Morning procession

- a wedding to be had!

November was a busy month with jam-packed events and activities.

Winner of all posters: Grade 3
Note: The above student was away harvesting rice and was unable to receive her gift.
However, I was fortunate enough to see her in the rice field with her family.

In early November, the School Opening Ceremony took place in more spacious grounds where the officials were mindful of the needs of their students.  We also had a poster competition in several schools where surprisingly every student took part in this critical event; with many winners at that! Savy my translator / assistant decreased his VSO work time with me and returned to his teaching job, while Panha, my new assistant picked up the remaining 40%.  Also, earlier in the month, we noticed that the Tonlé Sap had reversed earlier than as per usual, because the Mekong River was unusually low. 

It’s been a month where we were invited to 2 weddings but could only attend 1.  We also celebrated the arrival of two new VSO volunteers to MDK; we had two birthday communal dinners with them where everyone chipped in to help make dinner.  A colleague and I made spring rolls for the first time; surprisingly, they turned out to be yummy.  In courtesy of VSO , I was invited as one of the guest speakers to talk to the new in-country training group (ICT) (at the CO, Phnom Penh), about the Bunong indigenous people in MDK.   

Winner number 2:  Grade 5

November was also the Betel nut season where a number of people from all over Sen Monorom came in droves to the landlady’s house to select and buy the ‘very’ best fresh betel nut for their elder relatives, who live in the nearby villages.  The chewing of the betel nut, an ancient Indian herb, is primarily used for medicinal purposes to help with digestion.

Throughout the month of November, we continued to collaborate with VSO ICS – youth group where they too, decided to interview locals in and out of town to get a sense of what education means to the Bunong and Khmer men and women.  They also wrote a manual for their ‘garbage’ project, for making a ‘garbage’ container composed of chicken wire and water pipes :)

The month of November ended up being a bit chaotic as well as magical.  I was in Phnom Penh for a week, for medical care; for two sets of rabies vaccination  that was given to me 3 days apart.

Winner number 3: Grade 4

Unfortunately, during our favourite usual Sunday walk around our home area, I was unexpectedly attacked and bitten by a large black vicious dog that was new in town (who, this irrational dog, had attacked many other people prior to me).  According to the Khmer culture, an owner can posses up to 10 dogs to guard their properties, their wealth, regardless how large or small their homes might be.    We understand that dog owners wish to improve their security, however, they are unintentionally putting other people at risk.   To get out of the mold they are presently in,  perhaps in the not so distance future, the overall community may require to go through  a change in social norms for  them, homeowners, to modify their attitude /behaviour?

Kevin, immediately took hold of me and carried me home to Savy, our landlady's clinic, all the while the neighbouring community followed us to our destination; the clinic.  While Savy, in her pajamas, and who immediately  took care of the bloody deep wound on my right thigh, the people in and out of the clinic were frantically talking to each other to find out the ins and outs of the dog’s owner and of his whereabouts.   Finally, when things were put in place, a few people who spoke English, told us that someone had indeed  touched base with the dog's owner who was at that time harvesting at his farm.  They also, gave us his phone number for future reference .  

By eve, the owners’ children,  (his son and his wife) came around to our house to apologize on behalf of their father.  They wanted to know if we wanted something, money?  More importantly, they wanted  to reassure us that their father’s dog had receive several sets of rabies shots and added that he had planned to take his dog to the farm.   whether it be true – it was hard to know.  On their way out of our apartment, they humbly apologized again and said that they would pray for us.   Later, we found out that the dog owner was  a ‘High official’ and that it was best to let things be.  - unbelievable.  

For a week, I was on heavy drugs  to keep the swelling and bleeding down.  Both, Kevin my personal nurse, and the  VSO family in Phnom Penh took every measures to ensure my comfort.   Cuso international in Canada also got on the band wagon and did the same - they followed up during and after my medical care.  I feel truly lucky :)  

Elsewhere in Sen Monorom, the day before this ordeal happened, we went to a wedding (morning procession and evening meal) with our landlord.  Our landlady, Savy, in her wisdom,  ironically felt that it was time for us to learn something about the Khmer culture :)   At dawn, we took part in the morning procession, offering food on gold plated ceremonial bowls,  to the bride and groom' s families. Though everything was already organized for us, for the procession, these prepared ceremonial food bowls were handed to us by beautiful Khmer women dressed in traditional Khmer attire, as we entered the wedding tent.    This theme, offering food to the family, likely came from a time when people contributed and brought their own 'cooked' food to the wedding for the bride and groom's family to eat and enjoy after their 3 day wedding celebration.  

More later ... :)