I've Been Holding Out on You

Hi. How's it goin'? I haven't been here in awhile. Yeah, I know, but that's because I've been very busy with Pre-Service Training (PST) for the 5th group of volunteers (K5s) who all swore-in on Monday, October 3rd at the Korean Cultural Center in Phnom Penh. It was satisfying, relieving, and it made me proud to watch 59 trainees swear-in and become Peace Corps Volunteers at the same time that I was able to drop my tentative "title" of Cross Culture and Safety & Security Intern. It's nice to be back at site. Well, it was nice to be back after about 3 1/2 hours of cleaning. What do you think would happen when you leave a place for 3 1/2 months in Cambodia with no one tending to it? Let me tell you:

- caking of dust

- accumulation of spider webs

- holes in the edges of one side of my sheets because of mice

- dirty bathroom

So, what accumulated over 3 1/2 hours, I spent 3 1/2 hours cleaning, and now, it's impeccable. I feel clean, and the next time mice try to get in this room, I won't be as "nice" as I was the last time. And I wasn't very nice last time. Needless to say, my room is cleaner than it was when I had left it. So, I feel at home, relaxed, and most importantly, clean.

Some other things going on:

- The potential of a Domestic Violence (DV) workshop at the beginning of next year.

- Working with a committee to help better the health program here.

Alright, it's time to catch up on some much needed sleep and relaxation.

Talk to you soon,

Garrett

Climbing the Kirivong Mountain

First off, I need to apologize for 1) my lack of photos in this post and 2) my lack of posts in this blog over the past month.

Over the past couple of days, one of the K5s arranged transportation for his district to bring some people down to Kirivong District to climb this mysterious mountain that I'd been hearing about, so I decided to come along. It ended up being a majority of the 62 K5s plus a few K4s (including myself). It was comforting knowing that everyone feels comfortable fitting as many people into the van as we did (P.C., if you're reading this, it was definitely 15 people in a 15 passenger van).

About 1/4 - 1/3 of the group decided to go to the waterfall while the others (including me) went to the base of the mountain to climb it. Now, in Cambodia, when a mountain is called a mountain, it's typically a large hill, so when I say that it took an hour and a half to climb to the top, I mean serious business. This mountain wasn't kidding around. It was a mountain, comparatively. At the top of the mountain was an ancient wat (pagoda) from the 7th Century (older than Angkor Wat). Atop, an old yee-ay (elder grandmother) lay waiting for anyone who would come by to ask them to sit down and talk for a little. After we sat for awhile, we got to the very tip top, climbed up a narrow rock face and just sat down and looked at our view: rice paddies, mountains, an overcast sky and Vietnam in the background. It was absolutely breathtaking...and then it began to rain...really really rain, which was great. Why? I didn't feel so bad, then, about the fact that my shirt was dark grey because of sweat. I could pretend it was just the rainwater. Needless to say, it was a slippery ride down, and I may have slid down a small part of the mountain knocking someone over as if they were a bowling pin. Whoops! Sorry 'bout that, Kentucky. But seriously, if only my aim was that great in actual bowling, and intentionally... Anyhow, after getting down from the mountain, we all went for bubble tea at one of the trainee's house. I did not know this existed in rural Cambodia, but it does, and I'm going back. It was really hard not to get 5 or 6 of them. After the bubble teas, we all went to meet the waterfallers and chilled out there for awhile.

Needless to say, it was very fun trip, and I think it was one of those trips that really helped solidify friendships cross-village, had they not been cemented already. I look forward to the rest of training.

Talk to you soon,

Garrett

Scales

Not the kind you find on fish nor the kind you use to balance weights.

The kind you find in your typical elementary band room. It's so odd. SO odd. Music here is exemplified through speakers or traditional instruments at a wedding. I'm talking about trumpets, tubas, an alto sax, a clarinet, a snare! This is very, very strange to find in Cambodia, and here I was, just workin' away a the Provincial Office of Education (POE) in Takeo Town and: "Doooooo dooooo doooo doooo doooo dooooo dooo doooo.....dooo dooo dooo dooo dooo dooo dooo dooo."To be honest, my biggest question: "Where did you get the instruments from?" Most music stores in Cambodia have classical or acoustic guitars; it's very rare to see anything else. I would have asked to step in, but I'm not so sure I would have wanted to share reeds.

Talk to you soon,

Garrett

Singing at the 4th of July and Why Didn't I Take Advantage of That?!

Yesterday, both the Khmer National Anthem Quintet (yeah, we have group names) and the Star Spangled Banner Quintet got to sing at the U.S. Embassy for the formal 4th of July event (on the 1st). We got there around 1p just to do an initial sound check. It was sounding pretty impressive throughout. After the sound check, as we were walking to the Marine house, the foreign service officer who was running the event said, "Oh. Yeah. You guys will need ties." Huh?! TIES?!! I brought 1 tie (for swearing in), and I didn't even know where to find it. Thankfully, the gentleman from the Embassy who is housing us has plenty of ties. I thought the red tie with my gray shirt, charcoal pants and black shoes looked pretty fly. Anyhow, the Marine house was pretty swank. 52in flat screen and a full-service bar. When we came back around 4 o'clock until 5, then mingled a little before waiting behind the stage to come on to sing. Both groups did a tremendous job. At one point, a Marine came up to me and said, "You guys were just amazing. You really choked me up with that Star Spangled Banner." So, thanks Star Spangled Banner Quintet. You guys rocked it.

As for the missed opportunity. Well, I was hangin' around chatting with various peoples of varying import, I ran into the director of the Marine Band (from Hawaii: there are 14 I found out). We had an intriguing conversation about this and that, and then he ask, "So, how long have you been singing for? I imagine your answer will be, 'my whole life, of course.'" "I've been singing awhile, but my primary instrument is actually the saxophone." "No shit?!" he said, "You've gotta get up there and play. I was really impressed that you recognized the song, 'Chameleon'. I'm sure our guy'll let you jump in on a tune." My response: "GUhhhhH DFUHHHhh DGUHHHH!!! WHAT?!" At that very moment, our group (definitely not their fault) was leaving to go see another group of friends. Did I stay and play with the ridiculously good Marine Band from Hawaii? Unfortunately, the answer is no. I definitely missed out on one of those lifetime opportunities. The term is "chickened out." No pussyfooting around that one! Eh. Life has passed. Maybe, I'll find the band practicing when decide to visit Hawaii. Props to them, though. They were fantastic. Not only did they play "Chameleon", they played an arrangement of "The Thong Song" and some other fine pop tunes.

Talk to you soon,

Garrett

Open Head Wound (Warning: Graphic) or Keeping the Pain Inside

I have a knack for creating intriguing blog titles, don't I? I mean, you're reading this. Unfortunately, this one really is about what it suggests. Don't worry, this isn't about my head.

This morning, I woke up with a new scrape. It was nothing big, but it was something that back in my other life, I would have complained about and thought about all day. I didn't really think much about it and just dealt with it as I have been since acclimating to this new life. I was starting to think that I've been much more resilient to pain (and complaining) as the people of this country very much are. Below are two examples (one male, one female) of why the Cambodian people meeuhn kla'hahn (or: are brave).

This morning: I was at the health center fraternizing with the staff having a merry ol' time. The receptionists were chatting away about their favorite soap (opera) while the guy who does administers immunizations was asking if it would be easier if I could give him a visa rather than having to go to Phnom Penh to apply for one. After a long explanation of the process, a police car pulled up: everyone stopped what they were doing. This hasn't happened (at least in the morning hours) in the past 8 1/2 months (since I've been at site). Four policemen step out of the car; they open the car driver's side back door, and out walks a kid (I find out he's 22), dripping blood from somewhere on the top of his head. Half of his face was stained with drying blood with a good portion caked on to his eyebrows. The staff immediately brings him into one of the rooms and lies him down on the bed. One staff member cuts away most of the hair from the wound, which is about an inch 1/2 in diameter. Mind you, there are know electric trimmers. Also to keep in mind, there is hardly any medication for the pain. As she dripped some hydrogen-peroxide into the wound, he shut his eyes tight and said nothing. After she blotted the wound, she began to suture the poor kid up whilst he was cringing, his feet moving back and forth, tightening up. Yet, he didn't make a sound. He's now off at Mongkol Borey Hospital (the best provincial (this one) hospital in the country).

A month ago: Again, I was sitting in the health center on a regular Wednesday morning when one of the midwives came out with a patient, holding her new born baby. What?! When did this happen? I asked her, "When did this woman have her baby?" Her response: "Two minutes ago." No screaming! No sounds at all! I was oblivious to the birth of a new baby. It's hard to believe, but in Cambodia, women silently weep while they give birth.

For a country torn by war and genocide by a group that only left the country 13 years ago, you can tell. It's in ingrained deep into their emotions. It's as if all of the suffering of their past has sucked them dry. They are an emotional people, they just don't show it. When they do, though, it's very, very serious. Just today, right before the 22 year-old guy came to the health center, one of my midwives asked how I was. After I told her I was fine, I asked her how she was. She was not happy, she said. I asked her why, and she told me it was because her father was still very sick. He has been sick for six months, now, and it does not look hopeful. Her eyes were red, and she just stared down at the table trying to hold back the tears.

I don't think I've necessarily learned anything new today, but I've certainly been reminded of a lot.

Keep well and

Talk to you soon,

Garrett

The Rainy Season is Here!

I think it is safe to say that the rainy season has begun. I was a little hesitant to state this a few weeks ago, but it is undeniable, now. It has rained everyday, quite intensely, for the past two weeks. The rice paddies are beginning to turn bright green again, and the weather is cooling off. Finally. Finally, I can wear more clothing to bed without contemplating keeping the windows open at night. I've coincidentally been eating more fish, but I won't officially connect the two, because you know, fish come from the sky. Anyhow, it's beautiful here.

If You Love Cute and Cuddly Dogs, You Might Not Want to Read this Blog Post

Last night, the bankers had a party in the backyard for one of the tellers who was moving to ACLEDA Bank Plc. in Poipet. They had all sorts of food and plenty of beer. Iced beer. There was ice-cold beer, and I didn't have to make it that way by diluting it with ice! It was absolutely delicious, even if Bayon beer is a sub-par lager. After awhile of chatting and one of the new guys stroking my nose and telling me it was beautiful, I decided to eat some beef. "Hey, this beef is delicious," I said. The reply, full of laughter, "Oh no! Garrett. That is special meat." Huh?! What is special me....hmmmmm. I may or may not have eaten dog meat. I also may or may not have liked it... So, for all of you dog loving people out there, I deeply apologize. Though, at the same time, I kind of don't. If you saw what they look like out here, you may or may not agree with me.

Talk to you soon,

Garrett