"Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are.  When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." ~ Lao Tzu

There is comfort in the routine, the dependable, the familiar.  That is what is beginning to happen here. It's been about 2 1/2 weeks since I arrived and yesterday I started noticing how much easier things are becoming.  It was the first day I didn't set off in the tuk tuk and think about putting on my seatbelt.  It was the first day I walked through my "neighborhood" and really noticed some charm beneath the dinginess.  People wave and smile.  They are entertained and helpful when I attempt to try out my Khmer.  Granted, I stretched my comfort zone to walk about a mile for dinner last night and felt EXACTLY like a human Frogger game.  And in case you don't remember Frogger:

This was me trying to cross these crazy streets.  To get about a mile from point A to B took me two miles.  But I made it!

Today was different.  Totally "routine".  Started out at my coffee shop for brunch.  Mac and I worked out my teaching plans for the week and then hopped a moto (moped taxi) to the supermarket.  I got some school supplies at the crazy market and headed home.

I did some laundry (hand washing is also becoming routine) and as I was hanging it out to dry I stood and took in the atmosphere. I'm finding beauty in things that only two weeks ago appeared to be just squalor.   Standing there on my "terrace" overlooking the view and listening to this sounds in my "hood" was blissful.  (You might need to turn up the volume to hear the music playing in the background.)

There truly is beauty in simplicity.  Lest you think I've totally lost it...I did meet up with some people from work for Happy Hour, so that could have something to do with my mood.  But look what I get to see again tomorrow!

Life is so good!

"A shoe has so much more to offer than just to walk." ~ Christian Louboutin

Today I left my apartment at 6:00 am to meet the CCF Community Service Club for this weekends' project.  Twenty-two students, ranging in age from ten to eighteen, head to remote schools to hand out shoes procured through Toms One For One Movement.  Through the work of these CCF students, about 30,000 pairs of shoes are distributed annually in rural villages.  Today we drove about two hours to Sereyphort Village to fit and give out hundreds of pairs of shoes.  First stop along the way was to a market to get some food for lunch.  

Yes - it appears that there are some hooves hanging from hooks here.  I spared you the photo of the pigs' heads, so it could have been worse.  Shoppers walk up to the stall and the meat keeper hacks a chunck off the slab for them.  Flies and all.  There were also bowls of all kinds of organs.  I was having high school biology flashbacks.  On my way to meet the bus this morning I also saw six huge, fully skinned pigs hanging from a tuk tuk speeding along.  It was a good day to go vegetarian.  Unfortunately lunch was pork fried rice :(((.








And on to the village school...

This is just a small section of the schoolyard.  The kids were waiting lined up when we arrived.  This photo was taking after an hour of waiting so their enthusiasm was waning.

The CCF student leader volunteers worked hard setting up.  Quite the operation, run by these kids.  Once it began it was hot, sweaty, busy work.  Hundreds of shoes given to so many who have none.  And while it took a long time  they were incredibly patient and so many of them helped younger students.  In Khmer culture, children are caregivers to their younger siblings and that is very evident in their behavior towards their classmates.

These children were far more somber than those I see in Phnom Penh.  It's hard to believe that their poverty is more severe but, unfortunately, I was told that's the case and perhaps it is the reason for the difference.

There comes a point on some days that I feel my heart subconsciously disconnect from my brain.  At times that's what is needed to keep on keeping on.

Taking measurements and recording for the next step.

 

So many little feet...

Some of the volunteer team members were
younger than the kids being shod.

Look at the size of his bicycle.
He couldn't even sit down while peddling. 

Don't they look riveted!  And notice the hands.  The less
people appear to understand me the more I flail my
arms about.  At least it gives them something to look at!
Seriously, I have a better way.  HA - says they.

It is great that the children being helped by the Cambodian Children's Fund are motivated, encouraged, and enabled to pay it forward.  I'm not sure who benefitted more today.  The village children or the CCF Community Service Leadership Team.  

It was a win-win day and that is ALWAYS a good thing.

"Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.  And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance " 

     ~ Lee Ann Womack, I Hope You Dance

Today is a National holiday celebrating the anniversary of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements.  These Agreements began the process for ending Cambodia's continuing violent conflict, as well as laying the groundwork for building a democratic Cambodia focused on human rights.  

So, with that auspicious event in mind, and having the day off, but needing to prepare for teaching 80 children tomorrow I headed for my coffee shop.  Once there, I talked to a young UN employee who told me about the current state of politics here and also about a big demonstration being held to protest the most recent election.  Evidently those in the majority (the CPP) rigged the election and the minority (CNRP) isn't taking it lying down. 

The idea of being a foreign photojournalist always appealed to me and here was my opportunity!  Problem was I didn’t know how to find the protesters.  I wandered around hoping to see crowds but feeling frustrated I stopped a Tuk Tuk driver.  Pretty soon five little men were talking away trying to figure out what the heck I was looking for.  I was undaunted.   I thought of my press acquaintances  back home as I got in the Tuk Tuk – hoping I was heading to the action.  I had Bob Kinzel, Peter Hirshfeld, Paul Heintz, Terry and Nancy riding with me in spirit.  There was a story to be told and you guys were my inspiration.  

I wasn’t disappointed.  Loud speakers echoed down a huge thoroughfare with hoards of people working their way through the masses.  It was more of a rally than an angry mob but I still felt like the photojournalist I always wanted to be.

The people in the crowd made every effort to have me “capture” their demonstration.

I knew right away I needn't be concerned at this rally.
Look at that smile!

As I was leaving the coffee shop my only real concern was
the possibility of needing a rest room.  I imagined the Khmer
port-o-potties would leave a lot to be desired.  Well this patch
of flowers apparently served as the"relief station" for all.
Glad I was able to avoid partaking...

I’m basing my understanding of this event on what was told to me over coffee.  I believe all these people support the CNRP party who are calling for a re-election.  The speeches stopped and then the music began.  These women were just precious.  After I filmed them they held onto my hand.  I have NO idea what they were saying but we bonded just the same. 

A group of men wanted me to take their picture clapping to the music.  The crowd grew and one man stepped into the middle and began to dance.  I had the choice to sit it out or dance.  I danced.  Two women, then four, then six all joined me.  A circle formed around us of more than 50 people, some filming us.  It was absolutely joyous.  I have no idea what we were all celebrating, and I don’t think they did either.  We danced for fun, we danced for joy, I guess we danced for the CNRP.  Mostly we danced as women finding our spirits joined in the moment.   This video is rather rough because, well, we were dancing it up and I was trying to capture it all.  I do not do it justice.  My spirit was soaring and I know these women felt the same.  Smiling, showing their betel stained, mottled teeth, they were glorious.

I felt totally elated as I worked my way through the crowds and as people saw my camera they asked me to take their picture.  What an absolutely amazing day!

The thought did occur to me that perhaps we were all celebrating some heinous political group and I could end up being the Jane Fonda of Phnom Penh but it was worth the risk.  (Hanoi Jane vs. Phnom Penh Patti).  And I thought it was going to be a ho-hum day.  A big shout out to my journalist colleagues – you were indeed with me in spirit although I would guess that proper journalists don’t dance with their stories;)  And you would also have figured out what the heck was going on.  So much for my journalism career.  Oh well – pretending was so much more fun! 

It may have been Pol Pot’s goal to ensure that the spirit of Cambodia was crushed by murdering the educated and artistic,  and even that wasn’t enough.  As one person explained it, killing the educated was like cutting the grass.  Grass grows back.  It was necessary to yank out the roots (their children) as well, so their kind could never grow back.  The roots may have been pulled but their spirit lives on. The people, while educationally and economically challenged, remain industrious, compassionate and optimistic.   Every one of the people in these photos has a war-torn story to share.  I just wish I spoke Khmer.  So much I could learn.

~ We should never take our vote for granted ~

Sponsors Matter

I think I've mentioned it before but it bears repeating.  These kids talk about their sponsors all the time.  I did an exercise today with older girls called, "Who's sitting at your table".  I explained that, just as a business has a board of directors who helps guide them, we  have people in our lives who help guide us.  I then had the girls draw their table and write down the people in their lives who impact them.  Every one of them had their sponsor at their table.  While some sponsors come here to visit their kids, obviously not all do.  One family emailed their CCF child a picture of their backyard.  The child responded that she thought their house was beautiful and she hoped to have a home that nice when she grew up.  What she thought was their house was actually a shed for their lawnmower.

Another sponsor sent their family Christmas photo, including the dog, in front of the tree, piled with gifts.  The sponsor said that this was their pet and asked if the CCF student had a pet dog.  He responded that his family did have a pet dog for awhile.  But his grandmother and grandfather ate him.  "They said he tasted very good."  Absolutely true story.  I'll bet that sponsor passed that email around.

And while I'm on the dog topic.  Some random observations I've made...

- Cambodian dogs aren't the usual 3rd world brand (brindle lanky things).  These dogs all look like they were crossed with a corgi.  All different looking but all cut off at the knees.  And I have only seen one cat.  Which will explain why I've decided to go vegetarian for the duration of my trip.

- While in the daily traffic I had an aha moment.  NONE of the drivers wear glasses.  NONE.  I then noticed that my tuk tuk driver needed to put my map right up to his nose to see it.  This explains why they drive like they do.  They can't see far enough ahead to be afraid.  Seriously dangerous.

- As the woman I work with put it, "Cambodians have a different relationship to garbage".  There are no public trash recepticles to be found.  Anywhere.  Trash is laying around EVERYWHERE.  And at dark people don headlamps and start digging though it.  Down darkened streets you see these people, like miners, looking for their own version of ore.  Some plastic bottles perhaps.  Or a shoe.  The kids in the street kick around old shoes in lieu of soccer balls.

- It is relatively odorless here.  With all the trash, and no plumbing in many of the places I work...no odor.  I can't figure it out.  New York City smells FAR worse than here.  Not sure what kind of septic systems they have, or outhouses, or alleyways but it appears to be pretty sanitary.  And all that garbage laying in the streets...almost odorless.  Odd, but happy odd.

I posted this news on Facebook already but will include it here.  I have a weird obsession...Monk Stalking.  I follow them everywhere trying to get their photos.  I am the Monk Paparazzi.  And, lest you think I jest...

I had to jog to catch up to this one then snuck around a car
to nab the shot of him going into a Vietnamese Restaurant.

Five at once - my personal best!

I stalked these two the longest.  Alas I was
blocked by traffic and this was the best I
could do.  The one that got away...well two...

Buddhist Monks may be serene but put them on a moto and they put
the pedal to the metal!  It's a Zen Thing.

Namaste

"Don't worry Wilson, I'll do the paddling. You just hang on."        ~  Tom Hanks (as Chuck Noland) in Castaway talking to his volleyball

So this adventure I'm on... It gets a bit lonely. During the week I'm with dozens of kids who are great, but I miss having some peeps to talk with. Especially when I am seeing and experiencing things like nothing before. It's not too bad, thanks to FaceTime chats, emails and posting on this blog. Of course all those things are enabled by my MacBook Pro. Mac also has all my teaching plans as well as a "desk top" littered with great teaching web links. Well last night Mac conked out. Wouldn't turn on and wouldn't charge up. In a panic I emailed a stateside friend who got busy tracking down Apple. In the meantime I sat in my room, woefully staring at my darkened Mac and then realized that this is my Wilson. I am hopelessly, technologically hooked. I heard back from my stalwart friend from home who had tracked down an authorized Apple service center. The only one in Phnom Penh, opened on Saturdays and only about 10 minutes away. I focused on putting off panic, set my alarm and went to sleep.

I awoke and set off for the Apple Hospital. Here's Mac in the ER. I sat outside his room, watching anxiously, as they disassembled him and then hooked him up to wires. I then saw it.  I flicker of light on the screen.  Like the first blip on the heart monitor after paddles have been used on the patient.  First blips are a good sign.  Not out of the woods yet though.  I fidgeted nervously as the tech began reassembly, not knowing what the verdict was. I kept reciting my mantra, "You can't control circumstances. You can only control your reaction to those circumstances." My mantra was drowned out by Tom Hanks' voice screamingin my head, over and over again, "WILSON!!!!". I so totally shared his angst this morning.

Well the good news is Mac has recovered. Because of the language barrier I'm not sure what the diagnosis was but since they didn't charge me anything I guess it wasn't too serious. I went out and bought Mac a surge protector and Carbonite backup. He needed a little TLC. He does have a lingering quirk, however. Every time I try to access a website I get a "possible virus alert" message. I think he has a touch of post illness hypochondria. I can relate!

I thought it would be healthy to be alone, to exercise some isolationism in order to focus on some inner growth. But I was wrong. Inner growth comes from sharing and Mac enables me to do that from half a world away.  There are times in life when everyone needs their Wilson.

...and some random pictures from today.

Lene and Joe - this couple is heading to their farmers
market.  Makes packing up for your Sticks and Stones
 stand look pretty good!

Words Fail...

Thursday was a pretty busy, working with over 70 students in many different locations.   CCF recently opened three satellite schools to bring education, food and supplies to children whose families don't have the ability to get them to school.  I was in one building and told a teacher would bring me to the satellite.  The next thing I know he pulled up on his motor scooter.  Ironically I had just noted earlier that I hadn't seen one foreigner on one of these "motos" in the bazillions on the road.  Okay then - off we go.

I took these pictures of the area on Friday.  Not sure if
it is better in daylight or by shadowy fires at night. 

 Along dirt roads, filled with potholes, trash,  debris, children, dogs...and into the dark, down into the bowels of Phnom Penh we travelled.  I hope that I've now witnessed the worst.  Big smoldering piles of trash, crawling with people, including children, scavenging for anything sell-able.  I don't know how they weren't burned.  Watching them amidst the smoke plumes was surreal.  (This photo was taken the next day and apparently the trash heaps were already picked over so the area was emptied of families. ) 

These are the backs of some of the homes in the area.

Through the alleyways we continued and I got to see the "homes" these people live in.  Three walls and a roof.  Their lives open to the streets.  People, dogs, motos, children, all milling around.  I have never, not even in pictures, seen anything like what I drove through, and despite these conditions, people smile and wave at every turn.

 The school was an open yard with cinderblock dividers creating classrooms.  I was met by 22 smiling, bowing students.  Each time I'm greeted like this I feel like Anna in the King and I.  Well not quite Anna.  This is certainly not a palace and I arrive plastered in sweat wearing a t-shirt and cargo pants, but our introductions are no less charming.  We played ESL games I picked up on the internet and to see them laughing and clapping with enthusiasm was such a gift to me and an incredible testimony to children's resilience.

It's hard to believe these children leave class and walk down the "street"
to these lean-to homes I drive through.  I am in awe of them.

I was then carted away to the second satellite with the same experience.  Same route through hell arriving in another little oasis.  Without Cambodian Children's Fund all of these kids would all be out there on the smoldering trash heaps.  I've heard the term godsend before but this organization is the truest definition of the word.  

One of the teachers came to collect me after class (which always ends the same -  all the students coming up to me, thanking me, bowing, sharing their English).  I was prepared for the moto, but when her two year old climbed up in front, that was the topper.  Off we went, through those very same streets, three on the motor scooter.  It just keeps getting more interesting...

I'm starting to see art in odd places...