Saturday, July 24, 2010
Kampong Cham
It’s Saturday, which means that I’ve been a Peace Corps Trainee for approximately 6 days, now. It definitely doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. Truthfully, it’s been about 5 ½ because of the time difference, but that’s what you get for traveling into the futuurrreee. Anyhow, I’m chillin’ out in my hotel with my roommate, who hunts tigers. We just decided to call it quits for the night on studying vocabulary, so I thought I might share some phrases/terms with you:
Joom reap sooa – Hello (formally)
Niak soksaa-by dtae? – How are you?
Kñom soksaa-by, awkun. – I am good, thank you.
Jo niak vwin? – And you?
S’raa – Alcohol
Pbuk – Drink
Deuck sot – Bottled Water
Deuck g’aa – Ice
Ordering Food
Kñom dtrou kaa niyam sai’(k) moan ch’muy bai chaa hi-nang pbuk dteuk sot
- I would like to eat chicken with fried rice and drink bottled water
La’a-na, awkun chrei
- It was very good, thank you very much.
Anyhow, this has been my life for the past few days in Cambodia. We’ve been up to our ankles in cross-cultural, language, and technical overviews and trying new foods (I want to say that I’ve had at least 3 new fruits and tried 2 new proteins. Don’t read this part, Kenny. Sorry in advance. I’ve eaten tarantula and crickets. They’re surprisingly very very good. La’a na. I believe we find out our host family village placements for PST (Pre-Service Training) on Monday. We’re getting split up into three districts within the province of Kampong Cham. So, we’ll be cut exactly into thirds; 18 people each. And to further cut the groups up, we’ll be with even smaller groups of 6 with an LCF (Language and Cross-Cultural Facilitor, who are local Khmer people, some of whom are teachers, and all of whom are really cool people). I’m looking forward to seeing who I get placed with within the district more so than the district I am getting placed in itself. I’ve gotten to know all 53 other trainees names and have had a substantial conversation with a majority of them. The age demographic ranges from 21 – 50. Everyone has different backgrounds, a decent amount who have taught English in Thailand, China, Japan, etc.
Things I learned today –
- how to take a shit on a squat pot
- how to pee at night when you can’t get to the bathroom
- how to tie a mosquito net
- how to wash my clothes
- how to shower
- how to behave respectfully at dinner
- how to eat dinner
- how to ride and maintain a bike
- how to mistake 10,000 CR for 20,000 CR and feel really dumb after contesting that I was still owed change. 10,000 CR is about $2.50, which goes a long way here
o Breakfast today – 2500 CR or $0.62
o Dinner tonight – 3300 CR or $0.75
Needless to say, the USD goes a long way here. I have a lot of basic life skills that have been blessed by running water and electricity to readjust to. I won’t be fully immersed in it until Tuesday when we all move in with our host families. It’s pretty exciting I have to say. We’ve all been living very comfortably in hotel rooms (not the hotels you would expect in the States) for the past 3 nights here.
Tomorrow’s Plans
- Choose a bike and ride it around
- Unpack all of my luggage to repack for the next 9 weeks
- Hang out
o Sundays are our off days, which will most likely be spent with our host families and doing laundry
There aren’t any written plans/assignment/specific duties for the Health Volunteers to perform, rather basic bigger picture ideas such as capacity building and mother and infant care at this point. All 18 of us really are the beginning of this progam. I feel like we have to set the bar high for the K5 Health Volunteers in 2011.
The infant mortality rate is about 10% (I think), and the maternal mortality rate is definitely between 4-5%. That’s ridiculously high. Basically, because “health clinicians” are only paid about $40/month, they don’t have the incentive to keep 24 hour health centers, so new mothers don’t have the needed pre and post natal observation periods. It’s on the right track, and hopefully in the next 10-15 years, it will be closer to what it needs to/should be. Basically, if NGO funding ceased, many health centers would simply become walls that encased what once used to exist. The Khmer Rouge was pretty harsh to this country, so I’m very excited to get this project underway. The language is coming along and so are the friendships; I was walking with another Trainee and we discussed how natural life seems in this country. It’s simple and beautiful. Mind you, this was conversed over a 20-25min walk along the Mekong River in what Arizona would consider a torrential downpour and what this country would consider a light rain. I wish you could all experience what it is like to live here, to be surrounded by nature and people, unobstructed by technology and a fast-paced society.
Talk to you later,
Garrett
Joom reap sooa – Hello (formally)
Niak soksaa-by dtae? – How are you?
Kñom soksaa-by, awkun. – I am good, thank you.
Jo niak vwin? – And you?
S’raa – Alcohol
Pbuk – Drink
Deuck sot – Bottled Water
Deuck g’aa – Ice
Ordering Food
Kñom dtrou kaa niyam sai’(k) moan ch’muy bai chaa hi-nang pbuk dteuk sot
- I would like to eat chicken with fried rice and drink bottled water
La’a-na, awkun chrei
- It was very good, thank you very much.
Anyhow, this has been my life for the past few days in Cambodia. We’ve been up to our ankles in cross-cultural, language, and technical overviews and trying new foods (I want to say that I’ve had at least 3 new fruits and tried 2 new proteins. Don’t read this part, Kenny. Sorry in advance. I’ve eaten tarantula and crickets. They’re surprisingly very very good. La’a na. I believe we find out our host family village placements for PST (Pre-Service Training) on Monday. We’re getting split up into three districts within the province of Kampong Cham. So, we’ll be cut exactly into thirds; 18 people each. And to further cut the groups up, we’ll be with even smaller groups of 6 with an LCF (Language and Cross-Cultural Facilitor, who are local Khmer people, some of whom are teachers, and all of whom are really cool people). I’m looking forward to seeing who I get placed with within the district more so than the district I am getting placed in itself. I’ve gotten to know all 53 other trainees names and have had a substantial conversation with a majority of them. The age demographic ranges from 21 – 50. Everyone has different backgrounds, a decent amount who have taught English in Thailand, China, Japan, etc.
Things I learned today –
- how to take a shit on a squat pot
- how to pee at night when you can’t get to the bathroom
- how to tie a mosquito net
- how to wash my clothes
- how to shower
- how to behave respectfully at dinner
- how to eat dinner
- how to ride and maintain a bike
- how to mistake 10,000 CR for 20,000 CR and feel really dumb after contesting that I was still owed change. 10,000 CR is about $2.50, which goes a long way here
o Breakfast today – 2500 CR or $0.62
o Dinner tonight – 3300 CR or $0.75
Needless to say, the USD goes a long way here. I have a lot of basic life skills that have been blessed by running water and electricity to readjust to. I won’t be fully immersed in it until Tuesday when we all move in with our host families. It’s pretty exciting I have to say. We’ve all been living very comfortably in hotel rooms (not the hotels you would expect in the States) for the past 3 nights here.
Tomorrow’s Plans
- Choose a bike and ride it around
- Unpack all of my luggage to repack for the next 9 weeks
- Hang out
o Sundays are our off days, which will most likely be spent with our host families and doing laundry
There aren’t any written plans/assignment/specific duties for the Health Volunteers to perform, rather basic bigger picture ideas such as capacity building and mother and infant care at this point. All 18 of us really are the beginning of this progam. I feel like we have to set the bar high for the K5 Health Volunteers in 2011.
The infant mortality rate is about 10% (I think), and the maternal mortality rate is definitely between 4-5%. That’s ridiculously high. Basically, because “health clinicians” are only paid about $40/month, they don’t have the incentive to keep 24 hour health centers, so new mothers don’t have the needed pre and post natal observation periods. It’s on the right track, and hopefully in the next 10-15 years, it will be closer to what it needs to/should be. Basically, if NGO funding ceased, many health centers would simply become walls that encased what once used to exist. The Khmer Rouge was pretty harsh to this country, so I’m very excited to get this project underway. The language is coming along and so are the friendships; I was walking with another Trainee and we discussed how natural life seems in this country. It’s simple and beautiful. Mind you, this was conversed over a 20-25min walk along the Mekong River in what Arizona would consider a torrential downpour and what this country would consider a light rain. I wish you could all experience what it is like to live here, to be surrounded by nature and people, unobstructed by technology and a fast-paced society.
Talk to you later,
Garrett
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
As I take a quick break from my conversation with Sam, I turn to the right and hold avast and see a land engulfed in greens, blues, and deep tans. The land is covered in lucious grasses, paddies, and large bodies of water. The plane landed, and as I stepped off to grab my luggage (which the airport attend in Hong Kong so nicely told me that it may or may not have been put on the plane). All of us were greeted with open arms and wide smiles, excited to see the 4th group ever to arrive in Cambodia for the Peace Corps. So, they're taking my luggage, and I won't see it again until Sunday, so of course I want to find my Chaco's. I find them, I put them in the bag, the bag rips open as I zip it shut (thank Buddha [I'll have to do that a lot while I'm here :)] for duct tape. We get on two busses and ride to the Peace Corps headquarters. We're greeted again by many PCVs (Peace Corps Volunteers) and the many staff at hq, including Jon Darrah, the Country Director. We were served rice, vegetables, dragon fruit, apple-pears, curry soup with chicken feet and congeled blood, all of which was very delicious. They actually had spaghetti and meat sauce on the table. Maybe this was for transitioning into the food culture should there be someone who wasn't ready for it? Needless to say, I didn't go for the spaghetti.
I had an opportunity to talk to the health extension training coordinator, who was Cambodian, and told him that we would be very good friends. I learned that I will be frequently riding my bike 10-15km to nearby villiages...whoo! I am going to be so in shape; I can't be sad about that.
So, after chatting and eating, we were brought into a room for a brief introduction to Peace Corps Cambodia and all of its staff and helping K2 and K3 PCVs. So, now I know I will be getting 4 shots:
- Meningitis
- Hep A
- Japanese Encephalitis
- Pre-Exposure Rabies
- Typhoid
I know, that's 5. I honestly don't remember which I haven't started yet...
So, we get into groups. I'm with one of the K3 PCVs. She was extremely helpful in answering many question.
We explored the markets of Phnom Penh, where we drank coconut juice straight from the coconut. I also bought a new "North Face" bag for $8 to hold my stuff which my ripped bag currently cannot anymore. We went to a watt (which is a Buddhist temple), saw a lot of monkeys and weaved our way through traffic. To give you an idea; there are absolutely no pedestrian rights, and it's actually safer to slowly walk through traffic than to dart across. We end up at the FCC (Foreign Correspondents' Club) . I had about 5 beers and shared calamari for $3. How awesome is that? After that we went to dinner and had traditional Khmer food:
- curried soup
- ginger beef
- small SPICY peppers
- white melon soda (which tastes like caramel)
- other stuff
Okay my time is running up, breakfast is being served, and my computer is running out of juice.
Last statement:
- I woke up and opened the curtains, and I'm definitely still in Cambodia.
(unfortunately this internet conneciton is too slow, so I'll post the next time when I can.)
Talk to you later,
Garrett
I had an opportunity to talk to the health extension training coordinator, who was Cambodian, and told him that we would be very good friends. I learned that I will be frequently riding my bike 10-15km to nearby villiages...whoo! I am going to be so in shape; I can't be sad about that.
So, after chatting and eating, we were brought into a room for a brief introduction to Peace Corps Cambodia and all of its staff and helping K2 and K3 PCVs. So, now I know I will be getting 4 shots:
- Meningitis
- Hep A
- Japanese Encephalitis
- Pre-Exposure Rabies
- Typhoid
I know, that's 5. I honestly don't remember which I haven't started yet...
So, we get into groups. I'm with one of the K3 PCVs. She was extremely helpful in answering many question.
We explored the markets of Phnom Penh, where we drank coconut juice straight from the coconut. I also bought a new "North Face" bag for $8 to hold my stuff which my ripped bag currently cannot anymore. We went to a watt (which is a Buddhist temple), saw a lot of monkeys and weaved our way through traffic. To give you an idea; there are absolutely no pedestrian rights, and it's actually safer to slowly walk through traffic than to dart across. We end up at the FCC (Foreign Correspondents' Club) . I had about 5 beers and shared calamari for $3. How awesome is that? After that we went to dinner and had traditional Khmer food:
- curried soup
- ginger beef
- small SPICY peppers
- white melon soda (which tastes like caramel)
- other stuff
Okay my time is running up, breakfast is being served, and my computer is running out of juice.
Last statement:
- I woke up and opened the curtains, and I'm definitely still in Cambodia.
(unfortunately this internet conneciton is too slow, so I'll post the next time when I can.)
Talk to you later,
Garrett
Monday, July 19, 2010
Staging
Okay,
For those of you who are either reading up on Garrett or just the experiences of a Peace Corps Trainee:
Arrived in the San Francisco airport at luggage terminal 10.
- I texted a fellow Invitee where she was at
- She wasn't where I thought she would be
- Turns out she was with the 4 others waiting for me at luggage terminal 3...on the OTHER side of the airport.
- So, I lug around 4 pieces of luggage allllll the way to the otherside and off we go to the Hotel Kabuki
12:00 - open registration
- filled out paperwork
- mingled with now fellow Trainees
2:00 - 7:00p - "Ice-Breakers"
- anxieties and aspirations
- skits based on Peace Corps Expections
- break
- more "ice-breakers"
- logistics on travel to Hong Kong/Phnom Penh
- group leader meeting (I'm one of 6 that just keep tabs 'til Phnom Penh...then my duties are relinquished
7:00p - dinner
- barbeque meat sandwich
- clam chowder
- Kenyan beer
8:30p - walgreens
aaaand that's about it so there's my trip so far.
Itinerary:
SFO - XHK: 1:20p (Tuesday) - 6:10p (Wednesday)
XHK - PNH: 8:55a (Thursday) - 10:30a (Thursday)
yup...
that's about it. hopefully I'll be able to post once when I'm in Phnom Penh. I use the language once for a reason. Apparently the internet isn't so...available in Kampng Cham, where my training hub is. So, I might be able to update once every two weeks or I might not get to post at all. So, maybe by the time I post again (at a more frequent rate), I'll be immersed in the language and doing okay at it.
Peace Corps Cambodia sector guestimates:
33% - Health
77% - Youth Development/English Teaching Teacher Training...combinations.
I'm probably way off, but that's the way it seemed when we were introducing ourselves.
Attrition:
We began with 57
We now have 54
- 1 wanted to continue, but due to a broken limb is (hopefully) being relocated to a new PC assignment in the next month or so (I'll miss you, Tammy. You were pretty cool for the short time I got to know you)
Talk to you later
- Garrett
For those of you who are either reading up on Garrett or just the experiences of a Peace Corps Trainee:
Arrived in the San Francisco airport at luggage terminal 10.
- I texted a fellow Invitee where she was at
- She wasn't where I thought she would be
- Turns out she was with the 4 others waiting for me at luggage terminal 3...on the OTHER side of the airport.
- So, I lug around 4 pieces of luggage allllll the way to the otherside and off we go to the Hotel Kabuki
12:00 - open registration
- filled out paperwork
- mingled with now fellow Trainees
2:00 - 7:00p - "Ice-Breakers"
- anxieties and aspirations
- skits based on Peace Corps Expections
- break
- more "ice-breakers"
- logistics on travel to Hong Kong/Phnom Penh
- group leader meeting (I'm one of 6 that just keep tabs 'til Phnom Penh...then my duties are relinquished
7:00p - dinner
- barbeque meat sandwich
- clam chowder
- Kenyan beer
8:30p - walgreens
aaaand that's about it so there's my trip so far.
Itinerary:
SFO - XHK: 1:20p (Tuesday) - 6:10p (Wednesday)
XHK - PNH: 8:55a (Thursday) - 10:30a (Thursday)
yup...
that's about it. hopefully I'll be able to post once when I'm in Phnom Penh. I use the language once for a reason. Apparently the internet isn't so...available in Kampng Cham, where my training hub is. So, I might be able to update once every two weeks or I might not get to post at all. So, maybe by the time I post again (at a more frequent rate), I'll be immersed in the language and doing okay at it.
Peace Corps Cambodia sector guestimates:
33% - Health
77% - Youth Development/English Teaching Teacher Training...combinations.
I'm probably way off, but that's the way it seemed when we were introducing ourselves.
Attrition:
We began with 57
We now have 54
- 1 wanted to continue, but due to a broken limb is (hopefully) being relocated to a new PC assignment in the next month or so (I'll miss you, Tammy. You were pretty cool for the short time I got to know you)
Talk to you later
- Garrett
Friday, July 16, 2010
Packing
So, in the traditional fashion of PeaceCorpsJournals.com:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
It only took an accumulation of 6 weeks (when I was notified of where I was going) to gather all the materials needed for my travels and organized in an efficient manner, for that matter.
After a couple send-off parties and one more to go, I feel fully supported by all of my friends and family, and I am ready to head out on this adventure. Let's just hope there aren't any bumps in the road. i.e. my bags weigh more than 80lbs together (let's cross our fingers).
I have two full days left until I embark to Cambodia (Kampuchea) on my Khmer jouney. The thing I look forward to the most: meeting everyone else.
Final Packing List:
Bottoms
- pairs of lightweight pants [scrubs] (4)
- dress pants (3)
- bathing suit (1)
- shorts (3)
- athletic shorts (2)
- warm-up pants (1) ...haha "warm-up" pants... ugh
- jeans (1)
- pairs of socks (15)
- pairs of underwear (15)
Tops
- neck tie (1)
- baseball caps (2)
- t-shirts (9)
- polos (4)
- dress shirts (5)
- sweatshirt (1)
- raincoat (1)
Shoes
- sneakers (1)
- dress shoes (1)
- slip-ons [top-siders/flip-flops] (2)
- sport sandals [Chacos]
Electronics
BEFORE:
AFTER:
It only took an accumulation of 6 weeks (when I was notified of where I was going) to gather all the materials needed for my travels and organized in an efficient manner, for that matter.
After a couple send-off parties and one more to go, I feel fully supported by all of my friends and family, and I am ready to head out on this adventure. Let's just hope there aren't any bumps in the road. i.e. my bags weigh more than 80lbs together (let's cross our fingers).
I have two full days left until I embark to Cambodia (Kampuchea) on my Khmer jouney. The thing I look forward to the most: meeting everyone else.
Final Packing List:
Bottoms
- pairs of lightweight pants [scrubs] (4)
- dress pants (3)
- bathing suit (1)
- shorts (3)
- athletic shorts (2)
- warm-up pants (1) ...haha "warm-up" pants... ugh
- jeans (1)
- pairs of socks (15)
- pairs of underwear (15)
Tops
- neck tie (1)
- baseball caps (2)
- t-shirts (9)
- polos (4)
- dress shirts (5)
- sweatshirt (1)
- raincoat (1)
Shoes
- sneakers (1)
- dress shoes (1)
- slip-ons [top-siders/flip-flops] (2)
- sport sandals [Chacos]
Electronics
- laptop and charger (1)
- portable speakers (1)
- iPod (2?)
- iPod armband (1)
- pairs of headphones (2)
- shortwave radio (1)
- rechargable battery charger (1)
- booklight (1)
- light meter (1)
- Speedlight SB800 Flash [I didn't consider the 1070...that model was too controversial] (1)
- Male to Male PC connector for Flash (1)
- Voltage Converters (5)
- headlamp (1)
- waterproof watch (1)
- batteries (a lot)
- cameras (3)
- Mamiya C330 Medium Format Camera (1)
- Nikon D80 Digital Camera (1)
- Nikon Coolpix L22 (1)
- memory cards (2)
Miscellaneous
- towels (2)
- pillowcase (1)
- sheets (2)
- books (4) [Gai-Jin/Anna Karenina/The Three Musketeers/Anthony Bourdain: Medium Raw]
- English-Khmer/Khmer-English Concise Dictionary (1)
- toiletries
- toothbrush (1)
- toothpaste (3)
- Q-tips (2)
- shampoo/conditioner (2)
- unscented deodorant (2)
- razorblades (16)
- sun screen (2)
- Benedryl
- Gold Bond (1)
- nail clipper (1)
- contact solution (2)
- contacts (186: 180 singles + 6 monthlys)
- pair of prescription glasses (2)
- pair of sunglasses (1)
-pair of clip-on sunglasses for prescription glasses (1)
- leatherman (1)
- 120 film (12)
- metal waterbottle (1)
- Ziploc bags (a lot)
- pair of scissors (1)
- photo book of family and friends w/ US/Japan/Iraq addresses (1)
- credit card (1)
- chessboard (1)
- stationary (1)
- pens (4)
Luggage
-rolling duffle (1)
- medium-sized suitcase (1)
- Timbuk2 waterproof messanger bag (1)
- backpack (1)
Gifts for Host Family
- postcards (6)
- candy (2)
- Arizona-type figurines (2)
- stuffed-animal monkey (1)
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Independence Day
"Good morning. In less than one hour, planes from
here all around the world will launch the
largest aerial battle in the history of mankind...
Mankind; the word has new meaning for all of us now.
We are reminded not of our petty differences but of our common interests
Perhaps it's fate that today, July the Fourth, we will once again
fight for our freedom. Not from tyranny, persecution, or oppression,
but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist. From this
day on, the fourth day of July will no longer be remembered as an
American holiday but as the day that all of mankind declared that
we will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight.
We will live on. We will survive."
-Devlin, Dean and Emmerich, Roland. Indepedence Day (1996).
Happy 4th of July!
This day, sadly, will be my last 4th of July spent in the United States of America. Fortunately, I'm spending it with friends and family.
Enjoy the beer and barbeque.
Talk to you later
Garrett
here all around the world will launch the
largest aerial battle in the history of mankind...
Mankind; the word has new meaning for all of us now.
We are reminded not of our petty differences but of our common interests
Perhaps it's fate that today, July the Fourth, we will once again
fight for our freedom. Not from tyranny, persecution, or oppression,
but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist. From this
day on, the fourth day of July will no longer be remembered as an
American holiday but as the day that all of mankind declared that
we will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight.
We will live on. We will survive."
-Devlin, Dean and Emmerich, Roland. Indepedence Day (1996).
Happy 4th of July!
This day, sadly, will be my last 4th of July spent in the United States of America. Fortunately, I'm spending it with friends and family.
Enjoy the beer and barbeque.
Talk to you later
Garrett
Friday, July 2, 2010
17 Days and Counting
So here I am, sitting on my couch, looking at these funny symbols that constitute an entire communicative system for the country, or kingdom rather, that I will be living in for the next 27 months.
So, this is what has engulfed my life for the past three weeks, not including work...
Sua s'dy! Niak soksaa-buy dtay? - "Hello! How are you doing?"
To give you a better idea of where I'm going:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGiyUWQQ_kA
Yup, about 44 in. of rain more per year than in Arizona.
Maybe I'll see some of these:
and maybe I'll see some of this:
Time will tell, and I'll be sure to update you with as much as I can as often as I can.
Here's a list of vaccinations required before/given:
before:
-MMR
-Hep B
-Tetanus
-Diptheria
-Polio
-H1N1
given:
-Hep A
-Japanese Encephalitis
-Rabies (if needed)
-Malaria medication (may cause hallucination)
Talk to you soon...
Garrett
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