantha couldn’t get the smile off his face, especially when thinking back to only 5 months ago when they were scraping to get funding to print just 1 issue, which resulted in issue 37 being delayed 2 months. So, I guess as I write it all out, although slow and still much to do, change is happening, and I’m proud to say that I’ve been a part of it!
Building capacity in a small non profit organization with limited resources is much harder than I expected. I came out of training from VSO knowing that the pace of production is slower than at home, but didn't realize the feelings that I would get when asking myself "why can't we just start doing this? What about changing this? Or implementing this? Etc..." Reality is that change is good, but slow. As we work together to fulfill our mission effectively, I've had to change my thought process drastically.
At home, my work environment is very fast paced. I don't think I ever left the office at the end of each day without at least a few more things I could do. Here, I create a lot of my own work and do a lot of observation to assist with training and development. One of Dr. Chantha's biggest requests was a manageable database. I went through their enormous shared folder to find many databases scattered, some with similar information but different formats, some not updated since 2006, etc. I've never seen a system so scattered in my life. Since we don't have the funds to purchase a database program, I took it upon myself to create a template on Excel to hold all customer information and activities. I've compiled all the databases into one file, different tabs of course to make all information more organized and accessible. I've trained Boran, our marketing/sales/advertising colleague (yes, it is such a small organization he does all of it) to use this database, filter through categories, update information and keep track of activity to increase production. I still run through it step-by-step with him every once in a while to ensure he understands all the benefits of the database and he seems to be very receptive.
Many of my colleagues also wanted assistance with improving their written and verbal English skills. With our Admin Narom, I assist her with creating agenda’s for meetings and also writing the minutes following those meetings for colleagues to see. Verbally, she really enjoys learning everyday communication which usually ends up being a very comical couple of minutes. With Boran, I assist him with writing emails to clients, sales communication and creating business proposals. He also really likes hearing about the differences of sales in Cambodia and the states, which is an incredibly different type of sale! Everyone has all the time in the world to meet with you, literally an 80% scheduled meeting/call ratio, but very hard to close the deal since this country is so poor. We are pushing through though!
I’ve joined Boran to attend meetings and seminars to network and increase exposure for the magazine, which we gained a new sponsor for our next issue! After this, Dr. Chantha asked me to give a short speech to the entire team about the importance of networking and building not only a business relationship but also a friendship with current and potential customers. In addition, for the first time since this organization has been in business, we’ve successfully secured funding to print the next 4 issues! We all jumped with joy when the email came through from WHO with the request for the 3rd and 4th issues of the year to be topics of ‘Pneumonia and Diarrhea in Children’. Dr. Chantha couldn’t get the smile off his face, especially when thinking back to only 5 months ago when they were scraping to get funding to print just 1 issue, which resulted in issue 37 being delayed 2 months. So, I guess as I write it all out, although slow and still much to do, change is happening, and I’m proud to say that I’ve been a part of it!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Shoe shopping in Phnom Penh
Over the weekend I was in the market for new pair of sandals. As you can imagine, Asians have some of the smallest feet ever! I finally learned after the first 3-5 stores to ask if they even carried my size before looking at the shoes and get disappointed when I would get rejected yet again. Most woman would look at my feet and say "oh, too big" as they chuckled at my feet! I have no idea how men from the states would shop for shoes... One mall, about 15 stores and 3 hours later, I finally found a pair that actually fit, barely. But its only a sandal. I have no hope for wedges or heels.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Holiday in the 'Nam Part II
Getting off the train in Hue was one of the most overwhelming experiences. The 4 of us were swarmed by what felt like every male specimen in Cambodia when realistically it was about 8-10, asking us if we needed a taxi, where we wanted to go, where to stay, etc. We finally just sat down at a small café to grab some coffee and regroup to see what we wanted to do. Erika and I decided that we really wanted to see Nha Trang at some point, beautiful coastline with amazing beaches, while Golli and Nono wanted to see more culture in Hoi An. With our the remainder of our travel time so short, Erika and I figured we wouldn’t even stay the night in Hue and just tour for the day and then jump on another overnight train to Nha Trang to make the most of the daylight.
Hue was a great little town near the center of Vietnam. The main attraction we wanted to see was the Citadel. Inside once had a forbidden city where only the concubines, emperors, and those close enough to them were granted access as the punishment for trespassing was death penalty. It is surrounded by thick walls and a moat. The architecture was gorgeous there were so many things to look at that you could honestly spend a most of your day in there, I think we were there for 3-4 hours. After that we were absolutely starving and headed to dinner before Erika and I caught yet another night train!
We arrived in Nha Trang around noon the next day and were craving breakfast, eggs for me of course. We set our bags down at the Nice Hotel which in fact was the nicest hotel we stayed in during the whole trip and had a gorgeous coast view. We were recommended Chopsticks as a great place to eat by the front desk and it definitely fulfilled its expectations. I had a scrumptious huge coffee as well! Vietnamese coffee (with fresh milk not that condensed stuff) is so tasty! We found a cute clothing store that had Western type clothes, something I haven’t seen since I’ve been in the states so we bought a few necessities, shorts, sun dresses, etc to help us during the heat in Phnom Penh.
Since we wanted to do some cultural things while in Nha Trang and not relax the whole time, we rented bikes, $1 for 4 hours and set out on our own little tour. We first stopped by to see the seated Buddha. It was massive! I got a great pictures sitting in front copying his pose. We also biked over the bridge to see the famous Po Ngar Cham Towers which is said to have been founded sometime before 781 A.D. There was some festival going on there so it was extremely packed with hundreds of locals, lights, activities and what looked like a performance starting later on. I got an amazing video in one of the towers where Vietnamese people go in to pray and rub the buddha. The views on the way back over the bridge were unbelievable as the stars twinkled over the water. It started to drizzle on the way home so we peddled faster than before. Returned the bikes, showered quickly and Erika had a craving for pizza.
The front desk recommended another amazing restaurant to us which they said was the best pizza in town. We enjoyed a fresh baguette with pesto and melted mozzarella together for an appetizer and for the main course she had pizza and I had a nice fresh salad (they are hard to come by in Asia so I try to get them whenever I can!). And what good is going to an Italian restaurant and not getting tiramisu?? Oh yes we did!
The next day was our “we are on vacation and should relax” day. While Erika wanted to pamper herself with a mani-pedi and relaxing on the beach, I set out on an all-day boat cruise with about 40 other people to 4 different islands off the coast of Nha Trang. I read about this in a book I have and also heard great reviews from individuals that have previously gone. Right away, I met one lady from Italy and several men from the UK, Australia and Scotland. We grouped up pretty quickly taking pictures, singing and playing in the water. At the second island we had 1 hour to snorkel, which was my first time ever! For the first 10 minutes our small group thought there was nothing to see and then realized we were too far away from the coast where everyone else was. Once we found a better spot, the coral and fish were beautiful. I just wish my camera was water proof! The next island for lunch and swimming and then the last was to utilize the beach for relaxing. It was so fun and great way to meet new travelers and hear about each others experiences.
That evening was our last overnight trip and this time we decided to take a sleeper bus because it was only $10 rather that $25 on the train… bad decision! Although they told us they fully reclined, they didn’t. At a constant 45 degree angle and the fact that I’m 5’7 and even my legs were too long to straighten, made for a sleepless night. I would get so excited if I were to wake then look at the time to realize I only dozed off for about 30 minutes or so. Oh well!
We arrived back in Ho Chi Minh City for our last day/night before back to PP. Once we got there, Erika and I wanted to see the War Remnants Museum and as you can imagine made it a pretty emotional morning. The images on display showed the effects of weapons of mass destruction used by the Americans during the Vietnam War. The photos of explosions and tangled bodies definitely leave an imprint in your mind. We were pretty exhausted after that but managed to make our way over to China town to see the Chinese temple and were ready for a nap after the lack of sleep we got from the bus. The last evening we did some touristy shopping. I got some gifts, an amazing abstract canvass painting and more! We had the best dinner of the whole trip at Quan an Ngon, where I had a seafood and vegetable stir-fry with rice noodles, delicious! Finished it off with some ice cream on the walk home, met up with the girls for some hookah lounge time then called it a night as we had to leave the next day.
The last morning we woke and got one last touristy item checked off the list, the Reunification Palace. Most of the rooms haven't been touched since the war and were absolutely beautiful with authentic furniture and paintings. It was so sad to leave Vietnam. I could definitely travel there for 3-4 more weeks because there are so many places I still want to go, and even spend more time in the cities I visited. The bus ride home took just as long, another 3 hour wait at the river, but eventually made it and was so nice to cozy up in my bed again. Back to work and enjoying every bit of it :)
Hue was a great little town near the center of Vietnam. The main attraction we wanted to see was the Citadel. Inside once had a forbidden city where only the concubines, emperors, and those close enough to them were granted access as the punishment for trespassing was death penalty. It is surrounded by thick walls and a moat. The architecture was gorgeous there were so many things to look at that you could honestly spend a most of your day in there, I think we were there for 3-4 hours. After that we were absolutely starving and headed to dinner before Erika and I caught yet another night train!
We arrived in Nha Trang around noon the next day and were craving breakfast, eggs for me of course. We set our bags down at the Nice Hotel which in fact was the nicest hotel we stayed in during the whole trip and had a gorgeous coast view. We were recommended Chopsticks as a great place to eat by the front desk and it definitely fulfilled its expectations. I had a scrumptious huge coffee as well! Vietnamese coffee (with fresh milk not that condensed stuff) is so tasty! We found a cute clothing store that had Western type clothes, something I haven’t seen since I’ve been in the states so we bought a few necessities, shorts, sun dresses, etc to help us during the heat in Phnom Penh.
Since we wanted to do some cultural things while in Nha Trang and not relax the whole time, we rented bikes, $1 for 4 hours and set out on our own little tour. We first stopped by to see the seated Buddha. It was massive! I got a great pictures sitting in front copying his pose. We also biked over the bridge to see the famous Po Ngar Cham Towers which is said to have been founded sometime before 781 A.D. There was some festival going on there so it was extremely packed with hundreds of locals, lights, activities and what looked like a performance starting later on. I got an amazing video in one of the towers where Vietnamese people go in to pray and rub the buddha. The views on the way back over the bridge were unbelievable as the stars twinkled over the water. It started to drizzle on the way home so we peddled faster than before. Returned the bikes, showered quickly and Erika had a craving for pizza.
The front desk recommended another amazing restaurant to us which they said was the best pizza in town. We enjoyed a fresh baguette with pesto and melted mozzarella together for an appetizer and for the main course she had pizza and I had a nice fresh salad (they are hard to come by in Asia so I try to get them whenever I can!). And what good is going to an Italian restaurant and not getting tiramisu?? Oh yes we did!
The next day was our “we are on vacation and should relax” day. While Erika wanted to pamper herself with a mani-pedi and relaxing on the beach, I set out on an all-day boat cruise with about 40 other people to 4 different islands off the coast of Nha Trang. I read about this in a book I have and also heard great reviews from individuals that have previously gone. Right away, I met one lady from Italy and several men from the UK, Australia and Scotland. We grouped up pretty quickly taking pictures, singing and playing in the water. At the second island we had 1 hour to snorkel, which was my first time ever! For the first 10 minutes our small group thought there was nothing to see and then realized we were too far away from the coast where everyone else was. Once we found a better spot, the coral and fish were beautiful. I just wish my camera was water proof! The next island for lunch and swimming and then the last was to utilize the beach for relaxing. It was so fun and great way to meet new travelers and hear about each others experiences.
That evening was our last overnight trip and this time we decided to take a sleeper bus because it was only $10 rather that $25 on the train… bad decision! Although they told us they fully reclined, they didn’t. At a constant 45 degree angle and the fact that I’m 5’7 and even my legs were too long to straighten, made for a sleepless night. I would get so excited if I were to wake then look at the time to realize I only dozed off for about 30 minutes or so. Oh well!
We arrived back in Ho Chi Minh City for our last day/night before back to PP. Once we got there, Erika and I wanted to see the War Remnants Museum and as you can imagine made it a pretty emotional morning. The images on display showed the effects of weapons of mass destruction used by the Americans during the Vietnam War. The photos of explosions and tangled bodies definitely leave an imprint in your mind. We were pretty exhausted after that but managed to make our way over to China town to see the Chinese temple and were ready for a nap after the lack of sleep we got from the bus. The last evening we did some touristy shopping. I got some gifts, an amazing abstract canvass painting and more! We had the best dinner of the whole trip at Quan an Ngon, where I had a seafood and vegetable stir-fry with rice noodles, delicious! Finished it off with some ice cream on the walk home, met up with the girls for some hookah lounge time then called it a night as we had to leave the next day.
The last morning we woke and got one last touristy item checked off the list, the Reunification Palace. Most of the rooms haven't been touched since the war and were absolutely beautiful with authentic furniture and paintings. It was so sad to leave Vietnam. I could definitely travel there for 3-4 more weeks because there are so many places I still want to go, and even spend more time in the cities I visited. The bus ride home took just as long, another 3 hour wait at the river, but eventually made it and was so nice to cozy up in my bed again. Back to work and enjoying every bit of it :)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Holiday in the 'Nam Part I
Amazing! Is the one word I could use to sum up my trip. Vietnam is a country of so much culture and personality, lush green country sides, a beautiful coast and more delicious food! 4 other VSO volunteers and I set out on our first holiday adventure for 8 days in the 'Nam and was definitely not enough time!
We started on a bus journey leaving Phnom Penh Saturday, April 11th headed to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) because flights were around a quarter of the price to Hanoi from there. Originally, we were going to jump the gun and book a flight a few hours after we arrived but instead we booked the flight to Hanoi for the following day. Since its Khmer New Year most everyone heads to their provinces for the week resulting in horrendous traffic that was backed up like you wouldn't believe. A narrow river runs through Neak Leung but there is no bridge, only a ferry transporting vehicles from one side to the other (someone please get these people a bridge!) Our 6 hour bus ride turned in to 10 hours since we had to wait so long at the river. Good thing we didn't book our flight for that day!
After arriving in Ho Chi Minh, it was time for dinner. We set our stuff down at our guest house, Yellow House Hotel and headed out to an amazing restaurant ‘Asian Kitchen’ recommended in a book I had. It had all types of food from Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese and Western food. I enjoyed giant, delicious fresh spring rolls and some Vietnamese tea. That night, we walked around the streets near our guest house and called it a night since we had an early flight the next morning.
Once we arrived in Hanoi, we were greeted by the most helpful girl that worked at Thu Giang Guest House. She sat us down, offered tea, showed us the places that we wanted to visit that day on a map, places to eat and also booked our travel arrangements for us to Halong Bay. One of my fellow travelers even asked about taking a taxi to certain areas and she let us know that they'd just rip us off! She was amazing! We set out on our own walking tour in the Old Quarter. We saw a few Pagoda’s, Hoan Kiem Lake that also had the Ngoc Son Temple on a small island in the middle, St. Joseph’s Cathedral (it was Easter so I went in for a few minutes), and more! We had amazing lunch at The Avalon that overlooked the lake and had breath taking views. Also spotted a few things I wanted to purchase on our way back through from Halong Bay :) We went to Hua Sua School Restaurant, a training center for disadvantaged youth for dinner which was absolutely delicious. The setting looked like a French style home with foliage surrounding all areas. The meal was delicious and a perfect ending to the day.
The next morning we awoke and headed out on the bus to Halong Bay. It was the first time we were able to see the country side of Vietnam and boy is it beautiful! The rice fields were so green with workers in their triangular hats made some great photo opp’s. Once we got to the bay, we unloaded and had lunch served on the boat as we sailed away from shore. There were many different Vietnamese dishes with seafood and vegetables that were divine. That afternoon the weather was a little gloomy which made everything look very mysterious like out of a movie. There are about 3,000 tiny islands peaking out of the water which is truly a sight to see. Most aren’t really “islands” as we know it with sandy beaches, but more like rock sculptures. We lounged on the top deck with remarkable views of bamboo boats cruising along, some even with motors, floating cities and also toured through a cave. As we journeyed through, there were some areas where the sun would peak through making it feel very majestic and the stalactite and stalagmite were nothing like I’ve ever seen before.
That evening we had an hour for kayaking and exploring. Golli and I headed out and found a mini cave that we entered at our own risk, but it was so dark that we weren’t in there very long. If I’m scared of anything, its not snakes or spiders (thanks to my animal diversity and ecology class Tara and I took), but bats really freak me out! Out on the water, they even have boat vendors! So as we were cruising along, a vendor would sail up hoping to sell water, snacks and even alcohol to tourists. Since the boat trip was filled with more than a dozen tourists, we met and joined groups with 4 other girls from Canada that were all close to our age and shared traveling experiences with. We ended the evening with a romantic dinner (well, nobody really to romance with) and more gorgeous views with a few glasses of wine on the boat. As we thought the night was finishing up, the tour guide asked if we wanted to do karaoke! Knowing Meghan, you wouldn’t be surprised that I was the first to day “I’ll sing if you sing first” and he went right up there to sing a song from the Backstreet Boys! Since I gave him my word, I was up next. I sang a song from Ace of Base (oh yeah, bringing it back!) but after 3 hours and all of us ladies singing close to 25 different songs (usually all together), we were wiped. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wished he could take back his request to participate in the singing escapade because I think he got the microphone back only 1 or 2 times.
The next day we had a half day to swim and lounge around which is very relaxing knowing we have a lot of traveling ahead of us. Another 3 hour bus ride back to Hanoi and when we got there, although it was closed, still wanted to go see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex. It was a huge open area, the grass laid out just like rice fields in the country side (although you can’t walk on the grass, only the areas between) and individuals doing Tai Chi and other traditional movements. We also saw the ‘One Pillar Pagoda’, that was so small and cute standing in the middle of a manmade moat. That evening was the first night of Pho, and it was delicious! I had to do the real thing so I ate the beef that was in the Pho and glad I did. We also went to the famous ‘Water Puppet Show’ which to be honest, wasn’t all what it was hyped up to be. Afterwards, we grabbed our belongings and set out on our first overnight train to Hue. With the ipod charged, I amazingly slept very well and got some more time to write in my journal. I couldn’t wait to see more of what already surpassed my expectations of the great Vietnam.
We started on a bus journey leaving Phnom Penh Saturday, April 11th headed to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) because flights were around a quarter of the price to Hanoi from there. Originally, we were going to jump the gun and book a flight a few hours after we arrived but instead we booked the flight to Hanoi for the following day. Since its Khmer New Year most everyone heads to their provinces for the week resulting in horrendous traffic that was backed up like you wouldn't believe. A narrow river runs through Neak Leung but there is no bridge, only a ferry transporting vehicles from one side to the other (someone please get these people a bridge!) Our 6 hour bus ride turned in to 10 hours since we had to wait so long at the river. Good thing we didn't book our flight for that day!
After arriving in Ho Chi Minh, it was time for dinner. We set our stuff down at our guest house, Yellow House Hotel and headed out to an amazing restaurant ‘Asian Kitchen’ recommended in a book I had. It had all types of food from Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese and Western food. I enjoyed giant, delicious fresh spring rolls and some Vietnamese tea. That night, we walked around the streets near our guest house and called it a night since we had an early flight the next morning.
Once we arrived in Hanoi, we were greeted by the most helpful girl that worked at Thu Giang Guest House. She sat us down, offered tea, showed us the places that we wanted to visit that day on a map, places to eat and also booked our travel arrangements for us to Halong Bay. One of my fellow travelers even asked about taking a taxi to certain areas and she let us know that they'd just rip us off! She was amazing! We set out on our own walking tour in the Old Quarter. We saw a few Pagoda’s, Hoan Kiem Lake that also had the Ngoc Son Temple on a small island in the middle, St. Joseph’s Cathedral (it was Easter so I went in for a few minutes), and more! We had amazing lunch at The Avalon that overlooked the lake and had breath taking views. Also spotted a few things I wanted to purchase on our way back through from Halong Bay :) We went to Hua Sua School Restaurant, a training center for disadvantaged youth for dinner which was absolutely delicious. The setting looked like a French style home with foliage surrounding all areas. The meal was delicious and a perfect ending to the day.
The next morning we awoke and headed out on the bus to Halong Bay. It was the first time we were able to see the country side of Vietnam and boy is it beautiful! The rice fields were so green with workers in their triangular hats made some great photo opp’s. Once we got to the bay, we unloaded and had lunch served on the boat as we sailed away from shore. There were many different Vietnamese dishes with seafood and vegetables that were divine. That afternoon the weather was a little gloomy which made everything look very mysterious like out of a movie. There are about 3,000 tiny islands peaking out of the water which is truly a sight to see. Most aren’t really “islands” as we know it with sandy beaches, but more like rock sculptures. We lounged on the top deck with remarkable views of bamboo boats cruising along, some even with motors, floating cities and also toured through a cave. As we journeyed through, there were some areas where the sun would peak through making it feel very majestic and the stalactite and stalagmite were nothing like I’ve ever seen before.
That evening we had an hour for kayaking and exploring. Golli and I headed out and found a mini cave that we entered at our own risk, but it was so dark that we weren’t in there very long. If I’m scared of anything, its not snakes or spiders (thanks to my animal diversity and ecology class Tara and I took), but bats really freak me out! Out on the water, they even have boat vendors! So as we were cruising along, a vendor would sail up hoping to sell water, snacks and even alcohol to tourists. Since the boat trip was filled with more than a dozen tourists, we met and joined groups with 4 other girls from Canada that were all close to our age and shared traveling experiences with. We ended the evening with a romantic dinner (well, nobody really to romance with) and more gorgeous views with a few glasses of wine on the boat. As we thought the night was finishing up, the tour guide asked if we wanted to do karaoke! Knowing Meghan, you wouldn’t be surprised that I was the first to day “I’ll sing if you sing first” and he went right up there to sing a song from the Backstreet Boys! Since I gave him my word, I was up next. I sang a song from Ace of Base (oh yeah, bringing it back!) but after 3 hours and all of us ladies singing close to 25 different songs (usually all together), we were wiped. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wished he could take back his request to participate in the singing escapade because I think he got the microphone back only 1 or 2 times.
The next day we had a half day to swim and lounge around which is very relaxing knowing we have a lot of traveling ahead of us. Another 3 hour bus ride back to Hanoi and when we got there, although it was closed, still wanted to go see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex. It was a huge open area, the grass laid out just like rice fields in the country side (although you can’t walk on the grass, only the areas between) and individuals doing Tai Chi and other traditional movements. We also saw the ‘One Pillar Pagoda’, that was so small and cute standing in the middle of a manmade moat. That evening was the first night of Pho, and it was delicious! I had to do the real thing so I ate the beef that was in the Pho and glad I did. We also went to the famous ‘Water Puppet Show’ which to be honest, wasn’t all what it was hyped up to be. Afterwards, we grabbed our belongings and set out on our first overnight train to Hue. With the ipod charged, I amazingly slept very well and got some more time to write in my journal. I couldn’t wait to see more of what already surpassed my expectations of the great Vietnam.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Bag Snatched in Cambodge...
It's a known fact that safety, security and theft are an issue in Cambodia. As cautious and aware you try to be, reality is that most of the time it is out of our control. As Khmer New Year is approaching (next week) these problems are heightened. Here, this holiday is like Christmas, birthdays and New Years all rolled into one. Most everyone gets 3-5 business days off and heads to their homeland province to spend time with family for reunions, gift exchanges, massive feasts and parties. I've been told that the few weeks leading up to this holiday are the most common time for getting things stolen as these people need money to purchase gifts, or items to give away. Just a few weeks ago, am American tourist was riding her bike with her purse around her body. A moto came up and grabbed her purse and ended up dragging her along to eventually take her life. Others have been stabbed (maybe by accident) from snatchers trying to cut the bag right off of them as they rode by. From these stories I decided that when riding my bike, I wouldn't keep my purse on me but in the bottom of my basket.
I was looking forward to this kickboxing class all day long. Its not like the kickboxing classes I take at home with choreographed routines, which of course is still a great workout. This class is circuit training kickboxing with gloves and no air conditioning or fans! 3 minutes on the punching bag and 1 minute off. 3 minutes running the stairs and 1 minute off. 3 minutes kicking the bag and 1 minute off. 3 minutes in the ring punching at the coach and minute off, over and over again. I've never sweat so hard in my life and I couldn't wait to go back! On my bike ride to class, which is about 25 minutes away, I was side swiped by a moto forcing me to put my feet down to break my fall. As I did, the passenger reached in to my basket to snatch my purse and sped off. I was initially in shock and screamed at them and then was so angry that I tried to pedal as fast as possible to catch up to them at the next intersection as it is a fairly crowded area. I soon realized that I didn't have a chance, I was lucky that I didn't get injured and who knew what they could have done to me even if I did. I lost my phone (which I just topped up adding $20 in overseas minutes), about $35 and a credit card which soon got cancelled by my amazing parents, my new purse and wallet and my VSO ID card. My keys were in there as well which was an interesting situation when I got back to my apartment trying to act out and explain the situation. The 7 year old boy was a lifesaver and able to translate the bits and pieces I couldn't express in Khmer. My landlords felt terrible for me and gave me a new set of keys right away and asked if I needed to eat anything for dinner thinking that I didn't have any money left. I thank my lucky stars that I had taken my camera out to charge for my trip to Vietnam and a few passports, mine and 2 of the girls traveling with me because I went to get all our visas just the day before. And of course no injuries.
I didn't sleep well last night and decided to treat myself to my first massage in Southeast Asia tonight to hopefully relieve some tension and help me relax. I plan on going to a shop before I leave for Vietnam that I heard sews basket covers with a zipper so I am able to safely keep my belongings and wont worry that someone could reach in and steal my bag so quickly again. I hope it will make me feel more at ease.
I was looking forward to this kickboxing class all day long. Its not like the kickboxing classes I take at home with choreographed routines, which of course is still a great workout. This class is circuit training kickboxing with gloves and no air conditioning or fans! 3 minutes on the punching bag and 1 minute off. 3 minutes running the stairs and 1 minute off. 3 minutes kicking the bag and 1 minute off. 3 minutes in the ring punching at the coach and minute off, over and over again. I've never sweat so hard in my life and I couldn't wait to go back! On my bike ride to class, which is about 25 minutes away, I was side swiped by a moto forcing me to put my feet down to break my fall. As I did, the passenger reached in to my basket to snatch my purse and sped off. I was initially in shock and screamed at them and then was so angry that I tried to pedal as fast as possible to catch up to them at the next intersection as it is a fairly crowded area. I soon realized that I didn't have a chance, I was lucky that I didn't get injured and who knew what they could have done to me even if I did. I lost my phone (which I just topped up adding $20 in overseas minutes), about $35 and a credit card which soon got cancelled by my amazing parents, my new purse and wallet and my VSO ID card. My keys were in there as well which was an interesting situation when I got back to my apartment trying to act out and explain the situation. The 7 year old boy was a lifesaver and able to translate the bits and pieces I couldn't express in Khmer. My landlords felt terrible for me and gave me a new set of keys right away and asked if I needed to eat anything for dinner thinking that I didn't have any money left. I thank my lucky stars that I had taken my camera out to charge for my trip to Vietnam and a few passports, mine and 2 of the girls traveling with me because I went to get all our visas just the day before. And of course no injuries.
I didn't sleep well last night and decided to treat myself to my first massage in Southeast Asia tonight to hopefully relieve some tension and help me relax. I plan on going to a shop before I leave for Vietnam that I heard sews basket covers with a zipper so I am able to safely keep my belongings and wont worry that someone could reach in and steal my bag so quickly again. I hope it will make me feel more at ease.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thunder and Lightening in Cambo, Oh my!
I've never heard anything like this before in my life! I was washing dishes and listening to music in my apartment, getting ready to head out to Skype with a friend for the first time (Sari Bear!) and when I turned off the faucet, I honestly thought someone was on my roof dropping rocks! Now you might think, why on earth would I think someone would be on my roof? AND dropping rocks? But given the fact that there is construction going on across the street at completely random times on any given day (or not), and the fact that I have tin over my actual roof, this would in fact be a logical thought process! I went out to my patio to learn that it was just a down pour! I quickly grabbed my camera to take a video of the noise and also the lightening that was occurring more often than I've ever seen. It's not even monsoon season yet and this has now happened 2 nights in a row. Supposedly, the call it 'mango rain' as it helps ripen the mango's. April is the best month to get them!
After living here for a month now, I've realized how large the expat community is in Phnom Penh. I've met many individuals from all over the world (America, India, Denmark, Philippines, UK, Finland, Canada, etc.) that are here volunteering for some cause or another. It is great to see people joining together to assist this country in sectors such as health, education and livelihoods. It also makes you realize how small the world is when getting deep into conversation. A few nights ago I went with some friends to a new acquaintance's for dinner. They were volunteering with another organization and a majority of them were from the states. They made homemade Tacos! And yes I did eat meat (well chicken) that night :) It was so tasty. Further in to conversations I realized that one of the girls was actually born and raised in my college town, San Luis Obispo! We had some mutual friends and was reminiscing about good ole SLO. I miss that town.
I bought a flight for Vietnam today!! It will be my first "trip" since living in Asia. I am taking a bus for $12 from PP to Ho Chi Minh city, staying one night there and then flying to Hanoi for $60. We will be spending 8 days to work our way down the coast of Vietnam. No set plans as of yet, but we have some spots that we want to see. I look forward to sharing stories and pictures of my travels!
After living here for a month now, I've realized how large the expat community is in Phnom Penh. I've met many individuals from all over the world (America, India, Denmark, Philippines, UK, Finland, Canada, etc.) that are here volunteering for some cause or another. It is great to see people joining together to assist this country in sectors such as health, education and livelihoods. It also makes you realize how small the world is when getting deep into conversation. A few nights ago I went with some friends to a new acquaintance's for dinner. They were volunteering with another organization and a majority of them were from the states. They made homemade Tacos! And yes I did eat meat (well chicken) that night :) It was so tasty. Further in to conversations I realized that one of the girls was actually born and raised in my college town, San Luis Obispo! We had some mutual friends and was reminiscing about good ole SLO. I miss that town.
I bought a flight for Vietnam today!! It will be my first "trip" since living in Asia. I am taking a bus for $12 from PP to Ho Chi Minh city, staying one night there and then flying to Hanoi for $60. We will be spending 8 days to work our way down the coast of Vietnam. No set plans as of yet, but we have some spots that we want to see. I look forward to sharing stories and pictures of my travels!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
My ride, my office and yoga cruise
<-- My new ride! Gotta love the bright orange and more especially, the bell and basket! :)
<-- My office. I have the flat black computer which the back of the screen is facing the pic. I share this with Boran, Sokhan, and the other volunteer Leonie.
<-- Along the Tonle Sap. Picking the boat we want to use for yoga cruise.
<-- Best way to do yoga ever!!
Friday, March 27, 2009
I have a home!
Yep, I finally have a place to call home! A great big covered patio, 1-bedroom, 1-bath, kitchen, living room and another room that I have no idea what I'm going to do with yet. I still have to get a few items to make it more "Meghan" but its just so nice to have the option of having a spot for things, cooking, and relaxing in my own place. Although my landlords don't speak a lick of English, and my Khmer is minimal, I feel that we've already built a good bond. We exchange hellos, how are yous, goodbyes (in Khmer) and I also have been improving my acting tremendously, which usually gets a good laugh from them and me. They have two young boys, 7 and 4 who are absolutely adorable. Yesterday alone when I was leaving for the yoga cruise, they were playing "swords". I grabbed my water bottle and joined it. They got a kick out of fake stabbing me which of course I would in turn play dead. I'm looking forward to being silly with them these next few months!
As for work, after learning about the organization and observing my colleagues for the past 2 weeks, I met with the Executive Director and explained to him the ideas and goals I have for the duration of my placement. He seemed very receptive and liked all that I presented. The end of the week I started working directly with Boran on basic things like managing a database, effective business communication and strategizing, which thanks to Randstad, I feel very confident with. We both know we have a long way to go, but he seems very eager to learn and improve his skills.
I'm in the process of planning a few trips. In April to Thailand and in May to Laos for one week each (if anyone has tips, definitely let m know!) Luckily for me, I came to Cambodia at a great time as many national holidays (more like holiweeks) are approaching and my company takes every single one of them! I've never had that before and will gladly take advantage since my time is so short. I can't wait for my visitors from home too (you know who you are :) I already know that 5 months is going to fly by so fast. I can't believe its already been almost one month so I'm trying to stay as busy and as active as possible to soak it all in!
As for work, after learning about the organization and observing my colleagues for the past 2 weeks, I met with the Executive Director and explained to him the ideas and goals I have for the duration of my placement. He seemed very receptive and liked all that I presented. The end of the week I started working directly with Boran on basic things like managing a database, effective business communication and strategizing, which thanks to Randstad, I feel very confident with. We both know we have a long way to go, but he seems very eager to learn and improve his skills.
I'm in the process of planning a few trips. In April to Thailand and in May to Laos for one week each (if anyone has tips, definitely let m know!) Luckily for me, I came to Cambodia at a great time as many national holidays (more like holiweeks) are approaching and my company takes every single one of them! I've never had that before and will gladly take advantage since my time is so short. I can't wait for my visitors from home too (you know who you are :) I already know that 5 months is going to fly by so fast. I can't believe its already been almost one month so I'm trying to stay as busy and as active as possible to soak it all in!
Monday, March 23, 2009
More at home...
I have received some email responses from my photos expressing that everything looks beautiful and clean, which is very true is some areas. Moment of truth though, I feel most comfortable taking photos of the touristy sites and cleaner areas rather than individuals sleeping on the pavement under a cloth they attach to a tree, children walking barefoot and shirtless trying to sell mango's, a mother nursing her nude baby as she's walking through the market, individuals of all ages without a limb because of landmine accidents, locals showering in public with a bucket of water and flies surrounding meat and fish as they are exposed to the beating sun waiting to be purchased at the market. I don't know if I will ever feel comfortable being the "American tourist" and whipping out my camera to expose the truly underdeveloped examples of Cambodia, but only time will tell.
Although this is reality here and so different from what I am used to, I am starting to feel more at home in Phnom Penh. I have to admit though, I've spoiled myself twice already. I've gone to a touristy resort which feels like you are in a jungle, to lay by the pool and eat delicious food. It's sort of an escape to relax from the heat as its getting warmer because April is the hottest month of the year. But I also use it as an excuse to Skype with family and friends since it’s free with the cost of membership (I spend only $5 each time I go which includes lunch, wifi and of course cooling off and relaxation). So it makes me feel a little better when "spoiling" myself.
This past weekend was very nice. Leonie, the other volunteer working with PSP invited me out with her girlfriends for dinner and a night out on the town. It was great to meet more individuals (most were volunteers from around the world) here in Phnom Penh. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at a tapas restaurant, Tamarind on the rooftop terrace, a glass of wine at Rubies, a corner wine bar and then the main event which was at Pontoon, a club on a boat on the Mekong River. The nightlife here goes until the wee hours of the morning, say 5ish, although I was already home by 2am!
The markets here are an experience all in its own. I’ve never been called 'madam' so many times in my life! “Madam you like? Madam you buy?” etc. Since you bargain for absolutely everything, I can only imagine how people can go through money so quickly with the mindset of ‘it’s so cheap I can't afford not to buy it’ as I’ve even thought that to myself a few times already. I am proud to say that I’ve held myself back many times from buying things that I really don't need here, at least till I head back to the states. I did however purchase 3 shirts for $4 today! The food section has its ups and downs as well. I was introduced to what Leonie calls her "noodle lady" to have a full plate noodles, vegetables and a fried egg on top for $1 and I've gone to her twice already. The area with raw food to buy and bring home I stay away from because of the foul smells and the flies as mentioned before. But spending a hour or so walking around the open markets really gets you a true feel for Cambodian culture and I'm absolutely loving every moment of it!
Although this is reality here and so different from what I am used to, I am starting to feel more at home in Phnom Penh. I have to admit though, I've spoiled myself twice already. I've gone to a touristy resort which feels like you are in a jungle, to lay by the pool and eat delicious food. It's sort of an escape to relax from the heat as its getting warmer because April is the hottest month of the year. But I also use it as an excuse to Skype with family and friends since it’s free with the cost of membership (I spend only $5 each time I go which includes lunch, wifi and of course cooling off and relaxation). So it makes me feel a little better when "spoiling" myself.
This past weekend was very nice. Leonie, the other volunteer working with PSP invited me out with her girlfriends for dinner and a night out on the town. It was great to meet more individuals (most were volunteers from around the world) here in Phnom Penh. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at a tapas restaurant, Tamarind on the rooftop terrace, a glass of wine at Rubies, a corner wine bar and then the main event which was at Pontoon, a club on a boat on the Mekong River. The nightlife here goes until the wee hours of the morning, say 5ish, although I was already home by 2am!
The markets here are an experience all in its own. I’ve never been called 'madam' so many times in my life! “Madam you like? Madam you buy?” etc. Since you bargain for absolutely everything, I can only imagine how people can go through money so quickly with the mindset of ‘it’s so cheap I can't afford not to buy it’ as I’ve even thought that to myself a few times already. I am proud to say that I’ve held myself back many times from buying things that I really don't need here, at least till I head back to the states. I did however purchase 3 shirts for $4 today! The food section has its ups and downs as well. I was introduced to what Leonie calls her "noodle lady" to have a full plate noodles, vegetables and a fried egg on top for $1 and I've gone to her twice already. The area with raw food to buy and bring home I stay away from because of the foul smells and the flies as mentioned before. But spending a hour or so walking around the open markets really gets you a true feel for Cambodian culture and I'm absolutely loving every moment of it!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Ponleu Sokhapheap
I started my placement at Ponleu Sokhapheap (PSP) on Monday and was thrilled when I arrived! I was greeted by a current VSO volunteer, Leonie who has worked with PSP for almost a year and a half to introduce me to my new colleagues and show me around the office. The first thing I noticed, it has A/C! But actually, it is kept at a nice level to where it's not too cold (more like a normal fan blowing) so it wont take away from adjusting to the sauna-like Cambodia climate. Everyone was very warm and welcoming with great smiles, introducing themselves and what there role was. The gentleman that I would be working with, Boran pulled up my chair, said "Hi, I Boran, you work with me" and sat me down at my new desk right next to him. Very comforting. Leonie then gave me an overview about the organization and her input of how things are run here. She is obviously loving it since she was supposed to be here for just one year and extended for another six months. One thing she pointed out was that work is not like home, very slow paced, sometimes things get done, sometimes not. People don't feel like they have to commit to time lines, meetings etc. The Executive Director, Dr. Lao Chantha is a very brilliant man. He has a lot of knowledge of the health sector in Cambodia and very hard working. He runs a great team here!
Today, Boran and I are attending and Expo put on by MEDiCAM which represents 120 NGO's collective voice of concerns, challenges, and recommendations for improving health in Cambodia. We have a booth, lots of give aways and will be a great experience for me to learn more about many health concerns here. Afterwards, there is a meeting with a panel of experts in the health sector and then dinner, music and entertainment. I am really looking forward to this event and hopefully getting more exposure for PSP and Health Messenger.
Today, Boran and I are attending and Expo put on by MEDiCAM which represents 120 NGO's collective voice of concerns, challenges, and recommendations for improving health in Cambodia. We have a booth, lots of give aways and will be a great experience for me to learn more about many health concerns here. Afterwards, there is a meeting with a panel of experts in the health sector and then dinner, music and entertainment. I am really looking forward to this event and hopefully getting more exposure for PSP and Health Messenger.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Kampong Cham Beer Gardens!
After my final language course on Saturday, Richard, Mel and I decided to take a little adventure and head to the other side of the river because a local restaurant owner, Joe of Mekong Crossing Restaurant and Pub told us that there is a great beer garden over there. We packed up our bikes with loads of sunscreen, water and of course our cameras and headed for over the bridge! It was a pretty daring excursion since the sidewalks aren't big enough for bikes, so we were riding on the road. We came upon the beer gardens and to be honest, probably one of the most refreshing beers I have had in a while and my 1st beer in Cambodia! It was called Angkor Beer, which by all the signs outside of every market or restaurant, I'd say its the Coors or Budweiser of Cambodia. The gardens had separated areas with round tables to sit at and brought buckets of beer to choose from. They also had a huge stage and dance area where concerts are put on, too bad we didn't get to see one, maybe next time!
The way home could have been a story just in itself. Riding our bikes in the dark with barely any light except for the many modes of transportation that drove by honking their horns at the only people riding bicycles on the road! We chose to walk our bikes over the bridge that time which allowed us to actually use the miniature sidewalk! All in all, we got some great pictures, delicious beer and a fun event! Pictures soon to come, I promise!
The way home could have been a story just in itself. Riding our bikes in the dark with barely any light except for the many modes of transportation that drove by honking their horns at the only people riding bicycles on the road! We chose to walk our bikes over the bridge that time which allowed us to actually use the miniature sidewalk! All in all, we got some great pictures, delicious beer and a fun event! Pictures soon to come, I promise!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Ups and Downs...
I successfully made it through my first week in Cambodia. It actually feels like I've been here longer but I've been told the first few weeks go slow and then the rest just flies by! Overall its been great, although there have definitely been ups and downs while trying to adjust and realizing that I'm not just traveling or residing here for a few weeks, but I'm far from home for almost half a year.
Wednesday we headed away from Phnom Penh for the start of our language training in a province a little over 2 hours away, Kampong Cham. Its along the Mekong River which gives a nice little breeze every once in a while. On our bus ride here, besides the fact that it was by far the scariest trip I've ever had because the driver was in both lanes, honking at motos and bicycles coming towards us, it really opened my eyes to how under developed this country is. Huts on the sides of the roads with their livestock living underneath, individuals (children and adults) walking barefoot, or dragging anything behind them on a moto or bicycle to get to a market to sell and made due for the day. The animals looked dreadfully sick. Cows completely malnourished and chickens just look terrible. I've decided that I'm going be vegetarian while I'm in Cambodia and have been eating tofu on the regular to try and get enough protein. When we got here, I noticed I felt quite depressed after the drive and was also in a new unknown city. We received our bug net, first aid kit and a bucket to wash our clothes in!!! I'm almost thankful that nobody called me from home to ask how I was doing because I probably would have broken down into tears. Thankfully, after waking up the next morning I felt refreshed and much happier thinking that these people are happy the way things are because they don't know any different. And you honestly can tell when they talk to you or smile back that it is a very happy culture.
I've made some other great friends, mainly from the UK. Two couples, Richard and Melanie (a tad older than me), Jeff and Carol (my parents age) and also Julie and Erika (my roommate in the province). We've all bonded very well. Julie is my parents age with a daughter close to my age so we had a fun little bond right away. Sadly, the first morning of language training, Julie was mentioning that it was very unlike her ''other half'' (what she calls her longtime boyfriend but they aren't married) to not call her for 2 days. They recently bought a home together on the coast of Greece (so jealous) after his retirement, spent a few months there and decided to both do something they loved for a year and then meet up again. She chose volunteering and he chose fitness training. She got a call from her boyfriends son to let her know that he passed away in his sleep! This moment really brought me back to reality thinking how far I am from home if a situation occurred where I needed to be home quickly and felt so distant. I didn't even get to say goodbye to her but plan on sending an email or card to send my sympathy.
Since then, everything has been better. I really enjoy learning the language and my teacher Dara, who is by far the best language teacher I've ever had, told me he was bummed I couldn't be in the whole course cause I'm doing very well (literally his words :) Luckily, he lives in Phnom Penh and might give me lessons when he gets back so I can keep up with what I've learned and build on it even more. I will be leaving Kampong Cham already on Sunday to head back to Phnom Penh to meet my colleagues and start work! Also, I'll be searching for a place to live and get settled. I'm looking forward to getting into more of a routine, not living out of a suitcase, cooking some food and able to plan some travels.
Hope everyone is happy and healthy at home!
Cheers (yup, you can tell I've been hanging out with UK'rs)
Megs
Wednesday we headed away from Phnom Penh for the start of our language training in a province a little over 2 hours away, Kampong Cham. Its along the Mekong River which gives a nice little breeze every once in a while. On our bus ride here, besides the fact that it was by far the scariest trip I've ever had because the driver was in both lanes, honking at motos and bicycles coming towards us, it really opened my eyes to how under developed this country is. Huts on the sides of the roads with their livestock living underneath, individuals (children and adults) walking barefoot, or dragging anything behind them on a moto or bicycle to get to a market to sell and made due for the day. The animals looked dreadfully sick. Cows completely malnourished and chickens just look terrible. I've decided that I'm going be vegetarian while I'm in Cambodia and have been eating tofu on the regular to try and get enough protein. When we got here, I noticed I felt quite depressed after the drive and was also in a new unknown city. We received our bug net, first aid kit and a bucket to wash our clothes in!!! I'm almost thankful that nobody called me from home to ask how I was doing because I probably would have broken down into tears. Thankfully, after waking up the next morning I felt refreshed and much happier thinking that these people are happy the way things are because they don't know any different. And you honestly can tell when they talk to you or smile back that it is a very happy culture.
I've made some other great friends, mainly from the UK. Two couples, Richard and Melanie (a tad older than me), Jeff and Carol (my parents age) and also Julie and Erika (my roommate in the province). We've all bonded very well. Julie is my parents age with a daughter close to my age so we had a fun little bond right away. Sadly, the first morning of language training, Julie was mentioning that it was very unlike her ''other half'' (what she calls her longtime boyfriend but they aren't married) to not call her for 2 days. They recently bought a home together on the coast of Greece (so jealous) after his retirement, spent a few months there and decided to both do something they loved for a year and then meet up again. She chose volunteering and he chose fitness training. She got a call from her boyfriends son to let her know that he passed away in his sleep! This moment really brought me back to reality thinking how far I am from home if a situation occurred where I needed to be home quickly and felt so distant. I didn't even get to say goodbye to her but plan on sending an email or card to send my sympathy.
Since then, everything has been better. I really enjoy learning the language and my teacher Dara, who is by far the best language teacher I've ever had, told me he was bummed I couldn't be in the whole course cause I'm doing very well (literally his words :) Luckily, he lives in Phnom Penh and might give me lessons when he gets back so I can keep up with what I've learned and build on it even more. I will be leaving Kampong Cham already on Sunday to head back to Phnom Penh to meet my colleagues and start work! Also, I'll be searching for a place to live and get settled. I'm looking forward to getting into more of a routine, not living out of a suitcase, cooking some food and able to plan some travels.
Hope everyone is happy and healthy at home!
Cheers (yup, you can tell I've been hanging out with UK'rs)
Megs
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Vendor in Phnom Penh
Typical vendor in Phnom Penh, with anything and everything on a bike touring the city to sell to the locals. It must take a lot of strength to hold that darn thing up!
Sour Sdey!
Sour Sdey! (Hello! in Khmer... to make it easy, it sounds like 'Sauce a day' :)
I've successfully made it to Phnom Penh and have been here a little shy of 3 days now. Upon arrival, there were some definite first memories...
1. I've always wanted to be greeted at the airport with 'Faith' on a card. No, I didn't get exactly that, but did have a gentleman with 'VSO' awaiting my presence which was just as good, especially in a foreign land. He was so helpful with assisting me to get my visa and helping with my luggage. His smile when trying to speak/act things out with him is definitely unforgettable.
2. HOT HOT HOT!!! need I say more? Well, I know California is warm, and I was prepared for it to be humid, but it was so humid that you feel like you can barely breath at first. And also, you're immediately sticky. I'm not the biggest fan of sweating unless I'm working out, but to be honest, I just learned to accept the fact that I'm going to be sticky 24/7 and embraced it. Needless to say, I look really good all the time!!!
After making it to the VSO Program Office, I met the country director and a few other volunteers that just arrived, had lunch and then got settled into the guest house (Narin 2) about 1 kilometer away. I am sharing a room with the only other volunteer from USA, Golli (pronounced like a soccer 'goalie') who is from Chicago and I met during my last training session in Ottawa. It's a tiny room, but we don't need much since all we do is sleep in it. Actually I should say 'lay' in it and occasionally drift off because it is too hot to actually get good sleep. One big difference from home that I learned real quick is that instead of dragging myself out of my comfortable, warm and cozy bed in the mornings, I'm actually arising pretty quickly because I don't want to be lying there as it starts to get warmer. The last two days I've been up by 5am staring at the fan hoping it suddenly blows faster and reading up on Southeast Asia.
Yesterday we had the start of our in country training (ICT) with briefing sessions on safety and security in Cambodia and information about an around the city cyclo tour we'd be taking the next day (which was today). VSO hired a cyclo driver for all the volunteers which is a three-wheeled bicycle with a carriage in front for the rider (me) and the driver behind peddling away. We toured all of Phnom Penh getting to see some of the markets, Independence Monument, Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, the outside of the National Museum and much more. Needless to say, VSO did an amazing job setting up this tour around the capital of Cambodia. Pictures of the tour and me and my peddler soon to come! I have some hilarious and some scary videos going through intersections as well because there are absolutely NO rules on the road and everyone just 'goes'.
And here I am now. Tomorrow we have a free day, I plan on going to markets to browse and practice what I know of the language so far with the locals, locate some restaurants that give back to the community that I read about in a book my godmother gave me. Some take children off the streets and teach them skills to work in restaurants, some give back to orphanages, some to hospitals, etc. Also, I want to look for a good wireless Internet cafe where I can use my laptop to upload pictures for all to enjoy.
Wednesday I will be leaving Phnom Penh and heading to a small province for a 2 week language immersion class with the other new volunteers. After that, back to Phnom Penh to meet my new colleagues and search for a new place to call home until August. I'm assuming I won't have Internet access in the province, but you never know... so until then, enjoy and I look forward to writing my next blog in Khmer! ha!
Lea haeay! (Good bye!)
I've successfully made it to Phnom Penh and have been here a little shy of 3 days now. Upon arrival, there were some definite first memories...
1. I've always wanted to be greeted at the airport with 'Faith' on a card. No, I didn't get exactly that, but did have a gentleman with 'VSO' awaiting my presence which was just as good, especially in a foreign land. He was so helpful with assisting me to get my visa and helping with my luggage. His smile when trying to speak/act things out with him is definitely unforgettable.
2. HOT HOT HOT!!! need I say more? Well, I know California is warm, and I was prepared for it to be humid, but it was so humid that you feel like you can barely breath at first. And also, you're immediately sticky. I'm not the biggest fan of sweating unless I'm working out, but to be honest, I just learned to accept the fact that I'm going to be sticky 24/7 and embraced it. Needless to say, I look really good all the time!!!
After making it to the VSO Program Office, I met the country director and a few other volunteers that just arrived, had lunch and then got settled into the guest house (Narin 2) about 1 kilometer away. I am sharing a room with the only other volunteer from USA, Golli (pronounced like a soccer 'goalie') who is from Chicago and I met during my last training session in Ottawa. It's a tiny room, but we don't need much since all we do is sleep in it. Actually I should say 'lay' in it and occasionally drift off because it is too hot to actually get good sleep. One big difference from home that I learned real quick is that instead of dragging myself out of my comfortable, warm and cozy bed in the mornings, I'm actually arising pretty quickly because I don't want to be lying there as it starts to get warmer. The last two days I've been up by 5am staring at the fan hoping it suddenly blows faster and reading up on Southeast Asia.
Yesterday we had the start of our in country training (ICT) with briefing sessions on safety and security in Cambodia and information about an around the city cyclo tour we'd be taking the next day (which was today). VSO hired a cyclo driver for all the volunteers which is a three-wheeled bicycle with a carriage in front for the rider (me) and the driver behind peddling away. We toured all of Phnom Penh getting to see some of the markets, Independence Monument, Royal Palace, Wat Phnom, the outside of the National Museum and much more. Needless to say, VSO did an amazing job setting up this tour around the capital of Cambodia. Pictures of the tour and me and my peddler soon to come! I have some hilarious and some scary videos going through intersections as well because there are absolutely NO rules on the road and everyone just 'goes'.
And here I am now. Tomorrow we have a free day, I plan on going to markets to browse and practice what I know of the language so far with the locals, locate some restaurants that give back to the community that I read about in a book my godmother gave me. Some take children off the streets and teach them skills to work in restaurants, some give back to orphanages, some to hospitals, etc. Also, I want to look for a good wireless Internet cafe where I can use my laptop to upload pictures for all to enjoy.
Wednesday I will be leaving Phnom Penh and heading to a small province for a 2 week language immersion class with the other new volunteers. After that, back to Phnom Penh to meet my new colleagues and search for a new place to call home until August. I'm assuming I won't have Internet access in the province, but you never know... so until then, enjoy and I look forward to writing my next blog in Khmer! ha!
Lea haeay! (Good bye!)
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
14 hour flight complete!
Well, I officially made it to Asia! I'm sitting in the airport in Taipei, Taiwan awaiting my connection flight to Phnom Penh. Amazingly 14 hours didn't seem that bad, but I did have my own row to lay down and sleep for a good majority of it :) And I tell you, people watching is hilarious. I love the different facial expressions and noises of laughter. You'd think that most everyone sounds the same when they laugh AND sneeze, but no. I even start to chuckle after listening to others. The children are the cutest. This one boy on the airplane couldn't get enough of peek-a-boo, I got some great smiles out of him. Okay, on my way to catch the next flight! I look forward to telling you all about my new home! Until then... Ciao, megs
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
It's Official!
Well, it's official! I got my departure ticket leaving March 4th... so Cambodia here I come! After 3 long weekends of training in Ottawa along with packing, getting vaccinations, visa's, more packing, etc... my journey is finally approaching.
As for my project, I will be living in the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh and working for a company called Ponleu Sokhapheap (PSP) as the Marketing Advisor. PSP's vision is to contribute to the development and improvement of the quality of health in Cambodia, particularly through the dissemination of health information. PSP's main project is the production and distribution of Health Messenger Magazine and because they don't have any marketing or advertising strategies in place, I am being sent to assist with building these strategies to get the publication more exposure and eventually help increase revenue!
I look forward to sharing my experiences, stories and photos of my adventure with you all! Stay tuned... :)
As for my project, I will be living in the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh and working for a company called Ponleu Sokhapheap (PSP) as the Marketing Advisor. PSP's vision is to contribute to the development and improvement of the quality of health in Cambodia, particularly through the dissemination of health information. PSP's main project is the production and distribution of Health Messenger Magazine and because they don't have any marketing or advertising strategies in place, I am being sent to assist with building these strategies to get the publication more exposure and eventually help increase revenue!
I look forward to sharing my experiences, stories and photos of my adventure with you all! Stay tuned... :)
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