Hi Everyone This is as close as we get to a Christmas party here, an engagement celebration for Ratana - the little guy in yellow to the left, one of Geoff's students.We were invited only the night before, for 7.30am, and walked with Ratana's family along a dirt track on a cool, bright morning, bearing the gifts you see laid out on the floor of the bride's home. Money was also given by the groom's family, all counted in public, and there was an exchange of vows, followed by a breakfast of noodles in a chicken/vegetable soup with bamboo shoots and fresh mint. I was back at work by 9am! Its hard to believe that next week we will be getting ready for Christmas in Singapore, but before then we have a lot to pack in, with not a snowflake or Santa Claus in sight.
Geoff is working hard on his 6week paid job to get all his interviews done, with villagers, commune council members, teachers and non government organisations ,and is trying hard to improve the English of 'success stories' where individuals and organisations have had funding from ICS, a Dutch development organisation who need these successes to try to raise more funds. I'm busy writing a VSO placement report, a case study to reflect changes in poor peoples' lives and, as ever, helping my project manager with end of project reports. I've got 12 staff references to write next and then will clear out the office.Not quite like leaving the NHS, but it does bring back memories of feeling panicky at the thought of not getting everything done! Vatnak and I have been to Samrong Police station today to get a signature and stamp on a letter from CHHRA, stating that I have been a law abiding citizen here. A great lesson in patience and hierarchy, but Vatnak wasn't intimidated, in spite of having to return twice with a photo and endure the humiliation of having his written Khymer criticised. No bribes needed as I was around! We should have it signed in 2 days time, all just in case I decide that I want to work when we return to UK.
The leaving parties have started, 2 so far, and we'll give our own party for about 50 on our last night, Dec, 20th. We've invited locals like Noem, the taxi driver, who plies up and down the dusty and pot holed road from Samrong to S Reap everyday and has seat belts,a left hand drive old Camray and always drives well, Sam, the young guy we buy our phone cards from, the laundry ladies and fruit/vegetable sellers in the market who have bought colour and good food into our lives as well as CHRAA staff and all the volunteers.It will be in the garden of my office where the purple bourganvillia is brilliant just now. The staff will spend all day chopping and slicing vegetables, spices and meat, on the floor in the office, and there will be lots of high spirits. Loud Khmer dance music and karaoke will start at 6pm, the beer will flow, virtually everyone will dance and then the speeches will start. Geoff is working on a Kymer song which he'll sing in Kymer.I shall just say a few words - so as not to cry! -primarily about my 2 favourite Cambodian men, Vatnak, my VA and Hing, CHHRA's project manager, who have been incredibly generous, kind and patient, have taught me a lot about this impenetrable culture, and without whom, I would have achieved very little.We'll leave the following morning and hope we'll get to visit Geoff's primary school, out in the sticks in Siem Reap Province, where he'll return Jan 1st for 3 weeks to try to improve the teaching skills of staff.
The house is virtually packed up and tomorrow the 4 volunteers here will come for a farewell brunch and to collect all the stuff that we're leaving behind. I think we have lived pretty simply here, but I'm amazed at the stuff we have accumulated. I have had lots of clothes made by Cuntia, a seamstress who works away on a treadle machine, in a little shack just across the road from our house and is great at copying Laura's fashionable dresses. Will just have to stay slim!
Samrong feels so much better than it did on our arrival in March 2009. I guess that we have changed far more than the place and I am surprised that things that really bothered me like the litter, filthy market and high humidity now no longer seem such a big deal. I hope that the good things about Cambodia we'll remember - the lack of materialism, at least in the rural areas, the importance of family life, the hard working women and the way that children take care of each other, the can do attitude of many people, and of course the smiling faces of poor people who really have very little in the way of home comforts and often do not have enough to eat. I hope that these images will stay in our memories for ever. I will blog again soon with thoughts and reflections of our time here. Meanwhile, thanks for all your Christmas greetings. We shall think of you all as we enjoy Enrico's 1st Christmas in Singapore!
With love from Carol and Geoff xx
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