The good fortune of having friends

It's so difficult to believe that a whole month has gone by!  Just flown by!  I am so pleased to know that people are reading my blog.  I do enjoy writing it.  Some days are so overly full of activity, I don't have the energy to post & wonder if I can to continue.  We are working at the orphanage 7-8 hrs/day, and still need to go out shopping for supplies now & again, so it's sometimes difficult to fit everything in.   

We are really excited about this upcoming weekend.  First of all, the annual Buy Cambodian Products craft fair is on here in Siem Reap.  This is a show of real Cambodian artisans, not the 'Made in China/India' crap they try to pass off at the markets here as Cambodian.  So, just as we did last year, we will be looking to spend our money there on authentic goods.  Don't get me wrong, I do buy some things at the market (made in China, etc) just because I know I can get a good deal on them, and because I like them.  I got myself a lovely colourful pashmina for $3 (fake, probably rayon, but who cares?) and a cool cotton long-sleeve shirt (made in India probably) for $5.  In the market, I set my price, then walk away.  They always come down. :)))

On Sunday, we are going to Preah Vihear, a temple that is right on the Cambodia/Thai border.  It has only been opened up as a UNESCO site for a few years, and even recently there have been disputes over this little plot of land.  We will be sure to keep our heads low, but if you see reports on CNN of two grey-haired people being led away in handcuffs, contact the embassy! 


Chandy and Yan



It's an all-day trip.  Our bus leaves at 5 am, and we've been told the roads are 'good' (which means 'so-so' in North America).  It promises to be such an adventure!  We are going on a field trip with a group of 45 students from Build Bright University, and were invited by our friends,Chandy and Yan, who study there.  We were informed it's an excellent opportunity for everyone to practice English on us!  Cost for each of us is $13, which includes our round-trip bus fare (6 hours each way), a trip up the mountain in a 4WD truck, lunch, and admission price for entrance to the temple.  We have learned that this trip could have cost us upwards of $100, so we are truly grateful to have this opportunity!  It only goes to show you what good fortune can come out of making friends wherever you go.

It keeps on happening...

More photos of the construction at Honour Village...January 26

The central 'spirit house / flag pole with gardens & ponds is slowly beginning to take shape.  The foundation is now laid.

First they put large rocks in the hole, then they poured in sand
Then they added water, and the sand just levelled itself out.

Once the sand was level, they added cement mix
Then they added some water, and levelled out the concrete

 The new kitchen is beginning to take shape.  This is going to be quite an upgrade from cooking on an open wood fire.

The wall & dorrway between the school room and the kitchen
is bricked in

The stove & chimney are almost completed

Tiled countertops for preparing food. 

Goodbye, goodbye...

In Cambodia, they have this saying: "Same same, but different".    In one of my future blogs, I want to comment on things here that I notice are the same as in the western world, but different, or maybe about some of the things that I've noticed are the same as before, but are distinctly different now.  This is just one small example of the latter.

Tonight I want to say goodbye to an old friend, The Soup Dragon Restaurant, which is situated on the corner at the entrance to Pub Street, the 'in place to be' for tourists.  (That link will show you what the Soup Dragon was like in 2009,  still fairly similar to what it was like when we first went there.)  When we first discovered this open-air restaurant in January 2008, we went there early every morning for breakfast.  We would be the only foreigners (barangs) in the place.  The heavy wooden chairs would scrape across the terracotta tile floor as we struggled to drag them out from under the tables.  The soup was prepared behind a low wall, and we would watch the steam rise from the soup pots, and smell the delicious odours as the cooks busily worked in plain sight.  We ordered the same thing every morning, off a menu that was printed in Khmer and broken English.  Two bowls of noodle soup, one croissant, a coffee and a tea would cost us $4.25.  We would leave $5.00 on the table, and walk away thinking we'd paid way too little for such a great meal  ....And the waiter would run after us, trying to give us change because we'd given him too much money.  I'm not kidding.

Tonight we went back to Pub Street, which we now try to avoid because it's way too busy for our tastes, with too many tourists and too many tuk-tuks, and too many hustlers crying out 'Hello, Madame', trying to sell you something.  The Soup Dragon is still on the same corner,  but now it's filled only with tourists, and all the locals have moved on, probably to some quiet hole-in-the-wall on a side street, where foreigners don't go.  It now sports snappy wicker furniture with deep comfy cushions, and a projection TV that measures 6' x 3.5'.  The menu now offers a large variety of western food, and the prices have more than doubled...... and I'll bet my last dollar that the waiters don't run after you to give you change if you leave a tip....

As I left Pub Street tonight, I felt sad that a part of the Siem Reap that I fell in love with is gone forever.... but that's progress... and in Cambodia, any kind of progress is a good thing....

So, 'Goodbye' to the Soup Dragon of my past.  It's time to move on to new adventures.

...you might just get it....

While I'm here, I want make sure that these kids can just be kids.  They've all had such a tough life up to this point, I want to find a way to get them to laugh and clown around at every chance.  Besides, it give me a chance to be a kid again too.

A few days ago, I was asked to get thumbprints of all the kids.  (I can't say why, because it's for a special surprise, but I assure you it's on the 'up & up', and I got it approved by the manager).  When I think of finger- (or thumb-) prints, I think 'police' and tense moments, so already this didn't sound like much fun.  Add to that the language barrier, and all I could imagine was total chaos trying to get prints from 32 kids in an orderly fashion.  I went out and bought an inkpad, and prayed for inspiration.

This morning, it dawned on me....How about turning this into an 'art' project?  This afternoon, I sat them all down with paper and crayons.  As each one put their thumbprint on my 'special sheet', they were asked to put another 3 thumbprints onto a sheet of paper, then draw something using the thumbprints.  Once I'd gotten everyone 'printed', I let them loose with the inkpad.

The drawings were fun, but kids will be kids, and the inkpad was the most fun ever!  There'll be some serious soap & water needed tonight!

Be careful what you wish for...

I'm sure that somewhere in my previous notes, I've said I hope the kids will begin to feel at ease and more comfortable with me, so that they will just be themselves....

In the morning, all the children go to school except for Khanit and Riem, the little 3 year olds.  When I arrived today they were happily playing with one another, but about an hour later, Riem got cranky and whiney, so I took him in my arms and rocked him until he fell asleep.

It was peaceful and lovely.  Khanit was quite content to play quietly by himself, and Riem and I were bonding so nicely.  I could tell he was falling into a deeper and deeper sleep.....and then let out this huge sigh ....and peed....

Not much I could do -  Just sat there and rocked him while a warm feeling spread across my lap and a puddle formed at my feet - And he just slept right through it all.  At least I know he'd had enough to drink this morning..... and I guess I'm pretty safe in assuming he's comfortable with me now...

You just never know....

Gordon and I went exploring down Road #6 today.  Road #6 is one of the main roads that crosses through Siem Reap, and is not too far away from our guesthouse.  You just never know what interesting things you'll find just under your nose....

Here are a few things we passed along the road...

I'm sure they can fit at least one more box on that truck!
Hang on then, I don't have my seatbelt fastened!

The closest thing I've seen to a car dealership...Honda moto sales

"It's supposed to be Hawaii, with an 'A'"
"No problem, we can fix that for you!"

Abandoned hotel project

I think this might be a dental lab.  Pretty graphic signage.
Sure would scare me into brushing!

We discovered a huge market in behind a place that we always thought was just a few fruit stands.  It was filled with so many interesting things.  We were the only 'barangs' (foreigners) there.

Fantastic fruit market out front

At least a hundred vegetable vendors indoors.
This lettuce was so beautifully displayed in a spiral

I have never seen SO many bananas.
This was only a small part of the sales area

In another area were the tailors
This is the first time I've seen an electric machine.
Usually they are only treadle powered

Several stalls of fabric
(Vicki, this one's for you)

Two ladies doing counted cross-stitch
The first time I've seen this in Cambodia

There was a 'pharmacy' stall in the market

Outside, drying fish in the sun

And a 'blind' man played a traditional Khmer instrument,
while a young boy collected 'donations'

Two ladies in one of the outside stalls

Do you think he could fit one more thing on this moto?

We stopped at a bookstore, which sold mostly textbooks.  It was interesting to see Japanese-Khmer, French-Khmer, English-Khmer books, but seeing these three books just startled me into reality... I keep forgetting that we are the foreigners....


We English speaking people have some wierd ideas.
'Step on a crack, you break your mother's back'


Gordon found what he refers to as 'Cambodian Home Depot'.

Maybe it's really a Home Hardware?

First place he's found plywood
We bought screws, paint brushes and sandpaper

I'm tempted to bring one of these home and put it out in the back yard somewhere
"Would you like that squat toilet in white, or in the latest new colour, blue?"

By far the best discovery of the day was a 'Drink Shop', not too far from our guesthouse on Road #6.  They've got a great selection of wine & liquor at the best prices we've seen yet.  A 750 ml bottle of Kangaroo Reserve wine is $3.80! 
This store is also like a little 'corner store' and carries just about anything from soda to cereal to shampoo...And it also carries this .....

'Eliminates discomfort caused by persperation, dirt,
and unwanted secretions'
'Protects and deodorizes'

Don't close your eyes....part 2

Just as construction here goes at a breakneck speed, the changes I see in the kids as they get to know us is also astounding.  They are like sponges and absorb new concepts rapidly.

Most of them are receiving some formal English language training, so some speak and understand a bit of English.  Some don't at all, but I manage with my limited Khmer, sign language and the occasional translation.  Most difficult for me has been to learn 32 new names, (not inclufding the 20 staff & volunteers), mostly Khmer names, and totally unlike any names in the western world.  I get them mixed up, and forget.  (It's an age thing, I guess.)  So now we have posted photos of the staff and kids and labelled them with their names, which hopefully will make things easier.

All Cambodians find my name difficult.  'Dorothy' ends up being 'Dorofee' since the 'th' sound is nonexistant in Khmer.  The 'f' sound is also impossible for them, so 'Dorothy Griffith! comes out 'Dorofee Grippit'.  Works for me.

I thought it might be interesting for you to get to know some of the children...so I'll introduce them to you a few at a time...
Here goes....  
 *****
Than, Roeurn, Yoeng, and Riem
Last Monday a family of four children came to Honour Village.  Their mother had died, and the father had remarried a woman with two children of her own.  As is often the case, they simply couldn't afford to feed all of the children, and (I believe) it is customary in this country to give priority to the new wife's children.  Sometimes the children go to live with their grandmother, but in this case, all four went to an orphanage.


Big sister Than




Roeurn (or is it Yoeng?)




Yoeng (or is it Roeurn?)




Baby brother, Riem (3 y/o)

 On day one, Riem cried and whined all day.  He was anxious about his new surroundings, but his big sister, Than, kept him near to her side and mothered him.  He is currently sleeping in the girls' dormitory with Than, but will reside in the 'young children's dormitory' with his two older brothers once he has adjusted. 

Than helps Riem finish up lunch

At 3 years old, Riem still needs his morning nap.  Once he naps, he is a much happier boy.

Me and Riem having a nap

What a difference a nap makes!

Chea

When I first arrived, I noticed one older boy who was quite aggressive, especially with the younger children.  His name is Chea (same pronounciation as Chia).  I learned that Chea came from a troubled background, (no specifics -(I probably would be heartbroken to know details anyway).  I don't think he speaks any English, and I think he is behind in school.

Chea

It dawned on me that the little children tended to be the ones whom visitors and new volunteers immediatedly gravitated toward, and the older children took a back seat.  Not unusual, since those wee ones are just so adorable.  I wondered if Chea just might be a bit jealous, and just needed a bit more attention, so I started to spend more time with him, and give him hugs when I arrived and left.  In only just a few days, he has responded to the extra attention.  He doesn't seem to be mean to the little kids as much and is becoming such a joy.  When he gets back from school, he comes to me for his hug, and he hugs back.  Yesterday when I was getting ready to leave, he rushed across the field to hug me goodbye.  It's a big step.


Khanit
Khanit is a joyful little 3 year old.  I don't know how long he has been at Honour Village, but he is always busy and plays hard.  He is one of these children that immediately grabs your attention and your heart.  He is very bright and seems to know how to say a lot of English words & phrases, but I'm not sure he knows what they mean.  He seems older than his years, but at 3, he still needs his morning nap.

Khanit

Tuckered out

A soft shoulder beats a hard chair any day

Rethy

Rethy

This is Rethy.  He's a bright little boy who is very sensitive and has a soft heart.  I often see him sitting off by himself when we are playing with the other children, sulking and sometimes with a tear down his cheek, and I wonder what he is thinking or why he is so upset.  When he is like this, I have tried to get him to join in our fun, and I have tried to sit quietly with him, neither of which works.  At other times, he is happy, like in this picture.  He is more often to be found playing or drawing quietly by himself, rather than with all the children.  He is quite artistically talented.  It may take me more time to get to know him, and more time for him to warm up, and I am hoping we can become friends before I leave. 

Here's a pic of me and the kids clowning around.

 It hurts me to think what goes on in the heads of some of these little people.  I can't imagine what they feel, but I take comfort in knowing that Honour Village is giving them a good safe home with plenty of food, love and attention.  If I can add just one little bit, and touch just even one life, then all this was totally worthwhile.

If you are interested in sponsoring one of these children, or any others I will be writing about, you can contact this link.  It's one way of making a difference.