Monday, December 21, 2009

December 17, 2009: Our final day.

Our final day of work: This morning we returned to the homes where we are building septic systems. The toilet has been installed at the first house and the latrine is nearly ready to use. It has two water storage tanks built of brick, one for “flushing” and one for “showers” (by water scoop). By the time the team left for lunch, plastering was under way and the roof had to be installed.. At the second house, work was completed on the exterior wall, and at the third house, Tommy, Denver and Karen went back to square one, helping to dig a hole for the septic system. Karen also was invited to help the mom separate twigs and other small inedible bits from rice spread on a bamboo mat.
 

Because there was limited space and work to be done, two separate groups were able to check out Chamcar Bei village and visit with the shopkeepers. Tommy’s group talked to the owner of the motorcycle shop, who is university educated and speaks excellent English. He has been operating his shop in Chamcar Bei for two years. Heather bought a karaoke CD. The cover looks like a soap opera picture. Most of the karaoke songs here seem to be about heartbreak (some human conditions are universal). A number of us, including Heather, Karen, Adele, Tommy, Gabby, and Kayla took off their shoes (as a sign of respect) and gave cash offerings to two passing monks, who gave each of us a blessing. Tommy says the monks wished us safe travels and blessed our worthy deeds. We were humbled by the experience.
 

Jud, Brian, Bob, Cesar and Jen also visited town and were invited to play volleyball with some local teenagers. On the bus ride home each evening, we have noticed many young men playing volleyball in their yards. It was the first, but by no means the last, game of the day.
 

Susanne, who is a professional chef, stayed behind at The Vine this morning to help prepare our lunch. By request, she cooked brown, rather than white, rice. If you are going to visit Southeast Asia, it’s important to like rice. We also had a delicious green salad with Dijon dressing and chicken soup. It was a treat for Susanne to get back in a large kitchen.
We had a relaxing lunch, knowing that our afternoon would be spent buying crafts made by local women as part of the BABSEA community restoration project and playing with children at the school. At lunch, Celeste and Heather played Backgammon. Jen and Brian played Cranium, and most of the others did yoga with Julie, who runs a yoga studio back home.
 

After lunch, we visited the community center where women make jewelry and Christmas ornaments of coconut shells, straw baskets, and woven cloth goods such as purses, scarves and table runners. Proceeds go toward women’s economic ventures. Because of the hard times in this area, most of the women were not able to get an education; this project is designed to help them be self-sufficient and learn about operating a business. It was a good time to buy gifts and souvenirs while making a contribution (the Chamcar Bei version of an economic stimulus package). It seems odd to think that friends and family at home are doing their holiday shopping and attending seasonal social functions while we are in rural Cambodia building latrines.
 

Our next stop was the community garden where we planted seeds and seedlings last week and earlier this week. The seeds are just starting to sprout, which is satisfying to see after heavy digging and planting in the hot sun. The community garden is another Developing World Connections/ BABSEA-supported economic venture.
 

Our next stop was the school, where we were greeted by an enthusiastic class of kindergarteners. They are a very lively bunch! We played games with them and the hula hoops we brought from Phnom Penh were a particular hit. Julie is an expert hula-hooper and everyone was impressed with her tricks. Jud, Brian and Vy played a competitive game of basketball with some older children (about 11 or 12 years old) and their teacher (who was wearing a long skirt) until a snake crawled onto the hard dirt court. The children threw stones at the snake, but the game broke up anyway. By that time, a soccer match had started at the back of the school – BABSEA volunteers versus our group. Gabby, who plays soccer at home, was a standout, but the BABSEA team still beat our volunteer team, even though some of them were barefoot. We learned later that they play nearly every day after work. It was a hot, dusty, action-packed game. Adele, Cesar, Tommy, Kasper, Denver, Jen, Heather, Brian and Jud rounded out the team. The rest of us cheered them on.
 

After saying our goodbyes at the school, we stopped at the reservoir, where a number of went for a swim to cool off. Gabby was the first to jump in. Tommy, who used to teach gymnastics, did a handstand on the railing before plunging in. A lot of the local kids were there, too, since it’s a favorite watering hole.
 

The day wrapped up with a celebration dinner at the Kep Lodge restaurant. We were touched when Mr. Tiery and Vy thanked us for our contributions during the past two weeks. We would all love to work with them again. After dinner, each of us received an honorary award in keeping with our unique personality traits. It’s amazing how much you can learn about people in such a short time. The evening wrapped up with some dancing. Tomorrow, most of us will head back to Phnom Penh, then on to Siem Reap to see the temples. Jackie, Michele and Jud plan to stay on the coast for awhile longer. Jud will be continuing on to Thailand and possibly Myanmar.
 

We have formed a bond and it has been an amazing time for all of us.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

December 16, 2009: Saying Good Bye Soon

Today a few more members of our group succumbed to traveler’s ailments. The rest of us headed out to install septic systems. Once the holes are dug, it’s actually quite satisfying work. We all enjoy the meditative aspects of bricklaying. The downside is that there are only three trowels per site, and some of them are being used by Cambodian expert masons, so we have to take turns. For those of you who are from California, you will understand when we say it’s something akin to watching CalTrans workers on the freeway, or a joke that starts with the line, “How many volunteers does it take to build an outhouse?”
We tried to be productive by setting an example and picking up trash around the yard.

Jackie ran into a challenge when she needed to cut some bricks in half to fit an imperfect space. Seeing her attempt to break brick with an axe without cracking them into awkward shapes, a little girl in the family came along, took the axe from her and made a perfect cut. Brian mobilized a group of children to help carry bricks. His teammates report that he also slipped while working and put his hand right into a cow patty.

At one of the houses, there is a goat pen containing goats of all sizes and colors. There is nothing like the smell of goats in the morning! In the afternoon, the children take the goats out of the pen and herd them into the countryside to feed and stretch their legs. It’s fun to watch them trotting along. The other house has a very large and in charge pig rooting around. At a third house where we are to start work tomorrow there are two doe-faced cows tied up at the side of the house and an adorable speckled piglet running around.

Our hosts served us jack fruit and bananas and a third fruit the size of a kiwi but with a large seed and gooey white stuff inside (not all that popular). Jack fruit looks like a big honeydew melon with spikes on the skin. Inside it has compartments of fruit around a seed. It tastes a little like pineapple but has a rubbery texture. The bananas here are smaller than the ones we have at home and are a lot more flavorful. The bananas have seeds in them that are about the size of a pine nut.

We returned a bit earlier than usual to the hotel; most of us took a swim before heading out to dinner. Tomorrow is our last work day, so we are feeling a bit let down, knowing that members of our group will be going their separate ways and we will have to say goodbye soon.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

December 15, 2009: The Completion of the Very Tall House

This was a very eventful, educational and rewarding day for us.

In the morning, Team 1 enclosed a wall-less schoolroom with woven bamboo mats. Team 2 returned to the very tall house determined to finish their work there. There really was no other option; the wheels were already in motion for a housewarming party this evening.

It seemed as if Team 2 saved the hardest part for last. After completing all the thatching, they learned that long sticks had to be applied horizontally to the outside of the house to keep the thatch from blowing up in the wind and rain. This required working in tandem, with one partner pushing wire from inside the house to the outside of the house and the other partner grabbing the wire, wrapping it around a stick and pushing it back through to be tied off. This task took some of the morning and all afternoon to complete. In fact, the last wire was tied off just after Team 1 arrived for the party at 4:30 p.m.

At lunch, we learned from Sarah that Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia plans to sponsor a week-long village clean-up on the main street of Chamber Bei village next week. The village features a collection of dusty, open-air shops, including a butcher shop where the meat sits out in the sun all day, a general store, a fruit stand, and a motorcycle repair shop. BABSEA wants to encourage the shop owners to spruce up in order to attract more business. After lunch, a few members of Team 2 joined Team 1 to start building a septic system at the home of a family participating in BABSEA’s community restoration project. Unlike the two houses, this time we had a schematic drawing to follow. Ravi, who is in charge of health and sanitation for BABSEA in Chamcar Bei village, explained that about 100 families live in the immediate area and only 15 of them have latrines on their property. It costs about $170 to acquire materials for a septic system, plus labor, which is a prohibitive amount of money for the vast majority of families. Without a latrine, people have to relieve themselves outdoors. During the rainy season fecal material can spread into inhabited areas and spread dysentery and other diseases.

Ravi noted that one reason Chamber Bei is so poor is because fighting continued there much longer than it did in other parts of the country, making it difficult for aid to reach its inhabitants.

At the house where we are installing the septic system, the family has volunteered to help educate their neighbors about sound sanitation practices. Although they live in relatively poor conditions, they also have a water filtration system that removes more than 90 percent of disease-causing bacteria.

The septic system requires the installation of three to four concrete cylinders, laid on top of each other in hand-dug holes more than four-feet deep. Holes are drilled in the concrete and pipes are inserted through the holes and attached to the privy. The walls of the latrine are made of brick. The door is pre-fab, like something you might find at Home Depot. The roof is made of corrugated metal. It’s sensational.

We plan to install a second septic system at another home tomorrow. It takes a couple of days to complete the project; we plan to have both finished on Thursday.

The day ended with our housewarming celebration at the very tall house. Mr. Tiery entwined flowering vines that were hung across the threshold and each person who worked on the house, including the parents, children, grandma and all Team 2 members, each cut one strand of the vine with scissors. Then the family welcomed us into their new home. They served rice wine (which has a real kick!) and duck stew with morning glory. We brought an assortment of snacks and beverages. Many of the local men lounged on the big table that we helped construct. Many more children seemed to appear from nowhere to enjoy the treats.

The family made a point of thanking each one of us individually. Seeing their appreciative faces was so gratifying; we just wish we could have expressed how much we all got out of the experience. We left at sunset with bittersweet emotions, knowing we would not be returning again to the very tall house.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

December 14, 2009: The Humidity Creates Challenges

Chamroen and Rodelle went back to Siem Reap Sunday, so now our party is down to 18 people. Chambroen will be taking an English exam today and we all wish him well.
After a very relaxing weekend, we faced work Monday with a little less enthusiasm than usual. There was a thunderstorm during the night and the lightening was so bright it lit up the entire bay. In the morning we noticed how the intense humidity quickly sapped our energy. Team 2 set out to try to finish the tall house, while Team 1 worked in the community garden weeding, hoeing and planting.
 
As Team 2 approached the house, they could hear strange, discordant music floating in the air. There was a funeral taking place at the house closest to the one we are building, less than a quarter mile away. The music and funeral keening went on all morning. Even if we were able to finish the house on Monday, we felt it would be inappropriate to hold a housewarming party on the same day as the funeral. We expected to see signs of the body burning, but none of us noticed any smoke, so we are not sure exactly what transpired.
Team 2 worked hard all day on their house but was able to finish by the end of the day; we attribute the difficulty with finishing to the considerable size of this particular family’s Dream. The Crosby, Stills and Nash lyrics, “Our house is a very, very, very fine house," keeps running through our minds. We are now adding horizontal sticks to the sides to hold down the thatch. That requires climbing to the top of ladders and scaffold and sticking wires through the thatch. We also built a lattice as a decorative touch and hauled in dirt for the porch. The family is already sleeping in the unfinished house.
 
Team 1 cultivated a four-row planting plot with the big hoes in the morning. The woman who owns the plot is 35 and has five children; she and her husband already have a house, but have no way to earn a living, so their Family Dream is the garden plot. The woman was so at home working barefoot in the garden. It was as if she grew out of the Earth herself. The main job was to remove the weeds from the four beds and reshape them into two 2 large, wide beds.
 
The rain from the previous night ratcheted up the humidity, so it felt appreciably hotter working in the full sun. The infrequent breezes caused joyful expressions of relief. The work was not complicated, but it was challenging physically, especially because of the heat. After lunch, there were two more garden beds to reshape and then plant with spinach seeds.
 
Our Fearless Leader, Tommy Marx, was ill today and had to spend the afternoon sleeping at The Vine. We are so used to him being such a bundle of energy, it was especially hard to see him suffer. He was really down for the count with stomach cramps for awhile there. Although he seemed much better by the time we picked him up at the end of the day, he was not back to 100 percent.

December 11, 2009: Dream Home #1 Done!

All 20 of us were able to work today.
 

Team 1 finished the house at Site 1 this afternoon. There was quite a celebration. Beer, sodas and snacks were served. We gave toothbrushes to the children and Vy explained how to use them. Some of the men had a lively game of hacky sack.

The new homeowners performed an impromptu ribbon-cutting ceremony orchestrated by our teammate, Chamroen. The hostess welcomed everyone into her home with the prayer-hand gesture and greeting used here and we each returned the courtesy before stepping over the threshold. Prayer hands under at the chin and a slight bow are a sign of respect and used as a substitute for a handshake.
 

Members of Team 1 report experiencing mixed emotions upon completing the house - happiness for the family who will live there and sadness that their job was done and they would be moving on to another project They all felt a strong sense of satisfaction that their efforts vastly improved living conditions for the family.

Meanwhile, at Site 2, work continued on the tall house. The roof was finished and corrugated metal sides were hammered on, so it looks quite a bit more substantial than it did a day ago. The back side of the house is thatch, which will have to be applied when we return on Monday. Gaps under the eaves above the corrugated iron also need to be filed in. Some of us would like to paint the metal, which apparently is recycled, but there is no money in the budget for paint. We also have to finish hauling dirt for the floor. It looks as if Party No. 2 will have to wait until Tuesday.

The weekend is coming up, and there is a lot of discussion about leisure activities in the area. Most of us plan to take the half-hour boat ride to Rabbit Island and some people plan to spend Saturday night there in rustic huts that dot the shoreline. Jud and Bob plan to visit Sihanookville with Cheryl, an Australian woman staying at our hotel, and Tommy is taking a small group to Kampot to get supplies. We all look forward to our two days of R&R.

Monday, December 14, 2009

December 10, 2009:Thatching the roofs

This is our second day of house-building. We are really starting to get the hang of it now. Framing at Site 1 was finished yesterday, but framing at Site 2 had to be completed this morning.

After framing, the roof is thatched. Then the walls and the floor are finished. For those readers who have never thatched a roof (which we presume is most of you), here is how it works: the layered straw is attached to a wooden rod about a yard long. Each piece has to overlap six inches to keep the rain out. The thatch has to be hoisted up onto the roof, where is it is hand-wired onto the cross beams. Aesthetically speaking, the appearance from below is quite pleasing. As one might imagine, a few of us had to get out of our comfort zones to climb the wooden frame walls and work on the rooftop (they say it’s best to face one’s fears). There is a great view of the countryside from up there.

One person has to stay on the ground to send up supplies by rope pulley, a forked stick or climb up and hand off to the thatcher. The supplier has to be able to respond quickly to requests such as “more wire,” “more thatch,” “camera,” “water,” and “shoes coming down.” Those who aren’t thatching have to tote dirt in wicker baskets for the floor, so as far as hard labor goes, thatching is preferred, even if one has a fear of heights.

We expect the Site 1 house to be finished tomorrow, but we will have to finish the Site 2 house on Monday. The Site 2 family’s Dream Home is a bit more ambitious than the Dream Home at Site 1.

Brian and Celeste, two of our Canadian teammates, have a unique perspective on both houses because they are filming at each site. Their objective is a time-lapse effect to show the houses progressing through various stages of construction from start to finish. The film will be used by Developing World Connections as part of an application for a $1 million media outreach project. Today Brian and Celeste hiked between the two building sites at least eight times, and they have helped out at each site, too, after setting up their equipment. They are really feeling the effects of the intense heat here and we really appreciate their efforts.

While we are building, we ponder the many cultural contrasts that are a source of fascination to us. Here are just a few examples:

• We are sitting on the roof of our house wiring thatch and the cell phone rings in our supervisor’s pocket.
• In this country where Buddhist shrines dot the landscape, there are Christmas trees at some of the hotels.
• There are no coins in circulation and the U.S. dollar is the currency of choice.
Change is made using riel on paper – it’s about 4,000 riel to $1 U.S.
• Our bus driver is on 24-hour call and sleeps in a hammock in the bus.
• People actually wave, smile and shout hello when we walk past.
• In the countryside, laundry is hung out to dry on fences lining the street, and rice is dried on tarps on the ground.
• Gas for motorcycles is dispensed out of Pepsi bottles.
It common to see three or four people on a small moto, including little children who sit wedged between the adults.
• While the people for whom we are building houses have very few creature comforts, they have friends and family close by watching out for them. The older ones take care of the younger ones, and vice versa.
• And, have you ever heard of Cambodian gelato? Well, it exists.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

December 8, 2009: Planting the Seeds: The Family Dream Project

December 8, 2009
 

Our group of 18 volunteers from Santa Barbara County, California, and Vancouver and Kamloops, Canada, arrived in Kep, Cambodia, December 7 after a jostling four-hour bus ride from Phnom Penh. Our group also includes one Cambodian participant, Chamroeum, from Siem Riep, and Kasper from Denmark. We are an eclectic group ranging in age from 14 to 70. This morning we were anxious to get our project started and gathered early in the lobby of our guest house before boarding the bus. Our first stop was a school in the village of Chamcar Bei, where we had an orientation session led by Sarah Dobbe, Chamcar Bei program manager. Sarah is from Holland and speaks six languages.

During the orientation, we learned that Developing World Connections (DWC) and Bridges Across Borders SOuth East Asia (BABSEA) first established a presence in Chamcar Bei in 2007 after doing a community needs assessment in 2006. There are about 800 families in the village and nearly 300 school enrollees. When the project started, there were approximately 580 families, so school enrollment also has swelled along with the need for assistance.

This part of southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand is infamous as a Khmer Rouge stronghold. Fighting finally ceased here in 1993 when the government promised land in exchange for a truce. While the region is now peaceful, the people here are still recovering from the trauma of the war years, making them prime candidates for the four pillars of Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia: education, health, livelihood and sustainability. While all the pillars are important, the most critical is sustainability, because the DWC/BABSEA project has a time limit of five years. Sarah told us the objective is to provide guidance and assistance, not encourage dependence.

After our orientation session, we split into teams and went through a “problem tree” exercise to learn more about the root causes of poverty and lack of education. The exercise helped us realize how inter-related and complex these problems are. While it was a bit overwhelming, we were advised that we can all make a difference, one project at a time. Following the Team exercise, we learned a few useful words and phrases in Khmer under the watchful eye of teacher Meas Theary.

The Family Dream project we are working on involves 26 poor families who are selected on the basis of established criteria. We start building two Dream Homes tomorrow –we are really excited to be able to create homes designed by the families who will be occupying them! An added dimension to our project is that is it being filmed as a promotional piece for DWC.

Today, after orientation and lunch, we planted two plots in the Chamcar Bei community garden. One group dug holes, filled them with manure, and planted eggplant seedlings. This brought a great deal of satisfaction to team members Bob, Jackie, Heather, Karen, Denver, Kasper, Michele, Rodelle and Jen because they got to work alongside the farmer who will be tending the crop. The farmer has six children and is a Family Dream participant. We were told that he can make more money selling the crop than working as a laborer and that our assistance enabled his children to remain in school for the day.

The other team, comprised of our Team Leader, Tommy Marx, and Participants Jud, Adele, Kayla, Julie, Gabby, Susanne, Brian, Celeste, Caesar and Chamroeum, planted radishes intended for sales to help sustain the entire community, including poor families who cannot afford to own their own land. These teammates are hoping the seeds with start to sprout before we leave for home December 18. We will be back at the garden next week to do some more planting and we plan to check on the progress then.

We are all in awe of the grace of the Cambodian people and the beauty of the landscape and look forward to continuing our work here.

Team Cambodia

December 2009

Group to Go to Cambodia in December 2009

The one of the last DWC Teams of 2009 will head out to Cambodia on December 5th. Following on the work done by the Men's Group in November they will continue to build Dream Homes for Cambodian families in the area of Kep.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Thank you, Good-bye and Thank you.

Another week has come and gone and I find myself sad to be writing this blog. We just finished our last week in the village and although I am looking forward to some of the comforts of home, I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to some of the friends I have made.

We returned from Kep Province on Monday morning and headed out to our third Dream Home to start building. The family is a family of five, a mother, her two sons and two daughters. Her husband passed away due to illness and their house was old and made of mud and it had fallen down. When we arrived it looked as if they were sleeping in their yard. It is heartwrenching to see, but so good to know that we can help to make it better for them. We spent our first day there mixing and pouring cement to secure the frame. Once we had the frame secure we began to attach sheet metal to all of the walls and thatching to the peaks of the walls. It’s awesome that we were able to complete so much in the three weeks that we were working in the village


On Thursday afternoon and Friday morning we were back to work at the Community Vocational Training Centre. We spread around two truckloads of dirt to help fix some of the road and low spots that collect water. It was hard work and the heat had finally kicked in. I think it was actually the first time I saw Mr. Theary break a sweat!


Throughout the week the group took turns riding into the village in the evenings to visit the youth group. It was nice to be able to sit down with them, show them pictures of our families and be able to help them practice their English. They are all so eager to learn! Mom, I hate to break this to you over the Internet, but after seeing one of my pictures of you they all agreed that you were “lop lop”… and they then understood where I got it from!


Our bike rides back home after youth group were always an adventure. We usually tried to leave early enough to ensure we were riding in daylight but apparently our timing isn’t always as great as we would like to think! On one such trip I had a scorpion run out in front of my bike and for the longest time I just couldn’t put my finger on what that gecko on the road was carrying… until I got closer and realized what it was! I know, a major DUH! on my part!


Friday proved to be the hardest day emotionally on this journey so far. It was time to say goodbye. In the afternoon we visited the first house that we completed. It was phenomenal to go back and see the house that we had built for them turned into a home. It brings tears to my eyes to remember their gratitude for us. The whole team had gone through our luggage and picked out some clothes and items that we would no longer need to give to the families. There was clothes, hammocks, sandals, towels, etc. It feels good to know that the smallest of sacrifices of us giving up a few shirts or pairs of shorts (or in my case all but one because apparently I can’t count!) means so much to them. I know that I will take that feeling with me wherever I go. Once we were finished at the first house we headed out to the third house to pay them a visit. We left items for them as well. I cannot imagine the hardships that the mother is going to have to face in the future, raising four young children alone, but it brings a smile to my face to know that we had a part (no matter how small) in making it easier for her. Putting a roof over her children’s heads I feel is the least that we could do to help her. Sometimes you wish that you could do so much more, but I know that by doing what we have done we have helped her to be able to focus on her kids now, and not on where they will find shelter from a storm.


After dinner on Friday (our last with Pha) we headed into the village for a party that the BAB staff were throwing for us. There were speeches of goodbyes, thanks, and good times shared by all. The mothers from the three homes we built were there as well, it was good to see them all together and heartwarming to hear their thanks. Mr. Theary made sure that we all knew that we were welcome to come back at any time and that he would always find hard work for us! Some of the youth group thanked us for our help with their English and just for being there to visit with them. Sarah, the local program director with BAB, mentioned that when we first arrived in the village they had originally planned for us to complete two houses in our three week stay with them. I am proud to announce that we completed three houses, repaired a playground, picked (and twisted!) a field of yams, re-distributed two truckloads of dirt, dismantled a chicken coop, and dug countless holes. I am so proud of the team to know that our hard work has paid off so much for the village.


Each member of the team got up to say our favorite parts of our time in the village, what we will remember most and thank certain people that made our stay easier. Every single one of us was blown away by the village of Chamcar Bei. I know that coming here everyone always tells you that Cambodians are some of the friendliest in the world and I can now say from a first hand experience that they are. I’ve traveled to quite a few different countries and I have never experienced the welcome, or made friendships so fast as I did in Chamcar Bei. The village truly has a lot to be proud of. After the speeches, feast of fruit and the team (most for the first time) experiencing rice wine mixed with coke, it was time to dance! While I designated myself photographer for the evening, the rest of the team was taught traditional Khmer dances by the youth group and BAB staff. The hardest part of the night came when it was time to say goodbye. Both Theary and Cham Nan moved me to tears as they gave me hugs goodbye, said they would miss me and told me to come back and visit.


I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the people that helped to make not only mine, but the entire team’s stay here so amazing. First off, Pha, our housekeeper and cook. What an amazing, beautiful woman she is. She always has a smile on her face, will do anything she possibly can to help you and is above all an amazing cook!

Mr. Theary, the Volunteer Assistant with BAB. Mr. Theary was always the first person to laugh when we were having a tough time, let us have a tough time for a little bit longer, then teach us the easy way to do it. In his words, “I want you to use your personal skills first, then learn from me.” I would love to think that he learned as much from us as I know I did from him. My Khmer would not be nearly as good (okay, not really good, but better than it was) if it weren’t for him. He was patient, kind and always provided a laugh!


Cham Nan, the Dream Home Coordinator with BAB. Although Cham Nan’s English is limited he more than made up for it in hand gestures, demonstrations and a want to help us. As I know I have mentioned before, his smile could light up a job-site and he was always there to help us when a piece of wood was just too hard to nail through, or a nail just a bit out of our reach. I have no doubt that it is largely due to his guidance and patience that we were able to finish three houses in our time here.


Peou, BAB staff, my personal saviour. Had it not been for Peou both times my peddle fell off I would have been stuck trying so hard in my broken Khmer to get my bike fixed. Without him I probably would have ended up with two left peddles!


And to the countless other residents of Chamcar Bei who came to everyone’s assistance any time something went wrong. I have no doubt in my mind that we will all be taking back great memories of the people and the village.


Driving away from the village on Saturday morning I was filled with mixed emotions. I was looking forward to a shower and a fan, but it felt like I was leaving my home. I have left a piece of my heart in Chamcar Bei, a piece that I am glad to give away because I know that what I did here is 100 times better than what I could have been doing at home in the same time. I will take this experience with me everywhere I go and I will never forget the friendships I have made, the people we have helped and the overall good feeling residing in me just knowing that maybe, I finally have made a difference. Afterall, that is the exact reason why I came here in the first place. It was not to see Angkor Wat, to visit the Killing Fields or to have a bit of a vacation (although they are definitely appreciated!). I came here to help those who wanted to, but could not necessarily help themselves, to give of my time and myself to help to better someone else’s life because everyone deserves a chance at a happy, peaceful life. I know that we are all blessed to live where we live and to have what we have and I know that I am so lucky to have gotten the chance to pass that on and maybe, just maybe, pass on a little bit of hope.


I want to end this blog by thanking all of those who helped to make this adventure possible not only for me, but for everyone on the team. I know that I could not have done it without the support of my family, friends, countless donors and the community. By helping me you have helped to better the lives of people you may not ever meet, but yet you found it in your heart to help anyway. This world is a better place because of you, please don’t ever forget it! In the words of William James, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”


And of course, thank you again to all those who commented last week, I love reading them! Very soon we will be able to discuss our experiences in person with all those back at home.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Our Second Week: Building, Biking, and Bonding

Our second week in the village seemed to fly by. Pha continues to feed us great and take care of us all like we were her children. A few members of the team got a bit sick, but we all think that it’s due to the change in diet, surroundings, etc. but I guarantee they felt taken care of with Pha around! She has been a god send and one I know I will miss when I go back to my own house and having to cook for myself again.

On Monday morning we finished our second house that we were working on. It feels so great to accomplish so much and help people get into houses that are good for them. To correct the slight blunder I made in last week’s blog, the Bridges Across Borders staff member that works on the Family Dream Home Project who’s name I could not remember is Cham Nan. I will admit, I was a bit sad to know that he wouldn’t be working with us on the playground as his unwavering cheeriness and smile light up a job site.

In the afternoon we went to start work on rehabilitating a playground by the Community Vocational Training Center. One of the swing sets was struck by lightning so we had to dig it out and move it along with re-thatching the roof. As much as I hate to say this, moving a swing set that was cemented into the ground was quite the project for 7 girls and 1 guy! But, eventually one of the locals we were working with shook his head at us and put two long sticks under the swing set so it was easier for us to lift it out of the hole and move it into the new ones. I am learning quite a bit about handy little ways to get things done without the use of machines and power tools!

Over the playground set there was a thatched roof that had collapsed so we had to take down the old thatch, fix the roof and re-thatch it. Carmen and Lauren got quite the show of creatures that live in thatching. I think they had colonies living in their hair after they were done with that job, but like troopers they did it with smiles on their faces! We tilled the land around the playground, which proved to be hard work with all the rain we were getting!

We finished the playground on Thursday morning and headed over to the school in the village to help pick a field of yams. I can proudly say that I am now a professional yam twister after my experience there! We also got the pleasure of trying boiled yams dipped in sugar after our work there. I’d never thought to eat yams that way but I think I may have a new treat when I get back to Canada!

On Thursday afternoon on our way into the village Sarah and I both had peddles fall off of our bikes. While hers got welded back on and didn’t cause her any more problems, the Silver Bullet (my bike) had other ideas for me. After getting help from one of the Bridges Across Borders staff in the village I left my bike at the shop to get fixed. I went back in the afternoon, all was well and the Silver Bullet and I took to the streets once again! Our glory was short lived as the next afternoon, on my way into the village it fell off again. Apparently the peddle just wasn’t the right fit. This time, however, I wasn’t quite as lucky and it fell off quite a ways out of the village. Once again I was pleasantly surprised when I had four different people stop to offer me a ride into the work site (everyone in the village seems to know where we are and what we are working on at all times), which unfortunately I had to turn down because I just couldn’t imagine trying to bring my bike and myself into town on the back of a Moto… truth be told, it scared me a little! When I was almost into town I ran into the same BAB staff member that helped me last time and he met me at the shop and they were ready for me and fixed it at no charge. I am constantly amazed at how accommodating the people in this country are, they’d do anything they can to help another, whether it be their best friend, or some stranger from a different country who not only looks funny, but talks funny too!

On Friday we went to help take apart an old chicken coop that they are planning on moving so they can use the space as a football (soccer) field. It mostly involved us taking down walls, moving them, and digging holes. Throughout this we came across a scorpion (which Lauren dispatched of), a few wood worms (that Savoun had the pleasure of showing us how bad they bite by putting a piece of wood in front of them), and I’d say about a million ants. All in a days work!

Aside from work there is always other important experiences we have that I love to share with you all. Remember Houdini from my first post? Well, apparently Houdini has quite a large family as Quinn and Kelsey have discovered. They went to go to bed one night (which I have to admit, I’m usually asleep by 8pm, I know, party animal!) and found two of them outside their door. We have all become warriors when it comes to facing our fears of spiders and I was woken up by yet another war cry, this time coming from Quinn!

While we were working on the playground it was nice to not have to bike ride every day, it was close enough to where we are living that we could walk there every day. We had about 3 days of heavy winds and rains, but we fought through it, lived soaked to the bone for a few days and got it done! The rain here is something else. And, as strange as it may sound, I’m going to miss it when I head back to Canada. The thunder and lightning have a way of calming me, I know, it’s strange, but it’s cool. And for the first time since we’ve been here we’ve actually woken up cold at night because the rain had cooled it off so much. It was a pleasant surprise to find myself reaching for a blanket!

On Friday after dinner we headed into the village to meet some of the students and teach a bit of English. It was a bit of a struggle for some of us, but once we got going it seemed to get easier. It’s amazing the insight you get from talking to children. Leland, the teacher of the class I was in, must have a great influence on the children he teaches as when we asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up and half of them said teachers. One girl said she wanted to become a doctor and come back to the village to help the people there. Another student a police woman, a lawyer, and a farmer. All was good while we were in the classes, it was on the way home when disaster struck…

Okay, don’t get all worried, it wasn’t really disaster, just a minor accident! First I have to explain the way back to our house. You have to bike across a bridge which they have been doing some work on, on one side is a pond, the other the water is coming out of pipes so while there is water there, it’s not much, mostly sand. On this side there is also no barricade. Earlier in the day the workers had a truckload of sand delivered so now not only was there the obstacles of rocks, now there was a large dirt pile in the middle of the bridge that you have no option but to go over it. We were all heading over it, with trepidation, and The Pearl (Michelle’s bike) somehow lost her footing and went over the edge. Don’t worry! Michelle ended up sitting on the bridge, with some scratches and needless to say a bit shaken up, but all was well. Adrian had a good laugh at us girls as it became like a medical tv show. I started to clean the scrapes on her hands, Quinn took her knee, Kelsey was somewhat of a scrub nurse handing us the supplies we needed, Carmen held the lights steady while Lauren occupied Michelle with story time. All the while, Adrian, being the good cook he is, went into the kitchen and brewed her a pot of tea. For Michelle’s parents, DON’T WORRY! She is doing great, her scrapes are healing and she still has her unshakable calm about her. While we were looking after her injuries I kept on trying to get her to scream, to let it out, but all she did was laugh at me! I have to admit, I think it may have been one of the best team bonding experiences we’ve had. And I know that it was good for us to practice the first aid training we all have, to know that we could put it to use. So, thank you Michelle, for becoming our patient! The Pearl seemed to have come out of it on top as well as there was only some damage to the basket and the rest of her was good!

For the weekend we are staying in Kep and while some of the team took a boat ride over to Rabbit Island, myself and a few others decided to hang back, enjoy the fans blowing in our faces and relax a bit. I think I get enough sun in the village!

On Monday we are heading to help with yet another house. It’s so good to know that we are getting so much accomplished! Two houses, a playground, and a field of yams, so far with hopefully another house complete by the time we leave at the end of next week. The time has flown by and we are all sad to see the end of this trip coming up so soon. We will bring home with us many memories of the friends we’ve made, both within our team and with the Cambodian people, our experiences here and the amazing time we’ve had. There truly is nothing else quite like travelling with a purpose, which I feel I have accomplished here. I know that this something I will take with me wherever this life takes me.

Thank you for your comments on last weeks blog, it’s good to know that someone out there is reading! Expect another one at the end of next week.

Until then, keep your chins up, I know some of you are dealing with snow, but consider this, you have running water, electricity 24/7 and toilets that flush! Life is good!


Joelle
,
Developing World Connections Volunteer Participant 2009

Monday, June 1, 2009

June 1: Our Lives in Cambodia.

Cambodia is amazing. It is such a beautiful country. The first week or so that we were here we took some time to explore Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. In Phnom Penh we got to see the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (which was right across the street from where we were staying), visited the Killing Fields just outside of Phnom Penh and got to tour the Royal Palace and Museum. It is amazing and heart-wrenching to see the horror that went on here only 30 years ago. But I think the most amazing thing is how much Cambodians have bounced back. How after a history of such repression and violence they are some of the happiest and most accommodating people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Everywhere you go you are greeted with a smile. I truly am blown away. The history is there, but this is not a sad place, it is a place of hope.

After we left Phnom Penh we drove out to Sihanoukville for the weekend before heading out to Chamcar Bei to start work. Somehow we all managed to walk out of if with sunburns (no matter how much sunscreen some people used), but were happy to have a day to relax and get to talk to the local children. Of course they were trying to sell you their bracelets, fruit, and lobsters on the beach, but they were entertaining nonetheless.

When we were driving into the village the one thing that came to my mind was "perfect". Here is a place where life is simple, and quiet. It is absolutely beautiful. Our cook in the Red House where we are staying, Pha, is amazing. Her meals have been wonderful and we are learning as much from her as I would like to think she is from us.

Our first few nights in the Red House proved to be a test to our tolerance of creatures we don't usually deal with in Canada. Traveling in a group of seven girls and one guy has got to be tough for Adrian. The poor guy gets called upon anytime there is something that might give us the creeps, but he has been a trooper through it all. Lauren conquered a spider we had named Houdini (he kept on disappearing on us). She let out a very primitive sounding war cry before killing it, and I have to say, I am so glad to be traveling with that girl!

We bike ride to all of our job sites in the village. We love the work and luckily for us we can all find humor in some of the things that happen. So far, Lauren, Michelle and I have all suffered flat tires and at one point the seat on my bike fell off. And through all of this we were all offered helped by numerous Khmer people on our walk into town, one person is getting 2 free new tires because she is "satnah" which means pretty. On one of the rides home Carmen had the chain on her bike break right as she got back to the house, lucky her!

We have already completed one house for a family. Their house had burnt down and with it most of their possessions so they were definitely in need. Our first day there I was impressed at how well they took to us and how patient they were with all of us. For some of us (myself being one of them) it was the first time in a while to swing a hammer and instead of them getting frustrated with our sometimes ineptness they just laughed with us, gave us pointers (we have all become quite good at talking with our hands and motions!) and helped us through it. I think without the patience and understanding of our first family this trip would be a difficult one! They helped us all get our confidence with tools again and miraculously we finished our first house in 3 days. Which I have to say, is quite the feat! The walls on their house consisted of us nailing smaller trees to the frame. This created a bit of an obstacle for us sometimes as there were no ladders and by the end of the three days we were hanging off of the frame and nailing as if we had been doing it our whole lives.

I am so proud of the team, we have all adjusted wonderfully and have been putting our heart and soul into these projects and I would like to think it shows! At the end of our stay in the village we are all planning on going back to visit the family to pass on clothing and other items that will help them. Developing World Connections' host Partner Bridges Across Boarders, has a
Volunteer Assistant named Mr.Theary. He has been wonderful, along with the Family Dream Home Coordinator (I feel terrible but I cannot for the life of me remember how to spell or pronounce his name!). They have been on the work sites with us every day, laughing at us, with us, and helping us to learn some of the local language. "Lop lop" has become a common phrase amongst all of us (meaning crazy). The bike trails are lop lop, we are lop lop, the rain, the sun, pretty much anything. Every time we use Khmer language they smile and laugh and are so proud that they taught us something new!

We started our second house on Thursday afternoon and the bike trek proved to be a bit more of a challenge. We were riding in between rice paddies, along skinny, curvy trails, and through what we like to call a lake (it sounds cooler than a large puddle). This house shouldn't take quite as long as the siding is all thatching and requires to be wired onto the frame instead of nailed on! The first day we spent mixing cement in the rain, which had essentially cemeted my sandals onto my feet.

We are currently in Kampot for the weekend, staying at a Guest House called the Bodhi Villa. Of all things to be grateful for at the moment, it is definitely a shower!

I can't begin to say how thrilled I am that I decided to have this adventure. The people I am traveling with are all amazing, the local people are beyond belief and this country is amazing. I have no doubt in my mind that this will prove to be some of our best experiences we will have in this lifetime. Working alongside with people who truly want to better their lives and their situations is endlessly rewarding and it is easy to go to bed at night with smiles on our faces, feeling as if we have made a difference.
Until next weekend, keep fit and have fun! I know we will be!
- Joelle Risi
Developing World Connections Volunteer Participant

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Student Experience, May 2009: We have arrived!

I just wanted to let everyone know that everything is going fine. Sorry we haven't been able to really blog. We arrived safe with no issues. We are in Sihanoukville right now, and leaving for the village of Kep tomorrow afternoon. We start our first day of work on Monday.

Talk to you soon!

Sarah,
Student Team Leader