I have made my home in Kampot and have had a great first few weeks. Cant believe its the third week already.
A few things are as to be expected but also some are not.
Internet is really slow, hence no updated photos for quite some time.
Atmosphere is relaxed and friendly.
Volunteer placement needs some adjustments.
But here what its like:
Kampot is a very beautiful town by the river, the buildings are all french
inspired and most look very old with water marks all down the walls and faded exterior paint.
Many have high contrete fences around them. There are many shanty
houses and abandoned buildings that are now homes to the poorer people.
The markets are amazing. They are real Cambodian markets much more
dirty (the floor) than those in Phnom Phen and Siem reap. There are
live chooks ready to be plucked and freshly killed pigs heads in the
meat section. The stink is unbelievable around this area. The fruit and
vegie section is great you you can buy a kilo of mangoes for US$1. Early in my stay I went to buy some fruit but it was difficult when i was not
quite sure of the prices that I should be paying. One lady said 10
000riel for 2 nashi apples and the next said 3000 riel for 2 so I will learn as I go becasue I still think I paid to much with 3000riel it
should be about this much for 1 kg not for 1/2 kg i think. You just
dont know which ones will give you the real price and which people will
give you the farang price (foriegner price) but I'm starting to get a feel for how much things should cost.
Oh and a note about the fashion here. Picture pygamas that kids wear in Australia
are actually a daily fashion wear for woman young and old. Quite strange to see people
walking around in their pygamas but I haven't been game to tell anyone
this yet although I'm quite sure its been observed many times.
The
rainy season has started already and we had a
few big storms in the late afternoon and night during my first week here. Most of the day is fine
though but we haven't had any rain for about 1 week now. The streets
get quite muddy but
by the next morning most of then have dried up. This is not seasonal weather for this time of the year and they still keep saying theres no such thing as climate change.
Have
just had Khmer New Year so was on a break from the orphanage for a
while, people dont work very hard
in Cambodia. Language barrier at the orphanage is not to bad. there is
a young boy (16yrs) who speaks quite good
english so he has been very helpful in telling me how things work.
Schools have been on hoidays for Cambodian new year which fell
over 3 days, 12th-14th April, school resumed on Monday, so things have not
quite be the normal routine. The orphanage
itself seems to de quite well funded so I think I will really consider
where I'm going to use my money.
Am teaching english classes 5:30 til 6:30 and have started to do some
networking to try and find another place to get involved with. I met
Barbara at The Little Garden Bar, she was the lady who i'd first
organised my accomodation with. She was able to direct me to a canadian
woman, Sarah so i'll see her after lunch to try get a broad picture of
whats around.
On saturday, I met with a french man to talk
about his organisation. He gets students refered to him from schools,
who are in need of financial support to enable them to continue their
schooling. However once I spoken with him I''ve decided that I didn't
really like the selection process that he uses to decide which children
he takes on. First he does an economic evaluation of their family and
home situation, which is a great idea to ensure that money is actually
a problem and its not just being gambled or wasted away. But then the
children have to sit an exam and if they are smart enough to continue
schooling and be successful then he will support them. This part was
where the problem is because when I asked him 'well what happens to
those students with learning difficulties', his response was that he
cant support them and that he only has so much money so it should be
spent where children will succeed but he dosen't offer them a referal
to another organisation. Unfortunately this is following the Khmer
system and is not helping develop entire communities. He doesn't just
focus on a single village but picks the students who have potential to
achieve from the whole Kampot area. I think it would be much more beneficial to
build a stronger community and promote equality within the village in an attempt to help the whole comminuty not just an individual. But thats just my opinion and this is afterall Cambodia.
On
Monday we went to the openning for a new performing arts centre
building which is part of one of the biggest non-gov organisations. EPIC ARTS
has been established for some years and supports deaf and disabled
youth in developing skills in performing arts. A great program and very
successful. I'd like to talk to the director, sometime next week (after
the busy time of moving into their new building). Maybe she will be
able to help me find something. They also work with an arts school for
children, a bit like a sister school.
So
things are moving very slowly in terms of the volunteer work but
hopefully i can get something sorted out soon.
We
went to Bokor Mountain National Park during Khmer New Year. I dont
think I told you already. It has been closed for the past 10 months as
the Koreans are starting to build a massive resort. They openned it
especially for New Year becasue its always enjoyed by Khmer people over
this time as they are taking holidays. I dont know how they can build
in the middle of a national park but it is. $$$$$. At the top of Bokor
there is a ruined french resort with a huge, grand casino building. Its
falling apart now and their is no colour left in any of the wall paint
but the structure itself is still standing (just). You can walk through
the maze of rooms and try not to get lost. There were once 100 rooms
but all the different parts of the buildings are reached by different
stair cases. There was one place that if you looked out a window and
saw an open verandah you easily thought that you would walk down three
steps in the next room and there would be the exterior door but no, you
had to walk to the opposite side of the building go down 2 flights of
stairs and back to the other side then up more stairs. Quite amazing
architectural plan. It really is an amazing place. I am very glad i was
here during new year because i doubt it will be open again in its
natural state. But next time with the beginning of a huge resort and a
los vegas style casino. When we went up it was misty weather and
freezing so you couldn't see the view but it is magnificent apparently,
seeing right out to Kep and the surrounding islands. On the way up the
mountain we could stop and see the view. Surprisingly Kampot is very
close to the ocean which I didn't realise from the map.
Well, this is Cambodian life so far. Its all slow and steady but I know its for me at the moment.
