Anna in Cambodia

2007-11-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

One of the most beautiful things in life is when you suddenly see the things around you as if they are all new. That feeling has been sneaking up on me often this year – I suddenly look at and think about the world, and it generates a feeling of great happiness as I marvel at the beauty and the complexity of it all.

Three days ago I was travelling for 7 hours in the open back of a pick-truck with 23 other people, my hair was sticking out like Medusas, grit covered every part of my body, mouth and eyes. Shoulder under shoulder with my travelling companions I was filled with the warmth of having shared these past months of my life with their countrywomyn and men. The afternoon turned to evening, and to night, and a fat yellow moon lit the faces of people sleeping around me as we sped through the night. I had one of those moments when you feel totally alive, so alive you’re bursting with it. It was a long journey, and despite travelling much of Cambodia’s back roads in this style I still haven’t got the hang of sleeping while bouncing off and on my seat regularly, so had time to ponder - as houses lit by small glowing fires sped by.

I have been keeping a diary of the thoughts and mental journeys I have been undertaking this year. I have under two weeks left of work, before I travel with my family into Lao by bicycle and then on to Aotearoa. My thoughts are totally scrambled at the moment, but hopefully over time they will consolidate, taking on forms which I will be able to express to people, but for now I would like to cut and paste some exerts from my diary.

But first I want to share an excerpt a dear friend sent me (thank you!) during one of the low moments here – it is one that has helped me accept that which I cannot change, and helped me accept and embrace my involvement in this world, my home, despite being far away from familiar surroundings.

“You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of you body love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting-
over and over announcing your place in the family of things”

Mary Oliver, "wild gesse"

***

“I’m in a rainstorm in Phnom Penh, sheltering under a tree, squatting on the ground, I’ve got a bag of eggs from the market, my checked kroma (Khmer scarf), my diary, and my camera. The thunder and lightening is amazing, the traffic is buzzing, the grass is the most amazing green, the sky is heavy grey, the people are colourful. I feel alive. I feel happy. I feel like I’m in the most vibrant place on earth. How cool to be alive!

This city is amazing, and it’s growing on me. It’s taking on less of an anonymous form, it’s people are becoming characters I recognise, it’s streets are now familiar, it’s smells are comforting, it’s sounds beginning to signify every day life for me. I think, at last, I am beginning to fall in love with this place”.

***
During a recent discussion with two Canadians who thoroughly stimulated my mind, one brought up the statement; “Why must North America change its culture to ‘save’ the world? Especially while ‘developing’ countries cultures can also damage the environment, but we allow them to preserve their culture at this cost”. (Out of context this perhaps gives a different portrayal of their character than I mean to… so ignore that for now).

After a good few hours of discussion, on this and similar topics I concluded in my mind that the flaw in this statement is to expect that any culture remains stagnant and unchanging. Culture is constantly evolving and changing, and it is within our power (as the people of a culture), to have some effect on that evolution, and, if we choose, to encourage it evolve in an environmentally sustainable/globally positive way. We have that choice, and it’s not about forcing a culture to change, or losing our culture, but about using the knowledge we have about the world, and using the power that self determination gives us, and choosing how we want our culture to evolve and develop.

***

One memorable interaction here with cultural/local knowledge sticks in my mind… When first arriving at work, I noticed that the condensed milk (standard here, rather than fresh stuff) was kept in a little bowl half filled with water. I mentally wondered how that was supposed to keep it cool and stop it from going off, and thought it a strange attempt at refrigeration – especially as the 40 degree temperatures had warmed up the surrounding water anyway. A few weeks later I realised that ants can’t swim – hence the moat around sweet milk (which, by the way, doesn’t seem to need refrigeration in the least).

It is a good, all be it slightly abstract, reminder (should it be needed), that everyone who is alive today, and every culture, has survived as successfully as any other. In the case of those like Cambodia, they have perhaps survived rather more trying times, at least during recent dates, than that of the ‘highly developed and successful’ ‘West’. That fact that people are alive shows that they and their ancestors and cultures have adapted, overcome and used effective systems to survive to the present age. Go the human race, with all its little tricks of the trade.

***

Many weekends have been spent in the company of a much loved friend who is a young Doctor here, supported by a French Church. In his company, and his quiet, strong faith, we have been pausing for Grace before each meal. Taking turns at saying it in Arabic, English, Maori and French (the household has been incredibly and delightfully varied this year). Reflection on this process, and a growing awareness of the importance of food – and how much we take it for granted, has encouraged the development of another kind of awareness and thankfulness in this small household.

To stop for a moment before eating, reminding ourselves that this food hasn’t appeared from nowhere. What part of the world and which animals have contributed to this plate before us now? To thank and respect those (often literally hundreds) of people who have been involved in the process. To remember that some have been harmed (through use of chemicals, un fair labour conditions, un fair pay, difficult social and environmental situations encountered en-route from growth or production in one part of the world, to consumption in another), and are perhaps suffering now, while we enjoy good food in good company. Further to remember that it IS within our power to bring food to other people, to purchase food which ensures a good wage to those who produce it, which ensures preservation of the environment, which minimises harm to other species on the earth. So, we thank those who have given so much in order that we may eat this, and we remember what a delight eating is for us, and do our best not to prevent – and instead intentionally act – so that others may also enjoy this delight.

Please keep this in mind when next buying food. Local markets, home country grown, least transported and organic produce is a good way to support the communities close to home, reduce the amount of money and resources spent on transporting food, and look after the environment (of ours and others). For luxuries, which don’t grow close to home, fair trade stores and sections of supermarkets offer chocolate, coffee, and even rice, oils and other staples which have been produced at a fair price, often under organic conditions. And if you find yourself in a position to share the enjoyment of feeling full, go for it!

For those in Dunedin check out the Fair trade store on George st, ‘Taste Nature’ in Moray place and the Farmers Market – Saturdays at the railway station (other suggestions, stick them in the comments section!).

Often it’s not too expensive, especially when you start buying more from the ‘needs’ list, rather than the wants list. Also, “the world needs to stop thinking in money and start thinking in energy”. This quote was read in the Pacific Ecologist (my new favourite magazine – thank you Sophie and Hazzah!). It’s about the need to start taking responsibility for our lifestyle, and our choices. Because that is what they are - Choices, choices with consequences, and not just for ourselves.

***

One more discussion topic has centred on my growing awareness that being able to freely move from one country to another is yet a further aspect of my life that many in the West take for granted. Scores of people here simply do not have a birth certificate or any registration of their being alive. This in itself is no problem, however in today’s society no recognition of being alive means no passport, which means no leaving your country of birth (even if they have no idea you’re a citizen). In addition, I have been shocked to understand the reality of being from an ‘undesired’ country through talking to friends from ‘terrorist’ countries, and how this affects their life choices – as most countries will either refuse entry or demand ridiculous fees to ‘consider’ visa applications [and all this argument takes place aside from the obvious differences in wealth throughout the world, which render travel affordable or not in the first place].

This is another area to quietly (or not so quietly) ponder, as we freely, and perhaps unfairly (?) move around and sample the world, while others are restricted to war zones, famine zones and countries which they would rather leave, but are prohibited from doing so.

“Who is it who has the right to say you have to pay to leave an artificial boundary?”

***

Some environmental things to consider:

WATER

Not flushing the toilet every time we pee (if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down).

Fill a sink or basin for washing dishes, and turn the tap on and off as you need water for teeth cleaning.

Save energy in the shower by having short showers, cold showers if you can, and try switching off the shower while you soap up, then back on for a rinse off.

In addition use eco friendly, bio degradable and environmentally safe alternatives to the traditional house and body cleaning products. What goes down the drain ultimately ends up in our environment – and it’s we who can stop putting it there! Go us!

But New Zealand isn’t short of water… However, water coming into our homes has been collected, treated and transported at a high energy and environmental cost, and (ideally) when we flush or run it down the sink it goes through another collection, transportation and treatment process. It’s a good idea to reduce this cost on the planet and save litres of consumption quality water at very little (if any) inconvenience to ourselves by little tricks like the ones above.

'INTENTIONAL' EATING

Get creative, I have already talked above about buying local, fair trade and organic. One other area is to reduce meat consumption…

Think vegetarian, vegan, intentional omnivore, freegan... the list goes on, and once again it is up to you how you define what you are happy with in terms of your own sustainable lifestyle choices.

But check out discussions around the impact that consuming large quantities of meat, and meat products, has on the environment (there is tones of info on the web, as well as bunches of funky, delicious vegetarian recipes).

For me at the moment, I’m vegetarian, and plan to re-introduce veganism to my home when I get back – although include locally produced, organic dairy products (eggs and milk products) when I can source them.

***

It is so hard to explain all that I have seen and felt and learnt this year. Yet at the same time I feel it is no more or no less than I could have learnt anywhere. I have spent many hours explaining myself to people here who call me ‘lucky to have such good money to travel and buy everything I want, and live in America’. My explanations often centre around attempting to install more pride and feeling of luck for those who feel they don’t have it.

It’s a difficult situation to be in, and I don’t deny that I am lucky (to be born where I was, to be free from persecution, to be blessed with many many opportunities, to have been in a situation to take up those opportunities), but luck is something universal (?). In some ways I feel I am going to go home and still be answering the same remarks. That people wish they had had the opportunity to live in Cambodia for a year and learn, and see and experience so much. What I want to say on this note, is that life surrounds all of us, wherever we are and whatever we are doing – and a years worth of learning can be as large or small as we choose to make it, regardless of where we are (*see the note below*). At times I have felt I have contributed, and learnt little during my time here, as I cry in frustration at difficulties and problems, and areas that I just can not access or contribute to. But at other times my eyes are open to the changes that have happened within me and around me, not just here in Cambodia, but throughout my whole life.

*Just to add to this though, and perhaps open up another discussion, I copied this conversation snippet into my diary after travelling to Ratanakiri (the far North East province of Cambodia) with Lauren and Rachael:

“You’re so lucky to have good money to be able to travel” – “It’s the truth, but we resent it, often deny it, and feel a twinge of un-comfort with that reality.”

***

Finally: On one rainy Sunday I scribbled a note to myself to help me work my way through the days here in Cambodia (and beyond). Entitled: “To have a positive effect on the world:”

Educate (ie share ideas) and encourage others
do no harm
plant trees (native ones)
work for positive differences in your realm, be active, identify problems/improvements, negotiate and implement change
Build good relationships around you. People are important.

All of the above is sure to be riddled with contradictory thoughts and statements – and probably some blind ignorance too. But I hope it gets you thinking, maybe introduces some new concepts and ideas, and opens your mind in some way – as my mind has been opened by others too. I’d love to hear some of your thoughts and responses, so email me, or come for an organic goodness pot luck dinner in the New Year!

Home soon,
Arohanui,

xx Anna

2007-08-11T22:31:00.000-07:00

Another few months to update all at once. It’s 5 months since I got here – and 5 months to go. I’m exactly half way.

THIS PAST MONTH (well, 3 of them):

-The discovery of Algeria

-Night riding through Phnom Penh by bicycle

-Frida

-Question… Is democracy the objective or the tool?

-My answer: “we seem to be spending a lot of time promoting one tool? So much energy on perfecting the tool and its correct use, that maybe we forget the objective?

-Quakers (“Beliefs are not just safe ledges in an uncertain reality, but rather handholds from which further heights can be reached”).

-Corruption, or just inefficiency?

-Nau te rorou, Naaku te rourou, Ka ora ai te iwi

-wild life = wild peace

-“A drawing is a conversation with yourself”

-Green hammock, balcony, mango tree, books, tomato seedlings, a cup of red bush tea with soy milk, and me.

-Nazim Hikemet

-Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

-Things fall apart (Chinua Achebe, 1958)

-Paul Farmer

-the importance of friends

-Israel

-The Be Good Tanyas

PHNOM PENH:

-there is a ‘cool’ young guard down the street, and when I pass him in either the morning or the evening (depending on his shift) he says with a cheeky smile; ‘Good evening pleasant looking woman’… I think it’s the ‘Khmenglish’ for ‘Hey good looking’. Makes me smile! I always say hello back, very politely, but make sure to call him ‘younger’ brother, (“Hi bro, how’s your day been kid?” – in Khmer) so he doesn’t get the wrong idea.

-There is a ginger dog that is always sitting on a stone seat when I’m coming back from work. It’s funny because there are beggars sitting on the ground leaning up against the wall just further down the road. It’s an odd roll reversal between animal and human.

-I burst out laughing in delight in the street the other day – as two shiny Lexus trucks (this city is full of them) were stuck behind an ox and cart close to my neighbourhood – I love it, that here in Phnom Penh the rich drive a Lexus, and the poor farmer comes in to sell his pottery, leading two ox pulling a cart… and they all use the same street (and the ox poops, and the Lexus toots, and everyone gets on very merrily).

-I’ve planted three Rhambutan plants, and three tomato seeds from an old rotting tomato – which have sprouted and look reasonably healthy. And I have a big bucket of compost too, soil production is an amazing process which everyone should be involved with (What happens to your organic wastes? Start composting today!).

-I’ve finished (pretty much) the workshop on communication – it’s 3 days and we will give it to union leaders to help them negotiate and communicate with their employers about better working conditions, pay, and other issues they are concerned about. Now I’m beginning a funding database project.

-My house is a ‘circus’ (Oyston, 2007). I’ve got a flatmate from America until next Monday, and currently her boyfriend is staying. I have a young German lass sleeping on the blue mat in the lounge. Tonight another tall American is turning up to claim the red couch, and my white sheets usually have Rach (VSA) and I giggling and sleeping on for a good 4 days of the week. Amongst all that my land lady is usually swishing her broom around, the landlord is carefully keeping an eye on which boys are coming and going, and their son is grinning from ear to ear and asking if I’m going out to ‘nyum bai?’. I love it, it’s so lively and chaotic and happy. Pete is turning up in two weeks – which is going to be fantastic – I can’t wait to take you out for iced coffee, and introduce you to the women at the market, and show you the little ‘cottage’ on our street (which sticks out of all the other flash, gated, razor wired, guarded houses – this wee one doesn’t have a Lexus in it’s driveway, it has chickens!).

-I had to confiscate a polystyrene box from the chickens last week – they were pecking away at it and eating the little white flakes. I was worried that their tummies would be full of plastic, but they seem to be happy as ever today… one was sitting on a branch while the others ate the leaves, they had to jump up to get the leaves and would pull it down each time until some of the leaf broke off – and the one sitting on it would get bounced around, a bit like a swing or something!

-I went out for dinner with a friend tonight, and on the way home we passed a big pile of rubbish, and a cheeky, chirpy and dirty little childs head popped out from amongst it and called out hello and waved as we passed.

-I like bike riding through the city at night – everything seems ‘smooth’ (and you’ll just have to come here and try it to understand what I mean).

THAILAND:

A few weeks ago a friend from the states, who I met studying Anthropology in New Zealand came to visit. We spent some cool days around Phnom Penh, and then jumped on the bus across the border to Thailand, and trained up to Chiang Mai. From there we took a vegetable delivery van (yes) to a little sustainable living project, called the Panya Project (http://www.panyaproject.org/). Look here for some more photos from the trip (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40749&l=5cdf8&id=720375081). It was very cool, and I’m looking forward to going back in the next few months. On the way back I had heaps of hassles with the tourist bus on the way back, because I asserted that tourist visas were only US$20 to get into Cambodia (when they were attempting to get everyone to hand over their passports along with US$35!!!!). So I was the most unpopular passenger of the year, and felt quite scared and upset (they weren’t very nice to me after I opened my mouth). It was nice to get back into ruggard, rough and ‘under developed’ Cambodia! Although I thought Northern Thailand was pretty sweet. It was nice to have mountains, and green things. Cambodian is surprisingly red/orange – although all the rains are growing good rice and things are getting greener.

KEP:

Last weekend the ‘labour team’ had a weekend retreat down to Kep (the sea-side). They are such a fun group of people, so it was nice to spend a social weekend with them, out of the office. We (they) ate 8kg of crabs in two sittings, we swam between a couple of bays (and got a bit sunburnt), lazed on the beach, got abandoned by the boat which dropped us off at Rabbit Island, stayed in a beautiful resort with a stunning view of the waters edge, and had a mad mad mad mini bus driver – which just added to the whole experience. There have been some cool American Law interns here for the last few months, but they are all beginning to head home now – I will miss having them around.

EVENINGS AND WEEKEND EVENINGS:

Evening which aren’t spent in deep conversation with Rach, in the kitchen making rice milk, ice cream, lentils and couscous, have been spent out in bars and restaurants around Phnom Penh, or at house parties. There is a famous ex-pat party at ‘Elsewhere’ on the first Friday of every night – everyone who is anyone goes, and it’s like going to explore a zoo. There is a pool so you can watch the water animals swim, a jungle for the monkeys and shy animals that like to hide in logs and around tables, there is a little underground cave/bar thingy for the underground and cave animals, a pit type area, where lots of dancing behaviour can be observed, and a glassed in aviary for the bird like animals, who flit around in the light. There are frequent mating rituals, much showing off of plumage and each party brings the months new ‘fresh meat’ for the ex-pat community to feast upon. Highly entertaining!

There was also a birthday party last weekend, which was good fun – it was for an Algerian friend, who is a young Dr working in Tekao and Kampot, so we all dressed up according to the theme (Arabs), and munched on his lovely Algerian birthday kai (think little pastries boiled in honey, rose water treats, pistachio cakes that sort of thing – he had done some wonderful cooking, and his mama had send across some delicacies from Algeria for us all to saviour! Made a change from rice and morning glory – although I’m loving the Cambodian food!). More photos from the party can be seen here (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41917&l=26c49&id=720375081)

TROPICAL DISEASE:

On the not so cheery side, there is a bit of dengue epidemic here (carried by urban daytime mosquitoes with stripy legs, potentially deadly, no vaccination or cure, 90% more cases so far this year compared with last year) – and two VSAers have already been evacuated to Bangkok – I’m being ultra careful because I’ve already had dengue, so if I get it again it’s more dangerous. Unfortunately for my body that means deet…

I’ve been lucky to only have minor tummy upsets (the worse has been about a week long). I think my D-diving training since 2003 has paid off in more ways than one, and I now have a cast iron stomach (touch wood).

NEXT UP…

so I can’t believe 5 months has already been and gone – but when I think of all that has happened, and think that I have the same amount of time to go, I realise there is a lot yet to take place before I leave here. I’m sure home-time will come too fast – time seems to move exponentially. The next wee while brings –

More exploring of Phnom Penh

A bunch more language learning

Possibly a trip to Ratinakiri to participate in groundwork for a land alienation case

The arrival of Don Pedro in Phnom Penh

Another trip to Thailand to work on mud house building and perrmaculture

The regular attendance of ‘cultural evenings’ and concerts with Rach

Ness and Carolyn

Several more inches of growth on my tomato plants

Reading a large quantity of good books

Much much more mopping up of water (my roof leaks when we get heavy rain, once a day at the moment)

More fruit smoothies

Lao explorations

A trip to Svay Rieng to see Fiona

Discovering more cool parts of this amazing city

(another) Trip to the temples – this time with cool reflections and a lot of water lilies

Some more proposal writing

My parents arriving

Giving a workshop

Some crazy bike trips to the provinces

Drinking of coconuts (endless)

My little brother

Nazim Higmits poetry (more of it)

Transplanting my plants into bigger pots – and finding a new home for them when I go.

Dreams of a red mini and a trip to Timbuktu

A very cool month cycling through Cambodia, Lao, Thailand – where ever the wind takes us….

And that will do for now!

Love you all very much

Kisses and hugs

Xxox

Anna

2007-06-25T06:37:00.000-07:00

PHOTOS FROM OUR EXPEDITION INTO BOKOR NATIONAL PARK...

We had been warned before we left that we should be a little careful about which ranger we took out into the forest - many of them are ex army personal, who are stuck up in this national park on a very low wage for a long period of time.... ...when we were organising to go for a 'hike', we asked; "we have heard that sometimes it isn't safe for women to go out alone with the guards, that they are sometimes unsafe. Is it okay for just the two of us to go?" (I was travelling with another girl from work)... the reply? "Oh no, dont worry, no problem the rangers carry large guns with them". Hehehe not quite the reasuring answer we were looking for - but our ranger, Vichet, who was 22 and very fun. Good English and a sweet sweet personality. He showed us "where the tiger sleeps" (under an overhanging rock), and showed us which carnivorious plant produces its own water which is safe for human consumption (he gave me some which I gulped down, only later realising that the water is actually used for drowning and digesting insects which the plant eats... but surely I would have felt it if any insects had gone down my throat? Surely? We ate wild berries, and had a close encounter with a PUMA with spots (demonstrated rather than spoken) - which we guessed might be a leopard?? (or perhaps some other wild animal that hurtled through the jungle at an alarming pace close by us, causing Viched to swing his gun up, and us to feel very small, insignificant and vulnerable temporarly)
I was fascinated by the gun, which we were told came from the Vietnamese during the Pol Pot times... I wonder if it still even went? Glad we didn't get to find out.
Jack - this frog is simply for you... for the rest of my life I will think of you every time I see a frog.
Ruined church, washer woman style 'Kroma' (Khmer/Cambodian Scarf), misty mountains, not a sole around, plateau on the mountain, jungle down each side, coast in the distance in one direction and national park into the distance on the other... YAY
More gun shots... sorry!

2007-06-23T18:50:00.001-07:00

More photos from Bokor National Park (I think I'm doing this in the wrong order... Intro to Bokor is below this post)...

Floating down the river on a long boat with a grass roof. As in Khmer houses, you have to leave your shoes at the boat 'door' too!

This was our happy guide we met up with on day 2 of our explorations. A very happy chappy.
this was an amazing, and huge spider we saw. Tried to work out what it was called and think it's something close to 'dragon spider'... ?? ... very poisonous apparently, and massive. Bird like!

Hard to captuer it (designed to be invisible I guess, so that food will fly at it), but you can see it in this photo - and for a size reference check out the spider and the camera lens in the other photo!
This was us on the last day, just before we jumped on the boat and headed back down stream to Kampot.

2007-06-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

JUNGLE ADVENTURES IN BOKOR NATIONAL PARK

24th June 07

Lots of photos to put up today. Spent last weekend on a trip down to Bokor National Park with one of the girls from work, we headed up into the park by taxi, stayed the night in a rangers 'hut' (big training center), and then spent 5 hours the next morning walking with one of the rangers (22 yr old Vichet) through the park. Had one close encounter with a large wild beast. As we were heading up the side of a valley, something large hurtled through the bush to our right, crashing bashing and going fast - could have been a wild pig or a big cat... we will never know... scary though, in an exciting way. We did a big bit of rubbish collection along the national park road at one point, and also wandered around the ruins of what was once a French retreat/resort in the area.

After our solo exploring we met up with a tour group (the cheapest way to get out of the national park), and had a bumpy ride down on the back of a pick up truck, before being deposited up river and floating down to the little town of Kampot where we stayed one last night. In the morning we hired a moto (scooter bike) and drove to Kep where we dipped our feet in to the ocean before racing back and jumping on our noon bus to Phnom Penh! Fantastic weekend! Great to be out of the city for a while - seeing the coast was something else, as was being up in the mountains and the forests - made me very happy!!

This was one of the better sections of road on our way up the mountain. The road was amazingly bad, in a very amazingly exciting way! Never thought we would die, but highly expected to write off the car. Turns out bottoming out several times, and covering uneven terrain at a ridiculous speed is the norm up this mountain.... as we found out on the way down, where I think Lindsay did think she was going to die (very insecurely attached to the back of a fast, bouncy truck!)

Me and Lindsay, exploring around Bokor National Park (one teeny bit of it).

This is looking into the national park, sea on the left, more Cambodia on the Right. Should be able to see a small temple along the ridge, but I think the photo is too small....

This is on the river trip at the end of our weekend, we had been up in the hills directly in front of us in this picture. Cambodia is beautiful! Still not used to seeing sugar palms around everywhere.

2007-06-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

Out in the provinces, half an hour north of Phnom Penh (Tang Kang).
The village chiefs from one of the communes we visited
Some of the village people from Tang Kang - this woman was making a fish cheese or paste called 'Prohok'.

2007-06-14T03:43:00.001-07:00

Kia Ora you lot!

A few more photos, and another quick update -

Work is going well - I'm mainly working on material and creating resources for a 4 day workshop on communication and negotiation skills. This will be given to employees of various industry sectors (for example garment workers) to help them with their union activities and achieving things like better wagers and working conditions. Its interesting - so far I've just been collecting general information - but the fun part starts soon when we think of ways to adapt the games, debates, examples and techniques we know to fit a Khmer setting... thankfully we have been warned that the lecture style is out, and games, role plays and interactive stuff is in. ... I'll get some photos!

Other than that I'm still working on advocacy letters, and case summaries for land dispute and eviction cases - a few of which have become very 'hot' over the last few days (google 'group 78' and Phnom Penh).

I have also got flatmate for the next two months! Very fun to have someone else around, and great to have someone to talk over all the thoughts that living here encourages! It happened just by chance, and was a bit rushed - so it wasn't until afterwards that we discovered we are both vegetarian, like to buy organic and local produce... and when all her stuff turned up, I noticed she had a climbing harness and a bright yellow Ortlieb pannier! It just keeps getting better and better!! Excitement grows, as do plans for adventure, and the number of late night cups of tea on the balcony.

I have been joining in on some of her projects too, where my time allows (hence, why I am now typing up a document on communication over dinner in my favourite little cafe, where I have just discovered I can also get internet on my laptop) - which has meant trips out to the provinces, much to my delight!

Anyway, my dinner is now ready, and I should get onto my document writing! But much love to you all, thinking of familiar faces, places and smiles lots!

kisses and hugs
xx
Anna

2007-06-03T01:55:00.000-07:00

These guys were part of a church we visited. Their service was over an hour and a half, in which time they moved around in sync. Very amazing to watch!

These were two of the wonderful people we saw in Vietnam. The woman above, is making little seedling pots out of what I think is banana leaf, each on secured with a little splinter of wood. The guy below was washing his rooster as I cycled past. I stopped and ran back to ask for a photo - at which point he did a final polish and stood up proudly with his rooster. (Unfortunately for the roster, I think it was being so carefully looked after because it was a fighting one - but all the same, they did make a handsome pair).

2007-06-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

A monk on a hill we climed, close to Chou Doc, and the waters edge in the Mekong Delta region (by My Tho), both in Vietnam.

drinking hot coffee with condensed milk in Vietnam on the cycle trip - in the middle of a rain storm!

2007-06-03T00:42:00.001-07:00

Rachel (VSA - based in Svay Rieng at REDA organisation), and Garth - in the back of a tuk-tuk at night.

Warren and I on the back of a moto, in the monsoon rain in Phnom Penh (on our way to the circus of all places!)

2007-06-03T00:40:00.000-07:00

May 28^th 07

ARg,

A long long overdue update! Things are going well! I’m really liking living here, my house is cool, I’ve too much to do in the time I have free, and the monsoon has started – it’s awesome! I’m really tried at the moment though. Need to start getting some better sleeps, and maybe some iron tablets or something. It’s been kind of hectic the last month.

It’s almost 3 months since I got to Cambodia! That feels pretty weird – it sounds like a long time on paper, but it doesn’t feel like a long time of actually living here. A lot has happened though.

Working backwards, I’ve just come back from Svay Rieng this weekend, where I spent two days hanging out with Fiona at her place. It was cool to catch up with her, and have someone to swap stories with. I really like it down there, and it feels good to get out of the city. The way it works is I get up and jump on a bus early on Saturday morning, and get to Fiona’s place about 10am on Saturday – then hang out there for a night and ‘hitch’ a ride back to Phnom Penh on Sunday afternoon (paying my driver about US$4 for the seat in the car).

The week before that was spent working. Another VSA girl, Rachael stayed with me, and it was nice to have a housemate for a while! In the next post I’ll stick up a thing from the Geography News letter about work here in Cambodia.

The week before that was spent cycling with Rachael and Kate (another VSAer, who also works in Phnom Penh with me). We went from Sunday-Sunday in Vietnam. We hit Vietnam close by Ben Cau (via Svay Rieng), skirted down the left hand side of Saigon/Ho chi minh (didn’t go in, thank god – the traffic was bad enough on the outskirts), to the delta region, and then cycled up river to a place called Chau Doc. It was an awesome week – and got some good photos. Great to be back on the bicycle again (I’ve just brought one here in PP, a new paddock basher to replace the old paddock basher I left at home!).

Just before that, two Kiw guys; Warren and Garth, turned up at my door. My first Kiwi visitors! It was great to have them there, a little taste of home!

And before that it’s been more work. They were the main events of the past 4 weeks. Lots of little happenings in between times. Like the monsoon beginning, so some weeks we get rain every afternoon. The mosquito numbers are going up ever so slightly. There are less mangos around now. I’ve been doing some dress making (yay), with fabric being so cheap I’m happy to buy a few meters and get into it (rather than at home buying a few meters and then being too scared to start because I don’t want to destroy the fabric!!!). I’ve almost made a dress, just need to locate somewhere to buy a zip! I’ve worked out where the guitar shops are, and someone is helping me choose one to buy next week.

Anyway – that is a very quick update.

Love you all lots, hope everyone’s travels are going well, and good luck for exams eh!

Xxox

Anna

2007-04-18T04:28:00.000-07:00

this photos is of Michael (Peace Core Volunteer down in Svay Rieng) and Fiona, we were visiting a Pagoda (again), this one called Svay Chrum Pagoda.
This is the market place in Svay Rieng. all the rubbish is pilled out into the middle of the street through the day, gets stomped down by the shoppers and cars and motorbikes and bicycles and small children during the day, and the dogs and cats drag off bits, and then the little ants and cockroaches chomp away at it, and then eventually, in the depths of the night someone comes and picks up what is left puts it into a huge basket and carries it off to who knows where...
The witch with purple pants, her broom and her Cat. This is the name of my next novel. This is Fiona's cat, called 'Dom Ruit' (or something similar). Which when pronounced right it means 'Policeman'.

2007-04-18T04:11:00.000-07:00

Visited Fiona's house over Khmer New Year, down in the south by the Vietnam border. A little town called Svay Rieng. Very very cool place, and now my weekend retreat from the city. This photo shows Helen (Australian volunteer), Fiona and I enjoying a home cooked dinner! Helen played mother and spoilt us all, bringing loads and loads of good home comfort food from Phnom Penh.
Here are some extremely happy kids down in Svay Rieng, enjoying the Khmer New Year festivities. Khmer New Year is one of the major festivals here, and a bit like our Christmas (in terms of holidays, and families getting together).
A beautiful beautiful pagoda, called Prahout Pagoda - again down in Svay Rieng. I'm looking forward to passing lots of these on our bike trip through the country in December - they litter the countryside in a similar way to churches in Eastern Europe.
And, best of good luck for Khmer New Year! It rained and hailed on the last day of the 4 day New Year celebrations, a very good sign. Here is me doing a rain dance with the frogs which appeared from nowhere and hopped all over the show. It was the first time it had hailed in 30 years - Fiona's 27 year old friend visited her house after the storm and said he had never ever seen hail before in his life!
And yes - in the name of safety I invested in a helmet (in New Zealand). Very good move, as the roads here are shockingly bad. The trouble is I accidentally brought a SPACE HELMET, not a motorbike helmet. As a result, not only do people stare at me because I am white, but also because I am wearing the most ridiculous sized, hot air balloon shaped and sized thing on my head. However, the oxygen supply used for out of space travel is a bonus on hot days. Was very pleased to find out that the bikes in this country are built for people just my size, so I can easily reach the ground. I also dont usually show as much leg as this photo would suggest... i am in actual fact wearing an ankle length skirt!

2007-04-18T03:43:00.000-07:00

PHOTOS FROM THE PAST FEW WEEKS (text update to follow in a few days... sorry).

...the above two photos were taken in Pagoda's - the equivalent of monasteries here. Khmer New Year has just been here (best of luck to everyone for the new year), and a Pagoda is the place to hang out during the festivals, dancing, carnival atmosphere, games and food - and lots and lots of people.

Next two photos are from a trip to Angkor Wat (although the bottom photo is in Phnom Penh), with Andrew McGregor from the Otago Geography department back in NZ. Was very fun to have a visitor.
Work photo for the year - can you spot me? (Rach, I'll explain about work in more detail soon!!)

2007-04-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

Khmer cultural dance - this dance is called the 'Cardamom Picking Dance' (I'd write that in Khmer, but the script is impossible on this computer!). It talks about the 'Por', a minority group living in the forest, picking cardamom, planting rice and tea, the dance is supposed to portray the way of life of the Por people. And it does a very good job! Was amazing to watch one of the other dances when they wove cloth, you could almost see the cloth being made on a human loom made of dancers, it was very realistic.
This is Sokourn, my Khmer Language teacher! We hear lots of antics about his life, as well as learning some Khmer. (and notice that my hair is getting shorter and shorter.... I have a pair of scissors in my bathroom and keep snipping at it - might need to remove the scissors soon before it's all gone!)
This is Fiona and Sue, just this weekend. We had an easter lunch at my flat - nothing has happened here for easter (which is great), but it's odd for us when the eater egg hunt is real, and you have to search the entire city to find some where with chocolate eggs!
Fiona and I have been spending a lot of time with Nikray, our self appointed Khmer M'dai (mother). Here we are eating (yet again), our favorite lunch of vegetarian Pho! Yummy delicious goodness! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
This is Navy, he is a friend of Callum and Sovuthy from New Zealand - went out to a dinner with Him, a young lady called Tong, and Fiona when she was up this weekend! It was hallarious. Their english is good, but the menu was all in English. Can you read this? We asked. Yes, of course, but we dont understand it! Which lead to a great game of 'what is this'... (tastes like, looks like, is used in, grows here.... GINGER!) etc...

9 April 07

Kia Ora/Hej/Guten Morgan/Hello/Sue S’dai!

Ewwwwwwww discovered a cockroach family in my kitchen last night! Fiona Fumigated the place (even more ewww), and this morning I have the guys on their backs all over my floor with their little legs twitching! I had no idea there was anything which grossed me out more than spiders… it seems long twitching antenna, followed by a little armoured scuttly body are the thing.

I’d take a photo of these huge creatures for you… but as they were still twitching this morning, they have been hidden under bowls for the day – and I’m too scared to lift them up in case the critter runs at me. Animal (these things are large enough to belong to the animal kingdom) cruelty 101 – if they are still alive at all they will have to sit it out in the heat all day too.

Fiona is up for the weekend from Svay Rieng, so it’s been good times catching up with her – it’s amazing how much there is to talk about after four days in this country. We have barely left the house. Although I did go out to a cultural dance performance last night (Sunday), which was good… some long sections of ‘stand up comedy’ in between the dances which was a little hard to follow in Khmer. It’s nice to watch theatre and dance in different places. It was very different to anything we would have watched at home – even if we had been watching Khmer dance. The crowd was full of Cambodian people and children, who all laughed outrageously loudly during the comedy, and would repeat several sections with the actors. Mosquitoes EVERYWHERE, buzzing in and out of your sight (except actually the mosquitoes here are silent. Weird? But highly helpful, especially as just the noise of them makes me itch and distracted).

This morning Fi is off to work early (8am), and I have the luxury of starting at 8:30am. It’s been really nice to have someone around the house (call to all people interested in visiting Cambodia… come and hang around my house!!). Not to put you off coming, but I’ve also tried to make sticky rice this morning… it tastes terrible. I’m not sure if I’m missing a secret ingredient (maybe the little brown beans you find in it when you buy it on the street?), or if I need to use ‘regular’ sugar (I stuck in a little tablet of ‘palm sugar’, which is delicious stuff – it tastes like caramel). Actually in all honesty, I think it’s because I was expecting something like rice pudding – but of course there is no milk in it.

Have lots more photos and antics to share with you all, but will post them later in the day - my computer battery is almost out.

Hope all is well at home
xx
Anna

2007-04-03T03:51:00.000-07:00

Floating houses along the Mekong

2^nd of April.

It’s been about a month now since I left home in New Zealand. It’s gone quite fast as we‘ve been so busy – and quite slow, especially when you are trying to get through the day and it‘s stinking hot!

I’m settling into my little house in Phnom Penh – my boxes arrived a few days ago, which made it really feel like home. Some familiar faces on the walls – a few small comforts, some general ‘stuff’ to put on my shelves and a food parcel! It’s funny what makes a place feel comfortable – for me, knowing I’ve got emergency food in the cupboard that doesn’t need any cooking, that I know is safe to eat, and I can expect the taste before putting it in my mouth, is a good thing. I’ll probably keep it there all year just so I know if I’m out of energy to make it to the market and wade through all the people, beggars and fish guts – I don’t have to. (Although when you are full of energy, watching, being watched, speaking with the beggars and carefully walking over top of the fish guts littering the floors of the market can be quite an enlivening experience!).

It’s hot here! It doesn’t help that it’s getting hotter. I haven’t worked out yet if I’m glad to have arrived just as it’s getting warmer (because then I know after May I’ve sat out the worst), or if it would have been better to arrive and acclimatise slowly in preparation for the hottest time (at the moment every day I acclimatise a bit… and as the temperature rises I’m forced to acclimatise more). I can happily say now though, that sitting in an air controlled room at 26 degrees has me looking for something to wrap around any bare skin. Wandering around in the midday sun in 42 degrees is still a little tough at times though (although everyone seems to be sweating it out – even the kids are drenched in sweat as they play or even sit and read!).

Time has gone fast because it’s been so busy over here. Lots of opportunities to take up, boating up the Mekong, visiting various Islands around, even keeping the house free from red dust, and clothes washed takes a fair amount of time. Not to mention trying to navigate the market for food, and then working out what to do with it! And I’ve started work too – which has been good, it’s strange not to be on holiday for the first time since November 2006!

Kitchen on the 'Silk Islands', where lots of tourists and market owners travel to buy the silk woven under peoples houses.

Fiona and I had our first swim in the Mekong last weekend, under the cover of darkness!! Catherine Cousins, who is one of the nicest people I have met to date, was having a little party on a boat and kindly invited us to join. So a little sunburnt (got my first Cambodian sunburn! Woops), we spent the day floating up and down the river.

Boating on the Mekong with a friend from Otago's Mum who lives here in Cambodia.

First swim in the Mekong, under the cover of darkness

Moto-duk rides are the other new discovery. With the arrival of my boxes (hence my helmet), I’ve been sitting on the back of bikes and tooting my way around the city. All good experiences, except one. Fi and I were catching a ride back from the waterfront, two on a bike (not unusual to see 4-5 on one motorbike here), and the back tyre burst. No worries, but we needed to find a new driver. Stranded in a busy part of road we took the first guy who pulled up - realising too late that he smelt of alcohol and was driving in a very sloppy manner. At that point we were also a bit lost, so pulled him up after a minute or so and paid a ridiculous sum (by now having paid our way home almost twice!). In the heat, sweating and lost and a bit scared by our scary weave through the traffic at speed, we wandering around finally finding a nice, more elderly gentleman to drop us safely home.

Fiona on the Mekong, with a Moto-tuk helmet in the foreground

2007-04-03T03:42:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 7 March 2007 - Day 1 Cambodia, Phnom Penh.

Well - We arrived today into this hot red earth country. Except it wasn’t too hot (to begin with) - now I am lying in my underwear in Fi’s hotel room enjoying the air conditioning after sweating it out all day. The journey here was good. A quick overnight in Bangkok at first seemed ridiculous, but it was nice to get out of the airport and see a bit of Bangkok - have a shower, watch the cockroaches scuttle around, see our first beggar (with one foot missing), drink coconut milk from a nut hacked open by a street vender, and practice crossing roads with traffic flows like volcanic lava (and look the same lush red).

Got more and more excited as the hours became minutes before we reached Cambodia - though I was surprised at the size of the city as we saw it from the air. I guess a million people is a million people, wherever on earth you put them - and however much money they have (or don’t).

We were met by Sue Knight, Cee Chan and Kate. Nice to see Kate’s familiar face. I barely know her, and yet it was like seeing a close friend. I guess even feelings are relative. When you know many people those you love shine out of the crowd, and when you know nobody those who you have seen before shine out too.

We got a quick look at the VSA office (and email), before: hotel, bank and city drive by tour. The overall first impression? I’m going to love it here! It’s going to be amazing to see the city go through is seasons, see it in the heat, see it in the rain. But also to know it as I change. See it as I first see it, see it when I know my way around, see it when I am so familiar with the streets that I have begun to call it home. I can’t wait to get my wee apartment and begin to really settle here.

What an amazing opportunity. I am beginning to appreciate it more and more. As well as getting a little more scared about it all. I’m totally working on adrenaline buzz at the moment, and dreading the day I wake up and it’s gone, and I’m left exhausted after weeks of burning at both ends - to another hot hot day. It’s going to be scary. But for now I’m looking forward to exploring tomorrow. We have to be at the VSA office at 10am.

Fiona and I after our first lunch in PP

Ive already had a sore belly, but think that might be as a result of lack of sleep and messed up sleeping patterns. Hopefully it will settle in a few days. Looking forward to tomorrow and now must get some sleep! Scary to read Miris blog today and find out they are in a ‘state of emergency’! Hope all is well with them there, and that it adds to the excitement of the experience, not takes away from it.

Love you all

Anna

Lizards on the walls, I love these little guys.
They are so transparent that you can see their
stomachs right through their skin!

2007-04-03T03:32:00.000-07:00

Adrian on the Auckland Harbour (yay)
Me enjoying being out on the water before getting into a stuffy airplane
Sandra and I on the boat
Fiona and I after swimming on board
YAY - ready to go

Sunday 4^th March

Actually it is early on the morning of Monday 5^th of March. I have less than 48 hours left in NZ and I am sitting on a 43ft yacht in the Auckland harbour! Adventures just keep arriving. I contacted Adrian and Sandra to see if we could meet up for a coffee and it has resulted in an evening sailing, dining and complete with a sleepover on their watery home. It’s superb!

Fi and her boyfriend Jeremy joined us too - really nice to see Fi and make some final last minute plans, nice to meet Jeremy as well, as I’m sure Fi will be raving about him over the next 9 months (she’s already been raving for months). He seems awesome, and added bonus - knows his way around boats! To kick of the evening Fiona and I jumped from the overloaded little row boat on the way to the yacht (anyone who goes boating with Adrian will know what this means) and swam it instead. It was a good half hour or so, and it felt so nice to be doing something ridiculous and impromptu - swimming along, miles from anywhere, in warmish water chatting away about things like sunlight soap and mosquito nets (part of the mental packing process). It was great to have someone courageous in the water with me! Means I can be brave too and do things like swim out to yachts!! Something I would never attempt on my own. Having travelled solo normally it’s going to be fun to have a travel buddy!

Cool seeing Adrian and Sandra again too. It’s been a while, I wish I had some more time here. I think I’m going to spend a lot of time talking to Adrian when Dunedin’s community centre gets going. Like Ben Nicholls he has a lot of good thoughts, and knowledge and experience. Nice to be running into them and crossing paths during adventures too. Like seeing them in Berlin which was the last time we overlapped properly. I think I’m liking being grown up and having grown up friends. It’s a whole other world opening up.

So I’m on the road again! Every now and again I wonder why I am doing this kind of stuff? Building a wonderful store of memories and experiences - and it is getting quite extensive, sometimes I surprise myself when I think over all the things I have seen, been a part of or experienced in some way. Its been a busy 22 years. I think soon I’m ready for a more settled stage - a growing and building experience rather than a frantically gathering, exploring and watching time. I’ve explored lots and seen many things. Now I want to have a go at creating something others can come and see, learning stuff by staying in one place and kind of being introverted towards one place rather than extroverted and ducking in and out of different cultures, communities and lives… if that makes sense. Sometimes I feel I cant explain it all very well - its so contradictory yet makes perfect sense!

Talking with Sophie and Harry, and now Adrian tonight I am getting more and more inspired about this community centre! It would be grand if I could mix it with a masters of planning. My research for Uni would pretty much be what I would be wanting to do in my own time for the centre anyway - very complimentary! I’ll keep thinking about it during this year, and perhaps feel clearer about it after 9 months of long hot evenings!

Anyway, download photos and head to sleep. Tomorrow will be busy getting ready to go! How exciting! I can’t wait (after feeling for ages that I might prefer to stay here, I’m glad I have this feeling of excitement and joy at going!). Yippee -

Anna

2007-04-03T03:13:00.000-07:00

Sophie and Harry - Devonport, Auckland
Kim and Lor at the Bedford St Paradise!!

Rach and Anna, Portobello pizza gathering
Mitch above, and Em, Anna and Jana below at Tomahawk

Pete and Matt - You guys are awesome!

The Royal Terrace Crew making Pizza!

3 March 2007 - Good bye Dunedin

Day 1. I’m exhausted! It’s been several weeks of overdrive (not so much in productivity, but certainly emotionally). Fitting everything into an ever decreasing time frame. But it seems all is done. I haven’t thought of anything major I have left behind (except my copy of my VSA contract). And Fi rang me today to say our passports have arrived today with 3months of visa stamped into them. Yay!

I still don’t feel sad at leaving. It’s been an awesome summer - long, warm and full of so many lovely people. I feel as if there is a huge wall of sadness I will strike at any moment - perhaps it will be on the plane from Auckland to Bangkok? Maybe this time it’s different - because I know I’m coming back (and so soon!). All the other times have been on one way tickets, with the vague possibility that I might end up taking random opportunities which keep me away for a while. I guess that possibility is always there.

But for now I am nothing but excited. This is also a new feeling. Apprehension is the only other feeling I have had regarding leaving - but since two days ago I have really felt excited about going.

It has been good not having a place of my own for the last wee while. Now I am really looking forward to getting a base and being able to lay out my things, see what is there and start working out how to do the best I can with what I have. I’m much better at having a challenge, minimal resources, making do and improvising than I am at having too much stuff and having to decide which of it to select. I’m glad the packing is over! It must be the worst part of this process! Still - I think I’ve done reasonably well. As always mum is right, and I have much too much stuff, and wont need half of the two warm things I brought with me. It’s been really weird for me travelling with out my usual essentials (such as a sleeping bag and a rain jacket - I couldn’t bring myself to travel without thermals and snuck a pair into my bag at the last minute. Maybe I‘ll end up in Tibet or somewhere and need them).

I don’t think its registered yet. I am leaving the country for 9 months in a few days. It sill seems a while off.

I have landed in Auckland, and was pleased to do my first solo gear lug across an unfamiliar city, navigating bus and ferry routes (yes, this is my first time out and about in Auckland!). Now I am snuggled up with Sophie and Harry in their little Buddhist Centre munching on fantastic vegan delights and turning the compost. Making plans for eco communities, community centres and paper recycling plants! These two are inspirational and I love them so much! Harry’s garden is superb (Mum can you email me the chocolate zucchini cake recipe for them?), they have tomatoes growing everywhere, and even self seeding in the compost pile! Things just seem to grow here, and not surprisingly given the heat. I’m told its hot because of the humidity - yet this is at least a bit of a slow acclimatisation to Cambodia. By the time we’ve hit Bangkok too, Phnom Penh wont be such a shock for my little Dunedin acclimatised body. I’m a bit worried about the heat actually. I can do well, but I need my body to be working to be able to do it. Headaches and exhaustion from heat and lack of sleep (because of heat) sound like they could really put a dampener on the best of plans. Energy - it’s so vital. But we never notice or thank it until we don’t have it. Then we really miss it.

Anyway, an effort for an early night to try and strengthen the body mind and resolve for tomorrow and the weeks to come. Really happy to be on the road again (surprisingly), feels good to be carrying my belongings in a backpack around with me, to be washing my undies daily by hand, and exploring new places. I guess the travel bug hasn’t left after all - it was just dormant.

Love you all

Anna