School Life

Today was eventful.  Some workers installed an A.C. unit is Cynthia's room.  Finally!  The first day we arrived here Laum said they would bring it the next day.  It only took a month.  Another worker took away my broken refrigerator.  I'm not sure what happened to it, but Laum said it's still under warranty, so at least he won't have to spend money on it.

Speaking of money, I got my first paycheck today.  Laum gave me three $100 bills.  Now I have to figure out how to change it into smaller bills.  Many vendors won't even accept a $20 bill, since they don't have very much money. 

I read one of my new books to my 2nd graders.  It had pictures of all characters and actions, so they were able to understand it.  The book is titled Little Yellow Dog Gets a Shock.  The dog wanted to sit in a chair, but he collided with Ginger Cat who was also jumping up at the same time.  They ended up snuggling on the chair together. 

The students start their day by reciting their pledge to the flag as it is being hoisted in the air.  They end the day by lowering the flag, and reciting something.  Then, all hell breaks loose and the children run up to the bus and climb in the windows (because it's faster).  Other students walk or ride bikes home.  The place is totally deserted after about 10 minutes.  I am so used to hearing them play in the yard that it seems even more quiet at night. 

It's a Holiday Thang

Teacher Thang told me, "Tomorrow holiday."  I asked some teachers about the holiday.  They said, "It is King's holiday."  I looked it up on Google and found that it is the anniversary of His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni's coronation.  I asked if people did anything special.  "No, is public holiday.  All school closed."  O.K.  That's fine with me.  I had to do a bunch of laundry.  There is no "laundry machine" in Cambodia like in America.  Luckily it was a sunny day. 

I heard a knock at the door and found a little girl standing there, all wide-eyed, wanting to see where teacher lives.  Her name was Ish.  I gave her some water, and she watched t.v. for a while.  She thought that was pretty neat. 

Teachah!

Today was letter C day in first grade.  "C.  Ck.  C.  Ck.  Cry."  Point to crying boy.  "Cry."  Yep.  There were two criers.  They missed their mommies.  Crying boy eventually became interested in writing C on the chalkboard.  I gave him a star sticker.  Woah.  You would have thought it was gold.  All the kids started raising their hand saying, "K'nyom!  K'nyom!"  That means Me.  I said, "Quiet.  Shhhhh," and only gave chalk to quiet kids.  Pretty soon the classroom was almost silent with a bunch of eager hands in the air. 

My fourth graders learned how to tell time today.  I moved the hands on this clock and said, "What time is it?"  First, they learned the hour, then the half hour.  3 o'clock.  7:30.  That sort of thing.  I didn't move onto 8:14 because that would have blown their minds. 

We sang a few exciting rounds of "Head, shoulder, knees, and toes."  They also learned the word, tongue, because their teacher like to stick out her tongue.  Weirdo. 

In fifth grade, I was assessing the childrens' knowledge.  I asked, "Is the water bottle above or under the table?"  Total silence and confusion.  I asked them to write and finish the sentence - I have __________.  One girl wrote I have dog, ribbit, and hen.  Another boy wrote I have egg.  Clearly, the concept of plural nouns will be covered at some point.  (There is no plural in Khmer.)

My first graders were learning colors, and I was saying the Khmer words too.  The word for yellow is a diphthong and sounds like loo-ung.  I said, "Loo-ung.  Ha ha.  That's not a word."  I kept trying to get it right, and the kids were laughing at their silly teachah who can't say yellow. 

Is it odd that I taught my kids how to fist pump?  Maybe.  But you should see their grimy hands.  They kept wanting to do a hand shake because that is what Americans do.  However, after noticing the bacteria-fest on their hands, I decided a fist pump was a better choice. 

We the People...

Peaceful demonstrators exhibited their freedom of expression by marching and delivering petitions signed by millions of Cambodians to several embassies which stated the recent election results were wrong and unfair.  Then, they returned to Freedom Park to wrap up the event. 

 

Tuol Sleng

In 1975, the Khmer Rouge took over the Svay Prey High School and turned it into Security Prison 21, now called Tuol Sleng.  It became the torture site and prison for over 17,000 people.  The Khmer Rouge exterminated anyone who was educated, even children.  Teacher, journalists, and monks were killed because they might have a mind of their own.  They let the rural farmers live because they were easy to manipulate.  It was horrifying to see a place of learning turned into a prison.  The classrooms had crude brick walls to create individual cells.  Barbed wire lined the outer walls.  Instruments of torture were on display.  The Khmer Rouge documented everything.  They took photos of the prisoners and listed their "crimes."  These photos lined the walls, and I stared at forlorn faces of people who knew they were going to die.  Only 7 men survived the prison.  One of the men wrote a book and was selling it in the yard.  I marveled that he could sit there every day in this horrible place.  He lived because he knew how to fix typewriters, so they kept him alive for his skill. 

There are not many older people in Cambodia because so many were killed.  Everyone has family members who died during Pol Pot's regime. 

 

Phnom Penh Life

I received my Visa back today.  It's official.  For the next year, I am a Cambodian resident. 

I asked Eee, the guesthouse guy, for some toilet paper and soap.  He brought me soap called White Impress, a skin whitening soap.  I teased him and said, "Should I be more white?"  I showed him my translucent skin with blue veins popping out.  "I am like a ghost," I said.  He laughed, "Oh yes, white is good!" 

I called Laum and asked for the name of the educational bookstore.  He said it was called Sok Tech _____.  What?  I asked him to spell the last word.  He said, "Cat...or Bat...or maybe P not C."  WTF?  I was googling these names and nothing came up, so I asked him for the address.  He said, "OK, I ask bus driver.  I call you back."  When he called back, he told me the name was Peace Book Center.  I have been laughing about that all day.  Soooo typical.  I found some good books there to use with my kids such as a picture dictionary and a childrens' book about a dog. 

The monks are friendly here.  They smile when I walk by and they like to practice speaking English.  In the morning, they walk around and collect their food for the day in a big bowl. 

There was a ritual taking place where the monks poured water with lotus petals on these people.  I think it was a blessing.  

Phun in Phnom Penh

We walked around the capitol, visiting many of the popular tourist spots.  There was another demonstration by supporters of the CNRP (Cambodian National Rescue Party), the opposition to the CPP (Cambodian People's Party).  Around 20,000 people showed up to protest the recent election results.  We were headed to a clinic to get some medicine for Cynthia, and ended up walking right into the heart of it because it was on the way.  As soon as we crossed the barricades,  three police officers approached us.
Police - "Where you go?"
Me - "The clinic."  I point to it on my map.
P - "Oh, hospital.  You go that way."  He points in the wrong direction.
M - "The clinic is on this street."  I point to the map again.
Two more police officers show up.  They all stare at the map in confusion.  It's clear they have no idea what street they are standing on.
P - "You go that way."
M - "No.  The clinic is right up here on THIS street."
I point to the map.
M - "See.  This is Norodom Street.  This is where we are.  We have to walk this way."
P - "Where you from?"
M - "The United States."  I smile as sweetly as I can.
P - "What your name?"
M - "Kerri."  I smile super cute.
P - "O.K.  You go that way.  Be careful."

They obviously didn't want us to go near the demonstration.  They were probably irritated that it wasn't time to take out their clubs and start whacking everyone.  Not surprisingly, the clinic ended up being closed anyway.

Our next stop was Wat Phnom.  A series of steps led up the hill to the temple.  The railing consisted of a long naga (snake with a large head with several faces).  This is very typical of Cambodian wats.   Inside the temple, there were dozens of Buddha statues in all positions, sitting, standing, reclining.  Masses of people were hanging around, many of them wore the orange bandana across their head, signifying they were CNRP supporters.  We realized this was part of the demonstration parade route.  The streets were closed, so thousands of protestors, including many monks, could march.  We talked to man holding a large Cambodian flag.  Cynthia asked him if he thought the demonstration would help.  He said, "I don't know.  Maybe." 

So far, I have found Cambodians to be very friendly and helpful.  They are quick to laugh and like to find the humor in any situation.  I find their spirit to be inspirational. 

We went to the Royal Palace.  It was so beautiful. 

This room had a giant Buddha footprint along with many Buddha statues.  There was a man inside who was a guard, but he ended up spending all his time pointing out all the best angles for photographs. I love Cambodians. 

 

Mi Amigas

So-poo-et, her son, and Bop.

Kim.                                                                                                                                   

 

Mmmmmm....

I often make Ramen noodles for a quick and easy dinner.

This is my most common meal, noodles with veggies and lots of spicy sauce.  Yum!

Vegetable curry, rice, and Fanta!

 

Cambodian Sunset

Breathtaking!  A stillness falls over the countryside.  All you can is the occasional frog. 

Humanitarian Aid

Mom and daughter were thrilled to get a big bag of rice, soy sauce, and towels. 

 

I don't know who happier, me or the recipients of our aid. 

Curious boys peeking out of their window at us. 

Who needs diapers...or clothes?  What's the point, really?                                                

 

 

Humanitarian Aid

Our almost fearless leader, Laum.  His weakness is the inability to swim, hence the life preserver. 

Chan-long and me on our boat.  She is also not a swimmer. 

All the ladies brought umbrellas, and hats, pants, and long sleeve shirts.  God forbid they get more brown.  They want to be white.  I want to be brown.  We all want what we don't have. 

Five cows on an island. 

A grandmother and her grandson receiving some food and money.                               

 

Karaoke Pictures

Sareoum, Laum, and Roam at Karaoke.

Laum singing his heart out.

 

Home Sweet Home

My bedroom/living room. 

Kitchen table, refrigerator, and pantry. 

Kitchen sink and counter. 

Bathroom.

 

Flood Pictures.

These children live in the houses closest to the school. 

This boy used a bowl as a boat. 

The road to Sisohon.

Street vendor.

 

Stinky Saves the Day

Today, I was scheduled to teach 1A for two periods today and 1B once, my two first grade classes.  On accident, I stayed in the 1A room and taught during a period for which I was not assigned.  I didn't realize my mistake until after class.  I wondered why none of the other teachers showed up to teach them.  Weird.  I wouldn't be surprised if someone saw me in there and just left without saying anything.  Oh, did I mention that I was supposed to have a Cambodian aide during all my classes?  Yeah, that hasn't happened either. 

I was having trouble getting my students to answer questions without just repeating everything I say, so I decided it was time to incorporate my sock puppet.  When I pulled him out of my basket, the students got really excited.  "What is she going to do now?" they wondered.  I demonstrated a conversation with Stinky that went like this:
K - "Hello!"
S - "Hello!"
S - "How are you?"
K - "I am wonderful."  "How are you?"
S - 'I am wonderful."
K - "What's your name?"
S - "My name is Stinky."  "What's your name?"
K - "My name is Kerri." 

Stinky was a life-saver.  After our conversation, Stinky asked individual students questions, and they answered appropriately.  Even the little boy who refused to speak for the entire first day, responded to Stinky.  I think Stinky is more popular than me. 

The students think I speak Khmer because when I explain directions or introduce new vocabulary, I say the Khmer word and then the English word.  Sometimes, they will start speaking to me in Khmer, and I can tell it's a question.   I answer with, "I have no idea what you are saying."  They stand there and blink a few times, wondering what's wrong with their teacher.  Yesterday, I asked one of my 3rd grade boys his name about five times, and I still couldn't get it.  He pointed to his name written in Khmer, and I said, "Yeah, I can't read that."  A few minutes later, he ran over and showed me his arm.  He had written his name in English on it with a pen.

My Khmer is improving.  I know all kinds of words like alphabet, pencil, chair, listen, and quiet.  Unfortunately, these words don't come up in normal conversation. 
 

Ding! Ding! School is in Session

Today was the first "real day" of school.  Mr. Thang (isn't that a great name!) gave me my schedule.  Initially, I was supposed to teach grades 1-4.  But was told, oh by the way, you'll be teaching grade 5 too.  Oh, and also by the way, Mr. Sokum's wife is having a baby, so could you cover his classes this week?  Sure.  Whatever.  I have a total of 21 classes.  Each class meets 3 times per week.  Some days I only teach 2 hours; other days I teach 6. 

My first and second graders know virtually nothing.  Today, we practiced saying and writing the letters A,B,C.  I taught them some vocabulary words such as paper, pencil, and chalkboard.  We practiced sit and stand.  First, I rotated the words and they would stand up and sit down.  Then, I started tricking them by repeating - stand or sit..  They all giggled when someone would do the wrong thing. 

Some of the teachers leave at lunch time because they also teach part-time at the state school.  The rest of us get to eat free lunch in the cafeteria.  Today, we had rice and a vegetable/chicken soup.  I just scooped out the broth and veggies and added it to my rice.  There was a bowl of small red chili peppers on the table.  I threw a few in my meal too, and they were really spicy.  Yum!

My third and fourth graders were very polite.  When I entered the classroom, they rose, and said, "Good morning, teacher!  How are you?" with their hands pressed together in sompaih.  They can read some very basic words by sight.  I showed them some flashcards with words like: book, clock, backpack, etc.  I held up one that said - phone.  It was quiet for minute.  Then, a little boy in the back of the class shouted, "I-Phone!"  Go figure.  They live in rice paddies and lack indoor plumbing, but they are up to date on the latest cell phone models. 

There are supposed to be textbooks somewhere, but I didn't see one all day.  Also, my first and second graders didn't all have pencils or notebooks.  When I asked So-poo-et about it, she said, "Oh, not today."  "Tomorrow?" I queried hopefully.  "Maybe," she said doubtfully. 

School ended early today, so I haven't met my fifth graders yet.  They said we would end early this week because of the flooding.  I don't really understand the logic behind that, but alright.  I find it's easier not to ask too many questions. 
 

Cravings

All this nutritious food really got me craving some sweets and junk food, so I found some interesting treats in Sisophon.  I bought a couple pastries which turned out to be really good.  They were sugary with apple filling.  I got something covered in sesame seeds.  The texture was really weird, sort of like eating snot, all gooey and chewy, without much flavor.  My last purchase was a bag of jackfruit chips.  There was a small bag inside which contained mushy fruit flavoring that you dip the chips in.  The chips looked and tasted like stale Corn Puffs cereal, but they were better when combined with the flavoring.  Cynthia bought a circular piece of fried dough, and we split it.  It was good, tasted a lot like Indian Fry bread without powdered sugar. 

Evening Poem

At dusk, I sit by the water and enjoy the natural world around me.  It inspired me to write my first poem in Khmer.  I had to look up most of these words, so it was a good project.

Lngiak                   

Loak-kaeh jia tom neung ploo.

Try haehl knong dteuk.             

Kn’yom on-guy graom daum-cho pla-cho.

Vwia jia ngo-ngot.

Jam ch'ree-ung

om-bpee son-dti-pee-up.

Mayk jia bpoan khiaw.

Aa-gaah jia pa-aem neung ro-ngia.

Kn’yom mnek-aeng.

Kn’yom kern vial s’rai bpoa bai dtorng.

Srok-srae jia s’ngut.

Bpale jia yoot.

Kn’yom sabai

knorng S’rok k’mai.

Evening

The moon is big and bright.

Fish swim in the water.

I sit under a fruit tree.

It is dark.

The birds sing

about peace.

The sky is blue.

The air is cool.

I’m alone.

I see the green rice paddies.

The countryside is quiet.

Time is slow.

I am happy

in Cambodia.

 

 

Singing Loudly Offkey

Sareoun took us to Sisophon yesterday.  The road was a mess, not only with the usual flooding, but a bulldozer was working in the middle of the road.  Sareoun masterfully weaved between the cars, driving mostly in the ditch of the side of the road where the water was up to our doors.  It was impressive.  I later found out that one of his jobs as a soldier during the Vietnam War was the driver. 

We picked up Laum and his girlfriend, Roam, and went shopping at the market.  I got potatoes, onions, garlic, bean sprouts, red pepper, lime, noodles, and soda.  I asked the price of the bean sprouts.  The girl said, "Bai bpoan"  (3,000 riels, 75 cents) and filled up a plastic bag to the brim.  I could barely stuff it in my tiny refrigerator. 

Then, we went to a karaoke place owned by Sareoun's friend.  It was a huge building with dozens of small rooms, each containing seating and table in a U-shape with a large flatscreen t.v. in the front.  The walls had big pieces of fabric for sound proofing, and disco lights flashed all around.  There was an air of seediness despite attempts at making it fancy.  Two girls handed us song lists, and queued up the songs we wanted.  Sareoun was the best singer among us all.  He sang several songs in Khmer.  Naturally, Laum was a total ham.  He danced in front of the screen while belting out songs in English.  At the end, he would say, "I dedicate this song to Kerri, Cynthia, my wife (girlfriend), and Sareoun.  He sang one song that was supposed to be a duet, but he sang both parts, making his voice higher for the female part.  We got a much bigger kick out of his antics than Roam did.  I'm sure she's seen it all before.  I was the worst singer by far, but that didn't stop me.  I sang: American Pie, Uptown Girl, Stand by Me, You are My Sunshine, and Like a Virgin. 

Afterwards, we had dinner.  They led us through the building to some individual huts outside.  On the way, we passed about 20 scantily-clad girls sitting on benches in the main room.  My suspicion that more than karaoke was offered here was confirmed.  For dinner, we were served rice, vegetables in sweet and sour sauce, and fish.  It was really good.  We had four servers who stood next to our table the whole time and watched us, always ready to refill a drink or bring more rice. 

King Father's Commemoration Day

This holiday honors The Royal Soul of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, Great Heroic King-Father of Cambodian National Independence, Territorial Integrity and National Unity. 

I'm really starting to rethink my title as teacher.  Perhaps something along these lines would be appropriate.  Beautiful Princess Lotus Blossom Kerri, Benevolent Teacher, Wild Adventurer, & Peanut Butter Lover.

The King died on Oct. 15, 2012, so this is the first time Cambodians have celebrated the holiday.  The ceremonies began this morning with Buddhist services and people praying with fistfuls of lit incense.  Then, there was an elaborate parade that carried his tall gold coffin in a loop around the capitol to a newly built monument in a pagoda.  The King was well-liked by everyone including common citizens and monks.

"Let's get this party started!  Who's got a copy of Gangnam Style?"

The Magic Crab

My favorite newspaper, The Phnom Penh Post, featured an article about a crab that was recently found by an 11 year old boy.  He told his mom it was a magic crab because there's a vague image of a woman wearing a crown on it's yellow shell.  The family decided to keep the crab as a revered pet.  People in their village visit the crab and take some water from it's jar to give to loved ones who are sick.  The mother, Srey, said, “I saw the woman’s face wearing a crown, and when we asked [the face] to smile, it smiled.  It does what we order it to do.”

At first, I thought about the people and their quirky superstitions.  Then, I started remembering all the other times I have heard of stories like this.  Sure, it may not be a crowned lady.  It could be Dorito chip in the form of the virgin Mary.  But it's the same thing.  We all love symbols that give us hope.

It's a Small World

Laum invited a bunch of us to distribute food and money to people who live in rural communities who live along the overflowing river.  He told us to be ready by 7 a.m., but I knew he would be late.  True to form, he arrived at noon.  Saroeun, his wife, Bop, Chan-long, Cynthia, So-poo-et, and her son came, as well as dozens of other people.  We piled into three hand carved boats with bags of rice, noodles, soy sauce, and towels.  After a half hour trip, we found a village with houses partially submerged to ones with water up to the roof.  Cows, chickens, and dogs were standing on small patches of land that was above the waterline.  As we floated by the houses, the men would yell that we had food.  Children peeked out windows.  Excited families started chattering; they said,"barang" (white people) when they saw me and Cynthia.  Old women with naked toddlers clinging to them paddled their canoes to receive the gifts.  The donors for this project included Cambodians living in the U.S. as well as local people.  They took pictures of the people receiving their gifts, and bop kept a list of the names of them.  She asked one old woman her name, and everyone laughed when the lady answered, "Grandma."  I liked seeing all the grateful smiles from the families we could help.  It felt good to be a part of something meaningful.

The more I get to know Laum, the more I like him.  He's pudgy, like a brown Pillsbury Dough Boy, and he acts like he's 12.  When we weren't busy, he was dancing, singing into his flower microphone, splashing water, and teasing us about crocodiles.

*I'm going to Phnom Penh in about a week, so I can add photos.

Quotable

"The government did not silence your rights, and nowadays you have far too many rights; the government is always creating happiness and security."
-Police Officer on loudspeaker on World Habitat Day

Now, that's how you get things done.  You don't see the Cambodian government in the midst of a shutdown, do ya?

Rice Field of Dreams

The Cambodian Rice Festival held their annual rice-tasting event this week.  It is held, not only to promote the importance of rice, but also to determine which province produces the best rice of particular varieties.  The winning rice will then be sent to the International Rice competition at the TRT World Rice Conference.  Last year, Cambodia won The World's Best Jasmine Rice award.  The rice was grown here in the Battambang province where I live.  I'm not a rice expert, but it is very good, sweet and tasty.  Some people eat it plain. 
   
"Kim Jong-Il is gonna be so pissed when I win the Nobel Peace Prize for rice!" 
"Um, sir, I'm afraid no such prize exists." 
"It does now.  Booya!  And I declare myself the winner!"

The water level remains the same as yesterday.  I talked to Bop on the phone, and she said the bottom floor or their house is flooded, so So-poo-et and her son are staying upstairs with her.  From the sound of the baby crying in the background, they were others seeking refuge there as well.  I spent another day lounging, reading, and trying to kick this cold.  How did I get a cold in the middle of the tropics?

This afternoon, Frederico, my gecko, emerged from his sleeping spot in the cable covers on the wall.  He stood there for a minute, then shook his whole body rapidly.  Something black fell on the floor with a splat.  Yep.  It was a turd.  A large gooey gecko turd.  Well, at least I know he's getting enough to eat.

Island Life

Since I'm stuck on this tiny island, I have been finding ways to alleviate the boredom.  I spent some quality time with the three cows, watching them eat rice and deposit enormous loads of fertilizer next to the pond.  I stared out at endless rice paddies, listening to the cacophony of birds and frogs.  I vomited my thoughts on this blog.  And I watched television.  Lots of it.

Cambodian t.v. is a trip.  I have four channels.  Any time of day, I can find news and music videos.  The other channels are a mix of soap operas, Khmer boxing, game shows, or variety shows.

No matter what I'm watching, there is one guarantee.  The acting is bad.  Really bad.  These are common acting techniques:  If a man is scared, he will pretend to bite his nails with chattering teeth.  If a woman wants to convey she is sad, she will put fists up to her eyes and make rubbing motions.  Speaking of women, they only have three emotions:  sexy & sultry, on the verge of crying, or crying.

I like to watch boxing.  Imagine, if you will, two barefoot athletes wearing red or blue shorts, weighing in at a whopping 132 pounds.  One guys ribs are protruding.  They begin the match by giving the crowd a sampeah (holding hands together like praying and bowing).  Early on, there is a lot of bouncing and kicking.  Once the boxers get tired, it becomes one long bear hug. 

The music videos feature pretty boy bands, girls trying to sing in unnaturally high voices, and Asians rapping.  Cynthia asked, "Why don't the men have deep voices."  I explained, "They haven't hit puberty yet."


There are an excessive number of commercials between each segment.  They advertise everything from rice tractors that no one can afford, skin whitening cream for ladies, and cell phone providers.  Today, I watched a commercial for a contraption that is supposed to increase a person's height.  They showed a man lay down on a padded bench with his feet and head strapped onto it with plastic belts.  After cranking a wheel, the medieval torture rack stretched his body.  According to their measurements, his height "increased" from 167 cm to 173 cm.  Amazing!

A Chip off the Old Block

I was craving salt and decided to buy some Pringles.  Or ARE they?  Same tall, red canister.  Same luxuriant mustache.  Same chip taste.  The only difference was Mr. Potato Crisp is Mexican while the Pringles guy is Italian. 
                           

Mr. Crisps is the Asian equivalent of Pringles and comes in a variety of flavors including Malaysian Curry and Hot & Spicy.

And the Floodwaters Covered the Earth...

If I have to build an Ark, I am leaving the cockroaches behind.  Sorry, God.  They are not invited.  They are the reason why I am awake at 11 pm.  I was lying peacefully in bed until the flying cockroach that has been tormenting me, scurried across my arm.  Eewwhhh!  Of course, when I turn on the lights, with bug spray in one hand, and a shoe in the other, the little bastard is nowhere to be found. 

After three days of no rain, the water was really starting to recede.  I walked around at 8:00 a.m. and the paths were clearing.  When I went out again at 4:00 p.m., I was completely shocked.  The world had become a lake.  Laum came to the school to check on a few things.  Ironically, we didn't have tap water most of the day.  I asked why and was told, "Sometimes it stops." 

Laum's friend, Saroeun, drove us to Sisophon in his SUV.  At times, I wondered if we were going to make it there.  The water came up to the top of the wheels.  It seemed like everyone was out in the water.  Little kids floated on inner tubes and large basins.  Older kids threw nets in the water to catch fish.  Everyone was frolicking in the water.  They had found a way to fun deal with the chaos. 

Then, I noticed all the refugees huddled together on higher ground under tarps and makeshift tents.  Thousands of people around the country have been displaced, and the death toll has now reached 104.  Aid groups are streaming in to provide clean water, food, and medicine.

We went to the market in Sisophon.  Since paper towels get a bit rough on the bum, I was excited to find actual toilet paper.  Afterwards, we went out to eat.  We tease Laum a lot because he has two girlfriends, one of whom is pregnant.  He said that a fortune teller told him that he will have three girlfriends, so he's still looking. 

Chicken Nuggets

I was browsing through Expat Ads, Sisophon's version of Craigslist, and came across an ad for Processed Chicken Feet.  The ad reads, "Processed chicken feet mix A&B.  The feet are cleaned and peeled and packed in about 15 kg cartons, about 27 mt in 40 reefer container.  If you need more information please do not hesitate to contact us."

Why, yes, I do need more information.  What does A&B mean?  More importantly, why would someone need 15 kg of chicken feet?

Add caption

*I added pictures to older posts, so check them out.  :)

The Mekong Runneth Over

 

School was cancelled this week due to the massive flooding.  Many of the students made to school, but it's a safety hazard because the current is so strong.

It floods every year, but this is not normal.  The monsoon rains have claimed the lives of 83 people in the country so far. 

When I went into the office this morning, everybody was sitting there, doing nothing.  After talking to my friends for a bit, I got bored and wandered off.  I found a bunch of my first graders playing in the classroom, so I decided to hold an informal lesson.  I asked them, "What's your name?" and "How are you?"  They remembered what they learned a week ago.  Yay!

Next, I taught them the names of some body parts.  I pointed to my ears and made them wiggle.  (I don't think they ever saw that before.)  They pointed to their ears and repeated, "Ears!" and giggled.   I pointed to my mouth and made a fish face.  "Mouth!" and more giggles.  They are little monkeys who mimic everything I do.  At one point, I wiped the sweat off my brow, and couldn't help laughing when they copied that too.  On it went.  We sang several rounds of the song, "Head, shoulders, knees and toes."  Whenever we get done with a concept, we clap for ourselves.  They love that. 

There was a Pinocchio book in the classroom.  All the children huddled around and pointed at things in the book.  I would say what it was, and they repeated:  girl, man, puppet, boy, woman...   I like working with the students at this age because they are going to develop good accents having a native English speaker.  Up to point, they have been taught by Cambodian teachers whose pronunciation is not always correct. 

I taught them left foot and right foot.  Then, we did the Hokey Pokey.  When I looked up, I saw a dozen moms peering through the window curiously.  I wonder if they will be a permanent fixture.

The children have some knowledge such as reciting the alphabet and counting to ten.  Laum said many of the first graders attended school last year even though they didn't have a sponsor, but they weren't officially enrolled yet.

The other teachers asked me if I can swim and joked about going in the "swimming pool" behind my apartment.  I told them that we can all go swimming, but the shortest people go first. 
                                           

Da Plod Has Arrived

Da plod is how the Cambodians refer to "the flood."  There is no F sound or "u" sound (as in sun) in the Khmer language, so this is difficult for them.  However, they all pronounce it the same way, so I get it.  "Have you see da plod," they ask. 

Several of he streets in Battambang were under water, and I wound up walking many blocks with water up to my knees.  The roads here are also different.  When I went for my afternoon walk, there were streams, up to my mid-claves, that weren't there before.  The children were playing in the water, having a great time.  I took pictures of them, and they got a kick out of seeing themselves on the screen. 

As I was walking this evening, a man pulled up on his motorbike.  "Where you go?" he asked.  I tried to explain that I was just walking for fun.  He said, "You go with me."  I smiled, and said, "Thank you, but I'm good (in Khmer).  This activity is so confusing to the peasants.  They spend all their day toiling away, chopping logs, catching fish, and caring for their family.  They can't understand that I want to walk along in the mud and water for nothing.   

I asked Laum about the schedule for tomorrow, and he said that we will meet in the morning to discuss it.  I thought we were having a school day, but since there is so much flooding, he said that many students might not make it to school.  Some kids who don't ride the bus have to swim here, holding up their clothes in a plastic bag.  The little children can't swim, and there are snakes in the water, so it is unsafe.  The news broadcast lots of footage of the flood.  Some people can't leave their homes, and food is being brought to them by aid groups. 

Battambang (Bottom-bong)

I visited Battambang, a larger town an hour south of Mongkol Borei, for two days.  It is home to 140,000 people, and despite the small expat community here, it still has old world charm.  Walking along the riverside, I enjoyed the colonial architecture from the era when this country was a province of France.  The Pagodas were virtually untouched during the Khmer Rouge war because some military guy ignored the orders of superiors.  The people are very friendly.  But I was most excited when I found a jar of peanut butter and a package of spaghetti.  Sweet!

I visited four wats:  This is Wat Sangker. 

The demon warriors stand guard at the main temple. 

The wats are also monasteries, and home to monks who live in simple accommodations.  While wandering around, I found myself in front of their showering area.  Awkward!  (So much for their chance of Nirvana in this lifetime.)  The monks were very friendly and like to practice their English on tourists.  I met a monk named Sa-waat.  He talked about how busy he was all day.  Weird.  I always pictured monks sitting around meditating.   He said that he would not be a monk his whole life because he wanted to travel.  Below is a picture of their saffron robes hanging out to dry. 

Psar Nath, the main market in town offers all kinds of products.  There are frogs, live turtles, fresh catfish (they are still jumping), duck eggs with the fetus inside (feathers and all), and anything else you could want...except toilet paper.  Seriously!  I can buy a goat liver or a cow hoof, but I can't get my hands on some Charmin? 

 

Eye See Everything

The Cambodian People's Party has billboards and banners all over the place.  They have ruled since 1979.  Hun Sen just won another election, but there is suspicion that the election was fixed.  A mass of people held a peaceful protest in Phnom Penh which turned violent when the riot police showed up. 

Hun Sen worked as a commander for the Khmer Rouge.  He fled to Vietnam for a while and returned to Cambodia to begin his new political career as dictator - errr, I mean the Lord Prime Minister, Supreme Military Commander of Cambodia. 

I asked a Cambodian (whose name I withhold) of their opinion of Hun Sen.  The response was, "I cannot say.  I might be killed."  (pause)  "I see how many people don't have a job, and I see the roads.  But I ignore it." 

I watched a propaganda film on t.v. yesterday.  It depicted scenes of Cambodian people hard at work doing their jobs in the fields and factories.  Uplifting patriotic music in the background, and while there was no narration, I got the point. 

Good Times with Dy-no-mite!

This is what it would be like if Hun Sen had starred in Napoleon Dynamite:

"Vote for me, and all your wildest dreams will come true!"

"We need some way to make us look official, like we got all the answers."

"Why don't you go eat a decroded piece of crap!"

"What are you gonna do today?"
"Whatever I feel like I wanna do.  Gosh!"


"Bow to your sensei!"


"I could wrap you in some foam, or something billowy? "


"Oh yeah!  Who's the only one here who knows sweet ninja moves from the government?"