I think I left off from Koh Pahngam. It was really tough leaving the island because it was honestly like a tropical paradise. On Monday, Elena and I (the British girl I travelled with) took a ferry and bus to Phuket, the second biggest city in Thailand. Things were much much different in Phuket as it catered to more tourists. We immediatly met up with two guys with Bracelona and travelled to our guesthouse in Patong beach. Patong is the most populated beach in the area, loaded with tourists from everywhere. Ironically enough, our hostel is located in the Israeli sector, so it was pretty cool seeing Hebrew everywhere (which I fortunatly still understand).
Patong is loaded with busy streets, crazy bars, and discoteques. We had dinner at one of the many street side cafes where I got a full meal for about $2. We later ventuered around and ended up chilling at a few local bars off of the beaten path. Little did we know that were only about 2 blocks away from all of the action. When I first got to Southeast Asia, I thought that Cambodia had a real serious prositution issue. Then I came to Thailand. In Cambodia, prostitutes are inconspicuously shaded behind dilapidated massage parlors. In Thailand, and especially Puket, they are in your face everywhere. After hanging out at the beach all day Tuesday, we went to the infamous Soi Chang for some late night fun. This street is closed off at night because of the volumes of people walking through. There are clubs and bars filling every possible space on the street, loaded with tourists, hookers, more ladyboys (joy), and unfortunately sex tourists. Sex tourism is huge in Thailand, and it really is disturbing to see older Western men hanging aorund younger Thai women. Regardless, myself, Chavy, and Andres (Elena stayed in) partook in the late night festivities bar hopping and fighting off touchy ladyboys. Interstingly, hookers are amazing at connect four (yes, the game). They are specially trained to embaress cocky Westerners, so much so that they would even give Rainman a run for his money. Between the three of us, we probably lost 20 games in a row.
Elena and I caught an early flight (so early that I didn't even sleep that night) to Bangkok, and we parted ways. She is heading towards Malaysia then India, and I continued back to Cambodia. After a one night stay in Phnom Penh, I took an early 6-hour bus ride to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor temples. Susan unfortunatly was not able to make the trip because of work. I just got in and will tour everything tomorrow. For now I plan on resting because all of this travelling is exhausting.
Anyway, thats all for now. I will be coming home in about 10 days which I have mixed feelings about. I don't want to leave here, but at the same time I can't wait to see family and friends. Sprots wise Atlanta teams are playing well. I can't believe how red hot the Braves are and the Falcons look great.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thailand
So I wrote an entire entry yesterday, but the power shut off and I lost it. Anyway, I am reporting from Koh Phangam, a small island off the southern coast. I flew into Bangkok on Monday. I instantly realized that Thailand is much much different from Cambodia. Bangkok is an enormous super metropolis with skyscapers everywhere, hoards of people, and lots and lots of hookers. I stayed a a guest house on Soi 1, a couple of blocks away from Sukhumvit Rd. Sukhumvit is one of the major streets in the city with hotels, Mcdonalds, and thousands of prositutes inundating the sidewalk. I have never seen anything like it before. On my first day in town, I met a girl from London and she and I did the typical toursity things. We took every type of transportation imaginable (taxi, boat, metro, walking) and visited some major temples, China town , the Indian sector, the Western sector, and the unbelievable shopping mall with about 7 stories and a neverending food court.
Nightlife in Bangkok is outrageous. 10 of us went out early to see an x-rated show (in fact, so x-rated that I can't even write about it). At about 2:00 am, we went to a local club. The ladyboy culture here is scary, because half of the "women" in the club were in fact men. It is also a huge brain tease because many of these lady men are hot. Once again, I stayed clear of any suspicious looking characters, but it was still fun trying to decipher who in fact was a man or a woman.
I soon realized that I had not planned my vacation for long enough. I decided to extend my stay for an extra 4 days to beach bounce along the southern coast. I am travelling with the beforementioned British girl and we started our trip with an overnight train and ferry to Koh Phangam (where I am now). This island is like a paradise. We got a really inexpensive bungalow right on the beach, the food is really cheap, and it is nice to stay clear of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Last night we went to an infamous Black Moon party of the beach, which is essentially an all night techno rave. I don't think I went to bed until 6:30 or 7 am. Tomorrow we leave for a beach called Phuket, then back to Cambodia on Wednesday.
It is hard to believe that I am coming home in 2 weeks, but it is even harder to believe that the Braves are still in the playoff picture. Anyway, thats all I got, so i'm off to the beach.
Nightlife in Bangkok is outrageous. 10 of us went out early to see an x-rated show (in fact, so x-rated that I can't even write about it). At about 2:00 am, we went to a local club. The ladyboy culture here is scary, because half of the "women" in the club were in fact men. It is also a huge brain tease because many of these lady men are hot. Once again, I stayed clear of any suspicious looking characters, but it was still fun trying to decipher who in fact was a man or a woman.
I soon realized that I had not planned my vacation for long enough. I decided to extend my stay for an extra 4 days to beach bounce along the southern coast. I am travelling with the beforementioned British girl and we started our trip with an overnight train and ferry to Koh Phangam (where I am now). This island is like a paradise. We got a really inexpensive bungalow right on the beach, the food is really cheap, and it is nice to stay clear of the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. Last night we went to an infamous Black Moon party of the beach, which is essentially an all night techno rave. I don't think I went to bed until 6:30 or 7 am. Tomorrow we leave for a beach called Phuket, then back to Cambodia on Wednesday.
It is hard to believe that I am coming home in 2 weeks, but it is even harder to believe that the Braves are still in the playoff picture. Anyway, thats all I got, so i'm off to the beach.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
My Last Stay at Wat Opot
Sorry for such a delay with blog entries. I never had a chance to make a post after my birthday (slash I was too hungover to do so, but pretend like you didn't read that). Anyway, my birthday was pretty amazing. Susan organized a small dinner for me with about 5 or 6 people that I have met throughout my stay. We ate at a nice Middle Eastern restaraunt which was great. After dinner, about 10 people from the guesthouse and myself went out to some of the local bars and clubs. At about 3 am, we capped the night off at a notorious club called Heart of Darkness. This place is known for its eccentric crowd consisting of westerners, locals, gang members, trannies, and gays. I immediatly made it clear that I refused to talk to any "girl"who approached me who was taller than me, or who even remotely resembled a man. Regardless of the ambiguously gendred people, we still had a blast.
I also caved in and got my much needed Cambodian haircut. I was putting this off for so long, but it was inevitable. I went to a local place that was surrounded by 5 or 6 female employees. After first assuming I was walking into a brothel, I was pleased to find out the the "saloon"was in fact a real barbershop. The man who eventually cut my hair, which by the way was only $3, took the time to meticulously cut each of my individual hairs (or so it seemed). After the 45 minute haircut, my hair looked perfectly normal. For another $2, one of the female workers gave me a 20 minute shampoo, which was essentially a 20 minute head message.
My last week at Wot Opot was probably my best stay. There was a slew of Japanese volunteers who came through, and they were pretty cool to work with. One night, a bunch of the girls were shrieking because an enourmous blue gecko had invaded their room. It took 3 of us to finally force the monster into a hole and seal it with duct tape. What goes around must come back around, because the following evening I woke up to the sounds of the very same gecko resting only 2 feet above my head.
It was pretty difficut saying goodbye to everyone in the community. The head monk who I had been working with, Poohr (sp?), inproved considreably with his English proficiency. Wanye approached me on the last day to tell me that the once very shy Poohr was openly speaking to Wayne in English, something he had never done before. It is very nice to see that my efforts have benefitted some. There is a small coffee shop along the edge of the community that some of us would frequently hang out at. Many of us have a running joke that I am in love with the woman who runs the stand. She is a 40 year old widow who does not speak a single word of English. On my last day in the village I gave her a passport photo of myself and told her to never forget my face. She happily put my picture on her wall.
Now that I am back in Phnom Penh, I am leaving for Tailand tomorrow. I met a couple of guys during my last stay here, and I plan on travelling with them while there. I have no idea where we are going or what we will be doing, but that is have the fun of travelling. I will be back in Phnom Penh with about 2 weeks before my final departure, yet I have no idea what I will be doing (except for a 4 day visit to Siem Reap). I might volunteer with a local organization here, or I might even go back to Wat Opot for a few days. Who knows.
Anyway, thats all for now and I will make another post whenever.
I also caved in and got my much needed Cambodian haircut. I was putting this off for so long, but it was inevitable. I went to a local place that was surrounded by 5 or 6 female employees. After first assuming I was walking into a brothel, I was pleased to find out the the "saloon"was in fact a real barbershop. The man who eventually cut my hair, which by the way was only $3, took the time to meticulously cut each of my individual hairs (or so it seemed). After the 45 minute haircut, my hair looked perfectly normal. For another $2, one of the female workers gave me a 20 minute shampoo, which was essentially a 20 minute head message.
My last week at Wot Opot was probably my best stay. There was a slew of Japanese volunteers who came through, and they were pretty cool to work with. One night, a bunch of the girls were shrieking because an enourmous blue gecko had invaded their room. It took 3 of us to finally force the monster into a hole and seal it with duct tape. What goes around must come back around, because the following evening I woke up to the sounds of the very same gecko resting only 2 feet above my head.
It was pretty difficut saying goodbye to everyone in the community. The head monk who I had been working with, Poohr (sp?), inproved considreably with his English proficiency. Wanye approached me on the last day to tell me that the once very shy Poohr was openly speaking to Wayne in English, something he had never done before. It is very nice to see that my efforts have benefitted some. There is a small coffee shop along the edge of the community that some of us would frequently hang out at. Many of us have a running joke that I am in love with the woman who runs the stand. She is a 40 year old widow who does not speak a single word of English. On my last day in the village I gave her a passport photo of myself and told her to never forget my face. She happily put my picture on her wall.
Now that I am back in Phnom Penh, I am leaving for Tailand tomorrow. I met a couple of guys during my last stay here, and I plan on travelling with them while there. I have no idea where we are going or what we will be doing, but that is have the fun of travelling. I will be back in Phnom Penh with about 2 weeks before my final departure, yet I have no idea what I will be doing (except for a 4 day visit to Siem Reap). I might volunteer with a local organization here, or I might even go back to Wat Opot for a few days. Who knows.
Anyway, thats all for now and I will make another post whenever.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Back in the City Again
So I am once again in Phnom Penh. Life at Wat Opot has been pretty standard. Like always, I continue to teach and spend time with the kids. Volunteers have come and gone throughout my stay, which has been really nice. There have been groups from Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Germany, just to name a few. The past week an Australian man named Steve stopped by for a few days. He has been visiting Wat Opot for several years now, currently lives in Vietnam with his girlfriend. Steve is very friendly and gets along with everyone. Steve, Wayne, and myself enjoyed staying up late, sipping on Johnny Walker, and listening to music. If I plan on travelling to Vietnam before I leave, it is nice to know that I have a friend to visit.
By now, almost everyone has gotten used to me. It is fun to joke around with people, because you know that all the while they are talking about you without you understanding what they are saying. It situations like these, I simply nod my head and smile. Ignorance truly is bliss. The older kids enjoy watching WWF Smackdown on tv. They know that I wrestled in high school, so they always try messing around with me. They have big mouths, but when it comes time to "smackdown", they scream like little girls.
The weather has been pretty gross over the past couple of days. On Tuesday, it honestly rained for 8 hours straight. An interesting phenomenon takes place during heavy rainfalls. There are about 8 small ponds throughout the community, holding enormous walking catfish. During heavy rains, the fish liteally walk, using their extraodinarily strong fins, towards ponds with deeeper water levels. It is very bizarre to see these huge fish flopping around on land, knowing that they will eventually reach water. I will try to get some pictures next time it rains.
So yesterday I once again took a van to Phnom Penh. Everything was the same as the first trip, except this time the chickens in the back seat were death and defeathered. Susan and I had originally planned on going to Siem Reap this weekend, but she got tied up at work. I will now take this oppurtunity to celebrate my birthday in Phnom Penh, and we will go to Siem Reap within the next few weeks. As opposed to staying in an air conditioned hotel, this time around I decided to stay at a backingpacking guest house. This place is awesome. For 6 dollars a night, I get a room with a fan. There is also a full restraunt and bar here too. The people staying here are great. Almost everyone is a Westerner, and everyone wants to hang out. There is an enormous congregation area on the top level of the hostel where everyone hangs out. There are a few Americans staying here too, which is nice because I havent seen many of my native people since I have ben here.
Susan organized a nice dinner for my birthday tomorrow night (September 4th, for those of you who were wondering), then I will probably go out with a bunch of people in the hostel. I'm pretty stoked about everything. I plan on going back to the village on Sunday, but until then im just going to relax. It is nice to see that the Braves are still hanging around the playoff picture, and thank god college football starts this weekend. UGA plays Oklahoma state, which should be intersting. It looks like Georgia is going to start the season with a loosing record. Anyway, thats all for now, but I will try to get another post up before the weekend is over.
By now, almost everyone has gotten used to me. It is fun to joke around with people, because you know that all the while they are talking about you without you understanding what they are saying. It situations like these, I simply nod my head and smile. Ignorance truly is bliss. The older kids enjoy watching WWF Smackdown on tv. They know that I wrestled in high school, so they always try messing around with me. They have big mouths, but when it comes time to "smackdown", they scream like little girls.
The weather has been pretty gross over the past couple of days. On Tuesday, it honestly rained for 8 hours straight. An interesting phenomenon takes place during heavy rainfalls. There are about 8 small ponds throughout the community, holding enormous walking catfish. During heavy rains, the fish liteally walk, using their extraodinarily strong fins, towards ponds with deeeper water levels. It is very bizarre to see these huge fish flopping around on land, knowing that they will eventually reach water. I will try to get some pictures next time it rains.
So yesterday I once again took a van to Phnom Penh. Everything was the same as the first trip, except this time the chickens in the back seat were death and defeathered. Susan and I had originally planned on going to Siem Reap this weekend, but she got tied up at work. I will now take this oppurtunity to celebrate my birthday in Phnom Penh, and we will go to Siem Reap within the next few weeks. As opposed to staying in an air conditioned hotel, this time around I decided to stay at a backingpacking guest house. This place is awesome. For 6 dollars a night, I get a room with a fan. There is also a full restraunt and bar here too. The people staying here are great. Almost everyone is a Westerner, and everyone wants to hang out. There is an enormous congregation area on the top level of the hostel where everyone hangs out. There are a few Americans staying here too, which is nice because I havent seen many of my native people since I have ben here.
Susan organized a nice dinner for my birthday tomorrow night (September 4th, for those of you who were wondering), then I will probably go out with a bunch of people in the hostel. I'm pretty stoked about everything. I plan on going back to the village on Sunday, but until then im just going to relax. It is nice to see that the Braves are still hanging around the playoff picture, and thank god college football starts this weekend. UGA plays Oklahoma state, which should be intersting. It looks like Georgia is going to start the season with a loosing record. Anyway, thats all for now, but I will try to get another post up before the weekend is over.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Weekly Update
So I finally got access to the internet, so I figured I would go ahead a crunch out a quick entry. Life here is the same as usual. I am still teaching a good bit of English, hanging out with all of the kids here, and I went out with home care last week as they made rounds throughout the community. In addition to checking up on ill patients, I managed to see a 150 pound pig mounting another pig, 3 little girls peeing along the side of the road, and the village cross dresser. I continue to say that nothing in Cambodia surprises me anymore. The food here is still really good, and it is nice because I have seen a lot of meat options recently. In fact, we had an interesting meal the day I returned. Earlier that morning, one of the communal goats got a bucket stuck on its head, fell in a nearby pond, and drowned. Humorous as it sounds,I bet you can guess what we had for dinner that night...(and lunch the next day).
I have never really gotten to talk about the wildlife here (aside from the kids, of course). On a typical day, I come across several goats, cows, chickens, squirrels, and lots and lots of insects. Bugs have recently been going to town on my left leg, and I have the battle scars to prove it. Unlike my bug bites in the US, my bites here are pretty gnarly. They get really swollen the pus for days. I am constantly having to medicate the bites while avoiding additional ones. I have also seen several enormous geckos (probably a foot and a half long), frogs, and of course the massive catfish we fish out in the nearby ponds.
The weather here is still paralyzingly hot, but at this point I have gotten used to it. My Khmer has gotten a lot better too, even much so that I often surprise myself with my conversational skills. This being said, everyone still laughs when I open my mouth.
On a final note, one of the women in the gave birth to a baby boy last night. At about 1 am, kids came screaming, waking Wayne and myself up, letting us know that the baby was on the way. The pregnant woman hopped on board a moto, travelled 45 minutes to the Tako provioncial hospital, and gave birth shortly after. Interestligly, both the mother and father are HIV positive. Without approrpiate medication, a baby has a 1/3 chance of being HIV positive to an infected mother. However, if given ARVs within 24 hours of birth, the baby should be safe. Im assuming that the baby boy was born negative, but I don't know for sure. Also, the last woman to give birth here did so in the back of a car on the way to the hospital...a monk was driving.
Thats all for now, and I probably won't post again for another week or so when in Phnom Pehn
I have never really gotten to talk about the wildlife here (aside from the kids, of course). On a typical day, I come across several goats, cows, chickens, squirrels, and lots and lots of insects. Bugs have recently been going to town on my left leg, and I have the battle scars to prove it. Unlike my bug bites in the US, my bites here are pretty gnarly. They get really swollen the pus for days. I am constantly having to medicate the bites while avoiding additional ones. I have also seen several enormous geckos (probably a foot and a half long), frogs, and of course the massive catfish we fish out in the nearby ponds.
The weather here is still paralyzingly hot, but at this point I have gotten used to it. My Khmer has gotten a lot better too, even much so that I often surprise myself with my conversational skills. This being said, everyone still laughs when I open my mouth.
On a final note, one of the women in the gave birth to a baby boy last night. At about 1 am, kids came screaming, waking Wayne and myself up, letting us know that the baby was on the way. The pregnant woman hopped on board a moto, travelled 45 minutes to the Tako provioncial hospital, and gave birth shortly after. Interestligly, both the mother and father are HIV positive. Without approrpiate medication, a baby has a 1/3 chance of being HIV positive to an infected mother. However, if given ARVs within 24 hours of birth, the baby should be safe. Im assuming that the baby boy was born negative, but I don't know for sure. Also, the last woman to give birth here did so in the back of a car on the way to the hospital...a monk was driving.
Thats all for now, and I probably won't post again for another week or so when in Phnom Pehn
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Heading Back to the Village
I have about an hour to kill before I head back, so I figured I would go ahead and post a quick blog entry. I have basically spent the last couple of days relaxing, eating, and walking around town. I am going to catch a tuk tuk back to Wat Opot and stay there for about 2 weeks. From there, I am coming back to Phnom Penh, only to leave again heading north towards Siep Reap to visit the ancient Anghor Temples. While I was here, I managed to renew my visa for an additional month, and I went ahead a planned a 6-day trip to Bangkok for mid September. When I tried to book on my own through Orbitz, the cheapest flight available was around $350. Susan then suggested that I try booking through a travel agent here in town. Fortunately, they managed to find me a flight for only $90. Because I was able to save so much money on the flight to Tailand, I am thinking about planning another, shorter, trip Vietnam towards the end of my stay. I can take a 6 hour bus ride to Ho Chi Minh City for only $12 each way.
There are a few cultural things that I want to touch on. The teenage boys in Wat Opot, like the teenagers in Phnom Penh, still style their hair rediculously. The music that they listen to is bizarre as well. In addition to the traditional Khmer music heard everywhere, I have heard a lot of random 80s music and lots and lots of Michael Bolton. Most of all, kids enjoy listening to hip hop. However, Cambodian hip hop is simply taking an American song from 3 years ago and rewriting it with Khmer lyrics. Artists can afford to do this because copyright laws here are essentially obsolete.
Anyway, thats all for now, but I will try to make a post while in the village...no promises though.
There are a few cultural things that I want to touch on. The teenage boys in Wat Opot, like the teenagers in Phnom Penh, still style their hair rediculously. The music that they listen to is bizarre as well. In addition to the traditional Khmer music heard everywhere, I have heard a lot of random 80s music and lots and lots of Michael Bolton. Most of all, kids enjoy listening to hip hop. However, Cambodian hip hop is simply taking an American song from 3 years ago and rewriting it with Khmer lyrics. Artists can afford to do this because copyright laws here are essentially obsolete.
Anyway, thats all for now, but I will try to make a post while in the village...no promises though.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
I finally have internet access
So I finally have access to the internet after being internet free for over a week. I can't begin to explain the hassle with trying to get connected to the internet at Wat Opot. I gave up on getting connected a few days ago. After spending a about two weeks in the village, I decided to take a two day vacation back to Phnom Penh. Getting back to the city was easier than I thought. In traditional Cambodian fashion, I decided to take a fully occupied van to the hotel. While the fare was a meager 6000 riel ($1.50), there were 14 other passengers in the crowded vehicle, non of whom spoke a single word of English, and a half dozen live chickens resting in the rear. Mom and Dad don't worry, I obviously made it back in one piece. Once I got here, I did what any normal American guy would who had been living in a village for a couple of weeks...I gorged at the local fast food chain, Lucky Burger. While the food at Wat Opot is delicious, most meals lack meat, bread, cheese, and most importantly, chocolate. At the burger joint, I ordered a double Lucky Burger, large fries, large coke, large oreo ice cream cone, and then I went to the supermarket and bought a giant chocolate candy bar. I am currently drinking an iced chocolate drink as I type this blog entry (lunch was only an hour ago).
Life at Wat Opot has been unbelivable. I continue to tutor a few monks for an hour everyday (along with a couple of other local villagers). I can see improvements everyday, which is pretty cool. The temple in the town is beautiful. Every Saturday night, Wat Opot hosts a 45 minute Buddhist ceremnoy, which is one of the coolest ceremonies I have ever witnessed. All of the kids are in attendance and their chanting is amazing. It is hard to imagine 60 or so kids sitting still for over 30 minutes, but their patience is unreal. Embedded within the service is a 15 minute meditation period, and once again you don't hear a single peep from any of the kids. Meditation is a huge deal here, and Buddhists use it as a way of cleanising the mind. Srey Aun, the 25 year old volunteer I work with, told me about a 10 day meditation session she did where you don't say a single word the entire time. You honestly sit and meditate all day every day...I will not be taking part. Refardless, the Buddhist culture is so fascnating to me.
There are some really unique kids that I work with. All of the kids at Wat Opot have a story pertainting to HIV. Many kids are HIV positive themselves, while others are orphaned after their parents deceased from the virus. One of the kids here, Pesei, is now 18 years old and is a damn good artist. He grew up in a wealthy family until his father went away on business, slept with an HIV positive prostitute, and contracted it himself. He then gave the virus to his wife and passed a few months later. Unable to support her daughter and son, Pesei's mother sent him to the streets begging for money. Barely living on nothing, Pesei, his mother, and his sister, Srey Lak, moved to Wat Opot. His mother passed a couple of years ago, and Pesei's artwork reflects the relationhship he had with her. Another kid that I have been tutoring in English and computers, Chanadara, is an aspiring singer. Last week, he took me to an older woman's home so he can show me his singing skills. In her home was an old fashioned karaoke machine, microphone and all. I heard him sing about 8 songs at 200 riel a piece (a few cents). When riding him I joked that we were two celebrities, him for being a singer and me for being White. I think that I enjoy spending the most time with the little kids. There are a group of about 6 little girls who enjoy jumping all over me and have me spin them around in circles. They tire me out and are the reason why I sleep so well at night.
So for the most part, I have been teaching English and computer skills. I didn't venture out with the home care team last week. Their work has changed drastically over the last couple of years because fewer and fewer people are getting sick with the availability of ARVs. I started playing volleyball with some of the older kids, but it is just too hot outside. This past week was particularly unbearable. It was between 95-100 degrees for about 5 straight days....and no AC. It is imposisble to get anything done between the hours of 11-2 betweens it is simply too hot. I use that time to read. Miraculously, I am in the middle of reading my 7th book in two weeks. Sleeping has been pretty difficult too, but I have gotten used to it. Also, the water pump hasn't been functioning over the past few days, so I just took my first real shower in about 5 days 20 minutes ago (best shower ever).
Volunteers have come and gone since I have been here. Fiona and Merica, the two New Zealand ladies, left on Friday. It was nice having them around, and we even visited a nearby Wat on Mt. Chisor together. Every evening, we spend time at the local "coffee shop," where coffee is a quarter, and you can get a plate of fried potatoes and bananas with sugar for only 12 cents. It is a treat when some of the volunteers bring some novelty foods, such as bread or instant mocha latte. Regardless, the normal food is still delcious. I have eaten more rice the past 2 weeks than I have the previous 22 (almost 23...wink wink) years of my life.
Anyway, im going to be in the city until Wednesday, so I will try to report with anything that I forgot tomorrow. It is also interesting because I havent kept up with the news over the past two weeks. Apparently there is a huge monsoon in Taiwan, Hussein Bolt broke the 100 meter dash record, Mike Vick is on the Eagles (wow), and Tiger just lost a a major championship after leading going into the final day. Crazy. Also, I feel like a moron because I left my camera in the village so I can't post pics yet. Sorry Shane.
Life at Wat Opot has been unbelivable. I continue to tutor a few monks for an hour everyday (along with a couple of other local villagers). I can see improvements everyday, which is pretty cool. The temple in the town is beautiful. Every Saturday night, Wat Opot hosts a 45 minute Buddhist ceremnoy, which is one of the coolest ceremonies I have ever witnessed. All of the kids are in attendance and their chanting is amazing. It is hard to imagine 60 or so kids sitting still for over 30 minutes, but their patience is unreal. Embedded within the service is a 15 minute meditation period, and once again you don't hear a single peep from any of the kids. Meditation is a huge deal here, and Buddhists use it as a way of cleanising the mind. Srey Aun, the 25 year old volunteer I work with, told me about a 10 day meditation session she did where you don't say a single word the entire time. You honestly sit and meditate all day every day...I will not be taking part. Refardless, the Buddhist culture is so fascnating to me.
There are some really unique kids that I work with. All of the kids at Wat Opot have a story pertainting to HIV. Many kids are HIV positive themselves, while others are orphaned after their parents deceased from the virus. One of the kids here, Pesei, is now 18 years old and is a damn good artist. He grew up in a wealthy family until his father went away on business, slept with an HIV positive prostitute, and contracted it himself. He then gave the virus to his wife and passed a few months later. Unable to support her daughter and son, Pesei's mother sent him to the streets begging for money. Barely living on nothing, Pesei, his mother, and his sister, Srey Lak, moved to Wat Opot. His mother passed a couple of years ago, and Pesei's artwork reflects the relationhship he had with her. Another kid that I have been tutoring in English and computers, Chanadara, is an aspiring singer. Last week, he took me to an older woman's home so he can show me his singing skills. In her home was an old fashioned karaoke machine, microphone and all. I heard him sing about 8 songs at 200 riel a piece (a few cents). When riding him I joked that we were two celebrities, him for being a singer and me for being White. I think that I enjoy spending the most time with the little kids. There are a group of about 6 little girls who enjoy jumping all over me and have me spin them around in circles. They tire me out and are the reason why I sleep so well at night.
So for the most part, I have been teaching English and computer skills. I didn't venture out with the home care team last week. Their work has changed drastically over the last couple of years because fewer and fewer people are getting sick with the availability of ARVs. I started playing volleyball with some of the older kids, but it is just too hot outside. This past week was particularly unbearable. It was between 95-100 degrees for about 5 straight days....and no AC. It is imposisble to get anything done between the hours of 11-2 betweens it is simply too hot. I use that time to read. Miraculously, I am in the middle of reading my 7th book in two weeks. Sleeping has been pretty difficult too, but I have gotten used to it. Also, the water pump hasn't been functioning over the past few days, so I just took my first real shower in about 5 days 20 minutes ago (best shower ever).
Volunteers have come and gone since I have been here. Fiona and Merica, the two New Zealand ladies, left on Friday. It was nice having them around, and we even visited a nearby Wat on Mt. Chisor together. Every evening, we spend time at the local "coffee shop," where coffee is a quarter, and you can get a plate of fried potatoes and bananas with sugar for only 12 cents. It is a treat when some of the volunteers bring some novelty foods, such as bread or instant mocha latte. Regardless, the normal food is still delcious. I have eaten more rice the past 2 weeks than I have the previous 22 (almost 23...wink wink) years of my life.
Anyway, im going to be in the city until Wednesday, so I will try to report with anything that I forgot tomorrow. It is also interesting because I havent kept up with the news over the past two weeks. Apparently there is a huge monsoon in Taiwan, Hussein Bolt broke the 100 meter dash record, Mike Vick is on the Eagles (wow), and Tiger just lost a a major championship after leading going into the final day. Crazy. Also, I feel like a moron because I left my camera in the village so I can't post pics yet. Sorry Shane.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Here Thus Far
Hey Everyone,
So, after 6 days or so,I finally got access to a computer. I hope to check my e-mail and post an entry every 4-6 days, but who knows. Anyway, things here are amazing...I have having such an unbelievable experience. I have met some great people and I can't wait to see what is in store next.
My days are typically as follows: I usually wake up at around 6:30 and mess around until breakfast at 7:15. Recently, at around 9, I travel with members of the home care team and make rounds throughout the local community. On Thursday we traveled roughly 10 km to distribute bowls and welfare to HIV infected families in the community. I initially thought that I was in the middle of nowhere when I first got here, but then we penetrated deeper into the rural area. Most of these families have never seen a White person before...ever. Some kids stare and touch me, while others take one look at me and run away crying (not very good for my self-esteem). However, most people are very accepting and more than happy to extend hospitality. On Friday, we visited a support group meeting about an hour away. While I don't understand anything that was discussed, I did witness an authentic demonstration on how to properly put a condom on a wooden penis. I don't really know what is in store for me next week.
We usually eat lunch around 11:30, then veg out for a bit. There is a lot of downtime here. I have been here for almost a week and am halfway through my third book (a new personal record). I do much of my teachings in the afternoon. Everyday from 2-3, I teach the local monks English. Monks represent a sector of the community that is typically neglected when it comes to education. This being said, they really really want to learn English. For my first couple of lessons, I had a class of about 7-9 students...not too shabby. However, I think many of them find the language very tough and give up. I only had 3 ambitious monks show up for class on Friday.
I have also been teaching English to many of the older kids. They are quite good with the language and are very eager to learn. I also find myself teaching them how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. I don't thing many young volunteers come through here, so they really enjoy hanging out with me, playing sports, listening to my ipod, etc. It doesn't even cross mymind that many of them are HIV positive. The younger kids enjoy hanging with me too (and by hanging I mean hanging all over me). They like when I toss and twirl them around.
The food here is still great, even though I am starting to grow tired of eating rice at every meal. I am really really craving some chocolate, which is obsolete here (I ran out of my oreo stash the second day here). Regardless, the food is great and I am not loosing any weight. It has been very hot here the past couple of days, but I have gotten used to constantly sweating. Sleeping at night is a bit more difficult, but I am getting the hang of it. The other volunteers here are great and I love spending time with them (we spend a lot of time together).
If anything, my experience here has taught me not too take things so seriously. There really is not a need to check the internet every hour and watch tv 6 hours a day like I usually do (or so it seems). It is nice not to worry about facebook, and I am really enjoying reading.
Anyway, thats it for now, but I willpost pics when I visit Phnom Penh in abuot a week.
So, after 6 days or so,I finally got access to a computer. I hope to check my e-mail and post an entry every 4-6 days, but who knows. Anyway, things here are amazing...I have having such an unbelievable experience. I have met some great people and I can't wait to see what is in store next.
My days are typically as follows: I usually wake up at around 6:30 and mess around until breakfast at 7:15. Recently, at around 9, I travel with members of the home care team and make rounds throughout the local community. On Thursday we traveled roughly 10 km to distribute bowls and welfare to HIV infected families in the community. I initially thought that I was in the middle of nowhere when I first got here, but then we penetrated deeper into the rural area. Most of these families have never seen a White person before...ever. Some kids stare and touch me, while others take one look at me and run away crying (not very good for my self-esteem). However, most people are very accepting and more than happy to extend hospitality. On Friday, we visited a support group meeting about an hour away. While I don't understand anything that was discussed, I did witness an authentic demonstration on how to properly put a condom on a wooden penis. I don't really know what is in store for me next week.
We usually eat lunch around 11:30, then veg out for a bit. There is a lot of downtime here. I have been here for almost a week and am halfway through my third book (a new personal record). I do much of my teachings in the afternoon. Everyday from 2-3, I teach the local monks English. Monks represent a sector of the community that is typically neglected when it comes to education. This being said, they really really want to learn English. For my first couple of lessons, I had a class of about 7-9 students...not too shabby. However, I think many of them find the language very tough and give up. I only had 3 ambitious monks show up for class on Friday.
I have also been teaching English to many of the older kids. They are quite good with the language and are very eager to learn. I also find myself teaching them how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. I don't thing many young volunteers come through here, so they really enjoy hanging out with me, playing sports, listening to my ipod, etc. It doesn't even cross mymind that many of them are HIV positive. The younger kids enjoy hanging with me too (and by hanging I mean hanging all over me). They like when I toss and twirl them around.
The food here is still great, even though I am starting to grow tired of eating rice at every meal. I am really really craving some chocolate, which is obsolete here (I ran out of my oreo stash the second day here). Regardless, the food is great and I am not loosing any weight. It has been very hot here the past couple of days, but I have gotten used to constantly sweating. Sleeping at night is a bit more difficult, but I am getting the hang of it. The other volunteers here are great and I love spending time with them (we spend a lot of time together).
If anything, my experience here has taught me not too take things so seriously. There really is not a need to check the internet every hour and watch tv 6 hours a day like I usually do (or so it seems). It is nice not to worry about facebook, and I am really enjoying reading.
Anyway, thats it for now, but I willpost pics when I visit Phnom Penh in abuot a week.
Monday, August 3, 2009
I finally Made It
So I finally made it to the village in one piece. I am stationed in a very small community about and hour and a half away from Phnom Penh. Wot Opot, the name of this community, only has about 2000 residents. The bulk of the village rests around the periphery of a gorgeous wot (Buddhist temple) in the center of town.
The program that I am volunteering with is unbelievable. Wot Opot used to serve as and HIV/AIDS hospice for very ill children. Children would be sent here if orphaned for being HIV positive or if their parents were HIV positive and passed. At one point, only a few years ago, two or three children would die a week. This used be be an extremely somber setting. However, since ARVs have become avaliable for essentially all infected persons (about 2 years ago), the community has changed from one of dispair to one of hope. Today, there are roughly 60 kids, ages ranging from about 3-18, living at Wot Opot. About half of the kids are HIV positive while the other half are negative, yet have no family support. Wayne, the man in charge of running Wat Opot, has done a phenomoal job in protecting these kids, giving them food, shelter, clothing, and most importantly, a life. What most people don't realize is that ARV's can potentially add 40 years to an infected life. I look at pictures from the community a few years ago, and I see decrepid children on the verge of death. Today, all of the kids look perfectly healthy. Aside from taking a multitude of drugs every morning and every evening, these kids lead normal lives. They go to school, they play with one another, they strive to be accepted as normal kids.
When I first pulled into the village, I was scared. It is not every day that I am dealing with dozens of people infected with HIV. I was nervous when the kids first started holding my hand and jumping all over me. However, this tension soon passed. All of the kids take ARV medications, and fortunately, the drugs dilute the virus in the bloodstream and make it very difficult to infect others, even if exoposed. Furthermore, HIV is not transmitted by holding hands, hugging, sweating, kissing, etc., only through blood semen, breast milk, and vaginal secretions.
There are 3 other volunteers here besides myself. Two older women are from New Zealand and are teaching the kids arts and crafts. The third girl is 25 and was born here. She has pretty much taken me under her wing, helping me to organize activites to do with the kids. She and I also have a good bit in common. I plan on getting involved with several projects while here. First and foremost, I plan on teaching English to the kids, some of the staff, and monks (tomorrow I plan on holding a 2 hour English class with 9 monks next door). I am also repsonisble for instructing some of the older kids how to use microsoft office programs. The older kids speak some English, but profiency from the younger ones remains minimal. I also plan on improving my Khmer while here. I also met with the head of the medical team today, and I plan on shadowing the staff as they make rounds throughout the village (even though consultations will be conducted in Khmer). Finally, I want to spend time playing sports with the kids. I just introduced them to (American) football, but I also want to take them fishing (there are enormous cat fish here).
My living arrangments can't be any more basic. We only have electricity from 7-9 pm, so sleeping with a fan is not an option. I sleep in a bed outside, surrounded by a mesquito net. We have no hot water (sometimes no running water) and it gets very hot around here. I must admit that it is difficult o sleep at night without a bed sheet. I am fortunate that the food here is fantastic. While meals are vegetarian, they are delicious. Lots of rice, pasta, fruits, and veggies. Every meal, the entire volunteer crew gathers and enjoys a relaxing meal. There is a lot of down time here, so I have been reading a good bit. We get up very very early (6:30 am), so but 9 pm I am ready for bed. I am looking forward to everything while here and can't wait to help change the community.
My computer is about to die, so I got to go. Ill try to make a post every 3 or 4 days.
The program that I am volunteering with is unbelievable. Wot Opot used to serve as and HIV/AIDS hospice for very ill children. Children would be sent here if orphaned for being HIV positive or if their parents were HIV positive and passed. At one point, only a few years ago, two or three children would die a week. This used be be an extremely somber setting. However, since ARVs have become avaliable for essentially all infected persons (about 2 years ago), the community has changed from one of dispair to one of hope. Today, there are roughly 60 kids, ages ranging from about 3-18, living at Wot Opot. About half of the kids are HIV positive while the other half are negative, yet have no family support. Wayne, the man in charge of running Wat Opot, has done a phenomoal job in protecting these kids, giving them food, shelter, clothing, and most importantly, a life. What most people don't realize is that ARV's can potentially add 40 years to an infected life. I look at pictures from the community a few years ago, and I see decrepid children on the verge of death. Today, all of the kids look perfectly healthy. Aside from taking a multitude of drugs every morning and every evening, these kids lead normal lives. They go to school, they play with one another, they strive to be accepted as normal kids.
When I first pulled into the village, I was scared. It is not every day that I am dealing with dozens of people infected with HIV. I was nervous when the kids first started holding my hand and jumping all over me. However, this tension soon passed. All of the kids take ARV medications, and fortunately, the drugs dilute the virus in the bloodstream and make it very difficult to infect others, even if exoposed. Furthermore, HIV is not transmitted by holding hands, hugging, sweating, kissing, etc., only through blood semen, breast milk, and vaginal secretions.
There are 3 other volunteers here besides myself. Two older women are from New Zealand and are teaching the kids arts and crafts. The third girl is 25 and was born here. She has pretty much taken me under her wing, helping me to organize activites to do with the kids. She and I also have a good bit in common. I plan on getting involved with several projects while here. First and foremost, I plan on teaching English to the kids, some of the staff, and monks (tomorrow I plan on holding a 2 hour English class with 9 monks next door). I am also repsonisble for instructing some of the older kids how to use microsoft office programs. The older kids speak some English, but profiency from the younger ones remains minimal. I also plan on improving my Khmer while here. I also met with the head of the medical team today, and I plan on shadowing the staff as they make rounds throughout the village (even though consultations will be conducted in Khmer). Finally, I want to spend time playing sports with the kids. I just introduced them to (American) football, but I also want to take them fishing (there are enormous cat fish here).
My living arrangments can't be any more basic. We only have electricity from 7-9 pm, so sleeping with a fan is not an option. I sleep in a bed outside, surrounded by a mesquito net. We have no hot water (sometimes no running water) and it gets very hot around here. I must admit that it is difficult o sleep at night without a bed sheet. I am fortunate that the food here is fantastic. While meals are vegetarian, they are delicious. Lots of rice, pasta, fruits, and veggies. Every meal, the entire volunteer crew gathers and enjoys a relaxing meal. There is a lot of down time here, so I have been reading a good bit. We get up very very early (6:30 am), so but 9 pm I am ready for bed. I am looking forward to everything while here and can't wait to help change the community.
My computer is about to die, so I got to go. Ill try to make a post every 3 or 4 days.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Final Days Before I head to Wot Opot
My Khmer is gradually getting better and better. I can now reject tuk tuk drivers in their native tongue when they flock me searching for service. On Thursday, Susan and I met up with Arn, a close friend of Susan's. Living in a remote village about an hour outside of town, Arn has an incredible story. The Khmer Rouge took power when he was about 10 years old, and he only managed to survive through his impressive flute playing. After seeing friends and family die at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, he fled to the jungle, where he took refuge for an extended period of time. He survived through basic means: creating his own shelter and catching his own food (he spoke about catching monkeys, heating them up by sitting on them, then eating them). He was then found by an American, who proceeded to ädopt"him and took him to the US. Arn spent 20 years in the states, went to boarding school then Brown, and toured around the country telling his story. He even spoke at Emory in 1983, and Jimmy Carter wrote him a recommendation letter for college. Today, Arn lives in Cambodia, yet travels to the USA every few months to speak. Aside from telling his story, he writes his own music, breakdances, and creates his own music videos. He is now becoming very popular in Cambodia, and his "lady friend,"who also happens to be a famous singer, is now recognized by everyone across the country. I bought a CD of theirs ($2), so feel free to listen when I return to the states.
Yesterday, we we visited Oudong, about 2 hours outside of Phnom Penh. Oudong served as Cambodia's capitol until the mid 19th century, and today houses several temples built in the 16th and 17th centuries. With monuments placed on top of a giant hill, two young boys served as our tour guides. Aside from the intricute designs on the buildings, ornate Buddhas reside within every one. Another cool part of Oudong is the number of monkeys that have habituated themselves with humans...seeing the monkeys up close made me question whether I should have gotten that rabies shot. Regardless, after the tour we had lunch in the village. We had chicken soup (with LITERALLY every part of the chiken in the soup), morning glory (asparagus-like vegetable), rice, and a giant, non-gutted fish. I am still adjusting to this new diet, so it will only be a matter of time before I leave a traditional meal completely full. I showed our young tour guides my ipod, and soon had a giant following hovering over my mp3 player.
There are a few strange things that I have noticed about the culture here. First, the young men here have very trendy hairdos. Susan and I joke about how metro these styles are...these guys just look rediculous. It looks like a mix between AC Slater and the hairdo of a short-haired black woman. Second, many of the women wear pajamas in public. Im talking full pajamas with pajama bottoms, a button down top, and rediculous designs. We laugh at them too. Finally, more traditional women cannot be seen in public with men (like one man and one woman) unless they are dating. Kunthea, my female Khmer teacher, told Susan before I got here that she would not be able to take me around the city because it would be inappropriate. Very traditional.
Anyway, thats all for now. There is a casino here and I have already lost a little money. This is why I will never be able to live in a city with a casino (cough cough Brenton). Also, I just read that the Braves traded Kotchman for Adam LaRoche. Frank Wren should be fired and the Braves are going to miss the playoffs yet again.
Yesterday, we we visited Oudong, about 2 hours outside of Phnom Penh. Oudong served as Cambodia's capitol until the mid 19th century, and today houses several temples built in the 16th and 17th centuries. With monuments placed on top of a giant hill, two young boys served as our tour guides. Aside from the intricute designs on the buildings, ornate Buddhas reside within every one. Another cool part of Oudong is the number of monkeys that have habituated themselves with humans...seeing the monkeys up close made me question whether I should have gotten that rabies shot. Regardless, after the tour we had lunch in the village. We had chicken soup (with LITERALLY every part of the chiken in the soup), morning glory (asparagus-like vegetable), rice, and a giant, non-gutted fish. I am still adjusting to this new diet, so it will only be a matter of time before I leave a traditional meal completely full. I showed our young tour guides my ipod, and soon had a giant following hovering over my mp3 player.
There are a few strange things that I have noticed about the culture here. First, the young men here have very trendy hairdos. Susan and I joke about how metro these styles are...these guys just look rediculous. It looks like a mix between AC Slater and the hairdo of a short-haired black woman. Second, many of the women wear pajamas in public. Im talking full pajamas with pajama bottoms, a button down top, and rediculous designs. We laugh at them too. Finally, more traditional women cannot be seen in public with men (like one man and one woman) unless they are dating. Kunthea, my female Khmer teacher, told Susan before I got here that she would not be able to take me around the city because it would be inappropriate. Very traditional.
Anyway, thats all for now. There is a casino here and I have already lost a little money. This is why I will never be able to live in a city with a casino (cough cough Brenton). Also, I just read that the Braves traded Kotchman for Adam LaRoche. Frank Wren should be fired and the Braves are going to miss the playoffs yet again.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The City of Smells Cont.
I came of with this title for a reason: there are infinite smells throughout the city. No matter where we travel, there is always some bizarre stench closeby. The best examples of this can be found in the local markets. Susan and I went recently went to a local neighborhood marker, where vendors sell anything (and I literally mean anything). Cambodians don't let anything go to waste, so virtually every part of the animal is consumed. Market vendors sell live and dried out fish from the Mekong, frogs, tarantulas, intenstines, smelly fruits, spices, etc etc etc. I, for whatever reason, can't seem to get away from a lingering fishy smell. The other day, I accidently put fish juice on my rice when I though it was vinegar...I almost threw up on the spot. One of the funniest things I have seen has been the infamous chicken moto, where a chicken vendor transports hundreds of dead and alive chicken on his tiny moto (pics to come later).
Over the past three days, I have been taken daily Khmer lessons. I am actually picking up the language rather quickly. I know basic greetings, how to count to about 90,000, family members, foods, and general questions. Cambodians are very grateful when they see you trying to communicate in their native tongue. At the same time, they enjoy practicing their English with foreigners.
Susan has been great in arranging meetings with executive directors of various NGOs in town. The non-government agencies are instrumental in providing appropriate relief to strenghen healthcare and the economy of Cambodia. Yesterday, we met with the executive director of KHANA (Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance), and organization intended to provide support to everyone in Cambodia suffering from HIV/AIDS and to promote safe practices. They are doing a fantastic job, because nearly 95% of all infected persons (in the ENTIRE country) either receive ARVs (anti-retroviral drugs) or are in ART (anti-retroviral therapy). The biggest problem here is not providing the support, but encouraging people to practice safe behaviors. People here are educated on HIV/AIDS, but are still reluctant to wear condoms or practice appropriate safe behaviors.
We also visited the director of The Transcultural Psychosocial Organization, an organization aimed to help improve mental health issues of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge has left lasting psychosical issues among most people here, so it is important to recognize underlying factors and help improve. The head doctor of the program believes that people suffer from Basabat, or a defeated mentality. This is a bit different from PTSD, so different measures need to be taken in helping people. Other NGOs include Resource Revenue Transparency and Tinytoons. RRT is intended to make all oil/mining revenues and budgeting transparent so the money accumulated does not go to waste. It is better to invest this money long term as it will help the economy in the long run. Tinytunes is an organization taking streets kids from the streets and putting them in a safer, more fun environment. Here, kids can learn to breakdance, play sports, work with a dj turntable, and take English classes. This is a very unique organization that has received a great deal of grant money over the past 4 years.
Yesterday, Susan and I visited the Russian market, where you can essentially buy anything. I bought a knock off North Face Backpack, one of those heavy duty ones, for only $12 (they retail for about $80). You can get bootleg DVDs for $2 (including recent films such as The Hangover), bootleg POLOs from $6 (and they look legit), moto parts, crafts, food, etc.
Ill try to post some pics either tonight or tomorrow. I have been really busy so I havent had time to do so.
Over the past three days, I have been taken daily Khmer lessons. I am actually picking up the language rather quickly. I know basic greetings, how to count to about 90,000, family members, foods, and general questions. Cambodians are very grateful when they see you trying to communicate in their native tongue. At the same time, they enjoy practicing their English with foreigners.
Susan has been great in arranging meetings with executive directors of various NGOs in town. The non-government agencies are instrumental in providing appropriate relief to strenghen healthcare and the economy of Cambodia. Yesterday, we met with the executive director of KHANA (Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance), and organization intended to provide support to everyone in Cambodia suffering from HIV/AIDS and to promote safe practices. They are doing a fantastic job, because nearly 95% of all infected persons (in the ENTIRE country) either receive ARVs (anti-retroviral drugs) or are in ART (anti-retroviral therapy). The biggest problem here is not providing the support, but encouraging people to practice safe behaviors. People here are educated on HIV/AIDS, but are still reluctant to wear condoms or practice appropriate safe behaviors.
We also visited the director of The Transcultural Psychosocial Organization, an organization aimed to help improve mental health issues of Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge has left lasting psychosical issues among most people here, so it is important to recognize underlying factors and help improve. The head doctor of the program believes that people suffer from Basabat, or a defeated mentality. This is a bit different from PTSD, so different measures need to be taken in helping people. Other NGOs include Resource Revenue Transparency and Tinytoons. RRT is intended to make all oil/mining revenues and budgeting transparent so the money accumulated does not go to waste. It is better to invest this money long term as it will help the economy in the long run. Tinytunes is an organization taking streets kids from the streets and putting them in a safer, more fun environment. Here, kids can learn to breakdance, play sports, work with a dj turntable, and take English classes. This is a very unique organization that has received a great deal of grant money over the past 4 years.
Yesterday, Susan and I visited the Russian market, where you can essentially buy anything. I bought a knock off North Face Backpack, one of those heavy duty ones, for only $12 (they retail for about $80). You can get bootleg DVDs for $2 (including recent films such as The Hangover), bootleg POLOs from $6 (and they look legit), moto parts, crafts, food, etc.
Ill try to post some pics either tonight or tomorrow. I have been really busy so I havent had time to do so.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The City of Smells
Yeserday, Susan and I got the unique oppurtunity to observe members of the Khmer Rouge on trial at the Phnom Penh courthouse an hour outside of town. (I wan't to apologize in advance if my grammar is poor, my keyboard is especially shitty...very frustrating). When I realized that long pants were required for entry (I was clearly wearing shorts), the secuirty guard denied me access. As I was walking away, another judicial security officer officed to rent me a pair of jeans for $2. This was cleary a scam. It is ironic to think that such things happen at the natioal judicial headquarters....hah. Anyway, the man being tried is named Duch, the former head of Tuol Sleng Prison. It is fascinating to see history in the making before my very eyes. While the trial, headed by the UN, has already lasted for months, there is no end in immediate sight. Duch is the first of four Khmer Rouge members being tried.
The drive back to town allowed me to see a slew of brothels along the edge of the road. Disguised as "massage parlors," you can get special treatment for 5000 riel, or a hefty $1.25. Recent statistics indicate that about 1/3 of active prostitutes have HIV/AIDs...a staggering number. I know where to not find a girlfriend. Most of the girls are young teenagers which is particularly disturbing.
After a quck bite to eat at a Western style sandwhich shop (I was so hungry I ordered 2 meals), Susan and I visited the nearest prison in the outer province bordering Phnom Penh. In visiting with members of an NGO promoting human rights, we gave food and toiletries to the female inmates. The prison conditions are horrfic (straight out of locked up abroad). It is very sad because four of the women are taking care of young children during their sentences, one of which has a second on the way. Living quarters for all prisoners are miserable, especially for men. 48 men reside in cells that are intended to sleep 12 people. The food they eat is minimal and infested with flies, bathrooms are both scarce and unsanitary, and cells are scorching hot. Watching Locked Up Abroad has taught be never to smuggle drugs from a foreign country...these guys looked rough.
I wanted to write a bit more, but this keyboard is killing me. Ill get back to everyone tomorrow.
chum reep leer,
Matt
The drive back to town allowed me to see a slew of brothels along the edge of the road. Disguised as "massage parlors," you can get special treatment for 5000 riel, or a hefty $1.25. Recent statistics indicate that about 1/3 of active prostitutes have HIV/AIDs...a staggering number. I know where to not find a girlfriend. Most of the girls are young teenagers which is particularly disturbing.
After a quck bite to eat at a Western style sandwhich shop (I was so hungry I ordered 2 meals), Susan and I visited the nearest prison in the outer province bordering Phnom Penh. In visiting with members of an NGO promoting human rights, we gave food and toiletries to the female inmates. The prison conditions are horrfic (straight out of locked up abroad). It is very sad because four of the women are taking care of young children during their sentences, one of which has a second on the way. Living quarters for all prisoners are miserable, especially for men. 48 men reside in cells that are intended to sleep 12 people. The food they eat is minimal and infested with flies, bathrooms are both scarce and unsanitary, and cells are scorching hot. Watching Locked Up Abroad has taught be never to smuggle drugs from a foreign country...these guys looked rough.
I wanted to write a bit more, but this keyboard is killing me. Ill get back to everyone tomorrow.
chum reep leer,
Matt
Monday, July 27, 2009
A Somber Day
For those of you who don't know, a horrific genocide took place here from 1975-1979. The Khmer Rouge, a revoltionary extremist regime under Pol Pot, took power and began killing all oppressors. In the 4 year span, nearly 1/3 of Camdodia (roughly 1.7 million people) was killed off. Early Sunday morning, Susan and I visited the Tuol Sleng geocide mesuem located at the former prison camp. In 1975, The Khmer Rouge took over a local high school and turned it into a prison. In the camp, men, women, and children were shackled, lased, electricuted, then shipped away to killing fields (that is of course if they had already survived). It is pretty outrageous to think that this type of genocide took place only 30 years ago. Everybody that we talk to seems to be affected by this time period as all families were torn apart. In the exhibit, there are still blood stains on the floors and torture tools are on display. After a quick bite to eat, Susan and I took a tuk tuk to the nearby kiling fields. Only a few kilometers away, prisoners were taken to the fields blindfolded and told that they were to be "re-educated." However, thousands and thousands of innocent Cambodians were killed and thrown into mass graves. Today, the fields serve as a memorial, whith thousands of skulls and bones on display. There are still bones bits and clothing shards along the walking path of the fields....very very sad. To make matters worse, small children continued to approach us begging for money. While it may seem tempting to support these kids, the money that they raise goes straight to a controlling boss (much like Slumdog Millionaire). It is better to give these kids food or water.
After resting at the pool for a bit, a former student of Susan's and a new friend of mine, Cchivleng, called me and invited me to go dancing. While clubbing at 5:30 pm seemed a bit strange, I decided to go anyway for the experience. When she and I pulled up to the location, I saw thousands of people dancing along the periphery of the futball stadium....by dancing, I mean doing aerobics. Thoughts of mandatory Zumba and step aerobic classes at Emory continued to race through my mind. Regardless, I decided to take part anyway. The first parts of the dance were easy, but after a while I was falling far behind. 3 little girls tried to teach me, but I was useless. It is funny, because at one point they played Lou Bega's "Mambo Number 5," but the dancing did not follow the instructions of the lyrics. I was probably the only person in the stadium to notice this.
After dinner with Cchevling at a traditional Cambodian restaraunt (I had pad thai and fried ice cream), I decided it was time to call home. I was able to make a 20 minute phone call to the states for only $1.00. Internet access is only 50 cents/ hour. Other prices are very very inexpensive...cigarette cartons for a quarter (Fouty wuold be in trouble), motorcycles for $400 dollars, nice tvs for $60, etc. etc.
Thats all for today, but I am still a bit behind with entries. Ill try to post some pics at some point.
After resting at the pool for a bit, a former student of Susan's and a new friend of mine, Cchivleng, called me and invited me to go dancing. While clubbing at 5:30 pm seemed a bit strange, I decided to go anyway for the experience. When she and I pulled up to the location, I saw thousands of people dancing along the periphery of the futball stadium....by dancing, I mean doing aerobics. Thoughts of mandatory Zumba and step aerobic classes at Emory continued to race through my mind. Regardless, I decided to take part anyway. The first parts of the dance were easy, but after a while I was falling far behind. 3 little girls tried to teach me, but I was useless. It is funny, because at one point they played Lou Bega's "Mambo Number 5," but the dancing did not follow the instructions of the lyrics. I was probably the only person in the stadium to notice this.
After dinner with Cchevling at a traditional Cambodian restaraunt (I had pad thai and fried ice cream), I decided it was time to call home. I was able to make a 20 minute phone call to the states for only $1.00. Internet access is only 50 cents/ hour. Other prices are very very inexpensive...cigarette cartons for a quarter (Fouty wuold be in trouble), motorcycles for $400 dollars, nice tvs for $60, etc. etc.
Thats all for today, but I am still a bit behind with entries. Ill try to post some pics at some point.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Day 1 in Phnom Penh (7/25/09)
I have so much to write about from my first day here to bare with me.
I was planing to meet Susan for breakfast at 9:00 am to go over the basics of the program. Not able to sleep (I must have Shane syndrome), I woke up at 6:30 in time to watch the beginning of the Yankees game on ESPN (thank god I got my baseball fix). I met Susan at a neighboring outdoor pool area/restaurant for a quick bite to eat. This place looks like it is straight out of Malibu, CA. There are lavish pools with trendy sunbathing beds along the edges...pretty crazy. I had a small salad to eat, then we decided to walk around town for a bit. It is so incredibly hot here. While temperatures range in the mid to upper 80s, the sun just beats on you. I was sweating within seconds of walking outside. Walking around town I noticed 2 things very quickly: The people here are extremely friendly, and everything here is incredibly cheap. Everyone wants to stop and share a few words with you, greeting you in traditional Cambodian fashion (hands palm to palm at your chin and a slight bow). The people here look like a mix between Mexicans and Indians. It is very easy to differentiate between Cambodians and others from Asia. Walking along the streets from shop to shop, everything is so so cheap. Conveniently, the American dollar is the most widely accepted form of currency. A typical meal is around $4.
Phnom Penh is a bustling city, with moto bikes everywhere. I don't understand how the traffic system here works because there are no traffic lights and minimal stop signs. People on the bikes roam freely, swerving as they please, sometimes in the opposite direction of traffic. The taxi cab here is called the tuk tuk, which is essentially an open air carriage pulled by a moto. A typical fare is a couple of bucks.
Cambodia has a very rich, yet disturbing history. From 1975-1979, the country was run by the Khmer Rouge, an extremist group aimed at destroying all traditions by destroying landmarks and killing any opposition (including intellectuals, doctors, lawyers, etc.). Families were torn apart during this period, but the country is slowly, but surely, recovering. There are NGOs everywhere helping to improve Cambodia. Walking down major streets, there are orpahned children begging for money or food, many of whom have lost limbs from nearby landmines (there are still thousands of them in the countryside). Many NGOs are set up to help get these kids off the streets. We ate lunch at a pace called Friends, which takes orphaned kids off the streets and gives them vocational training at the restaurant. The service was great, and we had a delicious traditional meal...chicken curry with white rice and a salad.
We spent much the of the afternoon walking around the city. We visited the King's Royal Palace which was spectacular. While waiting in line to enter, a bunch of Americans and video cameras ran through the crowd towards the palace. While everyone was baffled, I had to explain that they were filming an episode of the American tv program the Amazing Race. While Susan and I were getting tickets, one of the teams cut us to request their money back (they were apparently at the wrong place). To kill time before our 5:00 dinner, we both got traditional Khmer massages for a staggering $12. For 1 hour, this lady put me in the most ridiculous positions for massage every muscle in my body. It was like my high school wrestling days being put in body locks and full nelsons. Regardless, I feel great.
We had dinner at a traditional Cambodian place with a friend of Susan's, where were ate pork with white rice, sour beef soup, and banana salad (lunch was more appetizing...not gonna lie). To cap off the evening, we saw an Khmer dance performance at the Sovanna Phum arts center. The men wore giant masks and pretended to be both monkeys and warriors. I had no idea what was going on, but it was still entertaining. After the show is was 8:30 I was ready for bed. I crashed immediately when getting home.
Sorry for the lengthy post, but I had too much to write about (plus I know Mom is thrilled to know that I am surviving).
I was planing to meet Susan for breakfast at 9:00 am to go over the basics of the program. Not able to sleep (I must have Shane syndrome), I woke up at 6:30 in time to watch the beginning of the Yankees game on ESPN (thank god I got my baseball fix). I met Susan at a neighboring outdoor pool area/restaurant for a quick bite to eat. This place looks like it is straight out of Malibu, CA. There are lavish pools with trendy sunbathing beds along the edges...pretty crazy. I had a small salad to eat, then we decided to walk around town for a bit. It is so incredibly hot here. While temperatures range in the mid to upper 80s, the sun just beats on you. I was sweating within seconds of walking outside. Walking around town I noticed 2 things very quickly: The people here are extremely friendly, and everything here is incredibly cheap. Everyone wants to stop and share a few words with you, greeting you in traditional Cambodian fashion (hands palm to palm at your chin and a slight bow). The people here look like a mix between Mexicans and Indians. It is very easy to differentiate between Cambodians and others from Asia. Walking along the streets from shop to shop, everything is so so cheap. Conveniently, the American dollar is the most widely accepted form of currency. A typical meal is around $4.
Phnom Penh is a bustling city, with moto bikes everywhere. I don't understand how the traffic system here works because there are no traffic lights and minimal stop signs. People on the bikes roam freely, swerving as they please, sometimes in the opposite direction of traffic. The taxi cab here is called the tuk tuk, which is essentially an open air carriage pulled by a moto. A typical fare is a couple of bucks.
Cambodia has a very rich, yet disturbing history. From 1975-1979, the country was run by the Khmer Rouge, an extremist group aimed at destroying all traditions by destroying landmarks and killing any opposition (including intellectuals, doctors, lawyers, etc.). Families were torn apart during this period, but the country is slowly, but surely, recovering. There are NGOs everywhere helping to improve Cambodia. Walking down major streets, there are orpahned children begging for money or food, many of whom have lost limbs from nearby landmines (there are still thousands of them in the countryside). Many NGOs are set up to help get these kids off the streets. We ate lunch at a pace called Friends, which takes orphaned kids off the streets and gives them vocational training at the restaurant. The service was great, and we had a delicious traditional meal...chicken curry with white rice and a salad.
We spent much the of the afternoon walking around the city. We visited the King's Royal Palace which was spectacular. While waiting in line to enter, a bunch of Americans and video cameras ran through the crowd towards the palace. While everyone was baffled, I had to explain that they were filming an episode of the American tv program the Amazing Race. While Susan and I were getting tickets, one of the teams cut us to request their money back (they were apparently at the wrong place). To kill time before our 5:00 dinner, we both got traditional Khmer massages for a staggering $12. For 1 hour, this lady put me in the most ridiculous positions for massage every muscle in my body. It was like my high school wrestling days being put in body locks and full nelsons. Regardless, I feel great.
We had dinner at a traditional Cambodian place with a friend of Susan's, where were ate pork with white rice, sour beef soup, and banana salad (lunch was more appetizing...not gonna lie). To cap off the evening, we saw an Khmer dance performance at the Sovanna Phum arts center. The men wore giant masks and pretended to be both monkeys and warriors. I had no idea what was going on, but it was still entertaining. After the show is was 8:30 I was ready for bed. I crashed immediately when getting home.
Sorry for the lengthy post, but I had too much to write about (plus I know Mom is thrilled to know that I am surviving).
The Flight Over
Hey Everyone,
Sorry I haven't posted sooner, but this is the first time I have gotten to a computer. The flight from Atlanta took forever. I first had a 14 hour leg from Atlanta to Seoul, South Korea, a whopping 14 hours away. I managed to watch 4 movies during the span...pretty outrageous. I was fortunate to have an empty seat next to me on the flight which was nice. After a 2 hour delay in Seoul, I hopped aboard another 6 hour flight to Phnom Penh. While I slept for most the flight, I did wake up in time for dinner...eel (they had just run out of chicken). I opted to skip dinner (fortunately I had brought an entire box of pop tarts with me).
The time difference here is 11 hours ahead of Atlanta. As I write this blog at 9:00 am on Sunday, it is currently 10:00 pm in Atlanta on Saturday (I am following the Braves game right now). Once I landed, I had to buy a visa for $20, grabbed my luggage, and was greeted by Susan, the organization's in country coordinator. She has been nothing but friendly since I have been here. I finally arrived at my hotel at around 11:00 pm. My hotel is in a very safe neighbor with flocks of Western tourists. It is both amazing and comforting to see all of the English everywhere. The primary language here is Khmer, but many people speak English to some degree. My room is so much nicer than the hostel rooms I was used to in South America. I have air conditioning, a western style bathroom with tp, and a tv with about 60 channels (including HBO and ESPN). The only difference is the shower, which is basically is not a real shower at all. In the bathroom, there is a single shower head that shoots water into the middle of the bathroom, where it is then drained into a corner....pretty bizarre.
Anyway, im going to go ahead and post another entry about my day yesterday.
Peace,
Matt
Sorry I haven't posted sooner, but this is the first time I have gotten to a computer. The flight from Atlanta took forever. I first had a 14 hour leg from Atlanta to Seoul, South Korea, a whopping 14 hours away. I managed to watch 4 movies during the span...pretty outrageous. I was fortunate to have an empty seat next to me on the flight which was nice. After a 2 hour delay in Seoul, I hopped aboard another 6 hour flight to Phnom Penh. While I slept for most the flight, I did wake up in time for dinner...eel (they had just run out of chicken). I opted to skip dinner (fortunately I had brought an entire box of pop tarts with me).
The time difference here is 11 hours ahead of Atlanta. As I write this blog at 9:00 am on Sunday, it is currently 10:00 pm in Atlanta on Saturday (I am following the Braves game right now). Once I landed, I had to buy a visa for $20, grabbed my luggage, and was greeted by Susan, the organization's in country coordinator. She has been nothing but friendly since I have been here. I finally arrived at my hotel at around 11:00 pm. My hotel is in a very safe neighbor with flocks of Western tourists. It is both amazing and comforting to see all of the English everywhere. The primary language here is Khmer, but many people speak English to some degree. My room is so much nicer than the hostel rooms I was used to in South America. I have air conditioning, a western style bathroom with tp, and a tv with about 60 channels (including HBO and ESPN). The only difference is the shower, which is basically is not a real shower at all. In the bathroom, there is a single shower head that shoots water into the middle of the bathroom, where it is then drained into a corner....pretty bizarre.
Anyway, im going to go ahead and post another entry about my day yesterday.
Peace,
Matt
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Brief Introduction
Hello all,
I've created this blog with information regarding my upcoming trip to Cambodia. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated with relevant posts and pictures. For those of you who don't know, im going to spend a week training in Phnom Penh, the capitol city. Afterwards, I will be stationed at Wat Opot, a HIV community an hour and a half away from Phnom Penh, working in a hospice and helping residents in the community. I should also have an oppurtunity to work/shadow doctors in communal health facilities. Post any questions or concerns that you might have.
Thanks,
Matt
I've created this blog with information regarding my upcoming trip to Cambodia. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated with relevant posts and pictures. For those of you who don't know, im going to spend a week training in Phnom Penh, the capitol city. Afterwards, I will be stationed at Wat Opot, a HIV community an hour and a half away from Phnom Penh, working in a hospice and helping residents in the community. I should also have an oppurtunity to work/shadow doctors in communal health facilities. Post any questions or concerns that you might have.
Thanks,
Matt
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