tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23601788675797097092024-03-12T16:02:00.679-07:00Jill in India...and BEYOND!Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-85413897174535327752009-03-04T07:37:00.000-08:002009-03-04T07:47:35.325-08:00The End<div><div><div><div>Many apologies for the lateness of this post! I am now back in the U.S., safely reunited with my family. I didn’t tell anyone when I was leaving Cambodia because I was surprising my mother by coming back in time for her birthday. But after nearly a week in the states, I’m almost fully recovered from my 40+ hour-long trip home, so I thought I’d tell everyone that I am still alive! I had written this post while still in Cambodia, but never got around to publishing it. Even though I’m no longer overseas, I hope you enjoy my musings just the same.<br /></div><div> "I can hardly believe how little time I have left in Cambodia. As I wrap up things with my students, finish last minute shopping, and take advantage of my finals days of yummy fresh fruit and spicy noodles eaten on the side of the road, I realize how much Cambodia has become like a second (or third or fourth) home for me. I’ve been so blessed to be able to live in several different places. I know when I was in France, I grew so accustomed to speaking French and living a typical European life that it was hard to readjust to America. I will always have a special place in my heart for France, and will probably never be able to order Café au Lait in a restaurant without my brain immediately trying to switch into “French speaking mode”. :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Even India’s culture has impacted me in a lot of ways. After spending nearly 5 months in Mumbai, I notice how self-conscious I am to wear “Western clothes” such as shirts that stop at the waist or anything that might hint at revealing my knees. And I still find myself using the typical and frustratingly ambiguous Indian “head waggle” rather than a nod to show agreement. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, pop in any Bollywood film and I guarantee you’ll see it within about 30 seconds. Otherwise, I’ll demonstrate it to you all when I see you in person!)</div><div><br /></div><div>In the same way, a lot of Cambodia’s culture has rubbed off on me in the 4 months I’ve been here. I know I will have a hard time shaking hands with people in the U.S. and will probably begin to bow as a way of greeting everyone -at least initially. Likewise, I’ve gotten very used to never pointing at things, removing my shoes any time I enter a building, and always using both hands to give money or other objects to another person. Those cultural courtesies that I initially struggled to remember have now been engrained in me to the point that I’m going to have to work to undo them! </div><div> </div><div>I guess you could say I’m a big melting pot of different cultures and customs. Sometimes that confusing mixture of American and foreign behaviors can be embarrassing and make me feel out of place. But I wouldn’t trade my experiences abroad for anything in the world. Because while in some ways my travels have made it harder to relate to other people, in many ways, it has opened doors for me to understand and interact with people that I might not otherwise . It’s nice to know that I can find something in common with almost any person I meet- no matter where they are from. And learning how incredibly diverse cultures and customs around the world can be has made me more aware of how I can be sensitive and respectful of those around me with divergent backgrounds."<br /></div><div>My plans for the future are to spend the next year in the U.S. finishing up my Masters in Social Work at UT Arlington. After that, I really have no idea what the future will hold. These past 9 months overseas have definitely taught me not to make any assumptions about the path God has planned for me. All I know is that I have every intention to be involved in international work for the rest of my life. Only the Lord knows how that involvement will manifest itself. But I am not worried. Wherever He leads me, I have no doubt that it will be an amazing adventure and one that helps enrich and bless my life. Thank you so much for your faithful readership throughout this journey. It has been so fun to share my experiences with all of you. May God bless your life and help you to find the path He has in store for you!<br /><br />Here are some pictures of me with my students from my last week in Cambodia:</div><div> </div><div>With Nimol after she finished the first 3 books:</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309358048899188850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUnaqsN9Esgfxq1Wjh5GxOOma6hLYXO8h89wFbx7Q1AN3snIcnmSVCJo-C6gWhdfcVe6j93x822wNYpk-fzOjVitZNEb5mqE0aXwXcg4uNhQI6rx9FB7HY0MbyxlXM_SisIb9gdUOA2w/s320/005.JPG" border="0" />With Sary:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309358064180052386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFwjVMrE6P06oIVoQbSQxwhHzYoo0HXwNXcfH8dpmCV8h_pnLuYZcWNdJMrut5Ir3PQHweuu3CHKeNfbvCtPtTF18P8W8_WZvzQfAl7RTe9o7zQ2EcbALGCc3XYUSFZ3i6VIzZYKynPU/s320/027.JPG" border="0" />Ya getting his 1st certificate:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309358051992575874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 241px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcc6MQpTcTDFc7o9pWRn4sKqTGEE1KS6azBRK3FxJGmxjxatryXC-PNoAZ2F8j2WsqqcEIcaLx0pj2iAnn2Kuu-05Blzkl44_zOJ2p_CayRboWjryhgNDfer8NRm-oRBV52KRYS9f0qc/s320/008.JPG" border="0" />Ly eang and me:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309358059502028914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLhSYgMJ3wqTuyoE0_VY_nFNY7Mj0WuhqiMUKyoX3QKa_T4W2XyKdIqSnzxZFEAr6u091qy3WRQW8HpC8pTs14c5YqnCBhw0mAklkHhgBktFOj3CKmFPP7Tsm5oPOHyedIynvtap62-U/s320/026.JPG" border="0" />Mouyteang took me to eat on my last weekend in Cambodia:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309358069758433842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0L9FMwottrY3fMlfM8gvfXtt9usPOyGMJTN8jhMVA8yx9SrUoZxh3a1nIm-ibgoEe1Ccl_6AGcp6QVy7Dzb6AKohKYEShPq2_HikbE8UYB1820Cf1-ENVmDpQyxuNSqC_8mqlb8O3Xjs/s320/041.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-20715025439399460012009-02-20T23:35:00.000-08:002009-02-20T23:43:17.789-08:00Knyom Jay Neeyay Peesa Khmer! (I can speak Khmer)For some people, it’s purses. For others, it’s stamps, coins, rocks, or even beanie babies. I, however, collect languages. It’s true. I’m addicted to learning new languages, and try my best to acquire at least one phrase in the native language of every place I go or every person I meet. Some have come more easily than others. (I think the tribal language of my Ghanaian friend in France twisted my tongue more than any others I’ve tried to pronounce!) Khmer is fairly high on the list of difficult-to-pronounce languages, though. There are over 27 vowels in the Khmer alphabet, making the seemingly subtle difference between words like “om puhl” (tamarind) and “om powl” (sugar cane) significant to a native-speaker’s ears.<br /><p><br />Knowing I would be in Cambodia for several months, I decided early on to take advantage of this opportunity and try to learn Khmer. One of the church members is a skilled Khmer teacher and offered to teach me on the weekends. While learning a language is always a slow process, I’ve been encouraged by how quickly I’ve been able to communicate in Khmer. Because so few Westerners ever bother to learn the native language of Cambodia, most of the people here are ecstatic to hear you say even a simple and badly-pronounced phrase to them. The shop owners, merchants in the market and moto-drivers all listen attentively when I explain what I am looking for or where I am trying to go. So far, I’ve successfully navigated my moto-driver to church on Sunday morning, chosen and designed my own skirt for a tailor, and explained to the housekeeper about a needed change in her schedule. While I’m sure those successes were due in large part to the patience of the Cambodian listener, I am proud of myself for being able to function as an independent person in Cambodia. </p><br /><p><br />Of course, any progress in the language that I have made is because of how WONDERFUL my teacher, Bora, has been. Today was my very last class with her. It makes me sad to see that weekly interaction come to an end. Not only have I loved learning Khmer, but I’ve loved getting to know Bora. She’s an incredible Christian woman with a lot of dedication. Bora has been working with PIP’s nutrition program that goes out to various villages and supplies them with nutritional supplements as well as information about basic healthy eating. Then at night, she has been studying to become a nurse. Because she must start her hospital rotations soon, Bora will probably have to quit working for PIP in the near future. That’s going to be hard on her financially, which is why she’s been looking for new Khmer language students. So far, I’ve gotten a few others to take her on as a teacher, and everyone that uses her is really pleased with her style. </p><br /><p><br />Bora’s a great joker and loves to laugh. She teaches me lots of fun proverbs in Khmer. Today’s was: “Well spiced soup and a successful husband are both thanks to a good woman.” She’s always encouraging me to keep up with my Khmer once I come back to the states and to work really hard at returning to Cambodia again someday long-term. </p><br /><p><br />I’m going to miss a LOT of people in Cambodia when I leave. But Bora is one of the ones that I will miss most! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305152359744945138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKNoPrJF0zG8iZsy_HjDDwuObsZ0Msli5Y6l4tFQp5snowPgc5i7EvyzV4GMnwcUo6OOCILt2AjAkPsr1-xB_oKUTIYFjjtOqjeX-K09SqepQdNZOUrCiLR-H3_z050OjPUr11Zok6KE/s320/035.JPG" border="0" /></p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-44237470355406471312009-02-16T05:48:00.000-08:002009-02-16T05:52:41.700-08:00I'm Not MorbidI’ve been thinking a lot lately about the different beliefs that various cultures have. A really interesting conversation I had with a student on Friday about Cambodian funerals further piqued this interest. I know a post about death is not exactly the most uplifting thing. But I found the traditions pretty interesting and quite indicative of Cambodian people’s typically Buddhist beliefs. <br /><br />Normally, Khmers have many funerals whenever someone dies. The 1st funeral is as soon after the person dies as possible. This is usually the same day or the day after, and tends to have only the close friends and relatives as mourners.<br /><br />Then, 7 days after the person has died, there is another, bigger funeral. This funeral is sadder than the first because this is when the Khmers believe the deceased first realizes that he or she is no longer living. The dead person begins to miss his family. He may also come back in spirit form to haunt loved ones or send them messages in dreams. One of my student’s friend’s brothers died. They thought it was a moto accident, but the brother’s spirit is supposed to have inhabited his aunt’s body and revealed that he was really murdered by his friends after a fight in a bar. Apparently the police here take these séances quite seriously, and will look into the allegations from beyond the grave just as much as they would if they were made by someone still living.<br /><br /> There are many subsequent funerals as well- one at 3 months, 1 year and 3 years. These gatherings are intended to be for more than just immediate family, and can become quite large and expensive. The 1 and 3 year anniversaries are especially important for those who believe in reincarnation, as this is the time when the person’s spirit will be born again on the earth. <br />In the mean time, the dead person’s soul is believed to be in hell, suffering according to how well or how badly he acted in his life on earth. The deceased person’s relatives must hope that in the past year or so, they have accumulated enough good Karma to help their loved-one come back as a human being, and hopefully one of higher standing in society. Because no one can ever know when a person has accumulated enough good Karma to be reincarnated, loved-ones will offer prayers and sacrifices for the dead for the rest of their lives- just in case he or she is still in purgatory. Many worry that if they do not continue to help their ancestors, their ghost will come back and curse the family with all kinds of calamities.<br /><br />This belief in karma is so strong that it is often used as a threat by parents to their disobedient children. One of my students told me that when she would do something bad, her grandmother would say, “Do you want to come back as an ant in your next life?” Though Mouyteang told me she doesn’t believe in reincarnation per se, she always thought twice before acting up after such a scolding.<br /><br />The thing that touches me most about this belief is how sad and full of uncertainty it is. I can’t imagine trying to earn my mother or father’s way out of purgatory for the rest of my life- constantly hoping that my offerings were good enough to keep them from suffering. I know Christianity has the existence of Hell and that the Bible does teach that some people will go there. However, I take so much comfort in the knowledge that I can have assurance that I won’t be one of those people. I can know I am saved from suffering. And it is NOT because I am good enough. I’m not. I won’t ever be good enough. But God doesn’t operate on a system of karma. There is no magic scale that weighs my good and bad merits to decide my eternal destiny. There is only grace through Jesus. I am so relieved that my salvation is not dependent on what I do every day. I am a constant failure. But I know I am saved because of Christ’s sacrifice. I could go on and on about this, but I will try to stop here. I love talking about my faith, though, so if anyone has any thoughts or questions on this, I would love to hear them! Post a comment or email me!Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-78642891254813698252009-02-09T02:05:00.000-08:002009-02-09T02:11:32.152-08:00Yada Yada YadaToday was a Buddhist holiday, so all but one of my students opted to skip class today. I took the opportunity to go run a few errands and practice my Khmer. On the way to one of the shops I was going to, I stumbled upon something amazing!<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300737350619687698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYxDDA42Ir6TG6Fj5aqbJlyBIOTpbM3V74kyRpXh9TxiOTpzSG-mmzwvpWcbvkXd8gomWrQLqk6A8YHovi3OEy-0QPUNmZj8Jy4lXPWfH7XcxPWqrCbuLLX7iNs4sTPWpojuXlVZc658/s320/Matt+Damon%27s+Barber.JPG" border="0" /><br />Who would have thought that Orlando Bloom and Matt Damon would come all the way to Phnom Penh for their $1 hair cuts? I mean, I always assumed people like that went to high-dollar salons. But the pictures on the front of Pop Style Barber Shop make it clear that I was sadly mistaken. So, if any of you out there have been trying and trying to achieve that perfect “movie star hair” to no avail, now you know why. </p><p><br />As I mentioned before, I did have one student come today. Ya is my 8am pupil. His real name is Chanmakara, but he prefers to be called Ya, and honestly, I prefer to call him that! Ya is a non-practicing Buddhist who is currently studying Physics at University. He is extremely bright and is constantly asking insightful questions to which I don’t always have an answer. (i.e. “Teacher, what is the exact moment when Jesus took the sins of humanity?”) </p><p>I picked up Ya as a student from a previous teacher, so I can’t take credit for his incredible understanding of both English and the Bible. But I am continuously amazed at how profoundly Ya has grasped difficult concepts. For example, today we reviewed for an exam he will have next time. I was quizzing him on the sequence of events for different stories in the Bible. When I asked him: “Which happened first? Did Jesus begin his ministry of healing and performing miracles? Or was he baptized by John the Baptist?” Ya replied: “He must have been baptized first. Because when he was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove and gave him the power to perform miracles.” While most of my students would have gotten the sequence of events right, few of them would have been able to explain why that logically must be the order in which things occurred. Needless to say, I make sure I’ve had my coffee before I come to class with him! </p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-11022803065518702922009-02-07T04:56:00.000-08:002009-02-07T04:59:30.967-08:00A Not-So-Euphemistic EuphemismA few weeks ago, one of my students and I were talking about a rather unusual Cambodian delicacy known as “Khmer Cheese” (which is basically mushed up rotten fish, but I won’t go into that….) She told me that she absolutely loves eating this, but tries to limit herself because if she eats it all the time, her skin will break out. I told her that in my country, we like to blame skin problems on chocolate and potato chips. She thought that was interesting, and we eventually moved onto another topic.<br /><br />The next week, this student walked into class with the biggest smile on her face. As soon as she sat down she looked at me and said, “You have potato chip on your face."<br /><br />Well, her class is right after lunch, so I immediately put my hands on my face and tried to wipe off whatever food could have possibly been there.<br /><br />When I did this, she said, “No, no. Potato Chip!” and began pointing to her forehead.<br />I must have looked really confused because she finally gave up and said, “Pimple!” Apparently I had a small breakout on my forehead that I had forgotten about.<br /><br />My student looked quite confused as she explained, “You told me last week that in your country you call these potato chips.”<br /><br /> Ooops! I guess I hadn’t been very clear in my explanation after all! After laughing for a minute or two over the obvious miscommunication, I explained to my thoroughly embarrassed student what I had really meant in the previous conversation. Poor thing! At least she had a good attitude about it, though. All she said was, “I think it is good that I tried this on you first and not someone else. That would be embarrassing.” (Of course, I’m wondering when blatantly pointing out a blemish on someone’s face wouldn’t be embarrassing!)<br /><br />*I’m currently in the process of writing a post about some interesting cultural differences. Hopefully I’ll get it up in the next few days, along with some more student profiles. Speaking of students, please keep my student Ly eang in your prayers. She’s in the hospital with encephalitis. I’m planning on calling her tomorrow to hear how she’s doing. I’ll let you know more later.Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-90341345435492551122009-02-04T04:18:00.000-08:002009-02-04T04:23:21.619-08:00Professional Perks!Have I mentioned lately that I love my job? I really am amazed at what a difference it makes in my outlook on life to have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Having a purpose and feeling like a contributing force just changes the way I feel about myself and others. I am so blessed to be in a situation where I find fulfillment from my “nine to five” week.<br /><br />My students are the biggest reason why I truly love what I do. All of them have such interesting backgrounds and future aims. Their hunger for knowledge and work ethic put most of the Americans of their age to shame. And they are all so thoughtful.<br /><br />Though most come from incredibly humble financial situations, I have been overwhelmed with the presents I have received from many of them. Though Cambodians do not celebrate Christmas on the whole, most of the tokens I have been given came around that time. A few were in honor of Chinese New Year. Just to give you an idea of some of the presents I have received: One girl took the time to find out my favorite color and then made an adorable hair bow for me! Another designed a ring with a “J” charm on it. I also got a few candies wrapped in a decorative cloth, a card with a traditional scene from the countryside, and 2 new pens from some of my other students.<br /><br />Nimol is the student I want to profile for you today. She just returned from a week-long trip to Vietnam. On her first day back to class, her eyes were sparkling with so much joy. I couldn’t figure out what was so wonderful. But then she pulled out a small package from her bag. In the package was a beautiful bracelet that she had bought for me on her trip! I was so overwhelmed that she thought of me and so touched that she obviously took great happiness in presenting me with her gift.<br /><br />Nimol is a very quiet girl. Our classes are always very serious and we rarely stray from our study to talk about peripheral matters. Raised completely Buddhist, Nimol has never heard anything about Christianity before coming to PIP. So, it is understandable that she has a LOT of questions as we are working through the story of Jesus. It has been so rewarding to be able to be the very first person to tell her about God’s plan to save humanity from sin. She is so impressed when we talk about grace, and has told me on more than one occasion that she thinks “it must be wonderful to be a Christian.” Right now Nimol knows she would have more peace in her life if she were a Christian. The main thing that is causing her hesitation is her cultural ties to Buddhist traditions. I told her that over the next few weeks we would talk about the differences with Buddhism and Christianity. Since she is the expert in Buddhism, we are both going to compare our faiths and talk about the similarities and differences. I’m excited for the chance for us both to learn more and pray that it will help us both to have a better understanding of the truth.<br /><br />By the way, I know this is another picture-less post and that many of you are probably bored to tears with reading my ramblings. I think that as my situations have changed in India and now Cambodia, the nature of my entries has changed as well. I hope you all will stick with me through these slightly less exciting posts. I love telling everyone what I am doing over here. I know I might not have a lot of you that are reading, but it’s always nice to know others care about my work and want to keep in touch. I just have a few more weeks left in Cambodia until I come back to the states to finish school. I’m sure the blog will go on temporary hiatus once that happens. (until my next big adventure, of course!) But in the meantime, I’m still here!Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-35503129250275172592009-01-30T05:06:00.000-08:002009-01-30T05:33:12.065-08:00Happy New Year...?I fully intended to have a wonderful post for you all this week that would be chock-full of Chinese New Year pictures. Unfortunately, the past few days have been much slower than I anticipated and fairly devoid of any photographic opportunities. Hopefully things will pick up again soon.<br /><br />Now I know some of you are thinking that I live in Cambodia, not China. So why am I talking about Chinese New Year? Well, Cambodia actually has a surprising amount of Chinese immigrants. Couple that with the fact that Cambodia's neighbor Vietnam also celebrates its New Year at this time, and you have a pretty large portion of the country that's really excited for the "Year of the Ox" to arrive. This past Sunday was the official start of the New Year, and I did see quite a few people outside of their homes burning paper and incense and offering food to their ancestors as a way to appease their spirits. The one really incredible shot that I wish with all of my being I would have been able to get with my camera was of a huge display in front of a store. Complete with 2 whole roasted pigs, each with a large knife stuck in its back, this tower of food and flowers must have been 7 feet tall! But unfortunately I caught this on my walk to church. Since I'm not in the habit of bringing my camera to worship with me, I didn't have any way to document the massive offering. So you'll have to take my word for it.<br /><br />Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were holidays for most people in Phnom Penh. None of my students wanted to study, so I took the days off. Monday I was actually quite busy as I had to (actually, was BLESSED to) move once again. After 3 months in Cambodia, I have made my very last transition- to the PIP House. Troy and Tabitha came back from their time in the states, relieving me of my kitty-sitting duties. So I said goodbye to Kenny and Jasmine and moved into my very own room in the housing for the PIP English teachers. So far it has been great staying here. I've been so blessed to have wonderful people like Dennis and Sharon and Troy and Tabitha open their homes to me. But I am glad to be close to my work and the other staff members at PIP.<br /><br />Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty dull. I did attempt a brief excursion to the market on Wednesday. But most of the stalls were still closed from Sunday's festivities. Cambodians seem to operate on the philosophy of "Work Hard. Play Hard" and when they actually DO decide to celebrate something, it's an all-out affair.<br /><br />Thursday and Friday were not much better. I had 4 students that said they would come those days. But at the last minute, all but 1 cancelled on Thursday. 2 came today, but I had to wait around until 3pm for that to even start. Another perk of living at the PIP House- my bedroom is always waiting for me if I find myself with unexpected down time!<br /><br />So, that's my week. I told you there wasn't much that was photo-worthy. However, tomorrow I think I might have a few semi-adventures lined up, so I do envision some more exciting posts in the near future. Until then, Happy New Year!Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-47223850277581145342009-01-22T05:59:00.000-08:002009-01-22T06:30:25.492-08:00My EYES, My EYES!The other day, someone asked me if I liked it in Cambodia. When I responded rather enthusaistically, she asked me what I liked about it. After listing off some things like the simplicity of life here, the kindness of the Khmer people and the encouraging contribution to society that I feel my work is making, I added a few more superficial items: the balmy weather, the yummy food, and the FRESH FRUIT! While I will definitely miss all of my wonderful friends in Cambodia when I come back to the states, I think really, truly fresh pineapple, papya, mango, pomelo...comes in as a close second! <div> </div><div>Usually I buy my pineapple already cut from the market. But the other day, I decided to be adventurous and buy a whole one just to see if I could duplicate the beautiful pattern that results after de-eyeing the fruit. While the results of my first attempt are not quite as lovely as those in the market, I was fairly proud of the results. For those of you that are curious about how such a thing is done, here is a quick tutorial:</div><div><div><div> </div><div>Step 1: I didn't think of documenting my trial through photographs until AFTER I had cut the skin off. So here is my skinned pineapple, eyes still intact.</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294119862076795538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhz1Ujoq51Fk2BK0oo2AQLSmnM0oy0DPY8Tf447Cyx7IhGGysArDfYHBNqGq962NbsJT-pnX4oNi5t9JI788EGQkwxxm9xN5p5SvimeSIb81AtGCbHE1PCrNjuyX9CMxkVfLKK4f8WXo/s320/001.JPG" border="0" />Step 2: Cutting along the diagonal to get all the eyes in one row.<br /><br /><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294119877798444050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Hq8qvgmYZJ35aQwCQVQK5QIYWu_Qnkl278yyW99Rm_YEiR21v4F3rAGnsZ2qQq64zY9dpLGR4mstIjXbazPdL6A5nl4wuR5p288Kd4SSftZEv1Z4IEug3_u_zo9Oc4khSDdeK9Fa4io/s320/002.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div><br /><p>Step 3: Making sure to cut at an angle to maximize on the amount of pineapple that's left in my final product.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294119886357099826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLDCb9XluZYKJceqlhtRWG6-BNfnEqBxMqLi0CKgivPyg9s6AZMUzgZAceQd83bz3hFT5U8RDpjzh3aOM5N5kB-_iFgOYLKd7K7xN0N7DFXnEDzfkB6BhKi1x4rVwKsPN38QyZG-7-X0/s320/003.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>Step 4: Tada! Okay so there are still some little bits left. My perfectionistic juices just weren't flowing that night. Still, I'm proud of my fruit. </p><p> </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294119883287459106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXICtLz8dmuKVKnt55rFWv3smvLy0TEAlbWOsESjl1ZX1Xf1ER5tJAJwoQ9zmlm_dTs1buenuMSMtiTyLmR8iOzMhWqx9iDE-Q-7qpJXx202Llm3mFVzK0yBiDp2H1qz4Nf_UYDMePsw/s320/006.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>But enough about fruit. As promised, here is the newest profile of one of my students:</p><p> </p><p>Sary is 24 and going to school to be a kindergarten teacher. She's really sweet, and has taught me all kinds of traditional Khmer beliefs. Like, did you know that crabs bite women more than men? They especially like pregnant women because, "The crabs want to kill the baby." I had no idea crabs were so malicious! And Sary is also the student that taught me about "coining", which is a traditional Asian home remedy for sickness. If I understand her correctly, it involves heating coins and rubbing them on your body. She has come to class more than once with marks on her from a rather painful "coining" the night before. </p><p>Sary's ancestry is partly Khmer and partly Vietnamese. (that's significant, because Cambodians don't typically love the Vietnamese). When I asked her if she spoke any Vietnamese, she said, "Little, little." (a common Cambodian response). The province she is from is near the Vietnam border, so I think I actually went through it on my recent trip down the Mekong River to Vietnam. </p><p>Sary's family is Buddhist, and also strong in ancestor worship, but she has decided she thinks Christian beliefs make more sense to her. She told me this week that her parents are relatively supportive of her difference in faith. (As in, they haven't kicked her out of the home.) But her aunts and uncles do not like it at all. When the family performs ceremonies to pray and offer gifts to their ancestors, Sary has told them she will not participate, because she doens't believe her great grandparents can hear her. Sary's aunts and uncles are terrified that Sary's rebellion will anger their ancestors and bring misfortune on the whole family. I'm so proud of Sary and her strong conviction. She told me she wants to tell her mom and dad about Jesus and the God of the Bible, but she doesn't know how. I'm trying to help her have a solid foundation of the Bible so she will be able to explain things to them more effectively. </p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-83044006056272832009-01-17T01:06:00.000-08:002009-01-17T01:52:47.459-08:00Looks Can Be DeceivingI realized today that I still hadn't shown you all pictures of my other adopted baby, Jasmine! <div><div><div> </div><div>Here she is on a dining room chair:</div><div> </div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292187070775687762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAMeLDXo1tQuUiwB5YKqUc1do_HrFmgWTR_pVUencRU_A8QfTzRkXcidj7Fv1QU1Yewjral2KQcga8qXJVyU452C-qtLT9o5KpaLqkuRJNbHKJZM8KPHhtUKZJJxZc93ZZmTcECPdjeA/s320/010+(2).JPG" border="0" />And here is a picture of her taking advantage of laundry day to slip into a tear in the mattress cover:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292187067907117314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH_LIRY7UociBB_4EYEloyeY2GCWWskEg9YBWMj4_2pLpfB6APaXc-qA059x3cnv7qk2j8crMhs6MrIxlmXd7kgmhsW0W_rhxucO7p2HmzwXC4tPk8iOixaeQRKt_b9NU9kpguohcXdU/s320/003.JPG" border="0" />This is her with Kenny. Aren't they cute? And so innocent...looking....<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292187080507021986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcC2FQNKzUncafWpFu8AyP3sAO6DIaZsR7uGHw_IFqAnP7-PvAPxnGpNa4ueyIxEsH6LgYgSaJ_UpLkr6IV1u-3ELXjTUBkfkpfWE-OXS4AFroAwZuUgoDzOmrFiUGjs8hy3swhkqI1Bo/s320/011.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>Mostly, Jasmine is the quieter, more docile of the two kitties. However, I did have a mild scare with her a few weeks ago when she snuck out without me seeing her.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>I'm still not sure how she got out. One day I couldn't find her anywhere in the house and was starting to worry. Jasmine is an adept hider, though, and can cram herself behind the entertainment center better than one would think. But somehow, I had a feeling that this time she really WASN'T inside the house. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>After spending a good deal of time searching all of her usual hide-outs, I happened to casually glance out the kitchen window as I walked by. Wouldn't you know it, there was Jasmine walking around in the backyard! Except, the only problem is that it's not MY backyard. Technically, it's the neighbors, and I don't have access to it from the house. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Frantic, I opened the window and called to Jasmine, hoping she'd decide to repent of her wanderings and come home. Unfortunately that did not happen. To make matters worse, the open window proved to be too much of a temptation for Kenny and before I could grab him, he'd jumped out as well! </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Distraught, I began desperately weighing my options. The bars on the open window made my jumping out highly implausible, so I was really left with only one other option- go talk to the neighbors. No big deal, right? Well, not when your neighbors speak the same language as you, it's not. But mine don't speak English. Not at all. However, I was not about to lose these cats to a silly linguistic barrier.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> So I marched myself over to the neighbor's gate and began using basically every word in my limited Khmer vocabulary. "Excuse me....I need...ummm...I don't have...ummm....Can I...." At this point I am thinking "Why oh why don't I know the word for cat?!" But I took theatre in junior high and I'm a very resourceful person. So, I channeled every ounce of creative energy that I have and delivered what I consider to be a fairly decent cat impersonation- complete with sound effects and using my fingers for little pointy ears! </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>While I'm SURE I was the topic of a rather comical dinner conversation that night, my miming worked well enough to get me access to the backyard so I could look for my lost felines. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>I wish I could tell you that I found Kenny and Jasmine right away. But I didn't. Nope.I had to endure climbing through a dark and dank abandoned basement with bats flying at my face for at least another 15 minutes before I finally gave up and went home. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>When I walked into the house, though, I was warmly greeted by Kenny, who had decided to jump back into the window sometime during my absence! Jasmine would follow several hours later, after I had spent a full day giving myself a stomach ulcer over her departure. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Needless to say, heightened security measures have been taken since this breach.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>**I know I said I would profile a student in each post. But I need to get some more info before I'm ready to do that. Sorry for the delay! </div></div></div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-72489846385003156842009-01-11T07:32:00.000-08:002009-01-11T07:46:15.584-08:00There's Nothing More American Than Processed Meat!(The title of my post will make sense in a minute)<br />Working from 9 to 5 every week day means that I don’t have a lot to blog about in Cambodia that doesn’t involve my English students. While I’m sure giving you a run-down of each student’s linguistic abilities would not be very exciting, I thought you might enjoy hearing a little bit about my different pupils’ backgrounds and personalities. So, I’m going to try to devote a section in each post to highlighting something about one of my 7 students.<br />Today, I wanted to tell you about Mouyteang.<br /><br />Mouyteang is 19 and studying Economics. She is incredibly bright and really witty. While I enjoyed studying with Mouyteang long before I knew about her background, finally hearing about where this remarkable girl has come from has made me appreciate her even more. A few weeks ago, she and I were discussing her family. Mouyteang told me that she is the oldest of 5 children, and from a province outside of Phnom Penh. Her parents work in the lumber industry, and must spend a great deal of time away from their home. Consequently, from the age of 7, Mouyteang was given the responsibility of raising her 4 younger siblings. She would wake up in the middle of the night to feed her infant brother, change her sister’s diaper and rock them to sleep. Though life was not easy for her, Mouyteang still managed to stay in school and even made good enough grades to earn special scholarships from the government to pay for her school supplies and books. She graduated at the top of her class, and has come to Phnom Penh to study on another scholarship. What amazed me most about Mouyteang, though is not the difficult life she has led. Rather, it is her attitude about it. She told me that, though she often felt sorry for herself as a child, now she sees how her additional responsibilities helped her to grow and mature. She is thankful for her experiences and knows she would not be the person she is today without them. Hearing this young lady speak with such strong conviction really touches my heart and inspires me to really view my own life in a new light.<br /><br />And now, onto the processed meat!<br /><br />While it is true that MOST of my time here has been spent teaching English one-on-one, that is not the only way PIP tries to give its Cambodian students exposure to the English language. This weekend is a perfect example.<br /><br />This past Saturday, the PIP English Program hosted an “All-American Weiner Roast” for our students and their friends. Inspired by a fellow-Texan teacher, this party was designed to allow our different students to mix and mingle with one another, as well as interact with the teachers and practice their English in a less formal setting.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290061344639622818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLws8WjEFDxEm_aGrrL-BifsZL_hKSaaf6LY4NO0aDJ68M5dpDHHMgY3Bs4lTq3XyHgl-hYn7U62wf45tcqM58-Ftq1HUzX_5vcMhrJHkd127uzd5wvw70tD4bYJqrfYf71dj0ERn5sU/s320/rosemary+at+the+condiments+table.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290061329146444978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1-K3zwi5uLNuUhavu04-8T5pBSMpF7BWmitmmacwSNvuj5GXGgYvP8i8tdXYwJe32T26KuXo2bw4C8C2tqclEbYPfkT5VXPLLkW-q40C9rQ5P0xKPZIl59hruTBODjVhCSKg8NhaI_s/s320/peace.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290061328734083058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYclkcJBrygw3YQGqNo6XBVXqdwnaTBF7SZ6zpTL-VqylLFCdrXTFCQnDKsqruaEhT6p54XqJbk3U6r_oIxa5LvbhTfnbdpOEZNq89QA4iRF43rv1XLCPE8C3Rrov3MAPk3D1EoD_dQNA/s320/group+roasting.JPG" border="0" /><br />Complete with the biggest hotdogs I have ever seen, this party had everything you would expect at a similar function in the United States. We even rustled up some marshmallows, chocolate (a rare and expensive commodity in Cambodia) and “graham cracker-esque” cookies for s’mores.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290060158161983058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDGNgqo3MFx-idhef7H8xVTJ9_rfgnltTINwuQg9Xx9j4SXbTH1wk3ePiqdMgRTLGWjUsoI6yyk-ZruIWgwpeGvEIaHuDjoHMzTds6UAuY3SBdBw5mcsubVOcxsECP_dXFKlh3nbfSgM/s320/Bora+and+two+hotdogs.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290060153695382226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1YcUZSOWq6_x3IVgBzppXEljQLuaZd3_VYpaCYtwp34EiwAAdAS5Hmg_JfHt9FdbkwwzT6ij8w7ApdFTFWrJjtA7HEjJDB9xLqAxtB_Cb9KAfdniMpzEXLZ-Efb_nTrbDUTllZ3u3lE/s320/Monorea+and+Sharon.JPG" border="0" />Three of my students made it to the party. Here I am with Monorea:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290060132662297522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrSeaNziQwNf0GrBTjgzKcXsuPOGrc_ZIxYTTaaIYO5HeYU9vTG2qOGHjWQY7qepr_MHz_j7QxwBQ2wEi_3smJ4vCRggGhT7b3FF6cqDRbVspuKrn8wOKttuZvdir3NkMKF_CY0Hyjkg/s320/Jill+and+Monorea.JPG" border="0" /><br />And Kimsam:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290060122037766946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14O4rdkd9Wm84Uig5Jx3DPtZxNZTAqFeGm7V82uAA49gQugIKw2vnNnecYXZQOxO28uHWfpwz3xITykkEm-T_QvrCVcq18f59YLSZk4Xm_ssD7YCPHmPC0MlYKXUN_lcAp6dDgx0-Wb8/s320/Jill+and+Kimsam.JPG" border="0" /><br />I didn’t get a picture of Sary.<br />The afternoon ended with Gene, our resident cowboy, raffling off his entire Texas ensemble. His hat was the preferred item, though the belt and boots came in close second. I’m not sure that the girl who won his shirt was terribly excited about her prize, but it seems like everyone enjoyed their authentic western wear! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290061319255789442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKNfop8oQMzqjpyh7hyphenhyphenP6mJmhd8GoaPJQW5IVMdklX_ckTpWJmVmOBHd9ZxMLhJab3yhD8nTIbJ30i9eOac9UR9EtSbl5o0CPrfdT6vVCMvLs91v6Zh14DbRxFi_OjQnFkKSD_8oOFBI/s320/Cowboy+Gene.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-65582695369683991822009-01-06T05:50:00.000-08:002009-01-06T06:29:54.138-08:00Good Morning, Vietnam!Sorry...I couldn't resist the clichéd post title.<br /><br />Since my stay in Cambodia was originally meant to be only a one-month adventure, I have had to approach my visa situation here in a bit of a piece-meal fashion. I will spare you all the details of the logistics of extensions and renewals, but suffice it to say that after 2 months on my previous visa, I had to leave the country to get a new one.<br /><br />Vietnam is the simplest border for me to cross. Originally I had planned to go alone and take a bus to Ho Chi Minh City and turn around and come back to Cambodia all in one day. But in His providence, God timed things so that one of the other teachers at PIP happened to have planned a trip to Vietnam with his grandson for the very weekend that I planned to make my visa run. Gene was kind enough to let me tag along with him, his grandson, and Julie- the director of the English school for a 4 day excursion.<br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288179937414077442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfW3trFDs7VMpYc7FIstpceXLaJde29cYApiaAyI8v7saHaGus_5G8dwN0Rn7g4iKHZfTbufTQEJcmLq7dqYNgMbCgeo5u1bS6Cd-qn_Ncn1kSWK6uFRR5uXDo0sI7EmlWnQxobRbiE0/s320/IMG_1230.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288181439596451282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkW4s7K3eZk1TeszC6uZpYpQZUoy1uJrQoOpGgHBkFFC5zj9emYYLnJTZJUWWhWMqfqElxTzKM5ZdLra9nCeKTiZwOjeRhBru80MgWcsdhO5fQxcT_dHuRyuuWNSVlxmtSjPLajr_2D7Y/s320/jill+and+julie+on+the+boat.JPG" border="0" /><br />Thursday morning, we took a boat and traveled down the Mekong to the Vietnam border. It took about 3 hours to get there. After guiding us through getting our visas for Vietnam, the boat company was kind enough to provide time for a bathroom and lunch break. Though I don’t intend to make a habit of posting toilets on my blog, this one was just too unique to pass up showing to all of you.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288183715460328034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGVNuxqKCAQfaoa_VAkitIVVyOZ_nYSIIJs7-FGXWciS-14DZnxIl5aEODZ1HM73P7YLTDngETLWvMo8QChlUd6UK_TvOGbDqsAHtegYVzfA0MukK1vDfuDN9piqRZO7D0ZtYLl8BzGc/s320/bathroom.JPG" border="0" /><br />Yes, this is a toilet. The tiles actually slope down towards the left so that things can run down that little opening in the side of the building. There is a bucket of water to help you rinse the tiles. I’m actually really used to what we call “squat pots”, so the floor wasn’t much different for me. I was more bothered by the curtain that was supposed to be the door, but because of the strong wind, blew in continually and basically exposed the person in the bathroom to the entire group of people eating lunch outside. Privacy is overrated. </div><br /><br /><div></div><div>From here, we took another boat into Vietnam to the town of Can Tho. That took another 3 hours, but the scenery was so great that I didn’t mind in the least. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288179932235506322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0gplhfKgRWtrXdKf698o46DDDHgXh2JltxL3JEZanDWvDslN5syZ428diBQiYzPhpnFZAuapQfeQ1OtSMx8nZ0w7Z9k5yG_fTT5-pC-SYFsallceyNufN5L93J0qwFkxvPC1N7hX19Q/s320/on+boat+2.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288179941869530978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uySw5hMx6YJHBBitIwrIGlXL8q3snxWbJkTh70od9XdThxJpN-tZ6CTbl34zOaNISxS9WbBiAL4nmqMWtiE9nCWlDMybTbvjuZ0-V9rtbH-eilRHUJFPWummNdkSlLJJNVCP3bBDIME/s320/IMG_1235.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288185868494322450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3L-rXQJjW2UHI0THVd3FxxJ-ZkTJK5jdTqby0nXZEsbZSn_LuaCpbqg3pSXz7lfpF00eoJw3oEWCFlDdLX6TQypPKtQjlCuYNeByxRUvJSkN24OO12isoez8eOYMkHSyGVON0y4TRgJs/s320/river+village.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288185857430859394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJyB4CdN6pA244k82tfRy33PRG7PZtm1ZWlN18lzU78ejJ2TjS5z1qAjv7pYbr9PWm1oUHvZZs1VTUIYq8f8uu49khAThc1BWWreqwbBoDr0uh06gLKDW0PHseG6JzU5b-8eLLO6JQ3Y/s320/rowing.JPG" border="0" /><br />In Can Tho, we spent the evening exploring the city on our own. Gene, Greg, Julie and I ended up taking 4 motos up a mountain to watch the sunset over the rice paddies. It was gorgeous.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288181445493185474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLI1Im2V1P0Wqb5k0FJ6P0Xn5uwEyvPnlsWvoANAyKFeJAS6pJAnpPWNfrka2FBJbu17qe2w0xgka-SWZTSiddbFSNdm_7j1OERN7i5MXpZLdwFwrFvoDFZQTC1yNILMThfMixdIr10s/s320/IMG_1316.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288183725569251922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8bCGogjGuUxnry-GEMeKtam0qtQ6Kkys3xT1IdIoUu7RpdPJMGxuHOSkRJkCtkwTIgHv8oQLEZX0lDB2KDNPhUHzHxPGxyVc6drDUCP0yAXYNcmDFKH7exdAoTkyYTheh0LSUFtPRtg/s320/IMG_1338.JPG" border="0" /><br />The next morning, we got back on a boat and toured a village and a fish farm. Then we hopped on a bus and spent the next 7 hours driving to Ho Chi Minh City. Needless to say, we were pretty exhausted when we finally arrived at our hotel that evening. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288181433396632914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVsvRQsrZND35JCbDiFVrgmBQwu5u7yyCUxcXfzA3lY66E5OzkGXEeDKFoWZ0Whuo6DmCx0Vqs5FD_zLUr6IrCn73wZckU5myd04hWZemRS3W7e9DzaEVY3beXSRCQ6TQZQr5j6fjl0s/s320/road+in+cham+village.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288183734097329650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQEZNQbNev3DKW-P8IJ5kMdI4YckCbDiAayAd2JUOKzvFWztcbewMUoCs3MndFKLik0kzm9X-oNF_jyesnUgwrkGydRH7ddoSzg-dEarOT04glrUrwg5o1RdAC0jymiR3AZUSgkCWkL0I/s320/IMG_1383.JPG" border="0" /><br />Saturday was spent visiting Reunification Palace and the War Crimes Museum (highly biased and anti-American, but I think that’s to be expected). We also shopped a little and just took time to soak up Vietnamese culture. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288181441127563810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7ibtl-LI2QBFcf2AKXVVdNa6KWXwlpOa3IfVIA_FJ_lhRAv59E9xDN83VfvgMAnUdjvjByRRPNNImL_mkK6Afb6sGXrrKd79lMphCKot1qpiFjnYmQ7_YIVPRuuklZxG29kWm0Z8frs/s320/IMG_1467.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288181419080618066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2P44tNkkxOtb0sOZ5qTn2YvapDpNZ7NUFbcM60uHoUjEuqVAi6inEz8AvJEeWNrfHwt1pvVoytMI6sRstGfsKd8Zvl5aLjLLy5MVtWU3ztsVA28OW-Np27JNuKWr7QZ0bBHetMfS9pSI/s320/wires.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288179925888886610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmvzOD77FFswz0_SiAkvKDGDjulZXl7WEKEKdXNeZpFKmmCKgK1a3hrIjNA7HCFquvcyyGD8ZUPs3ububH_WlVhlhHtBPRn6-_F_ohkQ65rrYJzRIRP-r7LxmEekZEWWh0-vkO9bTdww/s320/uncle+ho+propaganda.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288183748110068498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMvuqxlZgZUW79TwbP6tdH9L3X5vG4o7wrplXDJoLxJlW1bXDSIdFT9vVACBMSdRhRL46TkG5V2XJvMlV1i63H5mRB0UIVy0u9F21G6xAP3Doz-nWld9zzbSZaISA7DOqVY4nwte6Szk/s320/little+boy+on+moto.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288183742146016914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFbgQ5LgyrJ6PNTb6Rad8Fm0j5A5WoEz7N2k91H2ujgErSJEzcvC2gE4dlgAvTJpBN4tfYf1ax-i9PmEbqltKTp80W1TnHS0WnihxyZYXlsWR-AUAGHA9oqzSlcRXXPijk5EK7jvA0dOA/s320/practicing+jump.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><br /><div>Sunday morning we headed back bright and early to make it to Phnom Penh in time for PIP’s evening worship. I crossed the border, got my new visa and am now all set to stay in Cambodia for another few months. </div><br /><div>I feel like this post hardly does my trip justice. It never ceases to amaze me how diverse the cultures are around the world. Vietnam is so close to Cambodia, but there are so many differences between the two countries. I hope these pictures give you all at least a glimpse into the rich traditions and heritage I experienced on this trip. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-14227079949864383142008-12-31T08:16:00.000-08:002008-12-31T08:47:28.626-08:00Picture ThisIt's nearly 2009 in Cambodia. I guess my 25 years are starting to show, because I'm considering turning in for the night before the official rollover into the New Year. Of course part of that is because I am leaving early tomorrow morning to go to Vietnam. My visa to Cambodia expires on Saturday, so I'm taking a little trip across the border. I'm going with some people from Partners in Progress, and will be gone a few days. I promise to tell you all about it when I get back. But I did want to tell you more about my parents' visit to Cambodia. But since I am tired and still have a bit of packing to do before tomorrow morning's early departure, I decided that instead of telling you about my parents' trip using my usual narrative style, I will <em>show </em>you about their trip through pictures instead.... <div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>Awww...aren't they cute?<br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285990278569370130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCKT3jgplUELAnuJHXwUddg_01bTAP0R2qvnL2SyOnEkemReA4Nedu3Ez_nXXWqEu9BK3NB6-fLwWxhIj2vqWtGGIBD3wgg_XzsUG7SDUb2JpVzWvFIf25NybFUwRfIJoyqs9HBiINuw/s320/090.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><br /><div>Spirit Houses- ubiquitously Cambodian</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285990309023739362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkVEMH1CaV25TdjPd68sXC3ACbSJ3HOrevj0YF83Q2rtxiJDxO0S-akXF4HP57jNPNkJryinU-CQFs6HD4MuLREDBrrU83Cm6oV9xvANwh_e4e18X1Ylbm9k_kpZfjc3qgnJri9FQ6Mk/s320/159.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div><div>An Elephant near Wat Phnom. None of us rode it. I was a little sad. </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285990283223483586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7QlWPAm9zP0nUMxEb27uK-M-M_eShh7tUTEpQoyybWJe9_m13iiZJsH2wTJopa_z2moWWYZ106LCZ3buuiDtQUPxVX3X2aXbRAKr2NPu3UOFB0xUcOFDDsjzx9Tn2j8bKzd_2Z-zGWw/s320/127.JPG" border="0" />Christmas day was spent at the Welch's doing puzzles...</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285993641785504930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRDz2dTYZcZRStvIbT0Aggxszof6GUT119aFCvNgfSNolVQVOlWRIdjcwyBAlyVFUlvgv3GiU08vk4wGg3Zzg7sMTrQM9R_i6zOwH-RARVX45S4eRvK-P0tCP6Pd9M0ol6MA5BnyjX6k/s320/104.JPG" border="0" />...And making sugar cookies! (We didn't have cookie cutters, so our shapes are a bit creative)</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285994595382432914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje01Momz4d32IQjxU0ObD7E0uh40myTWgje8RUyZR41cwY4Wnhf3CwBJHBnn0y39U-lfV7_IPc-HAGFCquC0AU_Uz-2A7iE4Q_aU_1V_Bwv5BLDEZSotCZMMpRwwjNKveRRRItQi5LqYU/s320/113.JPG" border="0" />Hiking around the National Park was apparently pretty tiring.</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285993648786463266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguw09GeOzXD84Tmi8awPLgjaP1UwbuHwlP23NYGViOWfmMMi8DGXTOX4JbZi5ts-4x_Y0Mn5X5XXAM0Eoc_0jTNyog2Bp52wBQurqodbpl72UTpKYaHAs46cED-XrIj4pSw1p7cQsd48s/s320/196.JPG" border="0" />And what trip to Cambodia would be complete without sampling the local cuisine?</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285990293612048130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9TvT-hlwMzBJhfCCJPpqjFrqzpLfbi0JtC4we5MPwJq81B6dF7_98GLFSGocQHsvyUD78-l9lnr7HNTgpa9eaxzuOIAvfJHIrSKrNakqsPwnrvHd8b7qJPzuMnq_dEc218Ukrq3Gs_UM/s320/144.JPG" border="0" /></div>I have it on good authority that "locusts taste like fried chicken". (Oh and in case you were wondering, crickets and meal worms are not bad either, though meal worms are a little squishy.)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285993661150662706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8sQNMZLgf1gGinpkcxCg6s2tlulqQ3QfHcUySwqbqSXWawaqriRFL0Lj2SEU7pl6hegEEoOPUMAn514zUjTFq7UPv7IQ5JncF1O3UR_XR1wuSmWaXpbc6PQp7WDAdZRnD71C9o4hX9p4/s320/mom,+cricket,+locust.JPG" border="0" />Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-80033943965353001242008-12-29T06:14:00.001-08:002008-12-29T06:38:53.769-08:00A History LessonAs I write this post, my parents are somewhere over the Pacific Ocean on their way back to the United States. They haven’t even been gone from Cambodia 24 hours, but I already miss them so much! I didn’t realize how much being away from my family these past 6 months would affect me. I mean, I’ve lived abroad before, and haven’t been “in the nest” for nearly 7 years now. Even still, seeing my mom and dad’s wonderful, smiling faces at the Phnom Penh airport was quite possibly the most welcome sight I’ve had in a long while.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285218968627711202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhym58Q8wB2qYf4N-FhLf8KHpbG_fIc8ZbT0F5IeZxSwmzR0IsnxAJGGIQykIbqV6ZBJ4eGkFOcquBghmEakxCnh55Rn1wTwncVJbZx2Ripy0TsZRBgGdafNBcI0rvtzfwOy11Vm7pmXeE/s320/mom+and+dad+in+a+tuk+tuk.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="left">(Here they are riding in their first Tuk-tuk!)<br /></p><br /><p align="left">It didn’t even matter that their arrival came 3 DAYS later than expected, and completely shifted our whole trip’s itinerary. Because I wanted my mom and dad to have the best experience possible in Cambodia, I was fairly upset when I realized we would have to forgo our excursion to the ruins at Siem Reap. But we made the most of their 6 full days here, packing in a visit to Wat Phnom, the Russian Market, the National Park, and even an all-day trip to several village churches for worship. There will be more to come on that experience in a later post. But today, I wanted to write about our first day’s excursion to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek (or the Killing Fields).<br /></p><br /><p align="left">(Tuol Sleng Museum's Entrance) </p><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285216633011674146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEbr7Xc2OkW-TZgVtofkKL7GNejHR1gP22r-IN3yAG8gGVHaeww_L0z46UUAExdfUHRi-MpYUHm-Polp9pRt6fM-Am_xJ66HV7keEJDLO83dDLlqAI68NxkfvZsa-3OhRe5rMfzZUEVo/s320/entrance.JPG" border="0" /><br />Anyone who has read anything on Cambodia knows that the horrendous genocide that took place barely 30 years ago under the Khmer Rouge has single-handedly shaped this nation in ways we Westerners will never truly fathom. Killing off 1/5 of the nation’s inhabitants, Pol Pot’s brutal communist regime mercilessly beat, starved and tortured between 1 to 2.5 million people during his rule from 1975 to 1979.<br /><br />There are few, if any, Cambodians that have not personally suffered in some way because of the terror inflicted on their nation. Many of my peers here have had to grow up without parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles. In fact, so many people died during that small section of time that there is a gap in Cambodia’s population. Today, the average age in Cambodia is 20.6 years, and over half the people are under the age of 25! Land mine victims can be found on nearly every corner- some begging for spare change, others working selling cards or other handmade crafts. Even a short visit to Cambodia will reveal how deeply impacted everyone here continues to be by the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge.<br /><br />I know none of that is something that many of you want to hear. However, I personally think it is essential that people the world over open their eyes to the atrocities going on around them. No, they are not pleasant to hear about. But unless and until we acknowledge the evil that exist in the world today, we can never hope to defeat it. That is why I was so eager to take my mom and dad to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum as well as to the Killing Fields. I wanted them to see firsthand how horrible the Khmer Rouge’s actions were. While not a lighthearted day, our time spent touring those two sights was undoubtedly impactful. </p><br /><p>Here are some photos of the victims of S-21, a prison in which the museum is located:</p><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285216645419615010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgics67zo_isUWI6WMWykdUMMFYUZDnpnJo397rfKN1wQhSGR2VM120mZdB4N0zpxjz9a1QLV7K3l8XIf8yNPh-m2hHAX_eJLUuVKssy1pljWvyD6Ppa6UPzhpJrjjZNoxtzn9TC0ksPRs/s320/photos+2.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p>And here are the cells people were kept inside:</p><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285216642622211138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqvdsKQaTCxB49LuNAI5trM_jXRDvMvvTMdMs79lhJHO9gfvrGhPi-mjZmIeQQZ8JNoXBOWTwvFGncvTdUHeHLkUgpc8Qt-yQOYU008iFC3c3qgew0muQcBzjc7FryQy2bb1DgmojNxo/s320/wood+cells.JPG" border="0" /> </p><br /><p>Here are a few of the excavated mass graves at the Kiling Fields:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285218110652750114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4TM4_NVHL4DiF419IkLNXE1o78kDsaKHHNqz4IJRLbmwVz6wfcy0Y95eKahG4fi28Tmiw3x0r8B6DNPiBcIqtPJyhM8Jzam127cWaUTSBFz1vMKFBLrp5lVef-Y0_6AfmgZ4hCSMiXk/s320/025.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><p>I think this sign speaks for itself.</p><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285218106439280642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlNAbhUROXEXovf-yWZI2h0A5KiB4vBbUEnN1zzc8HRUdh_GYDpo2uP-c_cdpUkLDDEC4Th6mH_13ya7KUkHilDVM6lvbXD79wERin9LkgN9VrsIZqxCMSXz-_s8NukeStUo-KJN2aTDA/s320/024.JPG" border="0" />If you can't read that sign at the bottom, it says, "Please don't walk through the mass grave."<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285218094602037906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6Ug_vEvel14bsPh8mwc1ZRmvUahNW_awfCRBV20HCojGLd3VJP5MrLjj9vgDbnmw2x-_fBj7M5uh6N7RnXh3xRlnimYHAUuLUgtUs62Och2NFMk-qeNXNjQPNfWBKnladWQolu726Q0/s320/022.JPG" border="0" /><br />I will avoid a long explanation here of everything in these photos. Instead, here are some links to information about both the prison and the Killing Fields for those of you that are interested to learn more.<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum</a><a href="http://www.killingfieldsmuseum.com/genocide/genocide.html">http://www.killingfieldsmuseum.com/genocide/genocide.html</a></p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-83984584786093188192008-12-19T07:27:00.000-08:002008-12-19T08:11:16.829-08:00My New Job and Why I Hate Winter<div align="center">Many apologies for my recent lapse in posting. I've been in transition here for a few days, moving into a new house and kitty sitting job while an American couple working with PIP goes home for a little over a month. It took me a few days to get settled in and configure my computer to their Internet, so I'm playing catch-up on a lot of things.<br /><br />So far, I'm loving my new temporary accommodations. Kenny and Jasmine are my fun new companions. Both adopted kitties have incredible stories of how they were rescued- Kenny still bears the scars from when he was found caught in barbed wire and Jasmine got stuck in a sticky-paper rat trap when she was just a few weeks old. The toxins in the glue on the trap meant Jasmine almost died of liver failure. But she pulled through, thanks to special soap to remove the glue from her skin and and IV drip to help her body work the chemicals out of her system. Now they are healthy, happy, and, as you can see, adorable! These pictures are only of Kenny, since Jasmine was feeling shy during our photo session. I'll post some of her another time.</div><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Here's proof that dogs are not the only animals that roll over...</span><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281532574340701058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu104LrIrgrUfjeGhpjcwNwEt6n9WDQjXzjAIBeEdDrReRU6MEDHDObbTzeyhBa4DrT98K9Ct907bLeGZhNUCoRQ9LrtpTRh-KjxWaqUxkqG3oZUCEXZAp_o48o1Q6BZhrPIWY2sgnW8/s320/017.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281532586136821202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzjt8XMmPvSdQcBKHdQvyHSl0suxymmSV02Rlk-MFnuunEM8_yGCKdJj5YOryvIwaYxs7xP2ZiRScPFKm4ryDze9BneKK7BfZMzIYm9W14OwSRhvXyLeX_JVOs0r3EGU8ONFxw1BtZ2Q/s320/016.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281532564752265458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6iS3kpr-K5cqmB0MJhA3gcZKHa5x_eluurK2Xm_ZZs9goq0JRDOBUUsTwfk2g84OIYBj54_21BL0g-MGYG6ZUKwKcrTUt1tY8Not6Q61ywQ50B-3WMuIFq8taIXiFd1mi-gCi95IY_g/s320/015.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">...<span style="font-size:85%;">Cats just do it on their own terms!</span><br /><br /></p><div align="center">Otherwise, my days have been spent still teaching my English students as well as... preparing for the upcoming visit of my MOM and DAD!! A few weeks ago, my mom surprised me with an email asking if it would be okay if they came to Phnom Penh for Christmas! I, of course, told them yes, and the next thing I knew, they had booked tickets! Their flight was scheduled to arrive tonight, but, due to adverse weather conditions, they are still in the U.S. for the time being. I'm not sure when they'll finally get on a flight to Cambodia, but I'm hoping it will be really soon! We're planning a few fun adventures while they are here, so I will definitely let you all know how their time in Phnom Penh goes, once they arrive! Until then, I hope everyone is staying nice and warm and enjoying the holiday season. Less than one week til Christmas! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281532597143460482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bmxPR_8JXIbNJhp5dM6NEnlM2VDlqTVglpSF1oT-FAY4MYFAjE_U4Ap1-kpym16MZyk1wXL_7gi7Zw8vNQGRkP-sZn_J6Fes0WDSC_y75HaF-N6ku-uT7rWtCcVygqCyPkvDBkKQF98/s320/025.JPG" border="0" /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Kenny wishes you all a very Merry Christmas!</span></p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-60317243920873995322008-12-11T08:26:00.001-08:002008-12-11T08:55:30.805-08:00My Dad Should Be Glad I'm Not Khmer!<div><div><div>As I mentioned in my last post, this past Sunday, the cook at Partners in Progress got married. Avey (or Avy, Awey, Awy and Awi as I have also seen her name written) is originally from a village known as “ Da Kamal” (my absurd phonetic spelling of the name) in Kandal Province. “Da Kamal” literally means “Grandfather Black”, but no one I asked knows where the village got this name. At any rate, I, along with a vanload full of other staff members from PIP left at around 9am on Sunday to make the nearly 2 hour drive to Avey’s family home. </div><div><br />Before I explain our adventure, let me begin by telling those of you who don’t know, that Cambodians take their weddings very seriously. In the U.S., couples have been known to spend exorbitant amounts of money on rather elaborate marriage ceremonies. However, compared to the multi-day extravaganza of ceremonies, feasting, and clothing changes that a traditional Cambodian wedding involves, ours seem downright plain! And when you factor in the average income in Cambodia, the several thousand dollars spent on these affairs easily becomes a life savings spent in a matter of days. (So remember, girls, when your fathers get upset over the cost of your wedding dress or catering, to tell him “It could be worse. At least I’m not Khmer!)<br />But back to Avey’s wedding…. </div><div> </div><div>Our little PIP group arrived at the village around 11am. We then parked our vehicle on an obliging neighbor’s land, and loaded up on a ferry to cross the river.<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278572111854181042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFxsXXb7bsXyfG2o2Z9EkPaWhOu6pVDp7GpxVwIVvaT_rJoe77J4N7YOdG5xD35iULN5Kwf7EV2c-rz2EGmL2bvgKR8QgawUSON0jOeRaTYkkt3dHRbncPWIyqib6iUgEmTHK60AAMhg/s320/059.JPG" border="0" /><br />On the other side of the water, we walked a little ways, led by the sounds of Buddhist chants and songs until we found a large tent set up next to some small homes. The tent is where the many guests at the wedding would later enjoy an elaborate 8-course meal of fried fish, chicken, pork rolls and crab. More on that later.<br /><br />First, we wanted to see Avey! In Cambodia, weddings do not happen at all like they do in the states. Because they often last for many days, the different ceremonies the bride and group go through are not watched by all the guests. So, many people in attendance were sitting in the tent waiting for the meal even while Avey and her husband-to-be were inside a house going through the process of getting married. It was a little awkward to climb up to the place where the ceremony was being held and walk in on the middle of chanting and different things, but no one really seemed to mind that we were there. Several ladies even came and pulled me to them and tried to help me find a comfortable seat to watch everything. I don’t know how to describe all of the different ceremonies I witnessed, because I honestly have no idea what most of it meant. But I do have a few interesting photos of the proceedings, so I thought I’d share them and let them speak for themselves. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278570741867366178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPFuGDbWlLaujLutfG2z9NOYhTSkOJTj8DmVFqoDR6iVxzmUuH9FKDMUx3fn3my1p-ZbSQBC72xMXNvPOHWxrhre7XHZf6CT4Gp7b63-M98ZNuNWceWYKgVS8v_lrWAuaQZNw3XO-6mw/s320/028.JPG" border="0" /></div><div align="center">Guests give gifts of money and tie red strings on the bride and groom's wrists to ward off evil spirits.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278570752266515266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYRWqhGQHVWmgZwz0IZRK2Kn-qwJOgwS_P_jqb3cuGFP7Pq54C2OkF1f4qXlw38l6XVArW96JpbAEV8P4Z156S4TDp94QvCb8YuJv1Qq0ARqf6lITovEhnipF65Bt80iA-kgPRNwRPs0/s320/031.JPG" border="0" /><br />After the ceremonies, Avey came down for some photo ops.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278572103632453090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhtFR9x3Q_2eoX49QZWC52rvUaBtOuO0nxM0jkEcJS0VcpR_Wbt-ru93cjViXkZAplJMfgyC8ud24t_XgtKXpgmVJ2QRFhNDqCKMRZAMx8mDiO-izWEzaHOTILLvsmOQLaAv0isPtOvU/s320/057.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278572092030774274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDdmnJ7islF4uqyVvoSmqzWDDVUUozXtDzGgpCEvWGiNSA6HxwFg1v84sHb7T7yP8MKqaJY9PcNScJEB-MJ81vFpLwnQdcjYBnHIES2-wyCORksuBfDgy_7osG-6v3cZTuybCP3NsX7o/s320/051.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278571440387404306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-KrBTcKqvX-qCPjvPgEHLsGM1WaQI5aZUqYAZA-QDE9eBPBnFHJLskKCrTv_T-8QHOOPUA3OV8wyQXdRGjPopsfC3S_w1oVV5fNzvZuREfIBiv4j2XwOHjMoaGHDARSMZQrmRyhu5So/s320/043.JPG" border="0" /><br />Notice the many different outfits Avey is sporting in these pictures? Apparently she changed clothes 10 times, though I only saw 4 of those outfits. <div> </div><div>And here are some pictures of our humongous meal. Seriously, it was so big that, even though I and the other vegetarian in our group only picked out the veggies, peanuts and rice from the different dishes that were served, in the end, we were stuffed full from our grazing! (You can’t really see vegetables in any of my pictures because they were under the meat in most cases) </div></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278571436172234658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBMFpTaXOk_HaH1pVejImpkCnkiHpAlf45G__7ThXMjLeUi0RKgOBv0yMM0zEZuz0lDpH8qFH_8_2AjDssTcxt-L2f6z_lNDFVVe3OqmlHnKVq_jdL3XNGIgqiuneHiYFSMEWvpm1Ccw/s320/042.JPG" border="0" /> <div align="center">This is mostly crab meat in various forms, though there are some peanuts in the bottom right corner.</div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278571430511350258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1N2rGzDIpbAJjtYheUx9_aEw-JwbOapNU5IctRXiDAqgHMYrK9RxDnu36azADDmG28rRKnWi7rpBgzEIlVZDB7pD3qbWJj_2yEtseNOTbSk5Yko1Um0x8KauB-1TrHKjkCeCW6rvgIhw/s320/037.JPG" border="0" />And here is a spicy soup. Yummy!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278571423119443394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSo0q1SipMEEgSk7j_IQMndOuVikq7msd24wFJG-8KnTYJZd56o952DcXDqIHKOW42hyphenhyphenb0FF_q0BAt3vq9LsYDbOrsiekdGTPqHUCtq5xx8owsD-UNhcE_f_Fd0-HG6CAEv1CoZobpEJc/s320/035.JPG" border="0" />This is chicken. Thankfully it had been beheaded and defooted prior to serving. That's not usually how I see them in the market!</div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278570753599437362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnBak0C64ZDCl-zoicaDh0n83WJ0n536R49TUqEBs2wiPd0zZ2B15BLyy9sP5IYrzRkQ-Bwj3O-BPL_Q0ZfSIsSSCyj9yZ0TztsLpqU26GES-SG6GWyqRDMckgFrmokLxTujTGbVyQOA/s320/032.JPG" border="0" />This is the vat the fish were in before being fried. </div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278570761698775250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9oLUKpp7J2h7X8jyhsf2oQkOKJrhSTy3ZQzzl6ivGjQCPUbG9Li9ji9d4grwT5E10arn6NMkpsjOisZT6KYxgD5y8vnSwENrlKiiygZS55R-mn08J4HAlRy11Br-bSXLW8rVuG17zm4/s320/033.JPG" border="0" />And here's the whole fish on a plate. The eye is supposed to be the best part!</div><div align="center"><br />We had to rush back to Phnom Penh to make it in time for church services at 4pm, so we left the party very early around 2:30pm. Needless to say, my first Khmer wedding was definitely a unique and interesting cultural experience! While I enjoyed being a guest for the festivities, seeing such an elaborate event made me feel tired for those having to put it on. In fact, I decided that if I were Khmer, I’d probably just forgo the whole thing and elope! </div></div></div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-5785037572328518472008-12-06T07:15:00.000-08:002008-12-06T07:25:36.189-08:00Oh the Weather Outside is...wait....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl273C7OG1leh9Arva6SwHfEFWWgEOHnnK9FCcEyW6j2zdzTU4y8yahsp-SnZNVxCP0unk-OuyGIx35bF0k_sbQqwGTcqWiVg_0QFY3RnfMWf9wsd0GOuJkIu-vh1AXFL4Xuz1Bzc99SU/s1600-h/001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276696721273079730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl273C7OG1leh9Arva6SwHfEFWWgEOHnnK9FCcEyW6j2zdzTU4y8yahsp-SnZNVxCP0unk-OuyGIx35bF0k_sbQqwGTcqWiVg_0QFY3RnfMWf9wsd0GOuJkIu-vh1AXFL4Xuz1Bzc99SU/s320/001.JPG" border="0" /></a> Today Sharon and I put up their cute little Christmas tree. I can hardly believe the holiday is less than 3 weeks away! Of course that might be because the temperature in Phnom Penh is hovering right around 90 degrees and I'm still wearing short-sleeves and flip-flops....<br /><br />Tomorrow I am off to a traditional Khmer wedding. The cook at Partners in Progress is getting married about 2 hours from the city, and we're taking a vanload to the event. Pictures are soon to follow.<br /><div></div><br /><p></p><br /><p></p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-62303953283894828792008-12-02T05:21:00.000-08:002008-12-02T05:32:26.691-08:00An Untraditional TraditionTo be honest, Thanksgiving is probably my least favorite holiday. While I do certainly enjoy the chance to spend time with my family and friends on this day, there is little else about the celebration that I would miss if it were gone. I’ve always thought that if we really wanted to have a day in which we truly celebrated all that we were thankful for, we would do a lot more than simply eat a ridiculous amount of food and watch a barbaric sport (can you tell I’m also not a huge football fan?). So, even though I would have liked to go to my aunt and uncle’s house in Franklin, Texas, like my family does every year, I was not too terribly saddened by the fact that I would not be able to have a “traditional” Thanksgiving here in Cambodia, complete with all the turkey-laden trimmings.<br /><br />Since Thanksgiving is a strictly American holiday (okay, so Canadians have a version too…) last Thursday was a regular working day here in Phnom Penh. But that did not stop the expatriate population from celebrating their beloved holiday. It just postponed it to Saturday. So, 2 days after the official festivities were celebrated in the U.S., 16 Americans in Cambodia got together to hold their own version. As you can see, we were not lacking in the food department!<br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275183119369304146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILXmFg7kZZQ-wk77iOgHn5_Lpnc1rzTIkD_6Q0v7m2y2iumh4d1bPRWWcwFp4UJ2OMrGfHL6MnnfVwM2fgBJlarT41rikbq6qkutBQ25X8gQWceg3s3JeI5BlzhyCLrW_CzG_dwHFeMI/s320/the+spread+3.JPG" border="0" /><br />Everyone pitched in to bring their favorite dishes- or “Cambodian-ified” versions of them. Graham crackers, cream cheese, fritos, corn syrup, pumpkin puree, corn meal are just a few of the items people in our group either could not find or could not justify paying outrageous prices for. So, substitutions abounded! Even still, everything turned out great! And while I did not sample any, I am told that the 4 chickens Sharon roasted were far superior to any “dry turkey” that might have been served on the other side of the globe. </p><p><br />My contribution was carrot-flavored hummus. Not necessarily traditional, but definitely something I love and miss from the states. Plus, it made a great vegetarian source of protein! :)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275183102805855378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIeTGSAC1WuoaTOtoNOYOwvf79TI02moBi_Vc-HgY3vISF2uZ5LD-7kRyce-bZp2lYo4CwefwY8SRlYDkzIUZezFnuXMgWw-HkElDg1jLC2fFfKxAjRYIiZ0ks6wuztotlfbdvQp1Spbs/s320/hummus.JPG" border="0" /><br />We completed the day with good conversation and a puzzle that Dennis and Sharon assure me was merely a warm-up for our 1,000-piece Christmas one.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275183114039029154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeePrPG_oX12Qop3VP9uFKAXeHfx_MD4C7PMTJOTsVerqsoOQn2Q3eS7TgRoU9E7FL5FO_B-Unrm0QH8y6uIe43bkTZOG0gCRurRYgwKFdvv4iwKIzX7VDWRmxksWyPbSwtxMnzia_rw/s320/puzzle+(2).JPG" border="0" /><br />All in all, my Cambodian Thanksgiving was a fun day because it was spent with some really wonderful people. (Of course, the fact that there was not a football in sight didn’t hurt either!)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275183693053774050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucbfD6sLYsRsxkiCG0OzHdMQXBgl8R6qM2y3AWoXiafBJ8TJ7lOnKhPCGxiBot7lkFIp6_NV6ZdrfkoldR2l3A-kwXMxBTqUOaL1ZXfjOL6p_xb7pH8H4zMWNmGiJApzwEO4N967PmB0/s320/group+shot.JPG" border="0" /></p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-50675961077110167432008-11-26T07:10:00.000-08:002008-11-26T07:22:23.360-08:00Basic Vocab?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsicSgD4cZ_it07m0hnxxHk9aHQLNchypOXEcGMk1Giln8EO0ht_jrRJE0q-ceFORJgsN63Fx8uzFB7i0ETA0kGekNAkZavUtm-kYjE_Rj3RjHPS6ey-xpzpLl05nbfjlqkFoM1znZmBc/s1600-h/004.JPG"></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxIr7XIQvdnh85J7-cpSgv_U43ggr8mmps7mQ8V6iAEWGvCQnH5OFJEwnSBcGJw1ICuRWSj7HMDQJ3E4YH7BOR6vbcDiV5xfAw7-d4JDJ672623tyBSD_pULO0xq0QiDUzFo81qwXkNs/s1600-h/005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272984474806747058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxIr7XIQvdnh85J7-cpSgv_U43ggr8mmps7mQ8V6iAEWGvCQnH5OFJEwnSBcGJw1ICuRWSj7HMDQJ3E4YH7BOR6vbcDiV5xfAw7-d4JDJ672623tyBSD_pULO0xq0QiDUzFo81qwXkNs/s320/005.JPG" border="0" /></a>Well I’ve officially been in my new job in Cambodia 1 week, and I love it already! I have 5 students that I teach every day, and by next week, that should be upped to 7. While it can get a little tiring to sit in the same spot for 5 hours every day, I enjoy interacting with my students so much that I hardly realize when an entire hour has gone by and find myself having to grudgingly end my class with each one as I see the next student enter the room. All of the Khmers (the name given to Cambodian people- pronounced “come-eyes”) are so eager to learn and have a joyful spirit that is truly contagious! </div><div><br />A typical lesson starts with a list of several vocabulary words for the student to define. These words are in relation to a short story from the Bible that the student reads, followed by a few comprehension and discussion questions. It’s funny to me how many seemingly-simple words in English are confusing and hard to define. Try explaining the word “bow” to a student. No problem. It’s that thing girls put in their hair. Oh, wait. Do you mean “bow” as in “bow and arrow”? Or maybe you’re thinking of the front of a ship? Or “bow” as in “take a bow”? Hmmm… That’s an awful lot of explaining for a three-letter word! </div><div><br />Today, I experienced the perfect example of the ambiguity that often goes along with the definitions of English words. While working on the new vocabulary for a particular lesson, my student, Sary, and I had an interesting little digression from the lesson. It started with us trying to define the word “ram”. (Our lesson was about Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and how God provided a ram in Isaac’s place.) Anyway, the conversation went something like this: (In case you can’t tell, Sary is “S” and I am “J”) </div><div><br />J: What does the word “ram” mean?<br />S: *Looking quite confident and proud of herself * “Random-access memory or temporary storage space on chips in a computer”<br />J: *Trying not to giggle* “That’s true. But since this story is from the Bible, that’s not the kind of ram we will be talking about today. The “ram” we are talking about is a boy sheep. Do you know what a sheep is?<br />S: *Thinks for a moment and suddenly seems to comprehend* “Oh! I know! It goes on the water!”<br />J: “No…. That’s a ship. They sound similar, don’t they?<br />S: *looks confused* “So… sheep…it means more than one ship?”<br />J: “No. More than one ship is ships, with an ‘s’.” Sheep is an animal with a very soft coat. *draws horrendous stick-figure of a sheep with a cloud-shaped body*<br />S: “Oh! I know! Sheep!” *seems to finally actually understand*<br />J: *Relieved, and ready to get back on-task* “Okay, so what is a ram? It is a boy sheep.”<br />S: “But what do we call a girl sheep?”<br />J: *Thinks for a minute* “Ummm…I guess just sheep.” It’s the same as with cows. You know, a girl cow is called ‘cow’ and a boy cow is called….”<br />S: “Ox!”<br />J: *wonders why she felt compelled to explain this in the first place* “Actually, that’s a different animal. A boy cow is a bull.”<br />S: *looks very confused* “Bill?”<br />J: “Let’s move on…”<br /><br />Needless to say, I am sure I will have plenty of fun stories to tell from my experiences teaching English in Cambodia. </div><div><br />In the meantime, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Because of work schedules and other obligations, we will be postponing our celebration until this Saturday. Nearly 20 Americans from either PIP or CBI (Cambodian Bible Institute) will be gathering together for a big potluck meal here at Dennis and Sharon’s. It should be lots of fun!<br /><br /><br /></div><div>Side note: Yes, I have had it pointed out to me that a female sheep is actually a “ewe”. I’m a city-girl, and I was thinking under pressure! </div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-2039114442350879642008-11-18T07:02:00.000-08:002008-11-18T07:09:22.211-08:00BIG News!Well, as all of you know, I came to Cambodia on a semester break from school, intending to return to India after a month of vacation. However, now it looks like that month break might be extended…to about 3 more! Yes, this is my big news. As of right now, I will not be returning to Mumbai at the end of the month, and will instead be staying in Cambodia and doing volunteer work until March!<br /><br />I’m sure you want to hear how this change of direction took place, so I’ll offer a brief explanation to you all.<br /><br />I have been praying about and questioning my presence in Mumbai for the past few months. While my initial adjustment to India was difficult, I did not ever view the task as insurmountable. Throughout the 5 months I spent studying at TISS, I learned a great deal and was exposed to a lot of unique experiences. I would not trade the opportunity I was given to learn and grow in India for anything in the world. However, when it comes down to it, the situation I was in was not a good fit for me and what I want to do with my future.<br /><br />As I said before, I learned a lot from going to TISS. I think the school has and will continue to produce wonderful social workers. My field work at Akshara opened my eyes to the plight of women on this continent in a way no textbook ever could. It has instilled in me a passion to champion for the rights of women around the globe and to use my position to act as a voice for the silenced in society. But in the end, I decided that I have gained all that I came to India to gain and that it would be more productive for me to finish my degree in the United States. It is therefore my current plan to apply to graduate schools within the U.S. and to obtain my Masters degree in my home country.<br /><br />So where does Cambodia fit into all of this? Because I have several months between now and when I would start another graduate program in the U.S., I felt I wanted to use those months in a positive way. I didn’t see a point in staying in India and paying for another semester of school that would not transfer over to a U.S. system. In talking with my wonderful friends here, I came to know about a few different options for me to volunteer with nonprofit organizations in Phnom Penh itself.<br /><br />One in particular that really seemed to fit with my desire to incorporate my faith into my work is Partners in Progress. After talking with the director of the program and discussing how I might be able to plug in, I’ve decided to work with PIP as an English teacher in their English Bible program. (<a href="http://www.partnersinprogress.org/">www.partnersinprogress.org</a> has a video about the English program as well as its many other works for those of you that are interested) Basically, I will work Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm teaching one-on-one English courses using World English Institute’s Bible-based curriculum. The program has a waiting list a mile long, so there will be no problem finding students to fill these spots, and I am plunging into my new job in just 2 days!<br /><br /> I’m really excited about this prospect, as I feel it will only add another dimension to my understanding of nonprofit work in the international context and will provide me with more practical experience in a foreign country. Also, because I really view social work as an opportunity for me to live out my faith and show the love of Christ to those around me, PIP’s faith-based foundation and focus are especially appealing. I feel incredibly blessed to be allowed to be a part of an organization that is doing so much good in the world, and I really do encourage you to look at their website when you get the chance. The English program is great, but it is just one of many amazing programs that PIP oversees.<br /><br />I know that this post comes as quite a shock to a lot of people. I hope my explanation is clear enough and answer s any questions you might have. If you want to hear more about this decision and my embarking on my newest adventure, please don’t hesitate to email me. I’d love to share how I feel like God has guided this and is working in my life to help me serve Him and His people in the best way possible.<br /><br />So, even though I may not be “Jill in India” any longer, I hope you will stick around to see how “Jill in India and BEYOND” develops! I’ll still be writing as I know Cambodia will have plenty of adventures for me to share with all of you!Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-22619466719309739942008-11-15T06:45:00.000-08:002008-11-15T08:15:47.679-08:00Road Trip!<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>I've been in Cambodia a little over 2 weeks now, and believe me when I say that I am having a <em>wonderful time!</em> I'm experiencing so many amazing things, in fact, that I am having trouble trying to pick and choose which to write about. I <em>was</em> going to tell you all about the Water Festival, and my visit to the Teul Sleng Prison Museum and about the Royal Palace. But that was before today's trip to the National Park, which was so beautiful that I simply could not wait to post pictures about my adventures with Dennis and Sharon.<br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_w2JwXUSDBd5mrp4tMRlHUQm-lvaFnurLWDJyzvnDKuekgPC-NfYWfp8puiDk7CMrDwIiNQejt5gHXAA5toVQd5cjGix_WkXiAReswPmE9lproDw2HUjGqy7BTscFLyEUEddrO750jno/s1600-h/cambodian+road.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268912334143379634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_w2JwXUSDBd5mrp4tMRlHUQm-lvaFnurLWDJyzvnDKuekgPC-NfYWfp8puiDk7CMrDwIiNQejt5gHXAA5toVQd5cjGix_WkXiAReswPmE9lproDw2HUjGqy7BTscFLyEUEddrO750jno/s320/cambodian+road.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div> </div><div><br /><br /> </div><div>Friday was Sharon's birthday (happy birthday, Sharon!), so to celebrate, we took a road trip about 65 miles outside of town to the National Park. There, we spent a relaxing day hiking to and taking gorgeous pictures of some amazing waterfalls!</div><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Kl0ZFL67dLn91wgYprQseRGdW36r7kiusTjPLOki_KeHErXE5Zd0s68ijetvUxUkqJ0Py34_CyOFgD3EZGAf0wehdLvpBo5IZL-QYTybk-RIr3exDq5z2krmBGXVB7g0pPhNG5Bc_h8/s1600-h/waterfall+really+far.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268914110262890754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Kl0ZFL67dLn91wgYprQseRGdW36r7kiusTjPLOki_KeHErXE5Zd0s68ijetvUxUkqJ0Py34_CyOFgD3EZGAf0wehdLvpBo5IZL-QYTybk-RIr3exDq5z2krmBGXVB7g0pPhNG5Bc_h8/s320/waterfall+really+far.JPG" border="0" /></a>See the white line in the trees? That's the waterfall!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56qxs7O5c3j_f8WIGfZ087QXT7WQrcUNUgaAnfxpednD4bdNxYo1BFSdEojMx6Bsy89aOqzw_tg0fthW1H9nGbGg9W0m6FxNJ2ncFoN_VbQuAbTdi_5RqRaz9pNe-yXuAPiapDQt7sk8/s1600-h/waterfall+close+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268912350587084018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56qxs7O5c3j_f8WIGfZ087QXT7WQrcUNUgaAnfxpednD4bdNxYo1BFSdEojMx6Bsy89aOqzw_tg0fthW1H9nGbGg9W0m6FxNJ2ncFoN_VbQuAbTdi_5RqRaz9pNe-yXuAPiapDQt7sk8/s320/waterfall+close+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Here it is a bit closer!<br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaOHqqXyau37t-2iYj4JHwnhhyT9EnsmikwyG2rWNlbYJceap5TzqM16ywFMzvFVjoI3vwetq8fDiTeTEin1H2M-fkaPWpq9lQlUCz02nYG59lPV6oi2LjdOKzEqYlJ3Z8o6F2U5CLrk/s1600-h/waterfall+through+leaves.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268912358747201666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaOHqqXyau37t-2iYj4JHwnhhyT9EnsmikwyG2rWNlbYJceap5TzqM16ywFMzvFVjoI3vwetq8fDiTeTEin1H2M-fkaPWpq9lQlUCz02nYG59lPV6oi2LjdOKzEqYlJ3Z8o6F2U5CLrk/s320/waterfall+through+leaves.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9MvAYnahEOH4JAgEwiZEIyla7zQr4BTYSphwqG5KTaf9wpFvShVO-fEkW6mdaxFl205oAke9Xqd4cLWbdpPRQd1xDf2MPSpTWtLqmqeMezBkSvGkHAL-RqXnsbW-11MTy-O0QDKrCRk/s1600-h/flowing+water.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268914089385798130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9MvAYnahEOH4JAgEwiZEIyla7zQr4BTYSphwqG5KTaf9wpFvShVO-fEkW6mdaxFl205oAke9Xqd4cLWbdpPRQd1xDf2MPSpTWtLqmqeMezBkSvGkHAL-RqXnsbW-11MTy-O0QDKrCRk/s320/flowing+water.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /> </div><p>Okay, so we didn't exactly make the hike completely on our own! Here is the cart that took us a tiny portion of the way. </p><div><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ_keVFujh1oqOfTz3Pn6Tkjlnu_leZwU0KvhEswTL4-UP6WZRbPVjquHXr5phjUKIREEI50o1J1KUThlPCsdTjBz0ixEmQpdsJvxK55E1a1gt2urA2gcWAYp91RK-45L2MuAl-W-TyI/s1600-h/our+ride+with+d+and+s.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268912376347810002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJ_keVFujh1oqOfTz3Pn6Tkjlnu_leZwU0KvhEswTL4-UP6WZRbPVjquHXr5phjUKIREEI50o1J1KUThlPCsdTjBz0ixEmQpdsJvxK55E1a1gt2urA2gcWAYp91RK-45L2MuAl-W-TyI/s320/our+ride+with+d+and+s.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div><div><br /> </div><p></p><div><br /></div><div><br />Our driver proved to be this incredibly nimble and really sweet woman who guided us all the way to the top. I have to say, I was more than a little embarrassed at how adept she was at climbing over the slippery terrain in her flip flops, while I gingerly tested every step I took. I guess she <em>has</em> made the trip more than a few times ,though, so she's figured out how to go.<br /><br />To be honest, after a full day of traveling and hiking, I'm ready to call it an early night. So, instead of regailing you with my usual sort of in-depth stories, I will leave you with some photographic depictions of just <em>some </em>of the sights from today's excursion. I'll try to catch up with you all soon and share about some of<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaun34uV41xIUu7HtqRaRCUhy3PTUnMWUaNsnzIflA_6VyvHlIKp6hsFsJgU_5HG6nxZGardPlk38gP95iPQXKQPvNeSFVzXKLwcSCNC7YFctEUUbIfMo4RctFEIW9KPDsGT9vNu-jRs/s1600-h/flooded+grass+roofs.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268912365853686562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaun34uV41xIUu7HtqRaRCUhy3PTUnMWUaNsnzIflA_6VyvHlIKp6hsFsJgU_5HG6nxZGardPlk38gP95iPQXKQPvNeSFVzXKLwcSCNC7YFctEUUbIfMo4RctFEIW9KPDsGT9vNu-jRs/s320/flooded+grass+roofs.JPG" border="0" /></a> my other adventur<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_3KDse0zqUgyBd7IV8WUzR-xzZ3pMIwVaFfbwZO7wMc-YrI32AFbOm9jqlOxecCNuy3KYxri-n5FckeXLD-2C4_M9QvBflVroTvOAM4OXciS16pnmhJry3iNc78TnHaBQo0ozbY-_bI/s1600-h/view.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268914107449050850" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_3KDse0zqUgyBd7IV8WUzR-xzZ3pMIwVaFfbwZO7wMc-YrI32AFbOm9jqlOxecCNuy3KYxri-n5FckeXLD-2C4_M9QvBflVroTvOAM4OXciS16pnmhJry3iNc78TnHaBQo0ozbY-_bI/s320/view.JPG" border="0" /></a>es in Cambodia. Until then, enjoy!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KlRnz4tliVe0VLRywIrXO7RM5SUkgWTc1m3abLF780o6CEtOjRMhl5_YChyphenhyphennKKDocK6ESNdR7mkVVs1zviYhFIVLdaiV7ZpO7AGxjP0HSk8WDF1mdHZ8QBEibZ8TEjGLQu3dWt5xgJc/s1600-h/lake+birds+eye+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268914097620279186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KlRnz4tliVe0VLRywIrXO7RM5SUkgWTc1m3abLF780o6CEtOjRMhl5_YChyphenhyphennKKDocK6ESNdR7mkVVs1zviYhFIVLdaiV7ZpO7AGxjP0HSk8WDF1mdHZ8QBEibZ8TEjGLQu3dWt5xgJc/s320/lake+birds+eye+3.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7DjnO-jKLPKAMzR4qq21fID2YlnHqzYTkuVEPgJgGpIr68RT95-4l-ZkbRn9NzGugrhz7OdsOKYMgblRYxzxS0lsrbdONdu2s2uz8PiAb5Qi704phzcqEToeZTpcWqoUiLJDLqaLAlo/s1600-h/forest.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268916185676240322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7DjnO-jKLPKAMzR4qq21fID2YlnHqzYTkuVEPgJgGpIr68RT95-4l-ZkbRn9NzGugrhz7OdsOKYMgblRYxzxS0lsrbdONdu2s2uz8PiAb5Qi704phzcqEToeZTpcWqoUiLJDLqaLAlo/s320/forest.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNufprZ_Otjv71Jg0Nm3-WQGCfab3WOfU9q9AcwY9YuKdmpWqAZaV1VMW79S16Uzdn_Cto_wtSZ9t1gWR2EBwtJyLAwohIdlcYIqC0VOj5m21BEuTUlEFjWoRGWctaRltg7PYzNxJYyis/s1600-h/d+and+s+princess+and+monkey.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268916190814653970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 206px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNufprZ_Otjv71Jg0Nm3-WQGCfab3WOfU9q9AcwY9YuKdmpWqAZaV1VMW79S16Uzdn_Cto_wtSZ9t1gWR2EBwtJyLAwohIdlcYIqC0VOj5m21BEuTUlEFjWoRGWctaRltg7PYzNxJYyis/s320/d+and+s+princess+and+monkey.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZtceN3jO6hhRw-lyfhK8m2-yEX0SrFnffFN-NI5qcP-nzL83rtvWp1eEZ3rIBaXCAdmGn0y9w6KR2NOZLJzwNoE6p9odBLEpz8DMMQ_dGImUAj8LzKPa8Ewed6pAUbOEDI84p7055Po/s1600-h/view.JPG"></a> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Okay, so this one is just for fun.... I couldn't resist!</p>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-10705106160613972672008-11-11T06:45:00.000-08:002008-11-11T06:53:19.737-08:00Cambodia Has Critters Too!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gP4btaffk2B-PV0KoSdrjmUh50H8SEsFRp3BpA4Gu-b0iU2QDJ9oOIwlTaPhAJZm246rlN-YrlrO8PGy5cmPfn5jr2dmhqrjjzc2ipyEnsVr1NPuDxd4cgJ9M5LKD5-YqxLGESYLYxU/s1600-h/baby+lizard+and+pen.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267411587346165282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gP4btaffk2B-PV0KoSdrjmUh50H8SEsFRp3BpA4Gu-b0iU2QDJ9oOIwlTaPhAJZm246rlN-YrlrO8PGy5cmPfn5jr2dmhqrjjzc2ipyEnsVr1NPuDxd4cgJ9M5LKD5-YqxLGESYLYxU/s320/baby+lizard+and+pen.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>We found this little guy hiding behind the trash can in Dennis and Sharon's kitchen. The pen is there just to give you all an idea of how tiny our little friend is! Of course, not <em>all</em> of our roommates are that small. I think he's just a baby. </div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Anyway, I promise to write more later. This week is Water Festival and I've already participated in some festivities. Rest assured that you will hear all about that adventure, plus a few others, very soon! </div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-5834566665333741762008-11-03T06:10:00.000-08:002008-11-03T06:36:28.910-08:00An Authentic Experience<div><div><div><div><div><div>One of the amazing blessings I have experienced in my many travels abroad has been to almost always know someone in the country I am visiting. While I would like to consider myself to be a fairly adventurous and independent person, I tend to deliberately go places where I will know at least someone along the way. Part of that is for safety reasons, but mostly it’s because I find that experiencing a foreign land through the eyes of a resident greatly enhances the authenticity of my exposure to that culture. Rather than limit my activities to clichéd “tourist” areas, I can witness and participate in the true-to-life daily routines of native people. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgi014e5UqrjczqnaFqsTa-XBNPcGuTkbcNVI7quXy0vlQY7QfKz2pLN_37meJIW759QJcD7DhGloUaVZuM0YHTYXZQUc3W4OJ6Ew75FNg8LpJx8PJQ_OmLlTj20MyUqL4AwSLOq3mE4/s1600-h/man+on+block.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264437949738544594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOgi014e5UqrjczqnaFqsTa-XBNPcGuTkbcNVI7quXy0vlQY7QfKz2pLN_37meJIW759QJcD7DhGloUaVZuM0YHTYXZQUc3W4OJ6Ew75FNg8LpJx8PJQ_OmLlTj20MyUqL4AwSLOq3mE4/s320/man+on+block.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2_RgJz6TF-flSXswFE5eMMCTIMR-2IJ5wq7HSvkFBBdS8dVuzENcN_24TErU5HImG5y3c0noGztth823TeXwuP3NexgW2Ady5a6lT6l_wpUwds_gSbrDPohEQhtQXiQwj1_51b48Ww0/s1600-h/sharon+and+the+kids.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264437955058698978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2_RgJz6TF-flSXswFE5eMMCTIMR-2IJ5wq7HSvkFBBdS8dVuzENcN_24TErU5HImG5y3c0noGztth823TeXwuP3NexgW2Ady5a6lT6l_wpUwds_gSbrDPohEQhtQXiQwj1_51b48Ww0/s320/sharon+and+the+kids.JPG" border="0" /></a>My wonderful friends that I am staying with in Cambodia have not been living here terribly long. Having arrived in Phnom Penh at the end of August, Dennis and Sharon are still settling into their new life in Asia in a lot of ways. However, their enthusiastic spirits and genuine desire to make a life in Cambodia have made then wonderful guides nonetheless. They have been incredibly gracious hosts already, opening their home to me and letting me “break in” their guest bedroom and all its amenities. I’m really enjoying having a room to myself and just spending time relaxing without the pressures that my hectic schedule in India was putting on me.<br /><br />That being said, while a lot of my time in Cambodia has been spent catching up on some leisurely reading and much-needed sleep, I have gotten to participate in a few really unique opportunities through Dennis and Sharon’s work in Phnom Penh. A few days after I arrived, I accompanied them and a vanload of Khmae students to a nearby village to participate in a Health Fair for the children in the area. Due to the obvious language barrier, there was not a lot that I could do to help at the Fair. However, I did get to witness some really encouraging work that is going on in the community, and see the application of some of what I am learning in school about social work in the rural setting. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88bWnI54HWYerLq5jP89Ycoxdzt5mnslNoGsL58SGHNXuzL79DmnY1NhHRPPewP974ypZ8eEVT8bhehChJBjY2dZd3h6dVVoDmF4Nhj2-c8vI8_j7bxJuEPDqcMn21vmeyxNY6Y0unk0/s1600-h/cigarettes+are+bad.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264434557968197394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88bWnI54HWYerLq5jP89Ycoxdzt5mnslNoGsL58SGHNXuzL79DmnY1NhHRPPewP974ypZ8eEVT8bhehChJBjY2dZd3h6dVVoDmF4Nhj2-c8vI8_j7bxJuEPDqcMn21vmeyxNY6Y0unk0/s320/cigarettes+are+bad.JPG" border="0" /></a>Basically, the Health Fair consisted of 4 educational stations that the 200-plus children visited throughout the afternoon. Based on specific health concerns that these children face, each booth had a unique message it tried to convey. One booth focused on dental health and taught the children how to make toothbrushes out of bamboo or palm. Another taught the kids about nutrition by explaining the importance of eating different types of foods, and how only eating rice is not sufficient to meet nutritional needs. The third booth addressed common illnesses like the flu, diarrhea, worms and malaria. They taught the kids the importance of hydration in the face of diarrhea, how to avoid the spread of worms, and how to protect themselves from mosquitoes. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEc2HIa-jmH3My-ExDYoYsgaa9RMrVnZHYNsPmkNTJbp6EbVl9vIEULHpsh_GBYm_XzLAFn4Y735rk9psr0MS8cYrd2pb3WibaeyGKO9N7OGOOfAE3hjmtfze2gC5I7_Tu4E0SRVzVtM/s1600-h/washing+hands+is+fun!.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264434567843948866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEc2HIa-jmH3My-ExDYoYsgaa9RMrVnZHYNsPmkNTJbp6EbVl9vIEULHpsh_GBYm_XzLAFn4Y735rk9psr0MS8cYrd2pb3WibaeyGKO9N7OGOOfAE3hjmtfze2gC5I7_Tu4E0SRVzVtM/s320/washing+hands+is+fun!.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>The fourth booth demonstrated proper hand-cleaning techniques and emphasized the difference soap makes in getting dirt off of the children’s’ hands. At the end of the booths, the children were offered a dish called Baw Baw Saw, which combined different vegetables, proteins and grains to make a simple, yet nutritionally-dense one-pot meal. Finally, the afternoon concluded with an entertaining skit about sleeping under a mosquito net to prevent the spread of illnesses. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW2ijvWP6V4ngSdHfi7CgnZGQ6OiYo33rdy_x6l3LNhUAFG9-d4si6omtHvAfSjsFY_dpgTOTBxyytE3jjQTwt2YARqlhJSIvdMGJexunYpCX1sJWUQgOtawNCVqTP-M79pF83mopP-I/s1600-h/skit+swarm+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264437941168467922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW2ijvWP6V4ngSdHfi7CgnZGQ6OiYo33rdy_x6l3LNhUAFG9-d4si6omtHvAfSjsFY_dpgTOTBxyytE3jjQTwt2YARqlhJSIvdMGJexunYpCX1sJWUQgOtawNCVqTP-M79pF83mopP-I/s320/skit+swarm+2.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I was really impressed with how this Health Fair was conducted. I know much more needs to be done to really drive these important points home in the minds of the kids, and that one visit will not lead to the necessary changes in their health and hygiene practices. However, with repetition, I definitely see this as an effective tool for helping the children lead healthier, happier lives. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJAUKT9ueNNKvsgavRfo1mgm0upNKPqyfDv4sWkjK7SG8kyerYBm5DtTiveShkqoRYcornUYH3ASv77PxuZQbtnm64A8CP-XVoc3j_tKa-HzCO4mDMc086IOB2jshKEF6pCiDGMIvd1Q/s1600-h/kids+watching+skit.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264434610954343026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJAUKT9ueNNKvsgavRfo1mgm0upNKPqyfDv4sWkjK7SG8kyerYBm5DtTiveShkqoRYcornUYH3ASv77PxuZQbtnm64A8CP-XVoc3j_tKa-HzCO4mDMc086IOB2jshKEF6pCiDGMIvd1Q/s320/kids+watching+skit.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY82yRTTEK4_8kVa4bTN96GPqX_2hmqBa8NwUSr6AoyUNrpF45fksgORF0Xxx7-E8Vy2spEofEF9ZutL_8xydFuy3qPBnpP2iSan6wlb6dHeFBlqUvA8C69d2KXYV0jNmSbrhaictGHBc/s1600-h/little+boy+and+hat+close.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264434616350874994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 301px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY82yRTTEK4_8kVa4bTN96GPqX_2hmqBa8NwUSr6AoyUNrpF45fksgORF0Xxx7-E8Vy2spEofEF9ZutL_8xydFuy3qPBnpP2iSan6wlb6dHeFBlqUvA8C69d2KXYV0jNmSbrhaictGHBc/s320/little+boy+and+hat+close.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-84638558638515007632008-11-01T02:46:00.001-07:002008-11-01T03:31:45.451-07:00Two Days in Thailand<span xmlns="">I feel a little weird writing this post about Bangkok as I sit in my room in Cambodia, but since I have a few weeks to describe my various escapades within <em>this</em> country, I've opted to go ahead and tell you all a little about my short visit to Thailand.<br /><br />I left Mumbai early Monday morning. A rickshaw driver (hand-selected by the man that helped us find our flat) picked me up at 1am and took me to the airport. From there, I took the short flight to Bangkok. 3 ½ hours hardly seems like it should be long enough for an entire change of country, language and culture, but that's how long it took for me to go from the loud, dusty and crowded streets of India to the quiet, clean and orderly ones of Thailand.<br /><br />After getting through customs and exchanging my Indian rupees for Thai baht, I caught a bus to Khao San Road, a well-known tourist area of Bangkok. From there, I walked a few minutes to my hostel, which I had reserved nearly 2 months ago. I found my room, plopped my stuff down, and after a 15 minute cat-nap, went back out to start discovering the city!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigY2BbQhqrRHLmK1n0kIARQMQCwFF_dtYgBT2uKPSL07lOI5ekLiuNk3TL8AI3sP1Rin1Z9V2YO44whICb_-FPXWTzEPS013ZVwIZFdoHs6VgYJxtIlgZ7R5z4Mok6Z-yXVqbjVu4VMZE/s1600-h/khao+san+road.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263626207723509394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigY2BbQhqrRHLmK1n0kIARQMQCwFF_dtYgBT2uKPSL07lOI5ekLiuNk3TL8AI3sP1Rin1Z9V2YO44whICb_-FPXWTzEPS013ZVwIZFdoHs6VgYJxtIlgZ7R5z4Mok6Z-yXVqbjVu4VMZE/s320/khao+san+road.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Khao San Road</span><br /><br />Since I only had one full and two half days in Thailand, I wanted to make the most of my stay. So, Monday afternoon, I spent my time orienting myself to how to get to various monuments and looking in some of the shops nearby. That evening, I ventured out to Siam Center for some quality time with the Thai mall scene. (Hey, I <em>am </em>on vacation!) After having gazed at enough over-priced merchandise there, I caught a tuk-tuk (the Thai version of a rickshaw) to Patpong Market where I haggled my way through a few frivolous purchases before heading back to my wonderful hostel bed.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263626201563271874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTctF8ye2a04vDkrHcYWAtgp-aD56kuSxAlPcTln2WRMwjbC1iPwoK_6DF5wdz2Uoc7_4myAOZLGTVvD71Ge53_Nnhc1rxnauPmU0wPvahdSC8Lgg-LHhbF7ArJbednhqPd5XobjUTII/s320/hostel+terrace.JPG" border="0" />The next morning, having benefited from the first noiseless night's rest that I've had in months, I was ready to hit the ground running! After enjoying complimentary breakfast on my hostel's terrace, I headed for the most famous monument in Bangkok- The Grand Palace.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There, I oohed and aahed over the amazing architecture and ornate detailing that covered every nook and cranny of the buildings within the Palace walls. While I <em>could</em> take the time to describe the incredible beauty of the construction, I think these pictures do a better job than my writing ever could. So….<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFadiDVe_1jQP8oJeNiOvAA1ZgV8o68TJ6i1Z9-FRSADISR92o8GC-INu10Z-8Xg7r0rfQhKIBzcUK-vRLbrB_z_KiSPiMxdnc8Warvu1kbsZ0Yi46VTCm7Ale4RoM2eMMNW_ZRagbLog/s1600-h/crazy+guards+and+roof.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263624091123792114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFadiDVe_1jQP8oJeNiOvAA1ZgV8o68TJ6i1Z9-FRSADISR92o8GC-INu10Z-8Xg7r0rfQhKIBzcUK-vRLbrB_z_KiSPiMxdnc8Warvu1kbsZ0Yi46VTCm7Ale4RoM2eMMNW_ZRagbLog/s320/crazy+guards+and+roof.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwv0QPGnUumj6Ly4o4EfBosniBUHCJkbS2DqzQca2auoF_H3cBmaa6jZCRdxcpJe2Vi0HiVGRgYGie-1XEIiYzLXsejVdX0NKd7oD6-n2mcuTHTx9nmBdfnEmupHKYvc1UBKN-ViIVuk/s1600-h/detail+top.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263624090027440050" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwv0QPGnUumj6Ly4o4EfBosniBUHCJkbS2DqzQca2auoF_H3cBmaa6jZCRdxcpJe2Vi0HiVGRgYGie-1XEIiYzLXsejVdX0NKd7oD6-n2mcuTHTx9nmBdfnEmupHKYvc1UBKN-ViIVuk/s320/detail+top.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOqfEcaFd3n0UNwlp_F7LBjgMmj6PUUQhkAzAnKyUYU22MZvPfiEiFZWQ-JDa3U-rwFoxVB4grkVyTHa0bD5iJJNL9iqbiSr7pLa7Usm5qxZ27K2G9D2QSLBl3oyTvqpxyu5EHdlPXy4/s1600-h/093.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263624096362372434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOqfEcaFd3n0UNwlp_F7LBjgMmj6PUUQhkAzAnKyUYU22MZvPfiEiFZWQ-JDa3U-rwFoxVB4grkVyTHa0bD5iJJNL9iqbiSr7pLa7Usm5qxZ27K2G9D2QSLBl3oyTvqpxyu5EHdlPXy4/s320/093.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Next stop on my list was Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Personally, I think this is one of the more impressive monuments I could have visited on my trip. Measuring 150 feet long and just under 50 feet high, this statue took up the entire room in which it was built.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFRp0AYOWN8e_NVL3Q01JigcgOB0jFKIcHDI3niiDEkukI8joy4EqQINnpo3bBSITvAmXlJezqJtZSHSuvlhJPCIr-aGhyphenhyphend87kT7YRZcuRwiIt4ZAtZm-ob3Li5ocJwCN9Gx3FYjfRmY/s1600-h/body+buddha+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263625252115009698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 318px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFRp0AYOWN8e_NVL3Q01JigcgOB0jFKIcHDI3niiDEkukI8joy4EqQINnpo3bBSITvAmXlJezqJtZSHSuvlhJPCIr-aGhyphenhyphend87kT7YRZcuRwiIt4ZAtZm-ob3Li5ocJwCN9Gx3FYjfRmY/s320/body+buddha+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlwzbUCthdXXyxPKbrbHfL3O_x49_5zJEJX00JU4RpCSaGIPi1vPcpTrj6C850q03zOzX6MxJytEHIAp3RKZXwZSofEaXVhhA-Nl_-YCoynQOWhsvJlZtUr4K3f7dWSo4pAfdoo2noGk/s1600-h/buddha's+face.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263625262554980290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlwzbUCthdXXyxPKbrbHfL3O_x49_5zJEJX00JU4RpCSaGIPi1vPcpTrj6C850q03zOzX6MxJytEHIAp3RKZXwZSofEaXVhhA-Nl_-YCoynQOWhsvJlZtUr4K3f7dWSo4pAfdoo2noGk/s320/buddha's+face.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The rest of my day was spent riding ferries across the river, walking through markets and just enjoying the beautiful Bangkok scenery. I went to bed that night feeling fully satisfied with my accomplishments for the day.<br /><br /><br /><br />Sadly, Wednesday was my last day in Bangkok. But, since my flight wasn't until the afternoon, I did have a few hours in the morning to walk around a little more. I didn't want to go far, so I mostly walked through the stalls on Khao San Road. Then, a little before lunch, I packed up my luggage, grabbed a quick lunch on the run, and caught the bus to the airport for the next leg of my journey.<br /><br />While I have already had an amazing time in Cambodia, I think I will save those stories for a later post. But, just so you know that I <em>did </em>in fact get here in one piece, here is a picture of the wonderful welcome I had at the airport in Phnom Penh!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3XWXUunH6t-1pYJlLWBONYZjIJKqplpbL7IvLWvH79Fc19IDNJw2cO6SndDSJ2pw9NEeezt-hmoBl_or12Fx6FWBdEdPpmcwhVRdwFGmMUAu_nUZnmRdYAjo6hTZwTWSivkhezj2a_Y/s1600-h/with+dennis+and+sharon+at+airport.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263626216263884482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3XWXUunH6t-1pYJlLWBONYZjIJKqplpbL7IvLWvH79Fc19IDNJw2cO6SndDSJ2pw9NEeezt-hmoBl_or12Fx6FWBdEdPpmcwhVRdwFGmMUAu_nUZnmRdYAjo6hTZwTWSivkhezj2a_Y/s320/with+dennis+and+sharon+at+airport.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">With Dennis and Sharon Welch in Phnom Penh, Cambodia!</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /></span>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-77036620817308688002008-10-22T23:11:00.000-07:002008-10-23T00:33:44.094-07:00It's Official!Well it's official. I have survived my first semester of school in India! Yesterday I took my 6<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> and last final. Now I am free until 2<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nd</span> semester starts on November 24<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span>!<br /><br />As I mentioned before, the three finals I had remaining were Quantitative Research Analysis and Statistics, Understanding Society, and Economics. All in all, I feel okay about how I did on them. Me being the huge nerd that I am, Quantitative Research is probably my favorite subject, so I felt fairly confident while writing my essays for that class. I wrote one long essay about the use of literature review in the research process, another long essay about types of research designs, and four short essays on levels of measurement, probability sampling methods, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">bivariate</span> tables, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Likert</span> Scales. I wasn't always sure what they were asking for in the essay prompts, but I think I did alright. The statistics element was really basic, so I think I did well on that part too.<br /><br />Understanding Society was a bit harder for me. This was a 3-hour exam, so they expected a little more out of us than they would for the 2-hour ones. I tried to prepare as best I could, but in the end, the subject matter was really vast, and some of the topics I had to choose from were not ones I felt comfortable with. At any rate, I ended up writing an essay on Conflict Theory, another on Perspectives of Caste, one on Class-Caste Dynamics, "drawing examples from either agrarian or industrial social structure", another on the Women's Movement in India, and two short notes on the Functionalist Approach and Secularism in India. Whew! Just typing all of that makes me tired again! I really have no idea how I did on this paper, though. I am trying not to stress too much and to just wait until I receive my grades to find out how much I really did end up "understanding society"!<br /><br />My last exam was Economics. It was 3 hours as well, and covered both Micro and Macro concepts. This time I really lucked out, though, because the topics that came were the very ones I had studied. I wrote three essays for this exam. The first was about different types of elasticity of demand and the factors affecting it. The second essay talked about supply and demand curves and their relationship. The third talked about the Law of Diminishing Returns, the Law of Returns to Scale and long and short-run cost curves. The prompts were actually much more involved than I've indicated, but I figure I have bored you enough with talk of final exams. Plus, last post I promised you all some fun pictures and stories. So, without further ado...<br /><br /><br />To celebrate the end of my semester, I did something I have been wanting to do ever since my arrival in India. I got <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Mehendi</span>! For those of you that don't know what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Mehendi</span> is, allow me to explain. Basically, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Mehendi</span> is a traditional body art that Indian women apply on special <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">occasions</span>. It's usually applied to the palms of your hands, and sometimes the tops of your feet. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Mehendi</span> ceremonies are really common at weddings, but there aren't any rules about when or why someone has it done.<br /><br />Even though the end of a semester is not usually considered such a huge cause for celebration, I decided it was as good of a reason as any to experience this really beautiful Indian <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">art form</span>. And while just about any beauty parlor in India will be skilled in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Mehendi</span> application, I was fortunate enough to find someone in my class at school who offered to apply mine. So I went to the market and bought the henna dye for 5 rupees (or around 10 cents) and took it back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Sangeeta's</span> dorm room. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnEE-rfDEYu9oA1JXfq8Y_S6RUHe4tEcDUc09GX4YqKIC2ptprkjOyat2LM38kNKRjjO_x3qpZDCLLwhHIWphICOWZJDfTRAPc-0N39AbRh7HdrjpsbdqAzakKxXR1ifCNZoUZFig-E4/s1600-h/007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260242600576847378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnEE-rfDEYu9oA1JXfq8Y_S6RUHe4tEcDUc09GX4YqKIC2ptprkjOyat2LM38kNKRjjO_x3qpZDCLLwhHIWphICOWZJDfTRAPc-0N39AbRh7HdrjpsbdqAzakKxXR1ifCNZoUZFig-E4/s320/007.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />2 hours later, I emerged with a thick layer of crusty, dried paste halfway up my arms. I wanted to take pictures of the whole process, but, silly me, I forgot my camera's memory card at home. These pictures are several hours after the application, when the paste had started flaking off. It takes quite a while for the color to fully develop. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdncIEBswp6TeCXf3eqrbb3LqwBACUJ-RE14ud_MViXEkx5MnMaxyVsIDs5RXqfo1wg2a_JlZi7tCNzy1L2H8KT0xeuaUQgwKbRyNrJKc3eNdH3n1QTt5-9wtBHZ1pq81Dc8yVwqytQEE/s1600-h/008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260242594862034818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdncIEBswp6TeCXf3eqrbb3LqwBACUJ-RE14ud_MViXEkx5MnMaxyVsIDs5RXqfo1wg2a_JlZi7tCNzy1L2H8KT0xeuaUQgwKbRyNrJKc3eNdH3n1QTt5-9wtBHZ1pq81Dc8yVwqytQEE/s320/008.JPG" border="0" /></a>That's why my palms are orange here. The dark spots are where the paste is still clinging to me. At this point, I was a bit skeptical about whether or not I would end up with the pretty auburn hue I was desiring. Apparently there can be issues of not getting good dye. So even though the woman I bought it from assured me it was "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">bahot</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">atcha</span>" (very good), I didn't know what to expect.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Finally though, when I woke up this morning, the dye had taken full effect and I had exactly what I had envisioned:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNd3C94DuOzeeWLgTrlJ2wk2GmgrCuowHQB7czbHysoS-l-PE6pHlcb89zX9bhnrx36b0EKDYQtX9BXQ6FRpyXiFEVwGbDbNoeyFrro-Ec7O-5c1-EmDnwq7lCirLNeLTiR7cMrux1II/s1600-h/012.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260242603125013474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNd3C94DuOzeeWLgTrlJ2wk2GmgrCuowHQB7czbHysoS-l-PE6pHlcb89zX9bhnrx36b0EKDYQtX9BXQ6FRpyXiFEVwGbDbNoeyFrro-Ec7O-5c1-EmDnwq7lCirLNeLTiR7cMrux1II/s320/012.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTEIhJnEGUlp-7rShK2Xm5mDkbbQegViRuMQ3FLdg2DEcFeP9uq3KKrHHDYjWz5qLkBLrA0nn6jAWrxj3UAacbiCatJGPSb0WxJ56Kxd9G6bbwBgaHCx8wMNspI_BqMiYHAhUTAfaMMo/s1600-h/017.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260244082343819890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTEIhJnEGUlp-7rShK2Xm5mDkbbQegViRuMQ3FLdg2DEcFeP9uq3KKrHHDYjWz5qLkBLrA0nn6jAWrxj3UAacbiCatJGPSb0WxJ56Kxd9G6bbwBgaHCx8wMNspI_BqMiYHAhUTAfaMMo/s320/017.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeWDEKpb4nesKHQKxgWCyGNBmrgDBuYCpg0vm6VjCJ9aNXWhlFKD9zM8hlc9rDkbCw9G2RP5Wj313Qw3XuNCvbPxEvAZuOPe22vJOSPyCofAK2HlgY8nkfjXjiTShYSSnKSu2jhvSVjg/s1600-h/016.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260244075908555874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqeWDEKpb4nesKHQKxgWCyGNBmrgDBuYCpg0vm6VjCJ9aNXWhlFKD9zM8hlc9rDkbCw9G2RP5Wj313Qw3XuNCvbPxEvAZuOPe22vJOSPyCofAK2HlgY8nkfjXjiTShYSSnKSu2jhvSVjg/s320/016.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89MLBgnobx4VMMgp2AqShqdwu1S_aHSdhTg6121Q4pyBAx2i1Wkz29LFjLn2CRF9YNJ-U-7Gwy_u7RULegADCEbGKhPvffBOT3V1RP7Tmer_Rt-8FhiHzRrZemUNTwP_b3SLdEhVMfMg/s1600-h/014.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260244063549133858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 247px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89MLBgnobx4VMMgp2AqShqdwu1S_aHSdhTg6121Q4pyBAx2i1Wkz29LFjLn2CRF9YNJ-U-7Gwy_u7RULegADCEbGKhPvffBOT3V1RP7Tmer_Rt-8FhiHzRrZemUNTwP_b3SLdEhVMfMg/s320/014.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>This should stay on my palms for about a week. I wish it were longer! I know I will be sad to see this gorgeous design fade away, but I am sure I will find another excuse to have it applied again really soon!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgib7RVBmZv7GHHLJYaaf2-5i1_h1vSdy8cdjcfqxcnqD1Mq02WWLraWnZeeFD9GF3GvHmtLg8YYUhuglXy_1cwOs1Dz672pc6Aao8Q53RAL4zTxl4Vb7DpQ2soSlpzjK-gQIFIl14pmCU/s1600-h/close+up.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260244083663204242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgib7RVBmZv7GHHLJYaaf2-5i1_h1vSdy8cdjcfqxcnqD1Mq02WWLraWnZeeFD9GF3GvHmtLg8YYUhuglXy_1cwOs1Dz672pc6Aao8Q53RAL4zTxl4Vb7DpQ2soSlpzjK-gQIFIl14pmCU/s320/close+up.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Oh, and as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I have the next month completely free for vacation. (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Yay</span>!) That of course means that I am going on an adventure! (Because living in India isn't enough of one already?) On Monday morning, I am heading to the airport and catching a flight to Bangkok, Thailand! I have ALWAYS wanted to see Thailand, so you can imagine how excited I am to finally be going!<br /><br /><br />I will only be there 3 days though, because on Wednesday evening, I am getting on another plane. This time, I will be going to Cambodia! Some friends of my family and really wonderful people are living in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Phnom</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Penh</span>. They agreed to let me camp out at their place for a few weeks while seeing the sights in this country. I've been trying to read up quite a bit on Cambodia's history so that when I get there, I will be able to fully appreciate all of the amazing things I will get to see. The temple ruins are supposed to be amazing, and the killing fields, really impacting. And, having lived through such recent political turmoil, I know this country's inhabitants will have incredible stories to tell as well. I can't wait to take it all in!<br /><br /><br />I promise to blog as much as I can while I am away. If it turns out that I can't post regularly while I'm in Cambodia, though, you can bet I will more than make up for it upon my return. A big part of the joy of my many adventures has been being able to share them with all of you. Thanks for coming along for the ride!</div>Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360178867579709709.post-47474376845768725762008-10-15T02:21:00.000-07:002008-10-15T02:59:22.332-07:00After Gramsci, Foucault and Postmodernism, What else IS there?!...well, Caste, Marxism, Subaltern Studies, Supply and Demand Curves, Purposive Sampling Techniques...<br /><br />I have officially made it through my first 3 exams for this semester! It's been a rough few days, but I am glad to be able to mark the halfway point in the testing process. Monday and Tuesday, I sat for Casework and Group work papers. Both were 2 hours long, which sounds like a lot of time. But actually, I am amazed I was able to even touch on half the subjects they wanted us to address in that time period! It's incredible how much material they expect us to cover. In Casework, we had a multiple-choice section (small mercy!) along with an option between several essay topics. I opted for writing 2 short essays and one long. The short were on recording in the casework process, and another on the philosophical assumptions of social casework. The long essay was an explanation and description of the "Task Centered Approach" to casework.<br />In Group work, the exam started with a case study that we had to read and then write notes about. We were expected to identify the principles of group work contained within the study, with in-depth explanation of two of them. Then we had to identify the dynamics present within the study. The essay component of the exam once again had a few options. Of the choices, I thought that two short and one long essay sounded best, and I went for a short essay on the initial phase of group work, another short essay on the Social Goals Model in group work, and a long essay on the middle phase of group work "with special emphasis on the role of conflict and decision making in this phase." While I'm not sure how I did on either one of these exams, I am <em>fairly</em> sure I didn't fail them. I think casework went better than group work did, but with the subjective nature of essay questions, who knows what the results will be!<br /><br />Today's exam was one I had been DREADING since day one! History and Ideologies of Social Work is a pretty vast subject, and definitely one in which my foreignness is a huge factor. In the end, though, I think my preparations paid off, and I am relatively satisfied with how I feel coming out of the test. I ended up writing a long essay explaining the contentions of Gramsci and Foucault, another long essay on the Historical Development of Social Work in the Global Context, and two short essays- one on Postmodernism and another on Human Rights. Now, if you are thinking,"How can you possibly write a <em>short</em> essay on postmodernism or human rights and even remotely explain them?", well, I am right there with you. My biggest frustration with today's wasn't that I didn't know what to write, it's that I didn't know what NOT to write, since I couldn't possibly address everything in only 2 hours. But I keep reminding myself that all of my classmates had 2 hours to answer the very same questions, so as long as I did my best, I couldn't have expected to include anything more than what I did.<br /><br />Now all I have left is Quantitative Research Methods and Statistics on Friday, and "Understanding Society" (a Sociology course within the Indian context), and Economics next Monday and Wednesday. I'm halfway there! Understanding Society is another subject that has my American-born self fighting off a panic attack at every turn. The concepts of caste, dalits, subaltern studies etc. are all completely new to me, and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. But, in the end, I am definitely learning, which is what I came here to do. So, while good grades would be nice, I'm trying to just be happy with the personal growth in knowledge that I've obtained from being here.<br /><br />Well I know this post was probably incredibly boring to all of you. Exams are my life at the moment, so I really can't even begin to think about anything else. Once this is over, I promise to have all kinds of fun and exciting posts complete with pretty pictures of all of my adventures! Until next week!Jillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12526329028987223587noreply@blogger.com2