Hi Everyone
We've actually been busy this last couple of weeks and time seems to be passing more quickly.I have my 3 month review with VSO in 2 weeks and have had to get my brain in gear and write of my general impressions of my partner organisation, its strengths and challenges , and come up with a work plan. I meet with the managers of CHHRA tomorrow so hopefully we'll agree on what is feasible for me to try and achieve. It still feels a very humbling experience here - the staff work hard, out on their motos in scorching heat and often muddy, dirt roads, visiting remote villages, all for about $150 a month. I've been out with all the health promoters now. A big part of my work will be improving their basic understanding of the commonest diseases here - malaria, diarrhoea, dengue fever etc and supporting them to become confident in organising village health workshops.
Shortly after the last blog, I went to the remotest and poorest area yet, about 1hr off the main road. The truck struggled on the narrow sandy road with deep potholes and pools of water. 2 of the staff had gone ahead on their mbikes and were there to welcome us, having made breakfast of roasted corn cobs on a fire by the roadside! These villages were in the forest, such as is left in Cambodia. Illegal logging still happens and many poor people have had their land 'stolen' by rich and influential people. No such thing as land rights here.
Geoff's busy too with his English classes. We've found a young teacher to teach us Khymie. He didn't want payment, just wanted Geoff to take one of his English conversation classes, a group of 10 adolescents at the private school next door! We're giving it a month's trial - our 1st lesson on Sunday, me dreading it, and Geoff relishing the thought!
We've just had a lovely weekend, on a boat from Battambang to Sim Reap.It took 7 hrs in hot sun but we passed floating villages and saw egrets and storks. James, one of the VSOers in Samraong is coming to the end of his time here, so it was his leaving do. We'll miss him. He's just 25, very witty and has been working with a forestry NGO. His girlfriend, also with VSO, is here this week. She's from Horsforth! Its a small world - another volunteer was telling me about her holiday job before coming out here, a waitress at the 'Angel' at Hetton!
Sadly, Geoff's Mum fell in the bathroom last week and is in hospital with a fracture to her ankle. We feel pretty helpless here but Geoff will be home before Christmas and we just hope that she will make a good recovery.We're very much looking forward to our next break, a long weekend in Singapore for Laura's birthday.
Keep the emails coming - we miss you all!
With lots of love from us both
Carol xx
Monday 24 August 2009
Sunday 9 August 2009
Hello everyone.
I am writing the blog this time perhaps to give a different perspective on life in Samraong. Since I have no NGO or public service department as employer and no colleagues to get along with ,I am in charge of my own destiny. I have taken my time before deciding whom to teach, when I could have filled a timetable from day one. Carol`s staff wanted English teaching from her but she was pleased to accept my offer to replace her. Then I got together a small group that I teach at home, all of whom are far from beginners. Tomorrow I`m meeting a group from Malteser, one of the prominent NGOs, with a view to taking an advanced class for some of their staff.
As you know I have recently been back to England. This was not at all unsettling. The weather was wonderful, friends and family were well and I had a great time in Newcastle and Manchester. However I had no difficulty in coming home to Cambodia. For after five months I do feel at home here. Our house is really nice and I haven`t seen one I`d rather live in. To make things even better we now have the Internet installed in our lounge. I made enquiries on Tuesday and it was installed on Thusday morning for 35 dollars.
Another example of Cambodian service; our gas container ran out at 6.45 on Wednesday night and after a quick call to the company was replaced at 7.00. We are so used to a very efficient service industry here. Yet we still have unfinished business with npower after five months away.
Next week I`m staying in Samraong on my own while Carol goes off with her Health Promotion team to Anglong Venh, former Khmer Rouge stronghold. She will be away for three nights working in remote villages.
Now that we are back home we can enjoy the simple life for a while. We had a bbq with the other VSOs at the weekend and we are hosting a curry night next Saturday with food coming up from an Indian restaurant in SiemReap by taxi. I`m hoping to play badminton on Monday dodgy knee permitting.
I know this is a shorter post than usual, but Carol will more than make up for it next time with news from Anglong Venh.
Regards to all of you,
Geoff
I am writing the blog this time perhaps to give a different perspective on life in Samraong. Since I have no NGO or public service department as employer and no colleagues to get along with ,I am in charge of my own destiny. I have taken my time before deciding whom to teach, when I could have filled a timetable from day one. Carol`s staff wanted English teaching from her but she was pleased to accept my offer to replace her. Then I got together a small group that I teach at home, all of whom are far from beginners. Tomorrow I`m meeting a group from Malteser, one of the prominent NGOs, with a view to taking an advanced class for some of their staff.
As you know I have recently been back to England. This was not at all unsettling. The weather was wonderful, friends and family were well and I had a great time in Newcastle and Manchester. However I had no difficulty in coming home to Cambodia. For after five months I do feel at home here. Our house is really nice and I haven`t seen one I`d rather live in. To make things even better we now have the Internet installed in our lounge. I made enquiries on Tuesday and it was installed on Thusday morning for 35 dollars.
Another example of Cambodian service; our gas container ran out at 6.45 on Wednesday night and after a quick call to the company was replaced at 7.00. We are so used to a very efficient service industry here. Yet we still have unfinished business with npower after five months away.
Next week I`m staying in Samraong on my own while Carol goes off with her Health Promotion team to Anglong Venh, former Khmer Rouge stronghold. She will be away for three nights working in remote villages.
Now that we are back home we can enjoy the simple life for a while. We had a bbq with the other VSOs at the weekend and we are hosting a curry night next Saturday with food coming up from an Indian restaurant in SiemReap by taxi. I`m hoping to play badminton on Monday dodgy knee permitting.
I know this is a shorter post than usual, but Carol will more than make up for it next time with news from Anglong Venh.
Regards to all of you,
Geoff
Saturday 1 August 2009
Fully Fledged Volunteers!
Hi Everyone
Our in service training is over and we're on our way back to Samraong, with our usual stop over in Siem Reap at the Golden Banana. It's a good feeling to have the language training behind us - I've learnt a bit, Geoff has learned loads, and now we need to put it all into practice! VSO give us a grant to carry on with lessons locally, so now we need to find a teacher to meet both our needs.
We had classes for half the day and were then free to explore Pnomh Penh, which has got better for knowing. We've walked a lot, in the several French quarters and the colonial area - its all somewhat second division compared to the grandeur of many European cities, but it has its charms, and we've found charming cafees and restaurants , many in beautiful gardens, with stunning food.There are faded French villas and wide boulevards choked with motos and 4 wheel drive Lexus' with no traffic rules, which we're now used to. You just have to step out into it all and hope that the traffic will avoid you, which it generally does!
We stayed in the Programme Office which was hot but convenient and free. Good to see all our group again too. On the last evening the Phillipino group organised a phillipino meal for us to say goodbye to Dara, our superb Cambodian teacher, who is one of the most inspirational characters I've ever met. He survived the Killing Fields, has the most infectious laugh, and is a great Man. U fan. He might come to stay in Uppermill, a promise to take him to a match and their museum being a big draw. How will Geoff cope with all of that! We all then went dancing to the Cambodiana, a grand hotel on the river front, and of course, the live band was Phillipino!
Geoff and I are generally the oldest at most social gatherings but it doesn't seem to matter. It's one of the best things here - we meet so many people from very different cultures and nationalities who all seem to have lots to say! So now its time for a quick swim, a supermarket shop, lunch and our taxi back to Samraong. Work starts in earnest tomorrow - I wonder what surprises await and how I'll get on trying to find a donor.
Laura and Alberto are in Europe at the moment visiting friends and family. Nic is looking forward to starting his new job in September after a short break for much needed rest and recuperation! Hope you've all had good summer breaks and as usual, looking forward to hearing all your news!
With much love
Carol and Geoff xx
Our in service training is over and we're on our way back to Samraong, with our usual stop over in Siem Reap at the Golden Banana. It's a good feeling to have the language training behind us - I've learnt a bit, Geoff has learned loads, and now we need to put it all into practice! VSO give us a grant to carry on with lessons locally, so now we need to find a teacher to meet both our needs.
We had classes for half the day and were then free to explore Pnomh Penh, which has got better for knowing. We've walked a lot, in the several French quarters and the colonial area - its all somewhat second division compared to the grandeur of many European cities, but it has its charms, and we've found charming cafees and restaurants , many in beautiful gardens, with stunning food.There are faded French villas and wide boulevards choked with motos and 4 wheel drive Lexus' with no traffic rules, which we're now used to. You just have to step out into it all and hope that the traffic will avoid you, which it generally does!
We stayed in the Programme Office which was hot but convenient and free. Good to see all our group again too. On the last evening the Phillipino group organised a phillipino meal for us to say goodbye to Dara, our superb Cambodian teacher, who is one of the most inspirational characters I've ever met. He survived the Killing Fields, has the most infectious laugh, and is a great Man. U fan. He might come to stay in Uppermill, a promise to take him to a match and their museum being a big draw. How will Geoff cope with all of that! We all then went dancing to the Cambodiana, a grand hotel on the river front, and of course, the live band was Phillipino!
Geoff and I are generally the oldest at most social gatherings but it doesn't seem to matter. It's one of the best things here - we meet so many people from very different cultures and nationalities who all seem to have lots to say! So now its time for a quick swim, a supermarket shop, lunch and our taxi back to Samraong. Work starts in earnest tomorrow - I wonder what surprises await and how I'll get on trying to find a donor.
Laura and Alberto are in Europe at the moment visiting friends and family. Nic is looking forward to starting his new job in September after a short break for much needed rest and recuperation! Hope you've all had good summer breaks and as usual, looking forward to hearing all your news!
With much love
Carol and Geoff xx
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