Everyday a new beginning.

Hello Everyone,

Wow! You have been a great support.  Thanks so much for your encouragement and thoughtful comments.  I am doing quite fine now...nothing like a full blown meltdown to clear out all the residual stress that was building.  Survived, and even feeling excited about the next stage, the actual living in Sisophon and getting "established" in a routine of work and living K'mai.

So, what has happened lately. The big excitement was receiving a parcel from Canada.  Yahoo!  It was fun opening it with the other volunteers hovering over it to see what goodies were within.  And goodies there were.  THANK YOU KYMBERLEY!!! Unfortunately, the parcel had to be opened then put away as it was delivered moments before we were heading off to a "home-stay".  This was the part where we were to learn how many K'mai people live and practice our newly acquired language skill.  HAHAHAHAHA!!! Really?  I don't know what language they were speaking.  Some of the sounds did bear some resemblance to what Dara taught us and I did catch the odd, very odd, word but I would say, I have my work cut out for me.

Distributing mosquito nets for the homestay

This is the communities delivery room ...on this very bed!!

This is really how the children are transported...as is.  

The children were thrilled to see "tall Barang" who can play football.  

The family we stayed with was lovely.  The living was very simple, with cooking out the back, and eating out the front.  There was a very mangy dog (which barked all night along with the neighbours' dogs) several cows, chickens, roosters (which by the way, cock-a-doodle-do all through the night) and baby chicken scattered throughout.  The sleeping quarters were upstairs, where everyone just crashes on the hardwood floor in the one large room...everyone in the same room.  The toilet was down the steep back steps to the outside.  You don't want to have to pee in the middle of the night because the house is locked up and well, how would one negotiate the steep steps in the darkness.  There were other things in the night that I really didn't want to encounter either (spiders, centipedes for example).  There were 2 children who were living with their grandparents (owners of the house) who loved to follow us and join us for walks.  The parents of the children work in Phnom Penh, and the children see their parents about twice a year.  From what I could tell, there wasn't a lot of affection and the children always did exactly as they were instructed regarding chores.

Grandmother 

Grandfather who was delighted to help with my Kmai and practice his  French! 

The sweet sweet granddaughter. 

The out back kitchen

The very cute grandson. 

the back yard with the "toilet out of view.

These little piggies are going to be "roast pork" 

chickies eating all the bugs just like their parents.

After a sleepless night of dogs barking and geckos croaking, we got up to a delicious breakfast and headed back to Kampong Cham.  Sunday was a relaxing day for showers, laundry and exchanging stories about our home-stays with the other volunteers.  Monday was very exciting.  That was our in-country motorcycle training.  Wow! That sure gets the adrenaline pumping, riding a motorcycle in Cambodia.  It was very funny because when we first started, we were just riding around the parking lot of the hotel.  I of course was remembering my B.C. training where you lost points for putting your foot down.  So, first turn, without putting my foot down, was a tad wide and I was heading right for some oil drums.  I managed to stop (okay, I sort of crashed but in slow motion and nothing damaged).     I, at least, managed to avoid the parked cars unlike one of the other volunteers.  Then I learned that you need to put your foot down when making tight turns.  After that, I was off and never looked back.  We rode through soft sand, bumpy dirt roads, through street vendors and markets, on the major highway and across the highway bridge.  Watch out Cambodia!  I can't believe that I will have my very own motorbike when I get to Sisophon.  Feels like a new toy.  I must say I so enjoy the challenge.

I have a lead on a house in Sisophon so will have a look at it when I get up there on Sunday.  I am just finishing up the in-country training in Phnom Penh, buying last minute treats to take to the "hinterland" of Banteay Mencheay, and then saying sad farewells to my fellow volunteers who will be spread out all over Cambodia.  I can't express how exhilarating this whole experience has been so far.  You have to love the full spectrum of emotions that truly make you realize that you are very much alive.  The drastic cultural changes and all the transitions are bound to affect us all, but resilient we are and I couldn't be happier with the support I feel from everyone at home and from my fellow volunteers.  Life is pretty darn great.

Thanks you all for your concerns, comments and encouragement.  I love hearing about your lives so keep sending your news.  I so cherish all of you and appreciate that you are there.

Lots of love and thoughts,
Andrea

It isn't all roses!

I suppose it was only a matter of time before my bubble of excitement exploded into the harsh reality of what  it means to live in Sreisiphon for 2 years.  This is definitely not part of a tourist circuit.  My barang (foreigner) status makes me very obvious as there are few who venture here other than volunteers or NGO's of some sort.  English isn't understood, but then again, neither is my Khmer. In the big picture, perhaps my Khmer will improve more rapidly. I haven't brought myself to taking many pictures yet because...well...it is hard to get motivated to take photos of dust, dirt, potholes, traffic, and pancake flat countryside.  The one redeeming feature is a hill or two near town but that is it.

The view of a main street in Sreisiphon with one of the two mountains. 

There is no western food, house hunting has been, hum, discouraging and have I mentioned it is hot and humid. Back to the food thing...I am not going to resist the brownies in Kampong Cham when I go back and I may even allow myself a tandoori chicken burger with fries.  And April, about posting those delicious food items you are making...I'm making a list with the expectation that you will prepare my favourites in 2 years time.  

Well, if I sound bummed out, I might be. Wait a minute, I can hear the monks chanting in the distance!  Ahhhh yes perhaps I should be more Buddhist-like in my thinking.  The children are so delightful though and people are very friendly, always smiling and eager to please.  Then of course, I must realize why I am here.  I truly would like to contribute to making this world a better place even if it is just with tiny steps, in an impoverished country, where people deserve to have a better life.  Okay, feeling better.  Thanks all staying tuned.

Two Days Later


Not so fast Andrea!  An update on yet another bad day.  Just starting to ask myself if I will manage to survive.  I was fine last night when I found a place to live and was going to sign the contract today.  After a couple of hours negotiating and translating, contract signed and feeling like I may manage a couple of years here, the husband decides he wants 1 year's rent guaranteed.  What? We had agreed on 3 months payment at a time for 2 years! (VSO's policy).  Okay, cancel contract.  So I am back to training in Kampong Cham, with the prospect that I will be living out of a suitcase for the foreseeable future...at a guesthouse.

Well if that didn't bum me out, a storm was a brewing.  There was thunder and lightning and WINDS and FLOODS!  Sitting in my room watching the water flooding my hotel room floor as it streamed in around the windows, when a gust of wind came and blew the window out.  There it was, hanging by a piece of metal.  Luckily the other volunteer grabbed the window before it fell to the ground 3 floors below.  It was scary.  Too busy to take pictures.  Oh, did I mention the power was out and they had candles in the hallway. No emergency lights here. The hotel staff managed to rescue the window but I needed a new room.  So, here I am in yet another room that is also flooded but at least it has a window.

This was just a "shower" they say, wait until the monsoons!

I did have a highlight today.  I hire a very lovely VA (Volunteer Assistant).  His name is Vomith.  He is sooooo lovely and gentle and kind.  He will be a real joy.  The fun part was when he took me to check out a guesthouse for when I return.  I got to ride on the back of his motorbike!  just like the Cambodians do! on bumpy, dusty, roads, weaving around the potholes and slowing for the obstacles (you would never in your wildest dreams imagine the variety of obstacles).  And you know what?  I felt such excitement about my life in Sreisiphon.

Wonder what is in store for my next blog.  Well Kymberley, you have no idea how meaningful your care package will be.  I don't care if the peanut butter cookies are powder by the time I get them.  They are going to be soooooooo appreciated!!!

Lots of love everyone and thanks for the emails.  They really do keep me going.  See ya next time.

A day in life in Kampuchia

Ice coffee during break at school ...that is yummy condensed milk on the bottom.

It strikes me once in in a while as I am comfortably cycling in the chaotic traffic of Kampong Cham that this is my life in for the next two years.  Okay, I'll be in Sisophon, or Srei Sisophon, or Banteay Meanchey Town, (your choice) but Kampuchia all the same.

The other morning cycling to school, I passed a fellow on a bicycle with textiles piled high behind and in front of him as he pedalled his way to the market.  Once past him, I turned the corner and I got stuck behind a motorcyclist herding his cows down the road.  I rode through them slaloming the cow dung, and calves not wanting to get separated from their mother.  But these Bhramas ? (help me out Larry) have the sweetest faces with loppy ears making them so endearing...except for the poo.

 As I played chicken through the intersection and negotiated my way onto the street the school is on, there was a no entry sign which bikes and motos can ignore.  Just outside the school there were 2 very long tents with music blaring indicating the preparations for a wedding ceremony which continues for at least 2 days. Unfortunately it was directly across from the school.  Can you imagine 6 hours of Khmer, trying to get your mouth and tongue around undecipherable sounds to the competition of some outrageously inharmonious music.  Holy headache!

This is Dara.  He is a brilliant Khmer language teacher and a very lovely human being.  He was a youngster during the Khmer Rouge regime.  It is truly unbelievable to hear some of what he had to live through.  The lovely disposition of the people here and what they have experienced is remarkable.






 After class in the afternoon, we headed to a Vietnamese pancake shop for some dinner.  Incredibly good!

 These nummy pancakes are packed full of pork and bean sprouts.  You break pieces off and wrap them in the green leafy bits with cucumbers and dip them into a spicy-sweet-sour sauce.  This is full-on eating with your hands! 1 pancake per person.

On the way back to the hotel, the "jazzercise"  class was happening by the river.  This by the way is free and is as much about participation as it is about a spectator sport.  Some evenings, there are more motorcycles lined up watching than there are jazzercisers!

 Just so that you know, it isn't all school work.  On Tuesday, we did have an introduction to what life will really be like when we get to our placements.  All of the partners from around Cambodia came to Kampong Cham where we met our "employers" and had our eyes open to life full of translating and smiles.  My contact spoke zero English and I'm afraid my Khmer is purely academic at this stage.  However, I did get interest when I asked my person to write "my name is Andy/Andrea" in Khmer script.  It looks lovely!  (I'm called Andy here because it seems easier for people to pronounce.)

Lunch was fish, vegetables, lots and lots of rice, beef and veggies, with fresh fruit for dessert.

And, just so you don't think it is all sunshine, sweaty heat, and blue sky.  It did rain for about 10 minutes while we were eating lunch.  Unfortunately, it didn't cool things off much.

Well, that about sums it up for now.  I'm off to my placement for a week to meet everyone, hire a translator, open a bank account, post office box, and find a place to live.  Should be interesting.  I leave at 7:30 am and arrive at 4:00 pm.  However, it is probably the distance to Kelowna from GF.

Life continues to be amazing and every day is an adventure of some sort.  I'll leave you with a picture of a favourite...Tom Yam Soup.  Hope you are all doing well and don't forget to drop me a line.  Nothing like getting mail!  Lots of love and good health to one and all.  See you next blog.

Life in Kampong Cham

Hello All,

on our way to Kampong Cham

Thought I would take a break from studying the Khmer language to post some pictures and tell you about my "never a dull moment" life in Kampong Cham.

all dressed up at the bus depot

Getting fresh mangos at the bus stop on way to Kampong Cham

Getting our luggage from bus depot to hotel

 Learning Khmer certainly has its challenges for me as I struggle with the k'nong, chang, p'tai. m'day, and kar y a lai type words, but truly I think my head is going to explode with all the new words going into my brain.  Unfortunately to make room for my already stuffed brain, I am losing other functions.  I have become accident prone. I made an impression with the fellow volunteers at 5:30 in the morning when I slipped on the wet-from-the-leaky-shower floor, landed backwards on the toilet, hit the toilet bowl which hit the wall then exploded spewing water all over.  It sure woke ME up!

This is after we turned the water off!

I have managed to get out for morning runs while the weather is...well cool isn't the right word...perhaps less hot!  Running along the Mekong is quite pleasant, past women in pyjamas doing "jazz-aerobics" complete with music blasting into the streets.  Otherwise it is a quiet time of the day.

Sunrise on the Mekong River

Fishing boat heading out early

Other than that, the food continues to be great, especially the fruit and veggies.  Tamarind had become my new favourite snack food and fresh coconut juice my new favourite drink. 

m-m-m-m steamed dumplings

cooking fish with a big pot of rice

more fish

I know it doesn't look appetizing but this is nummy sweet-sour  tamarind

Yesterday, our only day off school, a group of us cycled across a bamboo bridge to an island in the Mekong River.  Cycling around the island was along dirt roads lined with trees filled with all sorts of fruit, kids running up to the road to say ``hello`` and very friendly people.

Our Dutch contingent in her glory on a bike

Pony and cart crossing the bamboo bridge

Your truly and Ellen

Happy people saying hello

Jack fruit (interesting taste)

plai chake ( bananas) 

On our way home form cycling we stopped for some sugar cane juice.  Ellen is squeezing the sugar canes which is not as easy as it looks!

Sugar cane juice

Seem to be managing the heat and humidity however I am dreading April which is supposed to be hellish hot.  I really cannot imagine it getting hotter.  I think I`m in trouble. But probably nothing that a little coconut juice wouldn't help.

Hope you are all well!  See you next time.

Lots of hugs,
Andrea

Having fun in Phnom Penh

Hello All,

Just a few photos to keep you interested.  I keep forgetting to take pictures when we're doing something that is really interesting, like when we went to this amazingly hot and steamy, busy, delicious noodle restaurant which looked like it could be somewhat less than sanitary but so worth the risk. It seems the traffic continues to be a marvel considering the potential for disaster, yet the chaos does function.

This is me with fellow volunteer in a tuktuk to VSO office in the morning.

This is the view out the back of the tuktuk.

Look closely at the direction each of the vehicles is going...on coming motorcycles whilst one is turning, people sitting on the back side-saddle, not to mention there are cyclists and cars to look out for.  SUV's always have right-of-way as they tend to just drive over anything that gets in front of them.

Saw this at the market this morning.  Looks familiar!
I will have to send you a picture of all the fantastic fruits and vegetables that are in the market daily.  Some I can't say as I recognize.

A little peace and tranquillity in the midst of it all.

Saturday morning in Phnom Penh.









The VSO training sessions have been very good and interesting.  The session on "child protection" touched on some interesting topics.  One was volunteer tourism which is not very effective at finding solutions.  Another was the short-term volunteers in orphanages which is traumatic for children already suffering from abandonment.  Apparently tourists also go to orphanages, which in itself is disturbing, but the money they bring in rarely reaches the children. Besides our sessions, we got a chance to learn some bits about our placement goals and I was very excited after my meeting with the Education Program Manager who outlined my work in Sisophon.

Tomorrow we head off by bus, the local non-tourist variety, for Kampong Cham to start our Khmer language training.  Kampong Cham is a smaller city on the Mekong which is supposed to be lovely.  We each get our own bikes and I get training on riding a motorcycle.  Yikes, riding in all this mess on a motorcycle...they come at each other head on!  Luckily I will be riding mostly in Sisophon and hopefully without all the traffic of Phnom Penh. (I hear they drive faster in the provinces though!)

I'll try to remember to take some pictures of the really good stuff at some point.  Street food is great, rice and banana wrapped in banana leaf and cooked on a fire, m-m-m-m good.  Speaking of food, must away to test out more delights.

Oh yes, yesterday we had a torrential down pour.  It would be the day I decided to walk to the VSO office.  The sky opened up.  However, it isn't bad in the warmth of Cambodian
.
Hope you are all well.  Catch you next time.

Lots of love and thoughts,
Andrea

Arriving by Dragon...

Hello Everyone,

Life just is so exciting.  Finally after the fiasco before I left with my flight from Kelowna being cancelled due to fog,then an all night ride to Vancouver with a total stranger, I finally got off the ground 2 days later than scheduled.  Sitting in the middle seat for my 13 hour flight was very, very, uncomfortable but I was fortunate to have the company of two lovely gentlemen, a Sikh from Malaysia who was so kind., and a Vietnamese Canadian who was a refugee 30 years ago.  It really was fascinating learning about their stories and heart-warming to see how excited these 2 men in their 50's were about going home to see their mothers. The last 2 1/2 hours was on Dragon Air which had a beautiful dragon painted on the aircraft. Fitting for the Year of the Dragon don't you think.

Arriving in Phnom Penh was without a hitch and the immigration seemed quite unconcerned about the fact that my visa had a different passport number on it.  The rest was smooth sailing as I was greeted by a VSO staff member who was expert at negotiating the chaotic traffic complete with motos coming from every direction. After sleeping most of Sunday, I feel more or less in sync with the time zone.  The bonus is the wonderful hot sunny weather.  It is such a treat to walk around in sandals and short sleeves all the time.  I have to say that I love it so far.

We had our first training session today but I started yesterday with a new cell phone.  Who would ever have imagined that I would put my radiation phobia behind me, at least temporarily!  So, I am now learning all the ins and outs of the world of cell phoning.  It was pretty cheap, $20 for phone and $5 worth of credit costing 3 cents a text, 10 cents overseas.  Watch out all you folks with cell phones...once I get your numbers...

Well, I will try to get some picture up and more information by the weekend.  I must get some sleep.  Food is great, people delightful, and I'm loving the idea that I will be here for 2 years.  Just remind me of that when the monsoons hit okay?  See you in my next blog.

Lots of love and thoughts,
Andrea

HERE I GO....

Well folks, looks like I'm actually going to do this. The days are clicking by and my moods shift from excitement to panic with all the shades of emotions in between. As I'm weeding through all my belongings preparing for my two years away, I feel like I'm on an archaeological dig. I've found some interesting things...like my mortgage release document amongst sewing odds and ends in the closet... lots of notes, photos, and mementos, from various stages in my life...but most notably, I found myself staring back at me. What a life!.

The big question is, am I any smarter? I'd like to think that experience teaches you things so leaving for 2 years to Cambodia is definitely going to be huge. It seems my life has been a series of new beginnings. Yup, Terry Nuyten, I'm off to reinvent myself yet again. I truly feel like I am off into thin air without the slightest idea what the landing will be like, or where my journey will take me. Isn't that exciting, just totally letting go of everything you know to experience a different land, culture, and value system? Guess we'll see how smart I have become won't we!!

Well, I've finished my series of vaccines, my plane ticket and a list of instructions upon arrival in Phnom Penh are in hand, and I have many, many last minute details to address. I have spent most of the last few weeks getting up to speed (imagine a tortoise if you will) on how to use a laptop, learning about and buying an ereader, AND, I must say, feeling totally inept with technology. I still need to get a cell phone when I arrive in Cambodia...how the heck will I remember how to negotiate around all these different devices. (Okay Kymberley, I can hear you laughing as your aunt is working at shedding her Luddite status.) I have managed to figure out how to access my Downton Abbey episodes though, as some things really are a priority.

I am so touched by all the interest from people I have heard from or talked to and I feel so lucky to know such truly wonderful beings. I did want to remind everyone about the Cuso International fundraiser and my farewell event on Saturday, January 21st at Studio B from 6pm to 9pm. I'm hoping you will be there so I have a chance to thank you for your support and say my goodbyes. There will be entertainment (no, I'm not singing or dancing) by the Intunistics, some munchies, and a few draw prizes for those who have made or will have made a donation. If you can't make it( : ( sob, sob!) drop a line or post to my blog if you get a chance.

The next blog you receive will be from Cambodia in a few weeks. Of course, I will have to figure out how to do all of this again, as well as get the pictures from my camera to my blog. Hope you are patient and tolerant.

Lots of love and thoughts to all of you. I hope to hear about your lives and get news from you because you are going to keep in touch with me...right?

See you on my next blog,

Andrea