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This website reflects my own personal views and not that of the U.S. Government nor, more specifically, the Peace Corps.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

It's Been a Long Time

Hi Everyone,

It's been awhile, I know. A lot of things have gone on since we last chatted, so let me catch you up on all of that:

July 4th -


At the end of June, I was asked by the 'choir director' of the K5 anthem sextet if I would like to join in for the 4th of July formal event. I took maybe 4 seconds to decide whether or not I would accept. I remember doing this the previous year and how enjoyable it was to be involved with music again. Last year, I had done the arranging, but this year, Diana (the 'choir director') arranged all of the music and did such a splendid job piecing together not just the Star Spangled Banner but the Khmer National Anthem, You're a Grand Old Flag, and America the Beautiful. The event was held at the Sofitel (one of the most luxurious hotels in Cambodia), and I definitely didn't belong there. We were dressed more akin to servers than to guests at a high-level function. This is exactly why, I believe, it was appropriate that I took home a to-go box of a large wedge of Brie, several pieces of bread, cheesecake, and pecan pie. The poor manager of the event, who looked down on me with pity, (most likely) regretfully agreed to let me take home the leftover food.

New Apartment -

The day before rehearsals began, a couple of friends helped me move into my new apartment in Phnom Penh. Its location is convenient, and it is comfortable; I enjoy coming home to it every day (not that I didn't when I lived in Nimitt, because I definitely enjoyed my home there!). The move surprisingly only took two trips and a lot of sweating (mostly carrying the first trunk [mine] up the stairs [I live on the third floor {or second, if you're living here}]). 

Me riding alongside the tuk tuk

Helpers! Thanks!

After settling in, several types of food making ensued:

Food (Yes. This deserves its own section)
Appangeana Fruit Shakes
Omelets and Hash-browns
Mountains!

Pasta with Salad, Bread, and Wine (and Leah's pose for the cover of Better Homes and Gardens)

Lurgers (Quinoa + Lentil Burgers...Get it, Amie)
I will be posting more pictures, because the culinary experimenting going on in my kitchen needs to be shared.

Starting with PSI -

I've now been working with PSI for three weeks, and I can tell you, now, that I am going to 1) enjoy working there for the next year and 2) be extremely exhausted by the end of it. The past week, I've been out on a "Field/Coaching Visit" where I've been working alongside one of the PSI staff meeting with women in the community to glean how knowledgeable they are about various birth spacing methods and, more importantly, whether they have ever heard of the local volunteer staff that PSI pays a small stipend. The trip has several purposes. We want to gauge the knowledge and understanding of reproductive health among the community members as well as that of the volunteer (Community Mobilizer [or CM]). As well, we want to gauge the level of presenting skills on part of the CM as well as "coach" them on how to perform a health education session about birth spacing (it's called "birth spacing" and not "birth control" in Cambodia due to the heavy use of the word "control" during the Khmer Rouge era. Also, having children is extremely common in Cambodian life, so using the word "control" might give it the stigma that you may never be able to have children again once you begin using it [and that already exists]); the PSI staff member did the heavy majority of these 'coaching sessions'. This week, we are in Kampong Cham, staying in a remote district town. We've met with 12 CMs already and only have 4 more to go before heading back to Phnom Penh on Friday afternoon. It's pretty likely that I'll be 'out in the field'  (or simply, not in Phnom Penh: interpret that as you will) about half of the time. I'll be sure to add pictures and update more often once things really get going, and they seem to be already!
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Phew! That was a lot! I definitely could have made three separate posts with that one, but I just assumed you wanted to brew a couple of cups of coffee while your took your time reading this. Right? Yeah. Yes. Yup. That was definitely the plan all along. Hope everyone is doing well.

Talk to you soon,
Garrett

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