Saying goodbye!

I left Siem Reap at 6am and traveled by boat to Phnom Penh. I've grown quite attached to the people. From the convenience store workers, to the hotel workers, to the tuk tuk drivers, to the members of the little branch. Even people I saw frequently on the street or by the river. It was hard to say goodbye! I wanted to cry this morning when I came out and saw some of my favorite tuk tuk drivers and some of the hotel employees that came up to help me with my bags. They all gave me their email addresses and said everyone would miss me. The convenience store worker begged me not to go! So sad! Until next time!

CITY vs City

I arrived in Phnom Penh today. I had forgotten how big it is! In my mind, Cambodia was the villages that I had gotten used to. I forgot their actually was a city! Siem Reap is the second biggest city in Cambodia, so in reality, Cambodia is more of the villages. But, there's a city too! Here are the differences: In Phnom Penh there are mottos, but there are also cars. Lots of cars! Walking anywhere is scary. In Siem Reap, there are cars, but they are the minority. There are a lot of mottos and tuk tuks! In Phnom Penh, there are buildings. Big buidlings! In Siem Reap, there are little shacks, and some hotels. In Phnom Penh, there are stores. In Siem Reap, the sidewalks are covered with people trying to make money, by selling anything from peanuts to soap to ducks to whatever! You can find it on the street. In Phnom Penh, there is barbed wire everywhere. I'm not sure if this is for security or a relic of the time the city was a virtual prison. In Siem Reap, there are ancient relics everywhere. In Phnom Penh, people live in apartments. In Siem Reap, people live in huts and shacks, and a few apartments and houses. In Phnom Penh, the roads have names (not that they are posted anywhere)n and the streets are all paved. In Siem Reap, the main roads have names and are paved. But, a lot are not named and not paved. A lot of bumpy dirt roads in Siem Reap. In Phnom Penh, nobody knows who I am or what I do. In Siem Reap, a lot of people know me. Or at least recognize me and say "hello!"

Beng Mealea

I really had an Indian Jones experience on Saturday! I went to a temple that was 2 hours away by tuk tuk. The temple is called Beng Mealea. It was built around the same time as Angkor Wat and the structure is like Angkor Wat. This temple has mostly collpased though. To investigate, you have to climb over and under rubble. It's quite the unique experience. To add to the atmosphere, it was raining! So, with an umbrella in one hand and a camera in the other, I explored! I think my favorite part of this journey was driving through the countryside! I saw more oxcarts than tuk tuks. I even saw an ox drawn plow in a rice field. People out there have very little resources. They are an hour from a market or medical care. And, they don't have cars! Quite an experience!

Cambodia in a snapshot

Since this is my last day at work, I will write a brief snapshot of Cambodia! Many of you have seen movies like "Johnny Lingo", "South Pacific" or "The Other Side of Heaven" and thought of them as old movies in times that have passed. In reality, any one of them could be filmed right now in modern day Cambodia. I know there are now cars in Cambodia, but that is not the most common form of transportation. Most people ride mottos or bicycles. Some in the countryside ride ox carts. There is also running water, electricity, and plumbing in Cambodia....but only in the cities. Most cooking is done on an open flame made with charcoal, and most electricity is generated by a battery. And it's not unusual not to have a bathroom. Most of Cambodia does not have clean drinking water. The country itself seems to have been caught in a time warp. The development in the cities reminds me of the 60's. But, the countryside is not even that well developed. People live in huts, buy wives, and pump their water from a well. It amazes me that in the world today, people still live this way!

But, they are a happy people! Cambodia was once nicknamed "the smiling country." And, for good reason! The people here are the kindest and happiest people I have ever met. I will be sad to leave them! Everywhere I go, people wave and say "hello" and are eager to talk to me. I traveled around the world to another country by myself, but I don't feel alone. There are always friendly faces and people to talk to. In many ways, I feel more lonely at home than I do here. It's hard to find people to talk to at home. That's never a problem here! Language may be a barrier, but willingness is not!

The education of a child

It's my last day of work! Kind of sad! I'm not so sad about work, but I will be sad to leave the country and the people! I have exciting news! I may not be a mother, but I am sponsoring a girl in the orphanage to attend school. Her name is Eat Yeung. In Cambodia, the family name comes first, so you call her Yeung. She is from a very poor village in Cambodia. I saw pictures of the village. It has all dirt roads, huts, no clean water, electricity, plumbing, etc. They are very poor. There is also no school, so she has never attended school. She is 11 years old. She has not been at Acodo long, so she does not speak English. She is very sweet though! She held my hand and gave me a lot of hugs and talked to me through an interpreter. The volunteer said "now, you are her mother!" Not really, because her mother is still alive. She just can't afford to take care of her and can't offer her an education. All the children were so happy that she can attend school. They were jumping up and down. They are very cute and very sweet and very loving children. I took balloons with me this time because I ran out of bubbles, and balloons are the closest thing I could find.

Hindu vs Budhism

We also visited many of the other temples, and I learned a lot of the history behind the carvings and such. It was very interesting. Because of the change from Hindu to Budhist and back again, if one temple was built budhist, the next king would remove all the budha's and scrape them from carvings on the wall. Then, they would add a third eye to all the statues that weren't budha. All the faces in Angkor Thom now have a third eye. The third eye is less defined because it was added later. All the temples face East except Angkor Wat, which faces West. They believe the king built it as his moritorium, since West is the direction of death. The temples are built with 3 doors. One that is tall for the King to go through. The king at that time made himself a "God-King" which is equal to a God. The two other doors were for high priests and are short. The reason for this is so that they are made to bow down in humility as the enter the temple. Also, all the steps to climb to temples are very steep. This is so that you have to bow down as you climb. They are too steep to climb standing up. Very interesting facts!

Banteay Srey

Banteay Sray is such a beautiful temple. I remember I liked it from last year, but forgot how beautiful it is. The d.esign is so intricately carved. More so than the other temples there is so much detail! It is nicknamed the "pink temple" because it is made of pink sandstone instead of white/yellow like the other temples. It is a Hindu temple. All the temples are either Hindu or Budhist, depending on who was king and what his religious preferences were. Some were a combination of both. Today, Cambodians are budhist, but they seemed to have combined the two. There is belifef is that Budha is the 9th reincarnation of Vishnu, the Hindu God. They are still waiting for the 10th and final reincarnation. Indian Hindu's do not agree with this.

Angkorian History

I went to the Banteay Srey temple for the first time this year. This temple is so beautiful and so intricately carved. The temples of Angkor were all built between 800-1200. This is when The civilisation was at it's peak! The kingdom bordered with China on the North and included Thailand on the West. Since Thailand left, there has been a lot of war over the area. So much so, that in the 1800s, Cambodia asked France to help. They did, and Cambodia was a colony of France until the mid 1900's. Since France left, the country has been ridden with civil war, that did not completely end until the 90's. There was a civil war going on when the Khmer Rouge attacked, followed by the attack of Viet Nam. During the 10 years that Viet Nam controlled Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge still had strong holds in some area. For them, the Khmer Rouge was not over until the 90's. People continued to lose their lives while the battles lived on. Now, is the time to rebuild and recover. Cambodia got loans in the early 21st century to build, but with the global economy, banks had to halt the building after it had begun. Many buildings were started, but never finished.

Cambodian Home

I got invited to a tuk tuk driver's home for lunch on Sunday. It was the first time I had actually been inside a home (although that is not where we ate). It was great to see and experience. His home was made out of palm leaves. He built it himself about 5 years ago. It is getting old, so he will need to build a new house soon. The way of life is so different from what we are used to! His home had a wood bed with no mattress and a TV. There were 2 light bulbs in the home. All of these things are generated by battery. There was also a small closet and a fire extinguisher. They had a mirror, comb and pictures hanging on the wall. There was a door, but no locks.A tarp covered the ceiling to prevent leaking, but he said it still leaked. His house wasn't far enough off the ground to sit underneath. He did have a patio where we sat (on the floor) to eat. They had a water pump where they bathe and clean dishes and such. That is where they get water from. The kitchen was all outdoors. There were shelves for the dishes and a table for cutting and preparing. No refrigerator. They do have a cooler that they buy ice for. Everything we ate was bought fresh from the market. They also have some plants where they grow things. They are surrounded by rice fields. So much so that we had to park off the road and walk through the rice fields. There is no road to the house. It was a soggy walk! His wife doesn't go places during rainy season because it is too soggy. When it is not rainy season, he can ride the tuk tuk through the fields to the house. He lives by relatives. I peaked inside the relatives house, and they had a tile floor! Very nice! It was great to experience life in the Cambodian countryside!

The orphanage

I spent my evening at an orphanage last night. I had wanted to go to an orphanage (there are several!) but the guidebooks all say it's not a good idea, because it takes staff away from their duties. They don't have time to show you around. But, the single girl I sat by at the show the other day told me about this orphanage. The children do dance shows in the evenings. The show is free, but they encourage you to donate money or rice. I loved being there!


First, they took me on a tour of the facilities. It is not much! Even less than not much! You would not believe where these children live! But, at least they are loved and taken care of and have food. They also get an education and are taught English and Khmer traditions and skills. They had a facility, but it flooded. They are trying to save money to build a new facility and have plans for that. Now, they live in almost nothing. It looks worse than the sheds behind Tessa's house. The tables for eating are all outside. And, they put cots out for sleeping on at night. There isn't much in-doors, but there is a little. The place they sleep has a covering over it. They just got a bathroom. There is a little school room where they teach English. The kids go to public school.

No matter where you go or how much they have, kids are kids! They laugh and play and are so much fun to be around. They did their little show. Then, I played with them. I got out my bubbles. They loved blowing bubbles! I left them there. One of the workers said they need a nurse volunteer. It's very tempting! :) I would love to do that!  It really was so much fun! And so rewarding to see them smile. And so humbling! They have a board with all the children's faces. Many of their parents have died. Some, just can't afford to raise them. Some come from large families with 16 or 12 kids.

Shadow Puppet Show

I went to a Shadow Puppet Show last night. Shadow Puppets are very much a tradition in Cambodia. They cut intricate puppets out of leather, then stand behind a screen and use the puppets to tell a story. The stories are all in the Khmer language. I had a written description of each story, so I was able to follow them. The really are very silly stories! My favorite was about a man and a woman who each had a bull. They decided to have the bulls fight and bet on the fight. The loser would pay the other money. In the end, one bull died and the other ran away. The man's bull died, and he wanted the woman to pay him for it. She didn't want to because she lost her bull too. They started fighting. The police came and asked what was going on. When he found out, he arrested them both because it is illegeal to bet. So, they both lost! See? Silly!

Marriage

I often sit in front of my hotel and chat with the tuk tuk drivers. It's a great neighborhood feel. I wish my neighborhood were more like that! Many of them are not married, because they can't afford it. They don't really date here. If they want to marry someone, you ask to meet their parents. Then, you arrange to pay them a large sum of money. Girls in the city that are beautiful and have white skin (lighter anyway!) cost around $3,000. Girls in the country are cheaper. They are not so beautiful and their skin is not white (it's darker). They cost around $700 or so. The tuk tuk drivers just can't afford that. Families can arrange a marriage. When this happens, the families pay the price for the bride. This usually happens in the country side. Some of the tuk tuk drivers I talked to said their family doesn't want to arrange a marriage, because their families can't afford it. So, the tuk tuk driver has to save up the money and pay for the bride themselves. If a family arranges a marriage, the young man meets the bride to see if he approves. If he does, he meets the parents and the arrangements are made. Sometimes, they will know the bride if they grew up and live in a village in the country side. The tuk tuk driver I talked to hadn't ever met the bride before, because he had come in to the city to work. Typically, after a couple gets married, they live with the bride's family. This tuk tuk driver, and many I have talked to, do not live with the bride's family because they had to move in to the city to work. It's interesting learning about their lives. They are surprised when I tell them in the US, you just find someone you want to marry and you marry them. You don't have to pay for them. I guess each system has it's pros and cons. I asked about divorce, but nobody seems to understand what I am talking about

My new friends

I visited a neighborhood on Sunday afternoon. There, I met many people that are very poor. I visited with them as much as I could. I managed to get rid of all my toys and everything else in my backpack, including hand disinfecting stuff, soap, pens, chocolate mints, etc. I would like to go back and bring them more. I can't help everyone, but I'd like to help who I can!

The Carnival

I went to a Cambodian Carnival on Saturday night. There were games and rides. The rides looked a little unsafe. I played a couple games, though. In one game, you throw a dart at a balloon, and get a prize if you pop the balloon. I didn't pop one! One dart missed the balloon entirely, and the other hit it and bounced right off! In another game, you throw a dish and try to get it over a bottle of pop. I missed that one too!

The floating village

Fish is a major part of the diet of the Cambodian people. Many people live in boats along the shore of the Mekong river to fish. They have made a village out of boats. There is a floating school, restaraunts, stores, a water purifying plant, etc. Everything you need! I visited the school and saw the 200+ school children that attend. They attend 6 days a week, but have to attend in shifts, because they do not all fit in the one room school house. I saw some aligators and other fish while I was there.

The Silk Farm

On Saturday, I went to the Silk Farm. At the Silk Farm, they show you the process of getting silk. They start with the mulberry bushes, then show you the eggs that are lain and the worms they grow in to. Then, they become yellow and start making their cacoon. The cacoon is where the silk comes from. They have to kill the silk worm before it becomes a moth and breaks the cacoon, making the remaining strands of silk useless. To do so, they put the cacoons in the sun or steam them. The outer shell is fine silk, and the inner shell in raw silk. They put the cacoons and water and spin the thread from them. Then, they dye it. It was quite interesting to see the process!

The ancient temples at night

I found out you can visit the ancient temples for free if you go after 5:30pm. I went on Friday night, and walked around some. Mainly, Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat. It's kind of neat to go when few people are there! Pictures are unobstructed by tourists.

Cambodian Cultural Center

They have a Cambodian Cultural Center, like the Polynesian Cultural Center. It is on a much smaller scale though! They have areas representing different villages in Cambodia. They do performances at each village. That's really all they do at the center! It was built as a tourist attraction, but not many tourists attend. The Cambodians love it though! I went last night. I only got there in time to attend 2 performances. They were all in Khmer. Apparently, they were funny, because everyone was laughing! I could mostly follow what was going on. They are very dramatic, and have guests from the audience participate. They have to dress in traditional village clothes. That was the funny part! I'm glad I went!

Shadow Puppet Show

I went to a Shadow Puppet Show last night. Shadow Puppet Shows are a big deal in Cambodia! They are very popular! They have intricate puppets cut out of metal that creates a shadow on a sheet hung as a screen. They tell a story with the puppets. The story is all in Khmer, so I really didn't understand it. It seemed kind of silly to me. But, entertaining none the less! Living in a country with no movie theaters (at least not that I have seen) entertainment is a good thing!

Bugs

I was worried about keeping food in my room, because that's an invitation for bugs. I did not worry in vain! Now that I have my luggage, I have some food. It's all sealed, but the bugs came anyway! Gross! I opened up my homemade granola, and before long, there were bugs inside! I threw it away, but then felt guilty! There are so many people that would appreciate it and wouldn't mind the bugs. So, I took it out. I'll take it downtown with me next time I go. I'm sure I'll find someone that could use it. I put the rest of my food in my suitcase. So far, that has kept the bugs out! I'm eating a peanut butter on graham cracker sandwich for lunch! Yum!

Education Development

First of all, just two weeks after leaving the states, I got my luggage! Yipee! I'm going to have peanut butter for lunch!

So, I'm busy at work! There is a lot of education to be done. The hospital here doesn't feel like nurses get the education they need in nursing school. So, I am helping to develop a 2 year Pediatric Nursing Course for the nurses at the Angkor Hospital for Children. That is more than we get in the US! They are really serious about education here! Hopefully, it will make a difference! My first goal is to get some textbooks. I have emailed Mosby to see if they would donate some and send them over here. I don't think the textbooksare a big deal, but mailing them could be costly. Any ideas? Next, I have reviewed the outline and have given feedback. I developed a timeline for the first year. Now, I am working on the lectures. It's a different process developing a lecture for someone else to given. I am starting with the basics, like nursing philosophy and the role of the Pediatric Nurse. I don't get a lot of feedback about what I have developed, so hopefully it is what they want!

I enjoyed Khmer barbecue last night. It is quite a treat!

Home Care

I spent the afternoon with Home Care. That was an eye opening experience! The people we visited live in such humble environments! They don't have electricity or plumbing. There house s are built up on stilts. The walls are made of dried plants. You can see through them. I guess they provide a shelter, but not much else! They have hamocs hanging underneath the house where they rest. They sit and eat on a low table outside of the house. That is where we visited with them. Chickens and other animals wandered around. I read the patient's chart, and found that there transportation is an ox cart. They live far from any paved roads. We provided food and education about bathing and cooking in a clean environment, as well as eating good foods. The patients we visited were malnourished or has HIV. As always, they are very cute kids and sweet families! I wish I could help them more!

The Monks

I continued my journey to some other Budhist temples. The monks live at this particular temple. They said "Hello," so I stopped to talk to them. We talked for about an hour. I was surrounded by men and boys! I asked them what they do. They said that they chant in the morning and evening and go to school in between. They don't get paid, but they do have a place to stay and food to eat. They shave their hair very short and wear orange robes. I often see them carry an umbrellla or book. Under the robes, they have pockets. They were quite friendly and fun to talk to. Most become monks to get an education. They don't have to be monks forever, so most plan to do other things when they complete their education.

The Rice Fields

I took a walk to some shrines after church on Sunday. There was a whole group of people at one shrine in the Royal Garden. They all had food with them and looked like they had travelled. I found out they had come from a village 60km away. The government is planning to take away some of their rice fields. The rice fields are how they are able to survive. They came to the shrine (or temple) to chant with the monk and plead with the government to give back their rice fields. I feel so bad for these people! I wish there was something I could do. It was inspiring to watch!

Church

I attended church on Sunday. The branch is quite large and self sustained. There were several sets of missionaries. I wore a headset and the missionaries interpreted. It worked out quite well. It was a good experience spending time with these people who are so excited about the gospel! Two people received the Holy Ghost today in church. Two more got baptized after church. And two are preparing to go to the temple. It is a great sacrifice for the Cambodian people to attend the temple. The nearest temple is in Hong Kong. On the Cambodian income, it takes a lifetime of saving to make it there! I really don't know how they can afford to go, but it really is a blessing when they can!

I thought it was funny, at the beginning of church, the person conducting got up and gave a five minute speech about keeping their children clean and orderly. Taking care of the church and supplies. And, keeping gum out of hair and off of clothes. They must of had a problem with that!

Day at the Temple

I spent Saturday as a tourist! I hired a tuk tuk driver, and went to some of the many temples they have around. They are amazing! And, they're everywhere! You can be driving down the street, and see an anciet temple in front of you. Most of the temples were built during the 11th century, when this area served as the central political powere for all of Asia. Most of the temples were built as Budhist temples, the dominant religion at the time. Some were later converted in to Hindu temples. Most were badly damaged during the Khmer Rouge. You can see bullet holes in walls, and most statues and budhas don't have heads or arms. Some still worship at these temples. There are many monks there praying. A couple burned incense and said a prayer for me.

Khmer style massage

I got a Khmer Style Massage tonight. It was wonderful! Massage is one thing the Cambodians do well! And, it's very cheap! The massage cost $6 for 1 hour! A Khmer massage is similar to a Thai massage. They give you comfortable baggy clothes to wear, you lay on the floor, and they use their elbows and knees to work out the kinks. Then, they stretch you. It feels really good! There are massage parlors everywhere! I see advertisements for pedicures for $2. I think I'll try one! They also have an ear wax thing that I may try! Another popular massage is a fish massage. You put your feet in a tank, and the fish eat the dead skin. That's the kind of thing I would try if someone dared me. But, since nobody is, I don't think I'll try it!

The pathway to church

I had an intersting adventure last night! I tried to find the church! I had a map with directions from the church's wesite. I'm usually pretty good at maps, but this one had an added challenge. There were no road names! And, in reality, many roads in Cambodia don't have names! The directions on the church's website says, "turn left on the first road, turn right on the second road...etc." So, I set off! I did pretty well on the major roads. Then, I got to a place where I thought the road should be. But, it didn't like very much like a road. It looked more like an alley. It wasn't paved, just a narrow dirt alley. So, I asked someone if that was the road on the map. They said it was, so I took it. I really didn't know if I was on the right path or not. Then, I came to another place where I thought I should turn. This one looked even more foreboding than the last. But, I took a leap of faith, and with a prayer in my heart, turned right. This road looked quite abandoned. There was garbage lining the road and not much else. I didn't think there could possibly be a church on that road. But, I kept walking! Near the end of the road, there it was, on the left! Hallelujiah! I went in and asked the Elders about church. They were teaching English. Church is at 8am on Sunday. There is only one branch! I'll be there! I'm just grateful there is a church! (scroll to the bottom to see the church and the path I took to it!)

Picnic Spot

On Monday, I had my Tuk Tuk driver take me to a typical Cambodian picnic spot. It was a real experience! The streets were lined with picnic spots people could rent. There were rides and people selling food. Many people were cooking cows over a fire! I had a traditional Khmer dish with noodles and such. It was pretty tasty. These cultural experiences are my favorite!

Surgical Unit

Today, I am in the surgical unit. They have one operating room. They only have the ability to perform minor and routine surgeries here. They are hoping to one day do more! I saw a child whose fingers were nearly cut off today. They repaired the fingers. Hopefully, he'll do well! I also saw a spleenectomy! That was quite interesting! The spleen was big and did not look healthy. In the US, they do this procedure laproscopically. They don't have that ability in Cambodia yet!

Inpatient Department

This was probably my favorite day yet! There are 26 beds in the inpatient department, which are all in the same room. They do have 2 isolation beds for tuberculosis patients. Things like bronchiolitis and gastroenteritis aren't isolated. There was a patient with bronchiolitis right next to a premie. Yikes! This unit cares for patients from premature infants until 16 years. A focus is placed on education. They show videos about handwashing and have cooking classes, to teach people how to cook in a clean environment. I hope the people that cook my food do that! There's no guarantee! There is only 1 incubator in the IPD. This is unfortunate, because there are 2 infants in need of it. The one that is in it is thriving. The other isn't doing well at all. How do you decide which infant to treat? These are the tough decisions people have to make when they have limited resources!

Outpatient Department

I spent Tuesday in the Outpatient Department. They see 400-500 patients per day. Most of them are triaged and sent home by the nursing staff. The nurses see the patients, and if it is something they can diagnose and treat, they do. They are even able to prescribe medications. If it is not something the nurse can diagnose, then the patients need to see the doctor. There are no appointments, so the patients just get a number when they get there. The call numbers 20 at a time. We saw many patients with Dengue fever and respiratory illness. There are also many patients with HIV. These patients are directly seen by the doctor. I spent the whole day with the triage nurse. I enjoyed this, because it gave my an opportunity to interact with the children. I don't have my luggage yet, so I didn't have any of my distraction toys. I just had to make faces and play peak-a-boo instead. Most just looked at me and thought, crazy American! But, I got some to smile and laugh!

The Emergency Department and ICU

I spent day 1 in the Emergency Department and ICU. I saw such interesting things. They treat patients for Tuberculosis, Dengue fever, malaria and other illnesses. I saw one patient with a heart malformation (truncus arteriosis). They are working on a surgical heart program, but it is not yet developed. This patient's heart is unrepaired, and he had oxygen sats in the 50's. Scary! They put another patient on CPAP (continuous positivie airway pressure). Their version of CPAP is to put one end of the oxygen tubing in a bottle of water. I'm not sure how well it works, because the patient was still in quite a bit of distress! I guess they make due, but still, 1 in 15 children die by the age of 5. They got ventilators in 2005. Prior to that, they just had to bag patients all day and all night until they started breathing on their own. Can you imagine?

The Hospital

I am in Siem Reap volunteering at a hospital called the Angkor Hospital for Children. The primary purpose of this hospital is for the medical education of the Khmer people in the treatment of children. They have classrooms to educate staff and nursing students. They also set aside time each day to educate families. They educate them on hygiene and cooking in a clean environment. They also educate on Dengue fever. In Utah, we have RSV season. In Cambodia, they have Dengue fever season.

The adventure continues!

I arrived in Siem Reap on Sunday, August 1st. I rode on a bus for 6 hours to get here, with all of my luggage (my backpack and laptop, since I still have no suitcases) piled on my lap. It was interesting to see all the villages and houses that we drove past. Most houses we saw were nothing more then wood planks secured together and risen about the ground on stilts. They don't look too secure! I'm staying in La Noria Hotel in Siem Reap. It is a hotel made up of bungalows and surrounded by greenery. Very beautiful! We even have a pool!