Adventure detoured

Christmas Day 2017

Sometimes, life gets in the way and the sensible thing is to just go with it.  On October 30, I fell ill with a very serious infection.  It soon settled in my right leg and by November 2, I found myself in the hospital in Phnom Penh, being intravenously pumped 24 hours a day with the strongest antibiotics available.  No one knows what caused the infection, but it was truly serious.  Some five days later, I was released but thoroughly weakened, scarcely able to walk.

It turned out that the infection had severely affected my heart, causing  around 5,000 irregular heartbeats per day (out of a normal 100,000).  Not only that, but I was experiencing small episodes of what are called atrial fibrillation (small periods when the heart stops beating correctly) at a rate of about one every 12 minutes.

Small segment of my EKG data showing nearly 2 minutes of atrial fibrillation

This was serious enough for the Peace Corps to order a battery of follow-up tests, first in Cambodia and then later in Washington.  The testing in Cambodia only further supported the findings, which led to me being sent back to the U.S. for more complete tests.  Of course the Peace Corps, being the government agency that it is, took until November 26 (more than three weeks) to make this happen.  By the time we arrived and visited with the cardiologist, these symptoms had all but vanished, only to be chalked up to the infection and subsequent treatments.

Even though I had recovered completely, the Peace Corps, Maria Elena and I decided that it was prudent for me not to return to service in Cambodia.  So, on December 10, I was medically separated (PC talk for released on medical grounds) and Maria Elena went into Peace Corps interrupted service status,  We are now back home in Spain, currently house sitting (for a nice young man while he is away working on a cruise ship) until April.

Cadiar, Granada SPAIN

Who knows what will come next?  Find out at our new blog

Wedding Reception #1

On that Monday morning, when the all-staff meeting at the school was over, I was approached by a teacher who gave me an invitation to her wedding reception.   November marks the beginning of wedding season in Cambodia because it doesn't rain as much any more.  It's not November yet, but close enough.  Yesterday there were four wedding parties within five kilometers from our home (that we could see.)

But you know how in the US weddings "the list" is a big deal?  In Cambodia, the bigger the party the better, so everyone is invited, whether you know them for 15 seconds or not.  The party tents, tables and chairs are set up the day before.  But before any of it goes up, giant speakers go up.  Up in the air 40 feet or more.  They start playing music to remind you that the party is here. VERY LOUDLY.  Starting at 4:30 a.m.  Not kidding you.  Yesterday morning we heard three different converging clickety-clackety sounds pouring into our dreamy states.  There is no way anyone would forget to go to the party!

I borrowed a dress to go to the wedding and we were taken in a car.  Our friend said that he would want to give us a ride and drop us off at the door so that we wouldn't get sweaty riding bikes in our nice clothes.  He also gave us a ride back.  I think everyone in our village was at one wedding or another.

Party favors: gum and
a nifty key chain pen.

The invitation.

The bride and groom were at the entrance of this party.  They greeted us with a party favor: a compact pen/key chain that looks like a little submarine.  The party was a reception of food, drink and music.  They had at least 150 round tables of 8 - 10 seats each.  There was a stage with three young ladies providing live music entertainment.  As the tables were filled, the platters of food started to arrive together with the ice and as many cans of drink as we wanted.  There was no need to get up off the table because the staff was scurrying around bringing it all to us.  The music played and when the meal was over, staff brought grapes for dessert together with envelopes for guests to make a gift to the wedding couple.  On the way out, we took our gift and put it through a heart shaped slot in exchange for another party favor: a stick of gum.

This was our first wedding invitation and as I understand it, there will be many more.  I can't judge them all by this single experience, but I'll use it as my baseline.  More to come as I get more information!

Afternoon Snack

About 1/2 mile from our home there is a bridge. This is where the guys gather in the afternoons to throw in their fishing nets and catch small fish for an afternoon snack. They make a small fire, take a small stick and split it in the middle. Then they jam the small fish that just came off the net into the stick and cook over the open fire. A few minutes later voila! An afternoon snack, which is a bonus for an afternoon of fun. There were at least 5 nets being thrown in yesterday.

It's either time or it's not

A couple of weeks ago I called my principal and a couple of the teachers that I will be working with.  I wanted to introduce myself before the beginning of the school year and make myself available for any meetings or events that might be happening in the interim.  Everyone seemed happy to meet me and looked excited to be having an experienced teacher help them improve their English and their teaching techniques.  I asked them all to please let me know when to report for work.  I even asked if there would be any meetings that happen before the official first day of school.  I was told that I should report on November 1st.  That would be the official first day.

Last Sunday night, however, I got a call from the principal to let me know that there would be a meeting on Monday morning at 7 a.m.   Two hours later, I was woken up by one of my counterpart teachers to let me know that he would be a the school the next morning and asking if I'd like to meet him there.  I informed him of the meeting that the principal had invited me to and he said he didn't know about it.  I told him it would be at 7 a.m. and we agreed to see each other there.  On Monday morning, I got another call from another one of my counterpart teachers, letting me know that there would be a meeting that same morning.  I told him I was informed (in fact, I was dressed and ready to go) and that I would see him there at 7 like the principal had said.

Of course, I showed up at 6:50 because that's who I am.  I wouldn't want to be late on my first day and I needed to find a good place to park my bike and to find my way around the school, to find the meeting, etc.  When I arrived, the principal was there and I was the only other person.  He was opening up the classrooms and asked me to wait for him at the office.  I waited for 30 minutes and no other teachers were arriving.  The walls of the office are covered in photos of school officials and students getting recognition, certificates and awards. There are pictures of when Michelle Obama and the first lady of Cambodia visited the school.  There are pictures of students in scout uniforms and many pictures of people giving speeches.

After 7:30, I was glad to see one of my counterparts who came into the office and started talking with me.  I asked him about the meeting, and he said the meeting was this morning but he wasn't sure about the time.  He said it should start soon.  Around 7:45 we went to the room that had been set up for the meeting.  It was a large classroom which had been set up auditorium style, with rows of folding aluminum chairs.  There were enough chairs for the entire faculty of almost 100 teachers.  At the front of the room there was a long table covered in a pink plastic table cloth and a centerpiece basket of plastic flowers in the middle.  The principal was seated in the middle and the two assistant principals were seated to each side of him.

Mr. Sin in the middle and the two Asst. Principals one on each side.

I took my shoes off at the door, like everybody else and took a seat with the other English teachers.  While we were waiting for the meeting to start, the principal said that I should sit at the front of the room.  So we all moved to the front left of the room.  Other teachers were slowly arriving.  Everyone seemed to have patience while waiting for the meeting to start.  Some teachers brought their own children with them.  Everyone was dressed professionally.

Mr. Sin (the principal) announced that we would wait 7-8 more minutes before starting the meeting to allow other teachers to arrive.  There seems to be a lot of patience for time here.  It was almost 8 a.m. and only half of the seats were occupied by teachers.

The meeting started with a low key speech from Mr. Sin.  With my very limited Khmer I understood that he was welcoming teachers to the new school year.  After 25 minutes of talking, one of the assistant principals talked for another 20 minutes. I think he was reviewing the performance scores of students from the standardized tests.

Mr. Sin made a point to welcome me, as a volunteer, coming to help with English instruction.  He asked me to introduce myself to the group.  Fortunately, this was not a surprise and I came prepared with my introductory speech.  I stood up and with my notes, I was able to say something meaningful in Khmer to the group.  I got an applause.  The English teachers told me that what I said was understood (yay!).  After my speech, Mr. Sin complimented me and said something about the fact that I was dressed professionally.  Yes, I was wearing a sanpot skirt and a button down shirt with a collar, which is what female teachers are expected to wear.

Next, it was the turn of the second assistant principal to speak.  His job was to deploy the teacher leaders with class schedules and list of students so that they could inform students.  Teachers picked up their class assignments and the list of students they are in charge of and proceeded to read the list on a microphone.  Students, in uniform, had gathered at the school on this day to listen for their names to be called and find out what class they are in.  Given that I only found out about the meeting the night before, I wondered how these students knew to show up on this day!

As it turns out, in the spring, before the school year came to an end, Mr. Sin told students to show up on the 5th, 15th and 25th of the month of October.  Students who want to find out information will show up and wait until their name is called.  My counterpart teacher, Mr. Yong, called the list of 31 students he was given.  After calling the students, he told them to meet at a certain spot on the school grounds where they will get more information.  Once gathered in front of that spot, students who were present were asked to inform those who were not there.  Out of the 31 students in Mr. Yong's class, there were 18 present.  The rest of them would need to be informed by their peers.  This was repeated 38 times for the 38 class sections in the school.

Students in class 9C waiting for information.

Mr. Yong, informing students of their
schedule and responsibilities.

The information presented was that they need to come to school every morning from now until November 1st to help get the environment ready for the school year.  Students will be sweeping, weeding, cleaning up, and getting the classrooms and grounds ready.  Attendance will be taken and students who don't show up to help will be punished.  This is an expectation, even though the official school year starts on November 1st.

By the way, November 1st is a welcoming day.  November 2 - 4 are holidays (Water Festival), so don't expect school to start until the following week (Nov. 6).   The school year is starting to unfold and one of the reasons I am here is getting closer.  In the meantime, I will experience a definition of time and an interpretation of commitment which is different than the one I arrived with.

Rain was in the Forecast

It pours buckets, rods, curtains, dogs and cats....When it rains, it means it!  Scattered drops that slap onto the tin roofs become a deafening torrential downpour which lasts for 10 to 12 hours sometimes.  And then the river rises beyond its banks and the streets flood.  And the streets drain onto people's homes.  After three days of exuberant rain, a river flowed under and into the houses in our village.  It didn't seem to phase the people, though.  I didn't see any rain jackets, umbrellas or wellies.  I saw children taking off their clothes and playing in the abundant waters.



I saw adults kick off their flip flops and take out their nets so they can catch tiny silvery fish.

I'm not sure what they make with these tiny fish.
I think they make Prahok.

Boys pulled their wooden boats by a string up against the flow.  Girls rode their bikes in the waist deep water.  Children used tin wash tubs as boats to float in.

And then there were the Peace Corps volunteers who have never seen so much rain.  I've seen hard rain, don't get me wrong.  I've seen rain that obstructs you visibility two feet in front of your eyes; but not rain that intense that lasts for such a long time.

These basins are all-purpose:
for washing dishes, laundry,
and making smiles.

When I say that people don't seem to be phased by it, I don't mean that they are not affected by it.  On the contrary, some vendors at the market weren't able to set up in their normal place because it was under water.

Our friends, at their flooded restaurant.

These are food stands (restaurants) on the flooded street.

Some restaurants weren't able to open because their entire space was under water.  Other restaurants opened, as long as the customers didn't mind having their feet under water.  We saw a tuk tuk drive into a deep ditch because the driver couldn't see where the street was and where the ditch was.  The tourists riding in the tuk tuk had to be carried to the dry side of the street so the driver could pull the vehicle out of the water.  The school grounds and the soccer field were under water.


Gary fell onto a muddy street when the front tire of his bicycle fell into a hole that he couldn't see because it was full of water.

And life went on.  Drivers kept driving and vendors kept selling.  People who depend on the market to purchase the ingredients for the meal of the day walked to the market -- even if the water was up to their knees.   Nobody seemed to be shocked by it.

Gary went about his shopping at the market with a bloody knee. Everyone kept pointing at it.  He just smiled and said "chee kong duel" (I fell off my bike).  Lots of laughter ensued and the phrase echoed throughout the market.

These pictures to the left and to the right are of our back yard.  It normally is dry dirt where chickens and people walk.  It is where we do our laundry and wash our dishes.  It's all now under water.

The good news is that the flooding lasted only three days.  The rains stopped and the river calmed down and the streets all emptied onto people's yards.  The yards all drained onto other lower channels and now the streets and properties are starting to dry out revealing plenty of road damage and erosion.

This is the main street in our village.  To the right you see the little bit of the market that was still able to set up.  Normally this street has so many vendors to the left and to the right that vehicles can only travel single file.

This is the view of the same main street but away from the market.  The river bank is at the tree line where the blue sign is.  The road is to the left and the river to the right.

Puddle Protocol

Puddle Protocol

When it rains here, the street in front of our house floods.  A giant puddle can appear which has to be navigated by those that use the road, which is the main route down to the Tonle Sap - a giant lake in the middle of Cambodia (not our front yard, but it almost seems that way).  It's rained hard every night for the past four nights and last night was the worst.  It truly rained buckets (and more are forecast for today) through the night, only stopping around 3am.  This morning, the puddle stretches completely across the entire road, and is at least 6-8 inches deep in the middle.

Different folks approach the puddle in very different ways.  I like to think of this as the "puddle protocol" and it comes in at least these variations:

The careful ones

These are the folks that slow down and try to not get very wet.  Of course, their success relies a lot on the other users (some of whom splash a lot!)

 

  

 

 

The splashers

Then there are the splashers - those that don't really care if they make a splash or get very wet.  Some of them even pick up their feet even while they are splashing through the water.

Devil-may-care!

A higher level of splasher is one who doesn't seem to care at all.  Many of these will even speed up as they enter the puddle.

Cargo & all!

Of course, the road is host to more than just people on motos.  Many users are also carrying cargo, sometimes a lot of it, and they have to get through no matter the water.

Autos & Tuk-Tuks

Finally, there are the big guys - the automobiles, trucks and tuk-tuks.  Most of them are also splashers so it's the devil's gamble when you are on bicycle or afoot how much wetter they will get you!

The cars and tuk-tuks don't seem to care much who they splash - many don't even slow down for the puddles.  In some cases. this has other repercussions, e.g. our neighbor's front yard is flooded from the splash overflow (and that in turn is draining through our back yard and flooding it, ...) 

A morning's entertainment!

... or not :-(