Sister Laura, Teacher Laura

Gruusaa khnom neung mut peat khnom (my family and friends),

Here I am, sitting in my new home just a mere 15k from my previous home. Though the distance I've traveled in Cambodia was not far, the differences are expansive. Not so much in the pace of life or the daily doings-comings-and-goings, but in HOW EVERYTHING IS ABOUT 20 TIMES MORE AWESOME HERE THAN AT MY OLD TRAINING HOME!!!!

My new family fits my personality almost perfectly. They have a passion for life that isn't shrouded in tension or silent judgmental thoughts (ahem, previous home.) My host mom is a beautiful woman, inside and out. She is one of the most generous people I've met and already cares for me like her own child. Living with host families in Cambodia makes me realize how important certain relationships are to me. Since females and males here rarely form close bonds/friendships together unless they are married or siblings means that the female relationships I maintain are paramount to my happiness and sense of belonging. It's amazing how much happier I am now that I have a host mom that openly shows her love, care, and respect for me.

Happy host ma after we enjoyed eating some delicious curry


As far as my work goes, I still feel pretty useless at the Health Center given that my language is severely lacking and I haven't put a lot of action into getting a tutor and/or studied Khmer very much at all. I've gone through vocabulary lists with some of my Health Center staff but that's pretty much it.

I'm hoping with all hope that the Khmer language will just come to me a lot like swimming came to me last summer when I basically taught myself how to swim in preparation for the YWCA Women's Triathlon. I do want to give credit where credit belongs, though, to those that did give me great swimming advice - Melissa Tangye, Ellen Cleary....and others that I cannot think of right now. My bad.

One day while swimming in the murky and uncomfortably warm Lake Nokomis last year, I suddenly realized that I was no longer consciously thinking about swimming (ONE, TWO, THREE; NOW BREATHE! ONE, TWO, THREE; NOW BREATHE!) My instructions were no longer on repeat in my head and I was thinking about things other than swimming! I was thinking about a person that was annoying me then and how I could alleviate that situation. I was probably also thinking about what I should eat after swimming. Once I was conscious of this revelation I was elated and felt like the BEST SWIMMER IN THE WORLD! And I was happy.

And for gosh sake, let's try not to compare my super excellent swimming skills unseen by the public in practice to what actually occurred during the Triathlon that was witnessed by thousands (maybe only hundreds.) My swimming technique in the actual race could be likened to someone near drowning and especially new to the water.

Whoa! Throwback photo of the BEST SWIMMER IN THE WORLD!

And back to my main point: that's exactly how it will go with speaking the Khmer language. All of a sudden I'll be all like "hey, what? I'm speaking Khmer and I understand every single word you are mumbling to me right now." And that's how it'll go.
Until then, I will continue to smile and nod...

Here are things:

My host mom set up an English class for me. When we initially negotiated the English class, she said that she wanted me to teach her children English and I was totally cool with that. Of course I'll teach your kids English! They're my new family after all. And then the actual English class poured into our backyard and I was slightly overwhelmed and in over my head. I can hardly speak English, let alone teach it and there are seven eager/overachieving kids expecting to become fluent in this international language.

Sorry kids, you're going to be let down because all you're going to learn is Beyonce songs and Minnesotan slang. Or YOU'RE WELCOME!

Some of my English Students. They look happy.


Teacher Laura (having an Owen Wilson kind of day)


Cool thing:

I went to my first Khmer party this weekend. I still haven't figured out what the party was for though. I asked some of my new little friends (a hoard of 3-9 year old boys, BFFs) but was unable to get a clear answer. I went early with my host mom to help prepare for the party. I kept the rowdy children in order by running around in the rice paddies with them and making mustaches with giant leaves. And then I folded flowers! Pretty!

Purty folded flower thing that I made!


At first I ruled out the possibility that the party was a Birthday party since most Khmer people don't celebrate b-days or even know when their Birthday is. HOWEVER, there was a woman being blessed, touched by a bunch of people, and given many gifts so then I thought "Hmmm...well maybe it's her Birthday....?" And then I was told that she was 112 years old. One Hundred and Twelve Years Old. Muy Roy Dop Bpie Ch'nam. Holy geez, are you serious?

Oldest Woman in Cambodia? INCREDIBLE.


So in the end, I still didn't know what the hell was going on at this party. I was blessed by a monk and it was one of the most challenging things to sit through. When it comes to things like Buddhism and monks, the Cambodians don't mess around. I sat for over an hour in a Sampot (uncomfortable-long-thick-silk-skirt) with my feet falling asleep, switching from one hip to the next. Sweating up a storm and trying to keep my hands pressed together at my chest. The yays (grandmothers) around me sat nearly motionless and in full attention to the monotonous script of the monk. But he wasn't actually that monotonous. He made everyone laugh from time to time and of course, I joined everyone in the laughter to pretend I knew what the hell he was saying. Naturally.

Sompeahs. Khmer people have amazing endurance when it comes to this sort of thing. I, on the other hand, am unable to sit still for more than 5 minutes.


And it's way past my bedtime. I hope everyone in other parts of the world are doing just as well as I am.

Much love,


Sister Laura

Peaze Corpse Danze Mix

I made a playlist. Primarily to share with my fellow K6 almost PCVs. But maybe others will enjoy it also?






Now the world can dance.


and by the world I mean...



myself.

I do-do things here, I swear.

Suas'dai mut peat! (hello friends!)

Something I realized lately is that I have yet to explain to the world what I'm doing in Cambodia. There are several reasons for this:

1. I don't know what I'm doing. That is a lie, but...
2. I do know what I'm doing but it's difficult to explain without a lot of background information that may be uninteresting/confusing to outsiders.
3. The Community Health Education (CHE) program is still very new in Cambodia. It's fluid and evolving as we move forward.
4. I know to expect the unexpected, there is no standard, and every village can and will be different.

The past two weeks of training were enjoyable...to me....for the most part! Hiat ai? Why? Because the past two weeks were much more hands on and experiential. Two weeks ago we grouped up with some awesome Khmer students and did different community assessment projects with them.

One day, I co-facilitated a group discussion about sexual health with a couple of my fellow trainees. This I fully enjoyed because I love the topic. I'm all about spreading the word about safe sex, STIs, reproductive & sexual health to youth of all kinds! Put a sroam-ana-mai on it!!!(Condom) When leading a discussion about such a sensitive subject, there are things that are considerably different and challenging in comparison to an audience of Americans:

1. Khmer people are very shy.
2. Khmer girls are especially shy.
3. Khmer students are accustomed to "being talked at" rather than "being engaged" in school settings. Or so I've heard and witnessed.
4. Khmer students are easily influenced by their peers. Oh, wait...that's not different from the States...but whatever. It still makes it difficult to get individual opinions, nonetheless.

Before the actual discussion began, we handed out surveys for the girls to fill out anonymously. It appeared that one girl had most of the "correct" answers and the others followed suit with the same wording and all.
Best Answer to the question - "Explain in your own words what sex is...":

"Sex is mean that the man and women they make sexually."

And I'm not trying to make fun of their English skills because these girls are far more advanced with their English than I am with my Khmer. These girls are very smart and I'm happy that they even attempted to answer the awkward/embarrassing questions.

The girls definitely knew a lot more than they were willing to share initially during the discussion. It was also interesting to hear what was most important to the them in terms of relationships and sex. They were most concerned about finding a partner that they could trust. We played the game "Sex in the Dark" in which they anonymously wrote any question about sex and we picked the questions randomly out of a plastic bag and answered them as best we could. The most popular question was "How do I find a man that I can trust?"
Well......
How do you find a man you can trust??...very good question. We answered the question as honestly as possible. We stated that it was important to trust their gut, to trust their friend's opinions, and also trust their family's opinions about the boy/man. We also made it clear that we were all still trying to figure out how to find a trust-worthy man and that it takes time. There are plenty of good men out there!


So that was something I did.


The activity this past week included a household survey and "workshop" regarding alcohol consumption and drunk-driving. This topic was decided by the students the previous week during a needs assessment/priority ranking activity. For the household survey, my group went to houses/shops near the Wat and asked people their thoughts on alcohol consumption and drunk driving in their community. Most people agreed that alcohol was a problem in the community. We learned from an officer that 20% of accidents in Tramkok were alcohol-related and that 7 people died in July 2012 due to alcohol-related accidents.

Our "workshop" (I put this word in quotations because it was "kind of a discussion and demonstration" more than a workshop) was held on Friday at our language teacher Siphen's house. We talked about advantages and disadvantages of alcohol, and the cost of drinking and driving. I don't want to bore you much more so here are photos:

DISCUSSING THE COST OF DRUNK DRIVING: DEATH


I also made some awesome posters. The students decided on the slogan and I made the posters like a machine!!!!!

MORE DRINK...MORE DRUNK...MORE ACCIDENTS...MORE DEAD.


I'm going to leave you at that note. You drink, you drive, YOU DIE!!!! My apologies if this post was not as entertaining as it could be. I hope everyone is doing well back in the U.S. of A.
Things are A-Okay here in Kampuchea.


Lots of love,

loRAAAH!

Is this real life?

Dear my friends,

It's 6AM, Monday August 6th 2012 and my house is rockin'. My host mom, Him Sophany (Sophany is her first name, Phany for short) , is having a three day sale. She's a bulk rice vendor but this sale is extra special because it includes breakfast, lunch, coffee, soda, and et cetera. The State Exams are happening for the next three days and she is taking advantage of the traffic in our front yard. We're directly across from a high school and many students from the area are coming here to take the exams. My host mom seems pretty happy about it. She's getting lot of help from her family (people I've never seen before which means they are also probably not family either, just randoms) and she's smiling a lot more than usual. I'm slowly feeling more comfortable around her which is usually pretty good.

Sometimes I think that my host mom is starting to like me more but then again, I think she's just trying to preserve my white skin. It's very hard to tell.
Oftentimes when I leave the house in the morning, she'll smile, touch my arm, and rattle off a few things in Khmer to me. I initially take this as a very motherly sign of love and endearment. But then she proceeds to pull my sleeves down to cover my forearms.

"It's only 7AM and 90 degrees out, host mom! I would be nearly naked if it weren't socially/culturally inappropriate! Please let me keep my sleeves folded up to bare my sexy, sweaty elbows!"

...Is what I would say if it were socially/culturally appropriate to say to any person in Cambodia. Unfortunately, it is not appropriate. Neither are showing shoulders, knees, or Public Displays of Affection. But go to town (literally!) with Public Displays of Defecation.
Aut Ai Dtay! Mut Peat khnyom, Aut. Ai. Dtay.

HERE'S MY HOST MOM SPOONING SUGAR ONTO A PLATE WITH SOME KIND OF ROOT/TREE/VEGETABLE/FOOD/PLANT


Okay, but in all seriousness, I do think I'm making progress with my host family. My host sister, Sopda (Sokda?), continues to be a doll and very helpful. My host dad is very quiet, funny, and kind (a lot like my for-real-father!) Host mom is what she is. A powerful woman. As difficult as it is for me to understand what kind of mood she's in and what she's thinking most of the time, it is more inspiring to see a strong and successful woman in Cambodia than for me to get along with her perfectly. And for that, I am happy. As long as I can get her to laugh at least once every two days, then I am satisfied.

FOR EXAMPLE {And also, side note: it's no longer 8/6/2012. It is now 8/10/2012. It's hard to update blogs...}:
My language group (Team Tiger Growl) took a trip to the Market for our TDA (Trainee Directed Activity) today and happened upon some really sweet Khmer fashion. 3/4 of us decided to get matching Lacoste Sports pants and rock them at our Technical training that afternoon. I was so excited about my new Lacoste Sports pants that I put them on as soon as I got home for lunch. I then ate lunch on the cray (it's like a deck...but you sit on it and eat food on it and it's like a table but not a table.) Anyway, I finished eating and scooted off the cray but did so in an ungraceful manner and snagged my LACOSTE SPORTS PANTS on a snaggley wood panel!

"Skrrrrrrrrip!" said my Lacoste Sports pants and low and behold, I have a large hole on my butt. I say "oh no!" in Khmer, of course, and explain that I just bought the pants at the market today! My host mom and dad laugh and laugh at my misfortune.
Luckily we have this lady (servant?) at our house all the time (she was the one that helped me wash my clothes my first time attempting that whole thing...) whom raced to a tailor with my pants and got them sewed up right away and I was able to wear them to technical training with Team Tiger Growl in practically-seamless-perfection.

Long story short, (tl;dr) my host mom laughed at (with?) me today.

TEAM TIGER GROWL: Amber, Laura, Caitie (not picture: Peter)


Okay, people! Thanks for hanging in there and reading thus far.
Here's a short list of observations/notes/factoids:
1. Sometimes, when I hear chickens cluck it sounds like "Go DJ, Go DJ, GO!"
2. Roosters crow at all hours of the day. Not only at Dawn.
3. Dogs are less of an issue while running now. I carried a stick with me the other day. I did not hit any dogs, OBVIOUSLY, but I did wield the stick at a couple dogs that tried to chase me down. I think they are now afraid/bored of me. Either way, I am happy about this.

4. (This will be a longer note) To preface, I run the same 30 minute loop every time I run and a couple days ago I noticed something new. A small area/commune that was previously the most troubling to me due to angry dogs was actually very quiet this run. I noticed how much trash there was and some small children staring at me. And then I noticed the women at a particular house to my right . There were several women, maybe 7 or so. They were wearing shorts and tank-tops, had bleached hair, and looked very "untraditional" to Khmer women standards. I've seen similar women like this before on the way to Takeo near the railroad tracks. These women are prostitutes. Or so I assume. Either way, one of the women smiles at me, says "Hello" and "I pray for your heart."
This statement only made me feel guilt/sadness and made me wonder where/how she learned that particular phrase. One can only assume.

5. Takeo Province is experiencing a drought which is very disappointing and not good for many reasons. Most people here depend on the rain for growing their rice. Also, a lot of people use rain water as a source for bathing/cooking/drinking/etc. And for selfish reasons, I love the rain here because it's too damn hot and rain does not come often enough.
6. Do not play sports of any kind barefooted. You will regret it.
7. I'm midway through my PRE-SERVICE-TRAINING! Yay!!!!!
8. AND ONE LAST THING: Since this blog is called "Laurax Doodles in Khmer" I will try to post my doodles/drawings more often. I swear I am doing it...
here's proof:

Koala drawing for my friend Kateri



Okay. I'm going to end it here because this is the latest I've stayed up in several weeks (It's almost 10PM!!!) and I needs my sleep!
Love,


LoRAHHH!

It's been, like, two months already. RIGHT?

Sua-s-day!
As you can see from the subject of this blog post, I've been in Cambodia for two whole months now!!! wooooooo!!!!...pause...awkward silence...
Okay. Scratch that. It's been one week. We officially arrived in Phnom Penh last Sunday. I am now in Takeo Province which is about two hours south of PP...I think. Well, know it all Google maps says it's 1 hour and 22 minutes south of PP but that's only true if you are traveling by Delorean or something. And not on Peace Corps Cambodia's watch. Eeek! Say what? I didn't say anything...

All of the K6 trainees are now with their host families as of Saturday, July 21st. My host mom's name is Sophany (Goa-ut chmoo-aw Sophany. Pronounced: Soap-ann-ee...I think) She lives on National Highway (very busy with absurd Khmer drivers), in a nice house with her husband (I can't remember his name....?) But he's a policeman and I finally saw him in his uniform during dinner tonight. He's legit, yo. No one gonna eff with us!
My host mom was a teacher but retired from that two years ago and is now a vendor. She sells bulk rice so there are huge bags of rice in the garage-type-part of our/their house. They also have a very sweet (English speaking) daughter who's 21 years old. She usually just visits on the weekends. Thanks to her I have internet! She's letting me use her internet USB stick thing. I hope to get one of my own tomorrow maybe and UNLIMITED monthly internet. Cuz I loves me some internets.

DO I LOOK LIKE A TERRORIST? THIS IS WHAT I WEAR TO KEEP THE BUGS OUT OF MY HAIR


Tomorrow we begin our day at 7:30AM with language and cross-cultural class with our LCF (Language and Cross-cultural facilitator) Linda. He is strict but I think he will be a good teacher. We have approximately 4.5 hours of this in the morning. Break for lunch and then go to the Wat for our first day of Technical training for our actual assignment, Community Health Education (CHE.)

Things I've noticed that I like/find funny/weird/silly/interesting/(or none of those):

- Host mom eye-rolling. Is this a good thing or bad thing in Khmer culture? Don't answer.
- I'm always tired! I take mid-day naps which, if you really know me, is not something I like to do. Naps often make me feel worse than before the nap took place. I am crabby after naps. And today it DIDN'T RAIN, so when I woke up from my nap I was covered in sweat. Iiiiick.
- My sleep schedule is odd...I go to bed around 9PM or 10PM and wake up several times throughout the night because I'm too hot or too cold (sometimes!) I then wake up before my "just in case" alarm anywhere between 5-530AM. And this works out fine for me since I can go running before it gets even hotter out.
- I love rain now. When you visit me in Cambodia, you will understand. Back in Minneapolis, whenever it rained, I would be pissed because that usually meant I would be soaked by the time I got to work or wherever. But NOW, I'd rather be soaked by the cool rain, than my sticky sweaty self. Sweat is a constant disgustingness sticking to every Peace Corps trainee.
- Little kids, everywhere I go, say "Hello" to me because I'm obviously the coolest person they've ever seen in their lives. (This is not a unique to me, BTWs. Every PCT gets this kind of attention.)

I'm glad I have this:

M and Ms; Boy am I glad I kept you guys to myself...


When I'm not by myself eating pretzel M&Ms, I'm eating delicious (seriously, pretty good) Khmer food with my family. We sit together on this wood-deck-type-thing with our legs crossed uncomfortably (and my feet cannot be pointing toward my host dad...) There's rice (obviously), some type of vegetables: today it looked like sprouts?(yum!), Som-law (Khmer Soup), potatoes (dom lowm barang), and green tea.

I talked with my LCF about running and he discussed this with my host dad. Neither of them wanted me to run on the National Highway...which is the road I HAVE to take if I want to go anywhere, BTW. So my dad suggested crossing the street and hopping the fence of the school to run around the campus. I followed said advice like the good daughter I am...and BEWARE OF DOG has never been more real to me (although that sign does not exist here.) I was able to run for about 5-7 minutes until the dogs that "own" the campus when kids aren't around on the weekend spotted me from their Dog throne. I could feel the three or four dogs tailing me and I tried to "confuse" the dogs by running around the building a "different" direction. The dogs were very angry with me and I've never been more afraid of any animal. I decided to stop running (as advised by the Peace Corps) and walked to the gate "with confidence."
Let's just say...I'm never doing that again. And for the record, this was not one of the dogs trying to eat me.

I'M DANGEROUSLY CUTE, BACK THE EFF OFF.


Today I did myself a favor and just hopped on my sweet mountain bike and road toward people. I was feeling weird because it's difficult to be surrounded by people that don't recognize your "mad-awesome" pantomiming skills. I tried to explain "mosquito net" to my mom yesterday with buzzing noises and waving my hand around my face...She just walked away. I'm making even more weird noises than usual to communicate with my host family.
Anyway...I got on my bike, and called my friend Willia. I knew I was somewhere near her house and that she wouldn't mind me just stopping by somewhat unannounced. She's amazing. I love her. She was napping when I called her and woke her up. The second time I did that to someone today (oops!) We gathered on the side of the road along with two other PCT friends, Miriam and Melissa. Then we visited one of the married PCT couples, Kayla and Kevin.
Long story short, I am going to make it my rule to call someone when I'm feeling weird/sad/lonely and meet up with them. I hope Willia doesn't mind being the first one on my list.

Willia: My Saving Grace


I should probably go to bed soon and before I go to bed, I have to go pee and that is also a scary ordeal...I'll spare you the details for now. This was a LONG post.


Love,
LoRAAH, PCT