Anyu

Anyu accompanied by his mother and Sen headed back to Phnom Penh yesterday. He went to the hospital today to begin reconstructive surgery.

Pharmacist Failer

I'm in Phnom Penh for the week. One of our Khmer staff has debate at university and needed a hand. I'm the hand! I've been helping with medical clinics by day, and teaching her classes by night. I definitely have the clinic bug and am loving it! The last couple of morning I've hopped in a van with a few other Khmer at 6:30 a.m. headed out to villages. The clinic Saturday was in a church. I was instructed to take blood pressure, but failed at both hearing and seeing blood thumping. I refused the job and switched desks with the distributor of meds. The last 2 mornings I've stuck with the pharmacist position. I can even tell the patient how many pills how many times for what length of time in Khmer with them understanding! Yesterday we headed to a village built on the outskirts of clothing factories or otherwise known as sweat shops. It was quite interesting to see the large development of housing wound between and about the kilometers of factories outside of Phnom Penh. We even had a puppy infested with worms drop by for a pill!

Pelted

It was a pleasantly overcast day as I peddled toward the lake to teach this afternoon.
By the time I reached the school boat, my clothing testified otherwise!
Not only did I lack any sign of dryness, but also evidenced mud streaks on my backside.
I think it looked slightly artsy on the abstract side. My students love it when I show up in the above pictured state. Chuckles filled the atmosphere.

Rainy season, welcome. I'll embrace your cooling agent, even via pelting rain.

Jeep's Flat Tire

Jeep, my bicycle, developed 4 holes in its front tube yesterday. I took advantage of the opportunty to take a romuk motto back to town!!! Vehicle complications seem to not be as big a deal here in Cambodia compared to home for me. I would be stressed in continous contact with mi pawdre if I had a flat in Daytona. Here in Cambodia, however, no worries! Grab a tuk-tuk and then roll the bicycle to the closest mechanic on the side of the rode! One of the great things about being here!

Laughter is an International Language

LaUgH

Today's Highlight Sounds

.
Phone Alarm 5:55am
Watch Alarm 6:00am
Friendly Voice Greeting 6:15am
English Tunes in Parking Lot Inspiring Jazzer-Size Moves 6:20am
Spray Paint Can Used on Cement to Identify Accident Location 11:22am
Baby Crying 11:50am
Greetings from Students after 3 Week Break 12:11pm
Breeze Scattering through Tall Grass across the Canal from Boat 1:50pm
Woman Laughing at Me...Began Light (h.h.h.) and Tickled Deeper (ha.haa.haa.) 5:36pm
Light Conversation of Day with Familiar Voices 7:30pm
.

One Flap Caught on Film

I ended up in a van load of friends from India along with Carol and Simon headed to Soonan Village last Friday. My thoughts went something like this, "Sweet! Can't wait to see another village." Those thoughts quickly changed as I was informed I'd be sharing. Such is my life. Life! My life was greatly enriched later that afternoon at the sight of a butterfly touchdown on the head of the red toothed woman sitting beside me on our palm weaved mat.

I accompanied Carol to Takam Village to check up on Anyu yesterday.
Anyu's mother gave Sine a bird. It led us on a couple chases! Anyu is in the attached video. His face is healing. Open holes in the middle of 2 of his wounds closed!
Only 2 small areas which have yet to grow skin remain covered.

As we sat and chatted (more like listened to the villagers chat), I sat on the second rung of the latter to Anyu's home. Anyu's mother came over and stood with her arm rested against me. I love the comfort and familiarness between us. I have made friends in Takam Village!

It was fantastic! Almost 600 Khmer children from local public schools were the hub of it all.

They carried their puppets along the riverside and concluded with a native dance in a hotel's riverside garden front. The parade was the result of a joint effort of many NGOs. Talk about a cooperative effort! It was amazing and a delight to watch!!!

Parade by Local Children :D

The clip available to view above was the opening puppet of a frog man dance followed by a shuttle in outer space.

Anyu Home (sidenote)

Anyu has returned home to Takam Village!!!
Praises!!! Praises!!!
After over 3 months in Phnom Penh he finally reached the point of recovery where he is able to live in his rural home village. His family and friends were excited to see him,
and vice-versa.
We have a nurse, Carol, volunteering for 3 months. She's going to help with his check ups and medication now that he's home.

Side-Saddle: Day 12

My exposure to land village life has been confined to one, Takam.

The differences are as massive as the similarities between it and the floating village,

Choang Kneas, on which I teach. Although both are stricken by poverty,

the floating village seems to be more productive with the supply of fish and water life.

Side-Saddle: Day 11

At times, dance results in laughter!

I am delighted that song and dance are part of our existence!!!

Side-Saddle: Day 10

First, I would like everyone to acknowledge my success on making it through one third of my thirty days of Side-Saddle blogs!!! What an accomplishment for the month of February. By the time September shows itself, I might have the whole blogging thing under control. We'll see.

Last week I taught the children the letter T. One of the words they learned was telephone. So of course, we made telephones. We had a blast taking turns calling each other. I'll confess that our conversations were bilingual, however.

Side-Saddle: Day 9

Take a peek at the older class comprised of supposedly 7-12 year old children. A few of them are a couple years older than that which I discovered 3 weeks ago when they learned basic conversation on age. Truthfully, some of them don't even know their age right along with their parents. Age and time are not the pressing matters of their lives. This second group of students come to school in the afternoon from 1:00pm-4:30pm. All of them greet me by name.
"Hallo Na Crew Jame!"
We've not made it to the N sound. For now, I'm Jame to half of them!

I jumped on the opportunity to teach PEOPLE along with the letter P last week. We talked about all types: Asian, African, American, short, tall, large eared, slender, fat, old, young, etc...

These 2 friends were pulled out to deeper waters last week.
They showed up for class, and next thing I know they hopped over board onto their homes
as they were being tugged out farther into the lake.

Recess :D

Side-Saddle: Day 8

It's about time you meet some of the children attending PCL Preschool! Let's begin

introductions with the morning class comprised of 3 - 6 year old children. School

starts at 7:00 am for them. So you need to be headed out to the lake about 6:00 am.

It's a little early, but includes the benefit of a gorgeous sunrise over the rice fields!

Side-Saddle: Day 7

You're thinking jerky, right? Possibly even fish jerky...yummm!

Think again! Yes, those are water snakes. So I finished tutoring some secondary students in English and happened to glance over the second deck of the small boat before my descent down the flight of stairs. Indeed, that was the moment my eyes encountered a boat load of snake. I didn't previously realize the red drying meat on roofs was flattened snake. Vanna, one of the Khmer men with whom I teach and is resident small boat care taker, continues to insist on purchasing snake for snack for our preschoolers. Unfortunately ;) , we have to stick with fruit because snake is out of our snack budget! Fine with me.

A son is gathering dried snaked off his parent's roof.

Side-Saddle: Day 6

Hundreds of flags appeared on the road to the lake this morning. All right, hundreds may be an exaggeration, but one-hundred is by no means not even a stretch. I didn't understand their meaning. There was some connection with the pagoda to the south-east of the road, but that was the extent of my knowledge before inquiring a friend who told me they were raising money.

On my way back from the lake, these monks were pushing this large float toward a tent which I'm sure was filled with people within hours of passing. Below is a clip of the float as I passed it.

Side-Saddle: Day 5

I snapped this clip on the way to the lake this morning. These children were headed home from school. Many primary schools have 2 sessions, morning and afternoon, with different children attending each. Most secondary students go for the full day. Anyway, this will give you a better picture of the amount of persons who ride one vehicle. Mind you, it's not just with bicycle riding, but also on mottos and the back of trucks. Man oh man, they pile on and in!

Side-saddle: Day 4

The animal for which I most sympathize is the well bred dog. No, I am obviously
not speaking of a good breed, but rather of birthing scores to many of puppies.

Side-Saddle: Day 3

Exactly at this location 4 weeks ago is where our large floating clinic/school boat was anchored to the road in the previous clip. The several meter deep water has now been transformed into rice fields. Before being tugged to this location, it was about a kilometer south by the phnom (mountain). Now it's a half of a kilometer even farther out and about to move a few more "blocks" this week. The Tonle Sap River actually reverses directions twice a year. The combo of reversal and dry season equals great recession in the lake water. The road continues to grow as it makes more of an appearance every day. The people move right along with the road. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonle_Sap if you want to read up on the Tonle Sap Lake and River.

Side-Saddle: Day 2

This was taken back on December 15, 2008. It was opening day for PCL Preschool on the Tonle Sap Lake. Registration simply took place, and school began the next day. This is the boat you're cycling out with me to Monday through Friday if you're following this 30 day posting venture of mine. One of the challenges which we're facing is the receding waters. Our boat has already moved out at least a kilometer. Some of the families already are out further in the lake then we are. Because of this, the student population is comprised partly by different children than when we first began 6 weeks ago.

Side-Saddle: Day 1

Kites-a-Flying

The arrival of December ushered in gusts of air. Suddenly kites appeared behind rushing children in effort to air born their plastic cut wind flyers. The last 2 months a day has not closed without passing at least 1 child enjoying the challenge of a kite. That's a solid 2 months now. I love the luxury of kites here. It's one of those things which all children (more than poor, poor, not so poor) have access and use in their free time during this season.

Side-Saddle to Tonle Sap

I don't have to convince anyone that I've not quite been the best blogger. Apologies my friends! So with this new year, 2009, I've resolved to better my correspondence via BlogSpot and e-mails. My blogging will be more general relating to the way of life here in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I'll begin this new year resolution with a series of 30 blogs focusing on descriptions so you may better picture the sights, sounds, smells, feelings, and tastes about this place. These first 30 posts will pertain mostly to the happenings on the Tonle Sap Lake and the ride to and fro.


There I am. Proof...I'm among the living!!! I know y'all were wondering about the matter the last few months. The last week and a half has been Florida winter weather. Low 60s at 6:00 am when hopping on my bike for the 50 minutes cycle out. Yes, what one cycles out, one must also cycle back! The scarf about my nose and mouth is quite normal. It filters some of the dust out of my breathing. Yea!!! The one about my ears is solely due to the chill hanging in the morning air. Behind me you see the large PCL boat. It's there we began a preschool for children who receive no formal education. So hop side-saddle onto the back of my bicycle and enjoy the ride as you balance out to Tonle Sap Lake!