March 22: Feeling very satisfied!

It is now Friday afternoon in Phnom Pehn and this will be my final blog. Our last work day in Kep was Thursday March 21. We spent the day working on the 3rd project. The days work involved digging a trench 3m by 1.5 deep and 150 ft long in 42c heat with no shade. The locals made it fun and we managed to complete about 30m of the trench. We had a little celebration with the workers (water and Oreo cookies) before we left. We then stopped at a local skills and trades training centre where coconut jewelry, hand spun/hand knit scarves and baskets from recycled plastic bags are made to supplement income.
Friday we drove to Phnom Pehn and will spend the night here before we all go our separate ways.
We all left Kep with a very satisfied feeling that we did help this community and touched the lives of some of the local people. We sure know they touched ours.
We are all looking forward to being involved with this project again next year.

Wade Billey
DWC Participant
Cambodia, March 2013

March 19: Hard work, great comradeship and Kampot

We have started the next project, an irrigation gate for a small community. We are still working with the same local crew who are fun and sometimes tease us on how slow we can do cement work compared to them. Lots of good natured bantering and competition here that I am pretty sure the DWC team will lose. One of the exciting parts of this project is having to walk the 1/2 km to the site, through a water buffalo herd. The first time was a little scary but we are getting used to each other now. They are beautiful, powerful, large animals.

Friday night we all went for a nice meal at a restaurant with an incredible view. There was a huge lightning storm and rain that followed - It was pretty cool.

On Saturday we all went for a drive to Kampot City. An old colonial ocean port with amazing architecture. We walked the sea wall and visited the local open market which was fascinating. It had everything from textiles, clothing, kitchenware, jewelry and the fish market which we all especially enjoyed. Then we went to the Rusty Keyhole restaurant for what we were told are 'the best ribs in Cambodia.' And they were right!!

Sunday was a day off to do whatever each person wanted to do. Some went on a tour to Rabbit Isalnd, some on a hike, some just took TukTuks around Kep and some went to the salt fields and a secret local beach. It was a great day.

Monday we were back to work on the gate. Goods progress there: All holes dug, culverts in and we are plastering and bricking in the ends for the gate placements. Again, it's very hot and there's no shade. Hard work, great comradeship and again that teasing from the locals. A fun day.

Wade Billey

DWC Participant

Cambodia, March 2013 

March 15: Latrine's done and started a new irrigation ditch

Everything is well here in Kep. We finished the 2 latrines for the community on Thursday morning.
A very special moment as all the people on site helped out at the last moment, from the children to the adults. We all pitched in!
Then we went too a site very close by to build an irrigation ditch for another local family. A lot of cement, digging and dirt moving again. There is a 600 meter walk on a dike to get to the site. An interesting walk as we had to pass through a water buffalo herd to reach the site. This project is going well but there is no shade so it's very hot. But we did get a little rain shower on Friday which was very well received.
Friday night we went for a nice supper with the Equitable Cambodia (EC) staff and some Rotarian's. Great food, great conversation and a lot of laughs. Vy, our local EC rep is now referred to as the princess. A wonderful, passionate, hard working lady with a wonderful sense of humor.
We are now heading into the weekend and are going into Kampot on Saturday to shop and see the sites.

Wade Billey
DWC Participant
Cambodia, March 2013

March 12: Exhausting, but fun day!

We had another great day today. Layed more bricks for the latrines, dug holes, placed cement cistern holding tanks and stuccoed the outside walls. Very exhausting, but fun day. Highlights of the day were: watching Kim and Larry be hole digging machines, playing with the children at the work site and back to the community hall for lunch. We had a local favorite (and Tom our Team Leaders) which was cooked morning glory. Absolutely delicious for what we Canadians jokingly refer to as a weeds. 

Looking forward to finishing the latrines tomorrow.

Wade Billey

DWC Participant

Cambodia, March 2013

March 11: Lovely accomodations, great food and working hard!

We all arrived safe on Sunday. Our accommodations, the Kep Beach Hotel, is very nice and comfortable. It has excellent food for supper and breakfast, very friendly staff and an amazing view.  Monday was our first day of work and we started with building the brick walls for some latrines. We split into two groups with each building one latrine for two different families who are related. It was very hot with high humidity but there was a light breeze that was appreciated. A new experience for lunch....no restaurant, but instead we went to a community complex where the community made an excellent lunch of rice, vegetables and shrimp for us. It was very tasty with the Famous Kampot peppers included in the meal. 

After work, half the team went for a swim in the ocean. The ocean was as warm or warmer than the showers in the hotel. Diner was another nice meal at a local seafood restaurant with the Kampot peppers again. Absolutely tasty! 

Every one worked hard today and had fun working with the locals at the work site. Lots of smiles and a great atmosphere. We're tired but looking forward to tomorrow.

Wade Billey

DWC Participant

Cambodia, March 2013