SFF 4: LAYNG LAN!

Often before "Hello" and "Thank you," some of the first words that new volunteers will learn in Khmer are layng lan, or "play cars!"  The Creative Learning Center is filled with educational and fun toys and activities and the place where Melinda conducts daily English classes for the preschoolers up to third graders.  After their lessons, and only if they attend school, they can play.  Cars are the most popular toys with both the boys and the girls.  On days that Melinda doesn't teach there is usually a mob of kids following around whoever will listen begging to layng lan until one of us caves.  Melinda and I were browsing a book and toy store in Phnom Penh when she discovered boxes of build your own cars on clearance.  With Summer Fun Fund money ready to be spent, we purchased 10 kits.  We were excited about these for two reasons: the kids LOVE cars (borderline obsessed), and they are incredibly smart and love the challenge of assembling things.  

We had to sneak the boxes into the house to wait for a good time to bring them out in small groups.  Otherwise panic would set in with everyone dying to get their hands on the pieces.

With most of the kids gone to Phnom Chisor with some Japanese visitors, Seyha, Thear, and Chanthol were the lucky ones to get to break open the new toys.  They saw the boxes and eagerly waited in our doorway like little [Western] kids on Christmas morning.

They thoroughly read the picture instructions and set to work.  Each kit is set-up to make one of three things.  Some are a car, dinosaur, or boat; one is a car, hoovercraft, or helicopter; and another a car, bulldozer, and fork lift.

Seyha

Thear and Chanthol hard at work

Seyha and his masterpiece

Chanthol

It wasn't long before the little kids who didn't journey to the mountain caught wind of what was going on in the Creative Learning Center.  Chai desperately wanted in on the action.  How can you say no to a face like his?

Srey Nith wanted to come play but wasn't interested in playing with the boys.  She silently set up market and waited patiently for someone to notice her.  I took pity on the little entrepreneur and was her first (and only) customer.

Virak is one of the most car-crazed and is most guilty of harassing us to layng lan.  He didn't have the patience to build his own car but got to reap the benefits of someone else's work.

Soon everyone was back from Phnom Chisor and organized chaos ensued.  Somehow we managed to keep the pieces together and everyone walked away happy.  We have since brought the kits out one at a time in small groups to maintain the excitement and the toys.

Two of the kids from the village came to get in on the fun too.  The new cars were the talk of the town. With Wat Opot quick to share it's privileges with the greater community, the village kids were excited as well and probably anxious to see what fun stuff Wat Opot gets next!

SFF 3: Tonle Bati & Teen Conference

Thanks to the Summer Fun Fund and Brunner Medical Missions, the Wat Opot family got to enjoy an outing to the Phnom Tamao Zoo and Tonle (Lake) Bati.  This being the third trip this year to the lake, it is the first time the weather was appropriate.  Back in April when we went, in the hottest month of the year, we woke up that morning to almost a cool breeze and overcast after 3 solid weeks of 100+ degree heat and overwhelming humidity.  This trip, however, fell on a hot day where the lake could be as refreshing as possible.  I recently made the following video documenting how the WatOpotians kept cool all summer.  The photographs and video footage are from our trips to the lake, the kids swimming on the Wat Opot property, and playing in the rain.  I hope you enjoy it!

While the kids enjoyed their day in the sun, the empty and child-free Wat Opot grounds played host to an HIV Teen Conference with some of the oldest Wat Opot residents and visitors from the district.  The all-day conference was put on by Wayne and newlywed volunteers Brittany and JR Johnstone from the US.  I stayed back to assist as twenty teenagers participated in total with the goal being to bring together a group to find support and encouragement in one another.  Among other events, Wayne put together a presentation on being the victor of HIV not the victim.  In one example, he showed a picture of a man with no legs begging for money on the street and in the next picture a man with prosthetic legs running around a track.  The idea was to encourage the teenagers to go out and overcome their obstacles instead of sitting around in self-pity.  Even in Cambodia, in fact 30 minutes from Wat Opot, is a free clinic where amputees are fitted and rehabilitated with prostheses (going back to the example).  That clinic is next to the free HIV/AIDS clinic where medication and therapy is readily available to those who chose to be compliant and determined to live a happy and healthy life.  Another major topic was sexual responsibility, a taboo but very necessary topic in Cambodia.  The teens talked about healthy relationships as friends and more, when to tell someone your status, and what exactly puts someone else in danger of contracting HIV.  The conference lasted most of the day and was very positive and successful.  I enjoyed seeing some of the Wat Opot kids open up and share their feelings and stories with each other, though at times it was very emotional.  As the age groups at Wat Opot get younger, the percentage with HIV increase.  There aren't many teenagers with HIV/AIDS so having a larger support network outside of the family is crucial.  I was happy to be a part of the day and hope that Wat Opot will host more in the future.

Brittany overlooks the group during an icebreaker. 

Princesses for a night

I have been so touched by the amazing support and generosity of my family and friends at home.  You all have helped me to raise so much money for Wat Opot and bring them so many new clothes, toys, education material, medicine and hygiene supplies, and fun activities.  Most recently, my neighbor Elaine Falk and a small group of women from her church have been working on dresses for the little girls.  Before they arrived, Elaine explained to me that they were made from pillowcases but I had no idea what to expect.  What came were nine absolutely gorgeous dresses in different patterns and colors.  I was so excited to give them to the girls, but wasn't sure how to do it.  Wat Opot kids play HARD.  Their play clothes are dirty and torn, and though we change them out as needed, it doesn't take long for a new shirt to be fully worn in.  

The new volunteer dorm is finished and the girls officially moved into their new home in the middle of campus last night.  I held onto the dresses to give out in celebration of their new space.  Last night we had a little slumber party and I told the little girls I had a surprise for them, something they could only wear each night after they bathed.  After 6 rushed bucket showers, they were ready for their treat!  I laid the dresses out and each girl got to pick which dress they wanted.  The whole time they were giggling and jumping up and down, just beyond elated for their new beautiful dresses!  Elaine said she wanted to make them feel like princesses, and they certainly did!

Kimseck, Venot, Kunthea, Srey Mao, Srey Nak, Channy

 

Srey Leak modeling

 Initially I assumed the dresses would only be for the little ones.  Srey Leak sleeps on the little girls side of the house, so she got to have the last dress left.  Because of the adjustable straps, they fit the girls of all sizes, even the teens.  The other teens were kind of jealous!  They all want one now too, and were happy to learn that Elaine and her friends are making and sending more.

The little girls went nuts in excitement!  It was so beautiful to see them so happy :)  They couldn't contain themselves and jumped all over each other until I left to go back to my own room.

Venot is quite the tomboy.  Even SHE loved the dresses, which is really saying something!

I love them so much I can't stand it!

Little Ratana was already asleep, but she'll get to wear hers tonight!

Thank you Elaine and those who helped make these little dresses :)  What a special treat for these beautiful little ladies!

SFF 2: New Swing

When I first arrived to Wat Opot, on a hot July day last summer, it was on the swings outside of the dorm where I first sat and fell in love with the children.  The swings are an iconic part of Wat Opot.  A place to escape the hot sun, a place to sit and watch everyone at play.  Sitting with sad little ones who just want to be held, offering a comforting presence to teens while they ponder the old times with their families.  Like many volunteers before me, I sat on those swings and learned the kids names, heard their stories, and earned their trust.  I learned most of what little Khmer I know on those swings, and will never forget one night where I sat there for hours with Chihomi, a Japanese volunteer, and LongDy, Sambaht, and Pesei, three of the Khmer teens, as we tried to piece together a conversation using bits of four languages (there was a little French thrown in there too).  

These are some of my first pictures from Wat Opot on the swing when it was still in good condition:

Little Srey Nith the class clown in August 2010

Rith, Virak, and Wey on the swing last summer.  They've grown so much in one year!

With so much action, the swings slowly wore away.  Metal rods broke, the joints had rusted, and the paint chipped.  One side didn't have a bench at all, and the other was worn down so badly that only two people could sit on it or it would give way.  We decided to bring new life to the famous swings with the help of Cora Marshall and the Summer Fun Fund.  A man came out and welded new benches, fixed the joints, and gave both swings a fancy new coat of yellow paint.

Coming down the driveway, the swings are a visitors first view of Wat Opot

So pretty!

Mr. Chai approves!

Thank you again to all who donated to the Summer Fun Fund.  There are more updates coming along of all the other things we have done this summer with your generosity!  It's not too late to donate... my paypal is still accepting donations and can be found under the blog archives.  Thank you :)

Rice Planting Day

Today was rice planting day at Wat Opot.  There is a small rice field next to the pagoda that Wat Opot plants and harvests each year to make use of the land and to keep the children connected to the people of the region.  Every person on campus who consumes rice had to help plant, so every resident from 2 year old Ratana (who mostly just splashed around) to me, Melinda, other volunteers, and Khmer staff got into the mud to work.  It was my first experience in the rice fields.  I had fun with the kids, but two hours was enough for me.  I can't imagine doing that full time.  We also only had one small field to plant whereas most planters have to do several large fields.  I definitely have a new found respect and appreciation for the people who work the rice fields.  It is tough work to say the least.

The rice plants come in bundles.  When you plant, you pull off just a small portion and stick it down in the mud.  The rice goes into rows, ideally about a foot apart.  The planting is done after the start of the rainy season after the fields flood.  The rice needs mud to grow in and the field must remain wet for the plants to stay alive.  Last year there was a drought and the fields dried up before they should have, leaving everyone in the region worried as to whether there would be enough rice this year.  As I understand, enough rain came later in the season to revitalize the fields to still yield a substantial crop. 

Ty Meng, Kimseck, Srey Mao, Davit

Kunthy and Phanya

Srey Nak

Channy

Brian showing the boys how to plant

Melinda helping Virak and Wey

I can't stress the importance of rice in Cambodia and all of Southeast Asia, and I guess Asia in general. Rice is served for every breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A meat or vegetable dish is eaten with it, but rice is the main food. When someone is going to eat a meal, they say they are going to "hope bai," or "eat rice." In the US we would have rice with our meal, here you eat rice and whatever comes with it.

Takeo province, where Wat Opot is located, is filled with neatly planted rice fields.  Ours certainly isn't as pretty, but we had a great time and tried our best!

Lethal Salads

My father taught us many things growing up, including that vegetables were bad for you. He doesn't like them, in fact he despises them. To this day the hides them in his napkin, mashed potatoes, under the table etc to avoid having to eat them. It's a miracle that my sister and I grew up liking vegetables eating with a parent who would say "don't touch them! They're poisonous!!" As we got older, Amy and I joined the fight of taking care of my dad. Now there's three of us at every meal putting veggies on his plate and sitting there watching him like a small child until he eats them. We also do terrible unspeakable acts like make him drink water and take his vitamins, pure evil things. I always thought he was silly and that no harm could ever come from eating vegetables... I was wrong.

Tonight we were served a salad with dinner. A sort of make your own with a plate of lettuce, a carrot, cucumber, tomato, etc. I put some lettuce into my bowl where I would then break it up. Out of the big pieces popped a giant centipede looking thing. It ran out of the bowl and onto my lap. Wayne quickly said "move! Don't touch it!" I instinctively jumped up but thought he was kidding. I said, half-jokingly, "should I kill it?" He replied with an urgent "YES! It's poisonous!"

All those years we thought poor Dan Bernoske was just being silly, it turns out he was right. Vegetables ARE poisonous. Nobody listened to him! I had it coming! Dad, I promise to never force another vegetable down your throat. You win.

Ruined

In Melinda's latest blog post, she describes how every few nights, the WatOpotians crowd around on the dorm porch for a DVD.  Their DVD collection is quite impressive thanks to donated movies and the plethora of cheap movie shops in Phnom Penh.  Cars, Shrek, and other animated movies were great for a while but now the kids are craving more action.  Recent showings have been of the Jurassic Parks, ET, Avatar, War of the Worlds, Fantastic 4, The Goonies, and the new Karate Kid among others.  A big crowd pleaser was the Indiana Jones trilogy.  It was so popular in fact that the kids decided to make it real life.

I have written before about trips to Phnom Chisor, which they love visiting.  There are ruins to explore, monkeys, temples… everything necessary for an adventure.  On a trip last week to Phnom Chisor, some of the boys maybe went a little too far in living their Indiana Jones fantasies.  In the middle of an intense treasure hunt in the ruins, which were empty of visitors making it even more fun, they had to twist round pegs to see which one held their prize.  They twisted the first peg- nothing.  The second- nothing.  On the third and last chance to find the treasure, Meng Ty reached for the peg, twisted, and it fell off.  He broke it.  These ruins have been standing there perfectly fine for a thousand years.  The Wat Opot kids come through for 10 minutes and leave a path of destruction.  Maybe we’ll go back to Disney classics and calm down their imaginations….

Below are some pictures I've taken over the months of our trips to Phnom Chisor.

Mr. Chai

Searching for treasure

Phanya and Somnang

Phanya and Somnang

Meng Ty, the leader of the adventure

The infamous Chisor monkey

Taking a break

Srey Mao taking a rest, treasure hunting is hard work!

I'm so lucky to be playing host this and last week to two of my best friends from high school, Whitney and Laura.  We traveled a little to major stops in Cambodia; from the beaches of Sihanoukville to ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap.  We got to do a little ruins exploration of our own, but unlike the WatOpotians, we didn't break anything!  Here are some pictures of us at the Angkor Wat complex.

Me, Laura, and Whitney walking into Angkor Wat

The complex is filled with insanely huge trees

One of the most famous parts, the trees of Ta Prohm where Tomb Raider was filmed

We climbed to the top of one temple to get an aerial view... you can faintly see a yellow hot air balloon in the sky

Laura and my failed attempt at horsemaning.  They're filling me in on all the American pop culture I'm missing.  If you don't know of horsemaning, google it.  Some of the pictures are really funny.

Laura and her elephant friend

This little man popped out of nowhere and took us to hidden places.  And he had a great beard.

Laura, me, and Whit outside of the main Angkor Wat temple