Eating our way in the UK

Cranberry rouge à lèvre, dark shades to mask fatigued eyes from travelling near 20 hours from Cambodia; now descending the UK soil to meet  relatives after a long spell ...  

May was a month of a whirlwind adventure before we left Cambodia.  May was also a month of relaxation, visiting fun places with family, eating our way throughout the well manicured UK that certainly left us wanting to spend more  time there.

First rewinding the clock to our busy week in Cambodia … Before we left for our break, for our break away from Cambodia, we went through a bit of a whirlwind adventure; from packing, to sorting things out for work, from getting rid of stuff at home that I will never use, to giving them away to neighbours, colleagues, and friends ... Added to our whirlwind of endless things to do , we had misplaced the motorbike key – what to do? 

Our landlady/ landlord, Savy and Sukhon came to the rescue and drove us to and from work, to the market and to other  various places for last minute to do list.  Over the week, over the period that we were busy getting ready to leave Cambodia, Savy and Sukhon pampered us to no end with yummy lunches, including snagging fresh avocados from their tall trees, twisting passion fruits from their vines ... What’s more, when the new contract was reviewed, renewed and resigned, by the landlord and yours truly, they agreed to keep the rent to the original  VSO standard rate.  Having had some unsettling dealings with Savy and Sukhon in the past with rent and alike, the Country office was astonished at their unusual ‘accommodating’ attitude toward us.  They wanted to know: What was our secret?  What had we done to keep them so content?  How could we possible have hit the right chord?  See post ‘Going the extra mile … The hearts `the minds of my comrades’ December 25, 2015’.

Oh yes,  the day before we left, we  had also inherited one of our colleague, Rebecca's two large, extremely comfortable chairs that ICC, our neighbouring NGO friend, helped transport to our house by lending us both a driver and a truck to move them.    Sophal, Sophek's husband's rationale, 'You're part of the community and we have to help each other.'   I was pleasantly surprised to say the least and relieved that we were able to arrange this last minute plan before leaving Cambodia for the UK.   See post ‘A morning with Sophek’ April 15, 2015.

Fast forwarding to the present, to the UK – well it goes without saying – it's such a treat to be here, to be here with family.

The first thing that we noticed when we touched the UK soil, the many places that we visited, that garbage was almost non-existent, especially in the countryside.  We also noticed that outdoor furniture such as tables and chairs were left out overnight, which is unheard of in Cambodia – The people there will store them away daily.  

Whilst here, it was indeed a treat to use a washing machine instead of washing clothes by hand.   Except, that some of the laundry disintegrated in the spinning cycle …  lol

During our stay, we took hikes to our favourite places, such as Ashdown forest – Pooh’s forest for a spectacular view over the Sussex countryside.  As some of you may know, Ashdown forest  is  well known as the ‘home of Winnie-the-Pooh’.  After each hike. for more extraordinary luscious scenery, we also treated ourselves to ice cream despite the cool weather.

In London, we went to Rebecca’s (our niece) art show and visited more family.  We also rode on red double-decker buses and swiped a card at the entrance of the bus that Alan gave us, instead of paying the bus conductor who in the past cranked out a transfer from his ticket machine for your next destination, (that is should you needed one,  either to transfer to the tube or to another bus).  Instead, it was all done electronically– I think its called advance technology :) 

Food was heavenly delicious wherever we went!  In the quaint villages we had gorgeous meals at various local pubs and then back at the house to enjoy cake and more goodies.  At various homes that we stayed at, food was just as scrumptious and in some, we had a proper roast with ample wine at that!  What’s more, during warmish sunny days, we had barbecues and stayed outside as long as we could to relish the long days.  Over the month, we must have gained at least 5 to 10 lbs,  all because everything that we ate was deliciously decadent as we ate our way throughout  the various parts of the UK.

So yes, everything that we had hoped for did come about during our visit in the UK.  

More later … :)

Greetings from the UK ...

Beautiful old churches, some more Gothic looking than others, village pubs, shades of lush green fields - from hunter green to emerald, blue bell woods, wild Marguerites, hawthorn bushes and an array of more brilliant 'rainbow' flowers gracefully shape the landscape, all composed with an ensemble of bird songs that surround us.  Accompanying the ensemble is the subtle distinctive song of black birds that Kevin claims to be the England that he knows.   He compares it with the Watt melody that has become so familiar to us in Cambodia, the melody that typifies the familiarity of the country, the place that we have called home, at least for now.   'Tis truly idyllic here in picturesque England ...  Though, we are indeed, slowwwly adjusting to the cool breezy temperatures.... 

A typical morning whilst everyone attends to their usual routines, to their usual this and that, Kevin and I take daily walks, with Bumble, to the ‘Yew Tree’ Pub in Arlington.  On the way, cyclists whizze past weaving in and out of fences whilst we explore and hike through lush green fields,  climb over several locked fences to other fields to pass wild rabbits hopping to their hiding place, to pause and watch sheep grazing, to find that the same group of dark chataigne cows huddle for warmth or are they huddling to prepare for a  meeting to discuss the world news?  Toward the tail end of our trek, we climb yet over another fence to stroll along side the river to reach St Pancreas church and of course  to stop at the pub for a piping hot cup of coffee to warm us up. The owner of the pub, attentive to his customers and, their pet, ensures that a well-washed basin and clean water is at hand for Bumble to use. Though we, humans, approve of the owner’s goodwill, is Bumble however, in sync with our approval?  Or would he rather be lapping from a muddy bowl with insects swimming on top of the water instead?

On our return to the ‘postcard’ cottage a variety of birds: pigeons, wood peckers, rooks, jackdaws, swallows, blue tits, and others fly in and out, in dozens, to feast from the  ‘table’ bird stand, the bird feeders that hang from trees and from wrought ironed stands throughout the day.  There’s even a ‘cheeky’ robin that boldly fly in the kitchen and dares to sample the shrimps thawing on the counter top.   Other robins, on the other hand, regularly fly in pairs, in and out of the kitchen to stake grounds, to ensure that it’s safe to come in, before sampling those ‘delicious’ meal-worms from the bowl.

We've divided our time with Sussex, London and Slough for  birthday celebrations at local pubs, for gorgeous delicious cream teas at the Firle estate,  for numerous delightful visits to gardens either at the Grange or within the vicinity, to join  a ‘bourgeois’ art show, exploring each piece of art with a glass of wine, at the London College, and much more … And, sharing and experiencing,  all of this with some of the most important people we know - our family … So yes, we’re having a brilliant time!

More later …

What's in a Per diem?

Simply, a ‘per diem’ fund, as I understand it, is  to cover the cost for travel, food, and in some cases accommodation.  More to the point, it is to compensate out of pocket expenses that participants have incurred when they have attended a workshop, training, etc.   

Recently, the partners have requested a much higher per diem,  an extra x amount of $ per day,  for  the participants to attend a workshop, which is not consistent with the principles of VSO. They have claimed that 'VSO continue to provide insufficient ‘per deem’  fund  for the participants and, that they are not in line with other NGO’s per diem policy – even with other small NGO organizations. ' This of course has created an unsettling situation for us because, as mentioned in the previous post, we have now put the literacy workshop on hold … 

It is a well-known fact here in Cambodia, that teachers’ earn a meager salary to say the least – that teachers don’t earn enough to make ends meet.  As a result, they will often have a second job to supplement their present income.   Sadly, they will spend little time to none, preparing lessons, marking, etc.    In class, some teachers will request their students to pay them approximately 500 riels per day (12 cents) for teaching them, that in some cases, parents cannot afford the bribery, and as a result, will keep they children at home.  What’s more, some teachers, will write a line or two on the board for students to copy, and will go home for the rest of the morning to attend to their second job. 

Workshop at the Ministry

This leads me to question if some teachers attend workshops, because they are genuinely interested in their professional development or to make money?  It’s hard to say …

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education announced that more $ will be spent on education, raising teachers’ salaries, in providing more resources, cultivating teachers’ professional development and more.  Teachers are still waiting for the change, and students, the innocent by standers, are caught in the middle of this political affair.

So what’s in a per diem you may ask, here in Cambodia?

Follow-up workshop at the village

Everyone across Cambodia knows what a workshop is.  In fact, the word ‘workshop’ has become a ‘household’ word amongst NGO organizations and anyone else who care to give a workshop to train teachers and the community alike in every sector – such as Health, Governance, and Livelihood.  Inevitably, you may think that everyone’s well trained and ready to implement their newly acquired skill?

Per diems can very well  be an incentive indeed for participants to attend a workshop either to seek professional development or to earn a few extra dollars for their families.   

The per diem fund may compensate a second income – so it seems ….  For instance, the partners have recently suggested that VSO pay teachers the rate of $49.00 a day regardless of distance participants’ travel from.  So a teacher who earn between $100.00 - $150.00 (depending on the salary grid they fall under), may receive as much as, for a 3 day workshop - $147.0, as they would do for a month’s salary.  In other words they may receive double their original income.   

Workshop for directors

Perhaps one needs to ask if workshops will continue to be popular  and flourish  as they are today,  if the per deem was no longer available to the people?  If teachers were required to attend workshops regardless of the per deem – that a per diem would no longer be a second income to sustain their family, would teachers be motivated to attend a workshop for their own professional growth?   It is hard to say …  this is definitely a ‘hot’ issue that is often discussed amongst colleagues and NGO organizations …. 

More later …

Extension

Trees in bloom

It's officially spring!  Trees, bushes, flowers are in full bloom permeating a beautiful aroma in the air.  ‘Tis also the beginning of the rainy season and, with the occasional downpour, the rain has washed away the red dust from surrounding forest.  It even feels fresher and cleaner, at least for now. 

April whizzed by... where? I'm not sure.  In early April,  we witnessed the lunar eclipse.  For the Khmer New
Year, we took a short trip to Sihanoukville to enjoy the sea air and other delights.  Because the heavy downpour destroyed the ‘diamond in the rough's roof, because the family is expecting a baby, we decided to support the family and their salon.  

It's been a month when we were invited to 4 weddings but could only go to 2.  We also saw SovannKiri's restaurant (Callum's place) being demolished to replace a new one in a year's time from now. Kevin is currently
tutoring some ‘leftover’ NGO staff – the NGO recently closed down and moved to Battambang. We noticed that the landlord is doing more chores around the house and, even prepares part of a  lunch while Savy's away at work.  Could it be, that unintentionally, Kevin's been a 'minor' player, a minor influence on him since we've been here?  Our little community down below is still well and alive.  We've often wondered, if those voices travelling through the cracks, talk about the government or the prices of Mangoes?

April was a month with some milestones and some setbacks ...

Home to Read in Phnom Penh

After our three glorious days in Sihanoukville,  we connected with the Home to Read Khmer coordinator in Phnom Penh to salvage the rest of the toolkits that got lost in the shuffle, either in the village schools or in other parts of Mondolkiri.    With some perseverance,  we were also able to locate the Belgium NGO, founder of the ‘BETT’ Early Literacy Programme, and, who too, was able to provide us with further resources in a form of a CD (to print), for both teachers and librarians to replenish their libraries. 

Though the Khmer New Year was only a three-day celebration, it appeared that people were away for much longer than anticipated.  Some teachers and school directors had gone to their hometown for extended festivities …  And, planned to return to work either the last week of April or the second week of May?

Students burning rubish

Consequently, in terms of work,  April was a bit of a let down.  In early April, though we had planned  to do some follow-ups to support the teachers, after they had received several weeks of practical training,  after they had a chance to apply these activities with their students in class , both teachers and school directors announced that they were unavailable for that period of time for follow-up visits, due to the Khmer New Year, that was just around the corner, and, most importantly, their students were to spend the first week of  the month cleaning the school.  School closed for two weeks, and officially resumed the third week.  Therefore, we ended up rescheduling our visits to the villages the last week of April. 

Two students

On our arrival, at one of the village schools, the teacher, embarrassed,  showed us ‘two fingers’, meaning that the school had only two students since school reopened.  Rational: The cluster chief explained that students were away from school,  either, because they were in the midst of ‘ploughing’ the fields, to plant cassava with their families-taking full advantage of the afternoon downpours, while others, stayed home to help with their siblings,  house chores, cooking and more ...

As for other schools, In one of the schools, 7 students came to school without the presence of teachers.  Others were closed for the month of April.  Closer to town, schools were opened, well attended and in full swing.  As a result, we were able to give the necessary support and, organize some follow-ups with some good results at that.      What’s more, some of the roads to the villages have improved where it's increasingly becoming easier to ride on muddy roads.

Recess

With any luck, we hope that the month of May will resume to ‘normalcy’ in terms of school attendance for both teachers and students.  May has 8 national holidays; one of them is Royal Ploughing Ceremony ...  And, just in case you didn't know, we have a total of 27 national holidays in the school year. Unbelievable ...

As for starting an Early literacy training for librarians, which was confirmed  a month ago, it was sadly put on hold the last minute, due to low funding?     The partners have now requested a much higher per deem for  the participants , which is not consistent with the principles of VSO – that is to compensate out of pocket expenses.  So … which is it?   Building the capacity of teachers to strengthen education, or paying teachers to attend workshops?    Therefore, we've tentatively rescheduled the training in early August, on our return from a short break, in hopes that they will be a change of heart from the partners, with VSO 'per deem' policy ...

Despite some setbacks with visits to the schools, we were still able to follow-up and work with some teachers.  Despite the inevitable obstacles that we face on a daily basis, I guess I must be doing something right, because both VSO and the Ministry of Education have asked me to extend my contract, which we've accepted! 

What to look forward to at home?  More daylight hours.  A proper roast.  Playing catch-up with family and friends  :) 

More later …

Cambodia today and yesterday

Forty years ago today, the Khmer Rouge forces entered Phnom Penh and emptied the city of its residents in what proved a death march for many.  Today, a peaceful country, they are still some who were there that day still bears its scars.

"Stay Alive My Son" by Pin Yathay the author, wrote his story about  him and his family who were displaced and who became the "New People"  that were forced to live and work as peasants.

Pictures of today yesterday will posted at a later date.

More later ....

'Squid' training in Cambodia

No! It's not part of the SKWID volunteers' training, it's about eating these delicious quintessential squid on the beach .... 

Happy Khmer New Year to all you! The Cambodian New Year or 'Chula Chnam Tmey' in Khmer means ‘Enter the New Year’.  This New Year, is particularly special, because it enters 40 years of liberation for the Kingdom of Cambodia and, ironically, it has also coincided with a 3 day celebration.

The holiday lasts 3 days, and usually falls on April 13 or 14, marking an end to the harvest season before the rainy season begins.  Over these three glorious days of celebration, the most important and significant holiday of the year, families from all over Cambodia, have resided to their home town to take part in the celebration. 

Getting ready for a night out

Like everyone else in the country, we too have joined the crowd, and,  decided to take some R and R time away, to spend our three day holiday on the southwestern coast of Cambodia -in sunny warm Sihanoukville. SK is a beach town that sits in the centre of a small peninsula that juts in the warm waters of the gulf of Thailand. Serendipity beach, where we’re staying, is one of the most popular beaches, busiest, and a party place too. 

At the beach, by day, we watch with delight the daily goings-on, the colourful threatre of humanity unfold.  

Throughout the first part of the morning, a traffic of rickety fishing boats arrive two by two or in three, to shore, from their night's catch to deliver to their family-run restaurants. The same group of fishermen returns to their boats with a packed up breakfast, before settling to a well-deserved nap.

Soon, beach chairs and colourful parasols dot the beach for anyone to claim for the day, to enjoy the various humanitarian scenes, background music, barbecued seafood smells permeating throughout the day ...  It is interesting how by nature, we tend to be creatures of habit. Therefore,  during our time here, we have claimed the very same seats, sat beside the very same people on the beach, the Danish girls on one side of us, and an English couple on the other.  
 

A beautiful Khmer woman

By noon, the beach is packed, I mean jam packed, even the sea is dotted with a mass of bobbing heads and, amusingly enough, they’re synchronized with faded rickety green fishing boats who too are bobbing up and down with the waves.  Other lively activities in the water, tubing, numerous tour boats traveling to and from other islands, sea does who unfortunately are making an unnecessary racket  ... 

 
Added to this enchanting scenery are beautiful Khmer, Vietnamese women-young girls, fully clothed with their colourful hats, who patrol the beach, scanning potential ‘bikini’ or ‘trunk’ customers for a massage, beauty treatments, custom-made bracelets and more.  Others,  balance, either large plates of fruit on their heads or, lug heavy yokes on their shoulder, balancing their goods, like a pendulum -a yoke is a wooden beam with 4 wires that hang down on both ends of the beam, holding two large containers of produce of some sort. The fairly large bowls can carry a BBQ with squids on one side of the four wires and Styrofoam containers, to balance, on the other for instance. 

Squid anyone?

Squids are the quintessential beach snack in Sihanoukville. (I don't think they sell them anywhere else other than in this coastal neighbourhood). The squids are freshly barbecued in front of you and, they come with a delicious chili sauce. Cost -a mere 10,000 riels, translated to $2.50 for 10 big ones. Mmmm, yummy … Our usual routine, order a batch of ten of these delicious squids at lunch, and another batch of these quintessential wonders for snack before our evening meal. What a treat!   Oh yes,  while here, we've tried to introduce 'squid, training in Cambodia’ to our Danish comrades.  However, today, our last day here, Kevin did convince them to taste and eat at least one squid each.  Success!

Threading

Threading seems to be another very popular pastime here in SK, where a group of spectators surrounds you to watch your legs, arms threaded -your hair removed with a piece of thread. These women always seem to have a knack of mastering the art,  of shaving legs, arms and anything else that take your fancy with a ‘magic’ thread.  As I speak, intrigued by these women's ancient art, the two Danish girls who have diligently sat beside us, since we've arrived, have bravely taken upon themselves, to learn the art of threading their legs.  Mind you, even yours truly took a crack at it.  Not an easy task!  

Wishing lanterns

By eve, thatch roofed shack style family-run restaurants, take a life of their own, serving delicious grilled BBQ seafood dinners for a phenomenal low price.  Of course, we each order a range of fresh grilled seafood  fired up on large grills: two squids, two prawns , barracuda or tuna, clams, French fries with a mixed salad.   Indeed , a welcoming break from the regular curries in MDK. 

The evening ends with an explosion of ‘rainbow’ fireworks bursting into tiny bright stars, followed by paper lanterns slowly released in the air,  to give a cheer to the Khmer New Year and, of course to 40 years of freedom.

More later ...

More photos of the football match

The education complex had ongoing football matches between districts and communes in Mondolkiri.  

The Kho Niek and the Kiev Sema girls’ team ended up with a tie.   

The OuReang’s boy’s team won the cup.   

During those two months of great excitement, everyone got in the swing of cheering, betting for their favourite team …