Return....

There is just over 2 weeks and then I am back in Cambodia for a holiday! Its a long haul flight of about 14 hours but it seems very normal these days... I am busy collecting clothes and toys for the students at the Children's Centre. Let's hope I don't go mad with loads of excess baggage again.... I am really looking forward to some HOT (humid) weather, seeing the childrenand seeing what shade of yellow they chose to paint the central market!!

Summer holidays

During August the director and 3 children from CCH (the children's centre) came to stay in England. It was a trip mainly organised by a film maker IAnna) who is sponsoring one of the children to attend ISPP one of the best international schools in Phnom Penh but as she was coming over to see her (and think about which English universities she would like to study at) with the director and his son we thought it would be nice if one of the other children came and stayed as well. Ravuth, one of the older students at CCH who works very hard and deserves a holiday, came to stay!

I think it was a bit of a culture shock (as predicted). There was a lot of super noodles being cooked during their holiday! By the end of the trip they were all pretty well travelled and had taken part in activities not usually available when you are living in Phnom Penh - like attending a music festival (WOMAD) horse riding up welsh mountains and viewing dinosaurs at the natural history museum.

My mum has cooked lok lak a few times following her trip to see me in Cambodia and as the Cambodian's were craving "real" food she bravely took it upon herself to cook lok lak for 9. She had done so much preparation - even the obligatory pepper/garlic oil sauce that appears on every Cambodian table. However, the excitement could not be contained in the kitchen as my mum arrived with her prepared marinated meat for this Cambodian curry. 4 Cambodian's then assisted in making the dish even tastier.... With the director frying up the individual portions and the others arranging the necessary lettuce and tomato (one leaf with three slices of tomatao)adding more garlic and pepper and sugar and salt and...well, luckily we had no MSG in the house as this is popular.

We then all enjoyed what turned out to be some of the best Cambodian food I have tasted. I was never a big Cambodian food fan as I found it to lack subtle flavours and thought it was quite tasteless or just loaded with MSG/pepper/salt but this was great! Well done mum and her helpers. It was agreed across the whole table (which I might add included a student from France so the standard expected was high(!)) the lok lak was great.

How many people does it take to cook a lok lak?? ...Lok lak perfection! - Well done mum and helpers!

My step dad entertains the masses

Cambodian's get travel sick just getting onto a bus so we thought a trip on the fair ground might be amusing....

Womad

A first trip on a train ever for these guys was the London Underground - probably not the best example train in the world...

Bowling - I lost shamefully to children who had never been inside a bowling place before!

Culture shock!

3 students from the CCH children's centre are coming to Bath this month. The flights are now all booked and the visas have been granted! No doubt it will be rather strange for these young people (aged between 14 and 19) to experience the UK - Probably more of a culture shock than the other way around....!

Mekong Swim

Following the Mekong Swim (see earlier post) Asia Life published an article about my schools swim team - written by the children themselves. Here it is: http://www.asialifeguide.com/Feature/iSWAM-the-Mekong.html

On Apr. 5 many of the Penh’s adult community swam the mighty Mekong River, but four eleven-year-old children from iCAN, who were raising money for the Cambodia’s Dump Children Committee caught the eye. This month we give you Jessica Rendall, ‘Rapid’ Regis Seng, Sarah Wong and Sowon Hak, who truly are the Penh’s next generation.

Jessica (lying)Swimming the Mekong River felt tiring and fun. It was also scary knowing what could possibly happen to me if I wasn’t careful. I felt really, really, really proud of myself for doing something different for a change and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. When I first saw the length I had to swim, I was pretty sure that there was no way I was going to make it across. When I got in the water to warm up, I took another look at the distance and realised that it wasn’t that far at all. During the swim, I was pretty tempted to wave my hand in the air and give up, but I looked at the other side and saw the children from Cambodia’s Dump Children Committee (CDCC) smiling and thought that if I were to give up I would feel guilty, because of all the children I had let down. That gave me an urge to give it all I had and finish what I had started. I was feeling nervous already, when on top of that, the photographer from the AsiaLIFE magazine was there to take pictures of us to feature in their magazine. It was a chance of a lifetime and I had a rainbow of feelings, but I was glad that I did it and will definitely never forget, my Mekong River swim experience. (Jessica swam the Mekong in 17.03)

Rapid (right)I did it!!! It was a massive experience for me to swim across the Mekong River! I can remember going to watch the Mekong River swim last year, when I couldn’t really swim at all, and wondered whether I’d ever be a good enough swimmer to do that. It’s amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it. I thought the mighty Mekong River was going to be very deep and cold, but instead the water was warm and kind of refreshing. It didn’t smell really bad either, as I thought it might. But the scariest thing is that you can’t see what’s in the water at all – it was just dark brown! I think that the Mekong River swim is a very challenging thing for people to do because if you swim straight to where you’re heading, the current will push you far away. I was feeling a bit dizzy with my new, and fashionable, swimming cap, but it was all right because when I went into the water I felt soooo much better. When I reached half way about 400m, I felt like I had just swum two lengths of our school swimming pool. I would love to do it again because it was a very challenging experience for me and I thought that I couldn’t reach the end, but fortunately I did it. (Rapid swam the Mekong in 15.43)

Sarah (left) On Sunday, we swam the Mekong River and it was an incredible experience. I felt both excited and nervous. When I saw how long it was I felt a bit nauseous but did it anyway, because I knew it would be a fun thing to try. It was very exhausting and I don’t think I have ever swum so hard and so much in my life! While swimming the river, I wanted to give up because I was completely wiped out, but I urged myself to get to the end. No turning back now! When I finally got up to the bank I felt as if I was going to flop over. But the support of my friends and family made me walk up the muddy steep hill. I feel proud and now I can say: “I’ve swum the Mekong River!’’ C.D.C.C will also get brand new bikes and I feel great that I have helped to make that happen. I feel good about myself that I have achieved something so huge. The amazing feeling I get when someone tells me how proud they are, is when I knew it was definitely worth not giving up! (Sarah swam the Mekong in 18.30)

Sowon (middle)First when I saw how much I needed to swim I was thinking inside my head that it was far and I couldn’t do it. When the race started I was very nervous. After I had swum about half way I thought that it wasn’t too bad after all. I really enjoyed it a lot. Now CDCC are going to have bicycles and I am very proud of myself that I swam the Mekong River. (Sowon swam the Mekong in 15.11)

In total Sarah, Sowon, Jessica and Regis raised US$1,000 for CDCC, which will be matched on behalf of iCAN by its Director, Elain Younn. The grand total of US$2,000 should be enough to buy 50 bicycles and cycle helmets for the children at CDCC.

My Cambodia Top 10!

Getting involved with the Centre for Children's Happiness and all the fun and fundraising

Meeting and having a private audience with the King of Cambodia to discuss my photography workshops with my students


The whole SMILE photography experience - working with the older children and then opening up their exhibition...

A Jungle trek in Bokor mountain with my Mum followed by a swim at an amazing waterfall

Driving myself around on a moto in Ratanakiri (North Cambodia) and Kep (South Cambodia)

Swimming across the Mekong

Visiting the village of a number of CCH children with them on several occasions

Finding out and getting far too many "Beautiful Shoes"

Dolphin Spotting in Kratie

Nearly getting killed - but surviving!, when our group's small fishing boat was ravished by the ocean in a huge storm near to Rabbit Island in Kep

GOODBYE!

As I prepare to leave Cambodia in the next 3 hours (agh!) I thought I would reflect upon what I will and will not miss about Cambodia after over a year of living in its Capital Phnom Penh! .... BUT (!) I will see you in September/October for a holiday Cambodia!

Things I will miss


Most of all....the children of CCH who have made it so difficult to leave

The call of “Hellowhatisyourname” and waving to children everywhere

Being stared at with no shame by children and adults alike

Being able to go to a tropical, palm fringed beach in under 4 hours

Frozen Margherita from Friends or Java cafe (the best in town!) Yum!

Spaghetti Carbonara from Gasolina and friends who are there – also the best Carbonara in town!

Fresh Coconut juice


Anchor beer with ice – Beer and ice? You can develop the taste...

Tailor made clothes from threads and handmade shoes from Beautiful shoes – my favourite places to shop here.


Iced coffee made with sweet condensed milk called “my boy”

“Hello Stung Mean......Chey” – This is the Cat call of the tuk tuks who hope that I am going to make the journey to the children’s shelter by tuk tuk rather than motorbike. ..And the fact they like to call it for fun because it’s now become a nickname.

The people calling to sell things on my street – feather dusters, coconuts, ice cream, bread ....

Hot, hot weather

Massive thunderstorms and torrential rain

Cheap transport by motorbike taxi everywhere – Walk?? Why!?

The greeting of “Good Luck to you”

Ecstatic pizza – delicious pizza followed by the owner wishing you “Sweet Dreams”

The friendly faces

Fantastically beautiful sunsets


And of course, .... the washing drying in under half an hour

I will not miss....

The so-called expat “scene” – full of the same people and often like a small village

Sweating every minute of every day

The monks chanting via loudspeaker at 5am or a 5am start wedding with Khmer music in the street

The construction workers who live in the “penthouse” about us who chop herbs very finely on their kitchen floor and the general banging due to constant development works

The heckle of “Moto sir?” [Note to Moto drivers: I am not a sir]

Cambodian Karaoke

Rubbish everywhere

Not being able to walk in the city as the pavements are so blocked

Lexus either running me over or stationary and parked everywhere including on every spare bit of pavement

Lawlessness and corruption

The common explanation of a mere “sorry – cannot”

Itchy mosquito and ant bites

.....Being stared at with no shame

Goodbyes

On Sunday after the River Swim it was time for the farewell party at CDCC for the children of both CCH and its sister centre CDCC. As well as a "goodbye curry party" from me we were also celebrating Khmer new year which starts this weekend.

Although I was there an hour early the children from CCH had already arrived. The powerpoint was set up and things kicked off by showing a few films that had been made about CCH.

We then moved on the the dancing/speech part of the entertainment. The older children spoke about their experiences on studying at international schools and we were treated to some traditional Cambodian dances: including the coconut dance (one of my favourites).

The thanks followed and then we couldn't resist the urge to use the microphone and talk about my experiences with the students at this fantastic place. Then food and dancing.... Khmer New Year traditionally brings with it the HOT season and to say it was hot would be an understatement - it was boiling!



Only one more visit left to CCH and CDCC before home time in only 5 days time. It is very sad to be leaving Cambodia mainly because of these children who are so inspiring.