tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72720245874103192082024-03-07T21:31:19.717-08:00C a m b o d i a 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 3- a(nother!) trip to Pursat Province, Cambodia, with HOPE International Development Agency -Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-80622161991112761552013-08-01T01:18:00.003-07:002013-08-01T14:59:36.173-07:00Crazy Stupid Loved<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am thankful for many things in Cambodia. Things like giggles and
smiles of little children, rides on water-buffalo-drawn carts, morning
runs with the sun rising over glimmering rice paddies, scorching late
afternoon sunshine overtaken by rainstorms... stories and pictures
of all of these coming soon. :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wxdu276-j8I/Ufnz8uUgl2I/AAAAAAAAC-0/9dA0_498t54/s1600/apsaradancers-cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wxdu276-j8I/Ufnz8uUgl2I/AAAAAAAAC-0/9dA0_498t54/s400/apsaradancers-cropped.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My hilarious and always-entertaining team of monkeys (here clearly very
successfully becoming the graceful apsara dancers of Cambodia).</i><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
But
most of all, this time, I think I am thankful for these 7 monkeys. Most
older than me and a few easily 20 years my senior, but whose collective
youthfulness keeps me young. :)<br />
<br />
<i>I'm getting too old for this</i>, was my first thought upon arrival to Cambodia. Luckily these guys proved me wrong.<br />
<br />
I
stumbled my way into this trip, switching gears into thinking about it
at all really only a few days prior to take off. Taking the team on a
tour through the somber history of genocide in Cambodia, and the
inspiring work of HOPE, I was feeling at home, but nonetheless pretty
lonely playing tour guide for yet another bunch of strangers. Kind of a
new loneliness in familiarity and tiredness (and inside actually wanting to be enjoying some Vancouver summer.. or just curling up and reading a book) while everyone else was experiencing with
fresh eyes and genuine awe, tiredness way overshadowed by the
giddiness of all things new. <br />
<br />
Finally getting to the
rural village where we would be based for most of our time, after months
of dreaming and waiting, the team jumped in to play with the kids that
gathered around us.... while I retreated to our hide-out in a
newly-constructed classroom and dove into my sleeping-pad-over-concrete
bed on the floor, feeling lame not to be as energy-filled as I usually
am, and feeling bad that, though they would have no idea of what to
compare to, I knew this team wasn't getting the best of me. <br />
<br />
But
when you share 24 hours a day together, somehow, strangers don't stay
strangers for very long. I've never had a group of complete strangers
become such quick "siblings"... poking so much fun at each other,
playing so many pranks on each other, and having so many endless
giggle-fits into the night as we tried to wriggle ourselves into a comfy
spot on the concrete, knowing we'd all get woken up a few hours later
by the howling dogs that made their home outside our door.<br />
<br />
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And
then leading the team and being fully there (not just feigning it!)
becomes easy again. Easy enough to enjoy anyways. :) Somehow, in the
grace of it all, I found a new rhythm of leadership, quieter and less
prominent/directive /group activity-discussion-facilitation, I think,
than in all the other teams I taken overseas. No more or less personal,
but maybe even more empowering to each person individually, in making
room for their unique strengths, compassion, and personalities to find
expression and inspiration. I think, anyways (?)! <br />
<br />
And,
somehow, the grace of all of that, in the "relative nothingness" that I
really was for team sometimes, they each got what they needed to live
fully in the experience. Each in their own way, deeply and tangibly,
with hugs, joys, laughter, and tears, they loved all the people we
shared life with in the most rural areas of Cambodia. They affirmed me
and each other with no few words, and <i>just in case</i> I didn't get
the point about me, as a parting gift, they sneakily and so thoughtfully
got me a new phone with a crazy long battery life (35 days?!) for me to
use in my future travels... AND on our last day in Cambodia, when my
silly overly-trusting carelessness in the market ended up as a sizable
donation to a swift pair of pick-pocketers - as much as I said it <i>really</i> didn't matter - they <i>insisted </i>on being the amazing lovely family that they are, pooling their money to replace all that I'd lost. <br />
<br />
And
left me in an awe of being so very crazy stupid loved, by this bunch of
strangers who have, once again, become my family and team in loving
those around us. :)<br />
<br />
... More to come. :) </div>
Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-51065859256238293742011-06-23T07:57:00.000-07:002011-06-23T07:59:48.167-07:00Cambodian Idol<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sorry no news in the last couple weeks... I've been mostly out of internet range and am just back now to the town! I've taken a million pictures and have a ton of stories to tell, but unfortunately I don't have time to put those together into a blog right now...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But in the meantime, if this video will slowly upload... here's one of the kids from the village we've been living in the last couple weeks. We see them every day when they go to school (we are working on a new school for them), so we've gotten to know the local kids pretty well. We taught them the Hokey Pokey, the Chicken Dance, If You're Happy and You Know it, Go Bananas, and even the Pharoah, Pharoah song.. and when we ran out of action-packed kids songs, we asked the them to sing <i>us</i> a song... and that's when we (a) were put to shame and (b) discovered the next Cambodian Idol! The video's not very good quality so it's not half as good as it really is... but this kid's got talent!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxcfuNdjRz7d2bzH-VDFpa98aFC-Svdl9gdIN2djs6PQ-IZFCzLHG52WIzT-gRopIL6vA3RT01BlJQYB8fpWQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More hopefully soon! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">xoxo</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rainbow</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div></div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-87823316002803614292011-06-12T07:48:00.000-07:002011-06-12T07:53:02.249-07:00Stanley Cup fever in Cambodia!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Well, it makes me pout quite a bit to miss all the Canucks craze in Vancouver! Even for someone who only ever really watches the last period of the games, or bakes in the kitchen and only pokes her head around the corner to watch the instant replays when something exciting happens... I LOVE getting in the spirit when it brings the whole city together!! Why did I not factor in playoff season when I planned for this UNION trip last fall! :P<br />
<br />
But, seeing as pouting isn't very productive... I brought Stanley Cup fever from the streets of Vancouver with me to rural Cambodia instead!! In the form of bringing 12 plastic hockey sticks and some pylons with me and teaching the kids in the village how to play!!<br />
<br />
My Khmer is pretty limited, but kids learn pretty darn quick! "Now, sit, watch, after, play" seemed to get the point across... and a quick demo later, the kids were pro and lovin' it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jG5pN-VwBe4/TfTNS0YILkI/AAAAAAAAChA/q0wVIboM7i4/s1600/IMGP1486.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jG5pN-VwBe4/TfTNS0YILkI/AAAAAAAAChA/q0wVIboM7i4/s320/IMGP1486.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgPX7ohsTRM/TfTNTgEqaeI/AAAAAAAAChE/b8P9RTgOABY/s1600/IMGP1488.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgPX7ohsTRM/TfTNTgEqaeI/AAAAAAAAChE/b8P9RTgOABY/s320/IMGP1488.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZLx59QoKDA/TfTNUfWSwrI/AAAAAAAAChI/C1FLVVV9kIQ/s1600/IMGP1491.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZLx59QoKDA/TfTNUfWSwrI/AAAAAAAAChI/C1FLVVV9kIQ/s320/IMGP1491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8X58mBIsvDA/TfTNVX1Cs1I/AAAAAAAAChM/ZX4RnZ3EnwA/s1600/IMGP1492.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8X58mBIsvDA/TfTNVX1Cs1I/AAAAAAAAChM/ZX4RnZ3EnwA/s320/IMGP1492.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It was good fun - yay for a little sharing of culture! :)<br />
<br />
I can't wait to hear the news on Monday (my Tuesday)!! Still sad to miss being there for it, but excited nonetheless! I'm headed back to the rural village tomorrow and won't have internet for at least week... so someone or everyone text me - I've got my flag ready to go!! :)<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
<br />
Rainbow</div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-50284429422799694502011-06-11T09:14:00.000-07:002011-06-11T09:18:18.652-07:00New village, new school..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">... but just as exciting!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u16cVhkLw3k/TfN4g2JWEtI/AAAAAAAACdc/Jv1PjnDCs1g/s1600/IMGP1264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u16cVhkLw3k/TfN4g2JWEtI/AAAAAAAACdc/Jv1PjnDCs1g/s320/IMGP1264.JPG" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new school project! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>We’ve jumped in at about 2 weeks into the building progress, which is kind of fun because that’s about where our 2010 team left off last year (in a different village – the school’s done and full of happy kids now! See my last post! :) ), and also because we’ll be here for 3 weeks, and we will get to see the school *almost* through to completion.<br />
<br />
Gettin' to work!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K59nWwtCwFc/TfOCcmZWVmI/AAAAAAAACek/DqbVT_jgAXk/s1600/IMGP1361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K59nWwtCwFc/TfOCcmZWVmI/AAAAAAAACek/DqbVT_jgAXk/s320/IMGP1361.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our team.. note the (awesome) matching flower work shirts :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Lots of work building a school…<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PEy-BTVqZNc/TfOLtfEiCCI/AAAAAAAACfk/oOQFmO3x5Qw/s1600/IMGP1297.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PEy-BTVqZNc/TfOLtfEiCCI/AAAAAAAACfk/oOQFmO3x5Qw/s320/IMGP1297.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dirt scooping (and carrying!) out of classrooms to get a flat foundation</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--8kbw3xEYDg/TfOLjkPCZoI/AAAAAAAACfM/t4mqlwxb3-A/s1600/IMGP1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--8kbw3xEYDg/TfOLjkPCZoI/AAAAAAAACfM/t4mqlwxb3-A/s320/IMGP1272.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling up empty classroom floors...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4YTD6pZ0PTo/TfOLmPws-QI/AAAAAAAACfQ/dTNfcairHYg/s1600/IMGP1275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4YTD6pZ0PTo/TfOLmPws-QI/AAAAAAAACfQ/dTNfcairHYg/s320/IMGP1275.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... with giant rocks</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dzf6dHTSsTc/TfOLwnN3M9I/AAAAAAAACfw/R1S9hxlAdlM/s1600/IMGP1316.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dzf6dHTSsTc/TfOLwnN3M9I/AAAAAAAACfw/R1S9hxlAdlM/s320/IMGP1316.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of rocks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ohf2DDl_bYw/TfOL34ZUIEI/AAAAAAAACgI/ZS3I9TfDNTQ/s1600/IMGP1349.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ohf2DDl_bYw/TfOL34ZUIEI/AAAAAAAACgI/ZS3I9TfDNTQ/s320/IMGP1349.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smashing rocks...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRBS9LZRYnY/TfOL44ZlT7I/AAAAAAAACgM/mgCimMa3E3k/s1600/IMGP1350.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRBS9LZRYnY/TfOL44ZlT7I/AAAAAAAACgM/mgCimMa3E3k/s320/IMGP1350.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wM_7EH9_l2M/TfOO-5dwhhI/AAAAAAAACg4/IgtXM3yLILU/s1600/IMGP1433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wM_7EH9_l2M/TfOO-5dwhhI/AAAAAAAACg4/IgtXM3yLILU/s320/IMGP1433.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with a sledge hammer (that I can barely lift over my head)… I felt like Fred Flinstone</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I164Eq2nLnU/TfOL9_Xm-_I/AAAAAAAACgc/yteGVVp4yvQ/s1600/IMGP1392.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I164Eq2nLnU/TfOL9_Xm-_I/AAAAAAAACgc/yteGVVp4yvQ/s320/IMGP1392.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... rock bed smashed to smithereens</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wmvN6XUEUvI/TfOTIZ-762I/AAAAAAAACg8/zRRZuJP5Pas/s1600/IMGP1448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wmvN6XUEUvI/TfOTIZ-762I/AAAAAAAACg8/zRRZuJP5Pas/s320/IMGP1448.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Covering up all the rock bed with sand...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-clVwY14KMhY/TfOL7wSBqAI/AAAAAAAACgU/kMYEdmmviow/s1600/IMGP1363.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-clVwY14KMhY/TfOL7wSBqAI/AAAAAAAACgU/kMYEdmmviow/s320/IMGP1363.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some brick laying, of course! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-txE3WPPk5DI/TfOL88oqVgI/AAAAAAAACgY/TDfoTydjVlQ/s1600/IMGP1369.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-txE3WPPk5DI/TfOL88oqVgI/AAAAAAAACgY/TDfoTydjVlQ/s320/IMGP1369.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fdPGjYV5ZCc/TfOL1h5QgJI/AAAAAAAACgA/e8MkTKtBG0A/s1600/IMGP1341.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fdPGjYV5ZCc/TfOL1h5QgJI/AAAAAAAACgA/e8MkTKtBG0A/s320/IMGP1341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And brick throwing up to the other workers for the parts we can't be trusted to build without falling</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHEQ5AmpxCI/TfOL_9ldmaI/AAAAAAAACgk/hwMC6S5bD1o/s1600/IMGP1402.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHEQ5AmpxCI/TfOL_9ldmaI/AAAAAAAACgk/hwMC6S5bD1o/s320/IMGP1402.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mighty solid toss, if I do say so myself :)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nL8phhd150Q/TfOMCho61wI/AAAAAAAACgs/NyHZJTuZoIE/s1600/IMGP1505.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nL8phhd150Q/TfOMCho61wI/AAAAAAAACgs/NyHZJTuZoIE/s320/IMGP1505.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tying rebar for the cement posts</td></tr>
</tbody></table> It IS hard work… mostly because it is probably about 50 degrees out! The thermometer on my alarm clock read 48.5 the other day – and I don’t think that includes humidity (and it is HUMID!)… I put my clock away before the team could get more smothered by KNOWING how hot it is! :<br />
<br />
But, it’s really not so bad! We get lots of help from the kids in the village who can’t wait to get their hands on deck (and never seem to tire out)! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mxJUdaMnCZc/TfOLuYXD0vI/AAAAAAAACfo/fOneUhHkWC0/s1600/IMGP1306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mxJUdaMnCZc/TfOLuYXD0vI/AAAAAAAACfo/fOneUhHkWC0/s320/IMGP1306.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qtE0G4ov2hg/TfOLvUbjX3I/AAAAAAAACfs/SsEvGbc3tEQ/s1600/IMGP1313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qtE0G4ov2hg/TfOLvUbjX3I/AAAAAAAACfs/SsEvGbc3tEQ/s320/IMGP1313.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rJHwha8f2Fk/TfOLy0TqWSI/AAAAAAAACf4/leKtBANwL1o/s1600/IMGP1320.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rJHwha8f2Fk/TfOLy0TqWSI/AAAAAAAACf4/leKtBANwL1o/s320/IMGP1320.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making a chain game of dirt carrying</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yv3Zy8jLnHw/TfOLxS21kzI/AAAAAAAACf0/AZgbNOUjBsQ/s1600/IMGP1318.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yv3Zy8jLnHw/TfOLxS21kzI/AAAAAAAACf0/AZgbNOUjBsQ/s320/IMGP1318.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xbZ-LI6thM0/TfOLq7Iz4JI/AAAAAAAACfc/Gb8TXRwYLEI/s1600/IMGP1287.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xbZ-LI6thM0/TfOLq7Iz4JI/AAAAAAAACfc/Gb8TXRwYLEI/s320/IMGP1287.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qpsv3Nwa9eY/TfOLsLP6bGI/AAAAAAAACfg/As-IeGC8_gk/s1600/IMGP1295.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qpsv3Nwa9eY/TfOLsLP6bGI/AAAAAAAACfg/As-IeGC8_gk/s320/IMGP1295.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyOsi5Eqd04/TfOLoAYKsKI/AAAAAAAACfU/Ga2UHS4eKCs/s1600/IMGP1277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyOsi5Eqd04/TfOLoAYKsKI/AAAAAAAACfU/Ga2UHS4eKCs/s320/IMGP1277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V6ZpoNKDv2Q/TfOLpsOf5EI/AAAAAAAACfY/pT8dC5QUyjk/s1600/IMGP1281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V6ZpoNKDv2Q/TfOLpsOf5EI/AAAAAAAACfY/pT8dC5QUyjk/s320/IMGP1281.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T-gKpBNWO4E/TfOMD3VvZYI/AAAAAAAACgw/CzNCd2gfLd8/s1600/IMGP1531.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJEWPQkRMB8/TfOMElW9PZI/AAAAAAAACg0/tAji3o31Oac/s1600/IMGP1532.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YJEWPQkRMB8/TfOMElW9PZI/AAAAAAAACg0/tAji3o31Oac/s320/IMGP1532.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T-gKpBNWO4E/TfOMD3VvZYI/AAAAAAAACgw/CzNCd2gfLd8/s1600/IMGP1531.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T-gKpBNWO4E/TfOMD3VvZYI/AAAAAAAACgw/CzNCd2gfLd8/s320/IMGP1531.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ohf2DDl_bYw/TfOL34ZUIEI/AAAAAAAACgI/ZS3I9TfDNTQ/s1600/IMGP1349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
And, anyways, the purpose of our time here is very little about getting a school built – the school will be finished whether we are here or not. But it is about serving side by side alongside Cambodians building their own local community, giving the best of ourselves and in the process, connecting with the local community, learning about need, and getting a real picture of our place in the world to respond. It’s about learning to love people, witnessing poverty first hand, experiencing some kind of personal growth and development, hopefully leaving inspired to keep engaging with the poor. <br />
<br />
While we were sitting around preparing the rebar that would go inside the cement posts and chatting, someone asked me if what I am doing now is what I had wanted to do when I did my studies in international development. I smiled: well, no not exactly – when I was studying, I hadn’t quite pictured sitting on a brick in the sun twisting rebar… but being a part of effective and successful rural development initiatives firsthand and being a part of other people getting excited about it as well...its a good place to be. :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksw6Ggra854/TfOL2sUydJI/AAAAAAAACgE/VQSv4XZbngE/s1600/IMGP1342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksw6Ggra854/TfOL2sUydJI/AAAAAAAACgE/VQSv4XZbngE/s320/IMGP1342.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not too shabby... we'll see how it looks after 2 more weeks! :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Many more photos to share.. but it's painfully slow uploading them with the internet here! I'll be out of internet range again from tomorrow for another week or more... but I'll be in touch again.. One more important post on its way. :)<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
Rainbow</div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-89923724893003234342011-06-06T00:34:00.000-07:002011-06-06T00:34:43.740-07:00School, smiles and friends from 2010! :)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Super quick post, but we went back to the village we were at last year with the 2010 UNION team! And here's the school all completed now! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3yRXwl5VzvI/TeyAOzV0NAI/AAAAAAAACdA/VuxjbwL8YqA/s1600/IMGP1212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3yRXwl5VzvI/TeyAOzV0NAI/AAAAAAAACdA/VuxjbwL8YqA/s320/IMGP1212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
All the kids are studying now! A whole bunch of the ones that were always around at the school with us last year! :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CVopWGLwnI8/TeyAdA2-twI/AAAAAAAACdE/8F72uDshHkc/s1600/IMGP1218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CVopWGLwnI8/TeyAdA2-twI/AAAAAAAACdE/8F72uDshHkc/s320/IMGP1218.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6egnDwSUnww/TeyA0jMtGiI/AAAAAAAACdM/y2eplhWc2H0/s1600/IMGP1226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6egnDwSUnww/TeyA0jMtGiI/AAAAAAAACdM/y2eplhWc2H0/s320/IMGP1226.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Lots of learning going on now! :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dXttc7bKhEM/TeyApRQSX7I/AAAAAAAACdI/t2x8eBophlQ/s1600/IMGP1222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dXttc7bKhEM/TeyApRQSX7I/AAAAAAAACdI/t2x8eBophlQ/s320/IMGP1222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
All our favourite kids! :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1VdIfF0pug/TeyBBRwOtYI/AAAAAAAACdQ/AnpW0kAidkc/s1600/IMGP1235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1VdIfF0pug/TeyBBRwOtYI/AAAAAAAACdQ/AnpW0kAidkc/s320/IMGP1235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2HoskxgEPo/TeyBL90SHdI/AAAAAAAACdU/aUOiv5aMZdk/s1600/IMGP1237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2HoskxgEPo/TeyBL90SHdI/AAAAAAAACdU/aUOiv5aMZdk/s320/IMGP1237.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRq1PYYbqkA/TeyBNU948tI/AAAAAAAACdY/LnkUMUWMPqE/s1600/IMGP1238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRq1PYYbqkA/TeyBNU948tI/AAAAAAAACdY/LnkUMUWMPqE/s320/IMGP1238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Ok gotta run now... but I love these kids!!<br />
<br />
xoxoxo<br />
<br />
Rainbow</div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-91818942701084208372011-06-05T09:18:00.000-07:002011-06-05T09:20:00.087-07:00My new team of barangs!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hello from Cambodia! :) Warm greetings.. and I mean WARM! I came back to my hotel room the other day and basked in its coolness... and looked down at the thermometer on my alarm clock and saw that it read 30 degrees. Ah yes, just as I remember! It's like extreme hot yoga... very much sweaty and kinda gross, but for many 90 minutes on end.. and for free! I will have no more toxins left by the end of these couple of weeks! :) <br />
<br />
Anyways, in more exciting news, my team - Martin, Corinne, Jocelyn and Emma! I met them at the airport with jasmine flower leis :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-POK8z4yxI4Q/Teue1FQ_duI/AAAAAAAACcg/oAIMHM6-_1c/s1600/IMGP1192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-POK8z4yxI4Q/Teue1FQ_duI/AAAAAAAACcg/oAIMHM6-_1c/s320/IMGP1192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It's only been 2 days, but they seem to be a great bunch - pretty easy going and eager to help and get their hands dirty. It's hard not to think back and compare my team with last year's awesome goofy team that I just loved... but I'm sure this year's team will be awesome as well! In any case, as I reminded the team in our first meeting together, I work for an <i>international development</i> agency... not a tourist agency. And that's why we're here and hopefully we'll get to understand a lot more what that means in the coming few weeks! We spent yesterday taking a visit to the genocide museums/memorials in Phnom Penh to learn about the recent history of the Khmer Rouge regime that brutally killed more than 2 million people (some 20% of the population) just one generation ago..<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjAUJC4K6k8/TeunTR6kL8I/AAAAAAAACc4/6xtli3QeOoY/s1600/IMGP0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjAUJC4K6k8/TeunTR6kL8I/AAAAAAAACc4/6xtli3QeOoY/s320/IMGP0495.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the torture rooms in the S-21 prison :(</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We're now in Pursat, the province where HOPE works, and we'll be headed to the village/community that we'll stay for the next 3 weeks tomorrow.<br />
<br />
Hopefully more next week when we have a brief break back from the field! I used to do planning, sort pictures, write blogs and run errands, etc, early in the morning before the team wakes up. "Unfortunately", everyone on my team seems to be early bird eager beavers as well, up at 6am, so we've been starting our days pretty early instead! But, it'll be a good thing with lots of perky energy on the team! But for now, that means just a random collection of a few quick pics!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j_XNAShkSR0/TeuqB_Fkr4I/AAAAAAAACc8/gWTHDS5PoZM/s1600/IMG_1981.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j_XNAShkSR0/TeuqB_Fkr4I/AAAAAAAACc8/gWTHDS5PoZM/s320/IMG_1981.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bright coloured monks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ufVKWv3-cy8/TeuikZMBBcI/AAAAAAAACco/EH0thwwiJVU/s1600/IMGP1194.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ufVKWv3-cy8/TeuikZMBBcI/AAAAAAAACco/EH0thwwiJVU/s320/IMGP1194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martin checking out the various creepy crawly goodies sold at the Central Market</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GK7nlVfXqcc/TeujkL2pVOI/AAAAAAAACcw/PUXO6MhdLVg/s1600/IMGP1196.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GK7nlVfXqcc/TeujkL2pVOI/AAAAAAAACcw/PUXO6MhdLVg/s320/IMGP1196.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two picked out</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y6_C1gyyqeE/Teukh1pYpHI/AAAAAAAACc0/el_FzLfzmvs/s1600/IMGP1197.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y6_C1gyyqeE/Teukh1pYpHI/AAAAAAAACc0/el_FzLfzmvs/s320/IMGP1197.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eughh..! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XKWiofaS9CI/TeuhxRu4JlI/AAAAAAAACck/fX3fcUF3e2Y/s1600/Canucks-small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XKWiofaS9CI/TeuhxRu4JlI/AAAAAAAACck/fX3fcUF3e2Y/s320/Canucks-small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And last but definitely not least... <br />
Celebrating the Canucks' win in front of the Royal Palace!! Whoo hoo!! :D</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Alright... bedtime for now. Until next time! :)<br />
xoxo<br />
Rainbow<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table></div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-37066498967837467862011-05-31T00:54:00.000-07:002011-05-31T00:54:32.322-07:00Rainbow in Cambodia: Take 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm off to Cambodia again....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izUTzBHNuBY/TeSXjPdItTI/AAAAAAAACcY/6AqQoLlH6vk/s1600/MeInCambodia.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izUTzBHNuBY/TeSXjPdItTI/AAAAAAAACcY/6AqQoLlH6vk/s320/MeInCambodia.gif" width="287" /></a></div><br />
... for Take 2 of a Cambodia <a href="http://www.hope-international.com/union">UNION</a> team with <a href="http://www.hope-international.com/">HOPE International Development Agency</a>, 2011 edition!! This whole Cambodia blog so far had been a chronicle of adventures with our (awesome!) 2010 team... feel free to check out some of the stories from our team last year! I'm sure there will be many more stories to add soon! :)<br />
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A bit of a cheater way to share more about what I'll be doing - but I promise to share more later! For now, our latest UNION Newsletter about the trip! :)<br />
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<h1> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="" name="12f97e95c037dc90_12f97d42f3c767ad_12f97d3bb7ace291_12f7a31c3bb0cdfb_12f745151cbf1088_article728606"></a></span></h1><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Home/712/1221/images/UNION%20-%20resized.jpg" style="min-height: 125px; width: 510px;" width="510" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Happy April!</b></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Here at HOPE, we are looking forward to the May flowers at the end of these April showers. Even more so, we are looking forward to June and July this summer, with two 2011 UNION teams going out to be a part of our work in the developing world. We are still accepting applications for our Cambodia team in June and the Dominican Republic team in July. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Read on for more info, and pass along the message to anyone who might want to join us this summer!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><img align="middle" border="0" height="6" src="http://www.industrymailout.com/customers/hope_international/union_article_divider.jpg" style="min-height: 6px; width: 370px;" width="370" /></span><br />
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<h1> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="" name="12f97e95c037dc90_12f97d42f3c767ad_12f97d3bb7ace291_12f7a31c3bb0cdfb_12f745151cbf1088_article728607"></a>Cambodia: June 2011</span></h1><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img align="left" border="0" height="150" src="http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Home/712/1221/images/CambodiaMap-resized.png" style="margin-right: 6px; min-height: 150px; width: 222px;" width="222" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Dates: June 2-26, 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Cost: $3500</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This summer’s Cambodia UNION trip will be a unique opportunity for volunteers to experience life in rural Cambodia. Be a part of the 2011 Cambodia team, and share in work, laughter, and new experiences with local villagers in Pursat province, Cambodia. Join hands with a community and work together in building a primary school for their village. Meet and learn from families in the community whose lives are being transformed by HOPE International Development Agency's clean water, home agriculture, and rice farming initiatives.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <img border="0" height="137" src="http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Home/712/1221/images/Cambodia-3Photos.png" style="min-height: 137px; width: 530px;" width="530" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Redirect.aspx?u=379758&q=302916234&lm=30973451&r=266950&qz=21e8fb1d1e38b917b1cea1c217e03535" target="_blank">Learn more about the Cambodia trip</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/LandingPage.aspx?id=728607&lm=30973451&q=302916234&qz=553e1fcfffda7a75d65d2cc22efbe1c6" target="_blank">Download a PDF about the Cambodia trip</a></span></td></tr>
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I'll be in touch again soon from across the Pacific! :)<br />
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xoxo<br />
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Rainbow<br />
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</div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-52953756113169411972010-12-31T14:29:00.000-08:002011-01-02T22:11:59.185-08:00The End.The night after we had met Ran’s family, I asked one of my happy barangs how he was doing (he was awfully quiet for such a happy barang..). And he said, well I’m just sad. I told him and the team later how very appreciated his usual enthusiasm, laughs, jokes and goofy foolishness was… his love to bring smiles to those around him. But it was also awesome that he really shared in people’s sadness... that in itself would go a long way. <br />
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A note I got from one of my barangs after going back to Ran's family: :)<br />
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<i> This was my most special day of the trip and I appreciate your help making it possible for me to find a way back to put a smile on that woman’s face.</i><br />
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And my UNION team barangs continue to warm my heart with some of the messages they send me from time to time a few months after the trip:<br />
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<i> It was the best 3 weeks I have ever experienced. </i><br />
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<i> Going on the union trip has inspired me to start living life more. </i><br />
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<i> I realize this morning the ways my UNION experience has changed my views - I think it was the spark that helped me realize how much more I want out of this life. When I'm wishing my time away 2 weeks at a time when poor people of the world can just pray that tomorrow comes. And how its going to be .. Today I'm starting a new outlook and focusing more on breaking out of this cycle. I was sad but happy that I have the opportunity to be more this morning.</i><br />
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<i> Newsletter = awesome. I plan to put up 5 posters already haha.. Two gyms, work, my bike shop and local outfitters .. Woot UNION ROCKS .. I will do this with pride!</i><br />
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[On giving water filters to Cambodian families in the name of friends and family as Christmas gifts]. <i>I feel this is a great gift. I’m glad I can give to these people whenever and however I wish.. HOPE makes helping others easy .. I’m so proud to have been able to be even a little part of the big picture! I’m soo excited to give my cards [from HOPE about the water filters] as gifts this year. </i><br />
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Among many more :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR5SwgwD1GI/AAAAAAAACYU/4T_xCFJ6nz0/s1600/IMG_0257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR5SwgwD1GI/AAAAAAAACYU/4T_xCFJ6nz0/s400/IMG_0257.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I was very thankful for these fun, crazy, and awesome people on my first (and thanks to them, not last ;) ) UNION team and it's been a blessing to journey with them through Cambodia and to some extent, still through life back in Canada.<br />
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HOPE’s UNION Program is really just what it stands for – Understanding Needs In Other Nations. Understanding human needs is the first step to meeting them (Adlai Stephenson’s words of wisdom, not mine).. and through all our various adventures and escapades through the Cambodian countryside, the Cambodia UNION team understood not only with their heads, but with their hearts. And they were moved to act and take the initiative to do it. <br />
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Initiative to see, to learn, to care and to act… will go a long way.<br />
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Poverty and human need is not so difficult to understand… yes the reasons and causes for poverty can be complex… but understanding some of the basic and simple needs that we can respond to – effectively – are not so hard. It might be more a choosing to open our eyes to see and allowing our hearts understand. And then choosing to take the initiative to respond… that will make all the difference. Maybe not for every single person in need, but it mattered to Ran and her family, and it always <a href="http://cedarhome.org/mp3/songs/It%20matters%20to%20this%20one.mp3">matters to that one</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><br />
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Well, that is officially the end of the Chronicles of Team Barangutang’s adventures in Cambodia. There are many more stories untold that you can hear from me in person one of these days… - OR - maybe… <i>experience for yourself next year!!</i> <br />
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Find out more on HOPE's website at <a href="http://www.hope-international.com/union">www.hope-international.com/union</a><br />
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- Or - see my <a href="http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=243019&q=260827812&qz=aba2eb">latest UNION newsletter</a>… and if you want, sign up your email for updates to hear about the opportunities coming up.<br />
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- Or - best yet, just talk to me sometime! :)<br />
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You can follow up my next adventure.. coming soon-ish at www.rainbow-in-ethiopia.blogspot.com.<br />
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So... is "The End" of this Cambodia 2010 blog (and actually finished -just barely- in 2010, imagine that!)... BUT the story of these 4 <i>barang</i>utangs, and the story of Ran and her family, and the stories of all the other families and kids that we had the chance to briefly be a part of.. are still being written. <br />
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We'll see what comes of these stories in 2011. :)<br />
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Thanks for sharing these adventures with me in blog-form.. and best wishes for you in the coming year! <br />
<b><br />
HAPPY NEW YEAR! </b>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-89257630992508183552010-12-31T00:41:00.000-08:002010-12-31T01:24:20.358-08:00The best moment... the best smile :)I appreciated a lot of things about my team. Fun, positivity, genuineness, and willingness-to-serve being high on the list among those. And general good-natured-ness. But what has <i>really</i> stood out about the team, over, above and beyond what I would’ve imagine, was their <b>initiative</b> and <b>generosity</b>. They took a lot of initiative – to get to know the workers, to learn Khmer however imperfectly and hilariously, to play with the kids, to creatively turn the school construction site into an adventure playground. They also were generous – with their finances, buying everything from ropes for swings, tennis balls for poi, food for the village party etc without second thought – and beyond that, with their own time, energy and themselves. <br />
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I previously put up two posts… one about <a href="http://rainbow-in-cambodia.blogspot.com/2010/09/dogs-cats.html">Ran’s family</a> and what we'd had a glimpse of, of real struggle with poverty. And another one I had put up before, <a href="http://rainbow-in-cambodia.blogspot.com/2010/08/somethin-special_21.html">a vague one about something very special</a>. <br />
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Here’s where those come together… <br />
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The last day that we were in Pursat, before we were about to head back to Phnom Penh (the capital city of Cambodia, 3 hours away) the next morning, the team approached me and asked if there was something we could do for Ran’s family, who we'd met a few days before. Well, she should hopefully get a well within two years or so, I told them. I knew as well as them that two years.. getting by one day at a time in ill health.. is a long time. Installing one of the HOPE bio-sand water filters we’d seen as a less-expensive temporary measure was not really an option, as there are so many other families (without a source of underground water for a well) also in desperate need for water filters for clean water… and Ran is hopefully getting a well soon-ish.<br />
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It was also Saturday, when the HOPE staff should’ve been having their rest on the weekend – they work long and hard during the week! I called Ly. Well, she suggested, you could go to the market and buy a temporary clay water filter... it won’t last forever like the biosand filters – maybe two years. But by then, hopefully Ran’s family will have a water well. <br />
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Hurrah! With two of our favourite (not that we actually played favourites, they are all very awesome :) ) HOPE staff that willingly gave up their time with their family to come help us.. we went to the market.<br />
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And picked out a water filter! (Plastic bucket with a special clay pot insert that filters the water as it drips through)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q2dckskI/AAAAAAAACXg/8dk3N1g8S_0/s1600/IMGP1465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q2dckskI/AAAAAAAACXg/8dk3N1g8S_0/s320/IMGP1465.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q4KYDJeI/AAAAAAAACXk/zcF6OKBSk8s/s1600/IMGP1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q4KYDJeI/AAAAAAAACXk/zcF6OKBSk8s/s320/IMGP1468.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The guys also picked out the biggest bag of rice they could find – 50 kg worth!<span id="goog_760825752"></span><span id="goog_760825753"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q5rQtJwI/AAAAAAAACXo/6nTunWRNLjQ/s1600/IMGP1469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q5rQtJwI/AAAAAAAACXo/6nTunWRNLjQ/s320/IMGP1469.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Qy1dsIwI/AAAAAAAACXY/jHFZrR9TsEY/s1600/IMGP1462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>…and some pork (which, along with some dried fish – a common part of Cambodian diet, for those who can afford it – and multivitamins, would hopefully help nourish Ran with the iron her body needs to overcome anemia)<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Qy1dsIwI/AAAAAAAACXY/jHFZrR9TsEY/s1600/IMGP1462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Qy1dsIwI/AAAAAAAACXY/jHFZrR9TsEY/s320/IMGP1462.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
..and some soap, sugar, salt and basic supplies. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q1A-_UEI/AAAAAAAACXc/-_wvUdbZ2Vw/s1600/IMGP1464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q1A-_UEI/AAAAAAAACXc/-_wvUdbZ2Vw/s320/IMGP1464.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We can barely fit back into the tuk-tuk with all this stuff. Perfect! :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q7EV_b8I/AAAAAAAACXs/O6_ERKcCaNE/s1600/IMGP1470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q7EV_b8I/AAAAAAAACXs/O6_ERKcCaNE/s320/IMGP1470.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q8rWVxXI/AAAAAAAACXw/DX78k8ctOew/s1600/IMGP1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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And we packed up the HOPE truck and Pheap (Ly’s husband) drove us back to Ran’s family...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q8rWVxXI/AAAAAAAACXw/DX78k8ctOew/s1600/IMGP1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q8rWVxXI/AAAAAAAACXw/DX78k8ctOew/s320/IMGP1472.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q_dtgsaI/AAAAAAAACX4/QKHsom2MXHs/s1600/IMGP1479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Where we had the privilege of giving them these few things we’d got. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q-C_xRGI/AAAAAAAACX0/VgbLkQrYseY/s1600/IMGP1474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q-C_xRGI/AAAAAAAACX0/VgbLkQrYseY/s320/IMGP1474.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q_dtgsaI/AAAAAAAACX4/QKHsom2MXHs/s1600/IMGP1479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2Q_dtgsaI/AAAAAAAACX4/QKHsom2MXHs/s320/IMGP1479.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RComuLII/AAAAAAAACYA/x_kXgTHKoa0/s1600/IMGP1485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>And the much, much greater privilege of seeing a beautiful smile and eyes lit up with life from Ran and her mother. – This – is my absolute favourite photo from the trip. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RComuLII/AAAAAAAACYA/x_kXgTHKoa0/s1600/IMGP1485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RComuLII/AAAAAAAACYA/x_kXgTHKoa0/s640/IMGP1485.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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What a beautiful smile. :) ...especially in contrast to <a href="http://rainbow-in-cambodia.blogspot.com/2010/09/dogs-cats.html">how we'd known Ran last</a>. <br />
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A few more memorable photos<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2UU9TM8hI/AAAAAAAACYQ/NoG8lOF3U6Q/s1600/IMGP1482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2UU9TM8hI/AAAAAAAACYQ/NoG8lOF3U6Q/s320/IMGP1482.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Trying out the water filter</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2REWDrLdI/AAAAAAAACYE/gLBxogyzV_Q/s1600/IMGP1486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2REWDrLdI/AAAAAAAACYE/gLBxogyzV_Q/s320/IMGP1486.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RBBaR9zI/AAAAAAAACX8/S8-OeH6KOWA/s1600/IMGP1483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RBBaR9zI/AAAAAAAACX8/S8-OeH6KOWA/s320/IMGP1483.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RF-WGjoI/AAAAAAAACYI/xttjnkB7Sdk/s1600/IMGP1487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RF-WGjoI/AAAAAAAACYI/xttjnkB7Sdk/s320/IMGP1487.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> More beautiful smiles</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RHxKz1QI/AAAAAAAACYM/JkAgCNf-BRA/s1600/IMGP1490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR2RHxKz1QI/AAAAAAAACYM/JkAgCNf-BRA/s320/IMGP1490.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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This last one.. hands together saying “Awkun!” – thank you!<br />
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We were really just as thankful, to be a part of her life, for her to be a part of ours. We shared a few words, saying just that we wanted very much for her to be well – her and her whole family. That we want her to have clean water and be able to be healthy and have a good future full of hope. That we hope that the few things that we had brought would help her family. And that even when the rice runs out, we hope that she would know that she has friends in Canada that care about her, and want to see her be well.<br />
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We weren’t heros. We were just friends. <br />
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And really, we hope these small tokens would help… clean water will give her greater freedom from typhoid, cholera, fever, diarrhea, fever, stomach aches and a greater chance for her son to heal from some kind of muscle infection. Some meat in her diet will also hopefully help her overcome anemia from iron deficiency. The extra rice to supplement their meager daily portions will hopefully help nourish their health and daily work in the fields. <br />
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Until Ran gets a water well, she still doesn’t have access to a water source.. and as the wet season comes to a close (now-ish) and rain no longer runs off her roof into a collecting canister, it will still be a long dry season, maybe two, ahead where the family won’t have water to put through the filter. They will probably still have to ask for it. But they might be able to do it with more dignity and vivid hope that day when they are no longer begging for the basic need of water (which, by the way, is a human right signed into international law as of this year!). And they can look ahead and see possibility and dream for a better tomorrow.<br />
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And for me, the best part (one of the all the best parts) was that Scottie, Adam, and Kat took the initiative to make a difference - THE difference - that we were able to be a part of. It wasn't me nagging them, <i>Guys, we should really do something here</i>. But it was them, responding to need they saw, taking initiative to extend compassion and generosity. And they made a difference. :)Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-73223368732528145602010-12-30T22:48:00.000-08:002011-01-10T11:06:55.715-08:00So long, farewell...<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p>All good things... come to an end! But what a good thing our time in that little village in Pursat, Cambodia was! </o:p>We really did share a lot more than <a href="http://rainbow-in-cambodia.blogspot.com/2010/08/story-of-4-barangs-1-school-and.html">just building a school</a>. We got to share in friendship, smiles, laughter, work, life, and real community. On our last day in the village, we wanted to express our thanks... so, with the help of Ly (director of HOPE Cambodia) we were able to invite the whole village that we lived in to a thank-you and farewell party. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p> </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And everyone really did come out! It started pouring rain just as we were about to start, so as best we could, we all huddled into one room (where we had slept), and with Ly’s translating help as well, we got past our Khmer how-do-you-do attempts to actually thank everyone in the community. An impromptu speech – but more than easy enough from our hearts! </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><br />
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<i>Thank you for letting us spend these last two weeks in your community. It’s been a great joy for us to be part of your work, part of your play, share in your smile and dancing and fun. Every day has seemed like a party!! We have felt so welcome and have been so impressed by your hard work even late at night, and we have learned from you not only how to build a school but how to <b>help </b>and<b> share </b>in everything. <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>We have learned a lot from you and we will always remember you and our time together. <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>We hope the very best for all of you, and especially for the children. We hope that with the new school, they will be able to study hard and reach their dreams. <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your community!</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Here's one of my favourite pictures... the kids in the village that we'd grown to know and love... who are all going to be going to the new school we were building together. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR12l16gqKI/AAAAAAAACWw/5aMiXd53lF8/s1600/IMG_0124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR12l16gqKI/AAAAAAAACWw/5aMiXd53lF8/s320/IMG_0124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hands up, in response to my question: <i>Who's going to study hard at your new school? </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And then… let the party begin! We asked for the help of the local village women to prepare a bigggggggg pot of chicken stew and asked the little shopkeeper next to the school (who sold soap and pop, etc, in a little hut if he would get a nice big supply of pop for us to buy. A very locally-supplied party! :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR14gssbnoI/AAAAAAAACXM/VZpOaRG99CQ/s1600/SAM_0886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR14gssbnoI/AAAAAAAACXM/VZpOaRG99CQ/s320/SAM_0886.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TStYsOlQmjI/AAAAAAAACYg/Roo-tel0ccw/s1600/IMG_0142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TStYsOlQmjI/AAAAAAAACYg/Roo-tel0ccw/s320/IMG_0142.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13eIbsf1I/AAAAAAAACW4/ccHJCYYdi9M/s1600/SAM_0885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13eIbsf1I/AAAAAAAACW4/ccHJCYYdi9M/s320/SAM_0885.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13c4aIGyI/AAAAAAAACW0/IzzMY3QxKLM/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13c4aIGyI/AAAAAAAACW0/IzzMY3QxKLM/s320/IMG_0138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13faNcwLI/AAAAAAAACW8/UoQp9HqXQm4/s1600/SAM_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13faNcwLI/AAAAAAAACW8/UoQp9HqXQm4/s320/SAM_0919.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">One of the awesomest things – in the many previous nights of slugging mud up from the riverbed for the foundation of the school, there was a woman who would come to sell fresh hot boiled corn. I can’t remember for how much. Maybe 5 cents a piece or something. On many occasions, we’d buy the whole lot of it, and then share it with everyone working hard together all night to hoe the river bed, pack down the wicker baskets, and carry the heavy soil up from the river to the school. I asked Ly if we could find that lady and ask if she would prepare enough corn for everyone in the village for the party. Sure enough – no problem! Ly wasn't there any of those nights when we were mud-carrying and corn-buying but she called the Village Chief, who then asked around to find out who was the Corn Lady. And sure enough, Corn Lady was found, and big warm baskets of freshly boiled corn arrived at our party!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13zdcjh8I/AAAAAAAACXA/0rRKjtjb9_s/s1600/SAM_0925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR13zdcjh8I/AAAAAAAACXA/0rRKjtjb9_s/s320/SAM_0925.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR130rYc5ZI/AAAAAAAACXE/LzIKpB6ILFs/s1600/SAM_0937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR130rYc5ZI/AAAAAAAACXE/LzIKpB6ILFs/s320/SAM_0937.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR131xTlMuI/AAAAAAAACXI/uizl-T0kh88/s1600/SAM_0945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR131xTlMuI/AAAAAAAACXI/uizl-T0kh88/s320/SAM_0945.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Friends... some of whom we'd gotten to know by name. Most of the guys on the school construction site we knew. This guy on the right we affectionately called Tarzan for his ability to scale ladders, roofs, support poles, or anything and everything on site to fix something up high. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR15jVWixYI/AAAAAAAACXQ/6-A4x_bs1kM/s1600/SAM_0903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR15jVWixYI/AAAAAAAACXQ/6-A4x_bs1kM/s320/SAM_0903.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR15pQ9eH4I/AAAAAAAACXU/79wWAzNLuJ8/s1600/SAM_0909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR15pQ9eH4I/AAAAAAAACXU/79wWAzNLuJ8/s320/SAM_0909.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And.. that was it! Some hugs and handshakes (and a bucket of water on my head) later, we packed up the HOPE truck and hopped in the back one last time and waved our last goodbyes - (until next time.. )! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Luckily we haven't really left them behind. HOPE is still very much a part of this community and the school should have been completed not long after we left... the kids should all be back in school now... learning new things, gaining new skills and knowledge, and preparing for themselves for a bright future ahead in their beautiful community. I'll look forward to seeing where these kids and families are at in a couple years! </div><i></i><br />
<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-7487486408722845142010-12-30T21:21:00.000-08:002010-12-30T22:35:06.711-08:00A visit to the orphanage<div class="MsoNormal"> As a little disclaimer... there is a lot of jadedness and cynicism of all the harm done in the name of help when it comes to development. For me, this little one-day visit to the orphanage came with being keenly aware of the – well-intentioned – harm that volunteers can do, especially those that swoop in-and-out on such a short timeline. Volunteering abroad in developing countries - especially in orphanages - is maybe even more than 'development' at the end of those pointing fingers... and yes sometimes, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/14/orphans-cambodia-aids-holidays-madonna">for good exploitative reason</a>, making a zoo of the poor and feeling good about ourselves.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">I know the circles of discourse and criticism.. but I have to say, honestly and impressed-ly, that HOPE does development well - and volunteering well too. They have a solid approach of humble, local, community-led, sustainable ways of reaching the poorest people with basic needs that enable families and whole communities the opportunity to make a real, sustainable journey out of poverty to self-reliance. Sometimes that includes care for orphaned children that sets them on new paths of life and opportunity, like <a href="http://www.hope-international.com/building-family-ties/ethiopia/helping-ethiopian-orphans.html">for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia</a>. And HOPE's UNION overseas volunteer program happens in the context of learning and serving alongside people who know and trust HOPE, alongside ongoing local work and genuine commitment to improving whole communities. More about that later maybe. :)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Anyhow, this orphanage in the town of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Pursat</st1:city></st1:place> actually isn't a HOPE project, but the HOPE staff know the local orphanage well. And it is a legitimate place where orphaned children - otherwise left alone - are cared for and have a place to call home. We shared just a little bit of time and smiles with them. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kLcpgrNI/AAAAAAAACWY/mptuvkqsvCQ/s1600/IMGP0943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kLcpgrNI/AAAAAAAACWY/mptuvkqsvCQ/s320/IMGP0943.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Basketball with Adam! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kMsI0LbI/AAAAAAAACWc/GWZF7DBif8Q/s1600/IMGP1428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kMsI0LbI/AAAAAAAACWc/GWZF7DBif8Q/s320/IMGP1428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kPuP3KnI/AAAAAAAACWk/4Fm9iYWRMxE/s1600/IMGP1441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kPuP3KnI/AAAAAAAACWk/4Fm9iYWRMxE/s320/IMGP1441.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Poi with Kat! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Seeing how much the kids in the village loved Kat's poi, we actually bought something like 100 tennis balls or something like that, and (after a long hunt!) found coloured ribbons at the market make our own poi - tennis balls on the end of a string with colourful ribbons hanging off the end that you can swing around and make designs with. I'm not sure how many sets we made.. 50ish maybe? All I know is that we sat and punched holes in tennis balls and pushed string and colourful ribbons into them for a long time one night! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">But, it was definitely worth it... the kids LOVED them!! We left them behind for the kids to keep at the orphanage. </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kOGf4G9I/AAAAAAAACWg/c0fMeiEa-EA/s1600/IMGP1435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kOGf4G9I/AAAAAAAACWg/c0fMeiEa-EA/s320/IMGP1435.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Sharing a meal with the kids<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kQquk3SI/AAAAAAAACWo/8S17V3I5mMg/s1600/IMGP1459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kQquk3SI/AAAAAAAACWo/8S17V3I5mMg/s320/IMGP1459.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And finally, before saying goodbye, sharing with the kids our team's favourite Team Building. :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kV6SyUpI/AAAAAAAACWs/isoOOrK5q-0/s1600/IMGP1460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1kV6SyUpI/AAAAAAAACWs/isoOOrK5q-0/s400/IMGP1460.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-43822583285932093872010-12-30T20:37:00.000-08:002010-12-30T20:39:46.058-08:00Language lessonsAs good guests in a new country and community would, we did our best to learn some of our host’s language... luckily, we had some great, good-humoured and endlessly patient teachers 24/7.<br />
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Typical Khmer language lesson: <br />
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One student. Fifteen-or-so teachers. A billion laughs.<br />
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Scottie did pretty good… :)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1USQGfnHI/AAAAAAAACWU/xhjtigavZYk/s1600/IMG_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1USQGfnHI/AAAAAAAACWU/xhjtigavZYk/s320/IMG_0073.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1UPd7FQzI/AAAAAAAACWQ/K6YhaOpolk0/s1600/SAM_0865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1UPd7FQzI/AAAAAAAACWQ/K6YhaOpolk0/s320/SAM_0865.JPG" width="320" /> </a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><i>Knyom ni-yaay pi saa ka-may tik tik</i> = I speak a little bit of Khmer. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></br><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Let's see how much I remember by next year! :)</div></div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-26865364710877892532010-12-30T19:39:00.000-08:002010-12-31T01:27:35.613-08:00Cambodia: a few last stories..<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1QDj9WiTI/AAAAAAAACWM/lZo79R3PEws/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TR1QDj9WiTI/AAAAAAAACWM/lZo79R3PEws/s320/IMG_0856.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">I hit the ground running getting home from Cambodia last summer… as per usual. Despite my best intentions, I haven’t had a very good track record of finishing off my blogs from my travels… but, finally finding a few moments over the holidays now, I wanted to share just a last few stories of my Cambodian experiences with my crazy team of <i>barang</i>-utangs. So.. here goes a solid attempt!</div><br />
Just for fun... here's my beloved UNION team... somehow scheming their way into getting me to smile & wave at the camera as they dump a bucket of water over my head on our last day in the village at our community farewell party. Thanks guys :P<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FfWan4aictA?hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FfWan4aictA?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Blogger's video function seems to be not working.. so til it does, it's linked from YouTube)</div><br />
All's well that ends well. :) These crazy <i>barangs</i> continue to warm my heart. Here's to a few of our last stories together in Cambodia!Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-47361830750570459362010-09-04T22:25:00.000-07:002010-09-07T13:06:20.956-07:00"Poverty"Well, it was definitely smiles and joy in building that well that day. But I really should share what made it so special.<br />
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Just after meeting the family with the well from 2006 and the garden full of vegetables... and before getting to get our hands on some well-building the next day… we had a much more sobering experience of poverty and needs in Cambodia.<br />
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We met this family. This lady’s name is Ran, and her mother. She has 3 kids. She had 4 kids… but one of her sons died of typhoid from drinking unclean water last year. Ran was very ill herself, which is why her mother had come back to live with her. Her husband is away most of the time, collecting firewood in the jungle to sell. She and her remaining 3 sons work the little land that they have to grow, and spend the rest of the day in other people’s fields to earn what little income they can to buy rice for the day and survive. <br />
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It was a pretty sobering encounter. She is one of many families waiting for a well from HOPE. Nothing has been promised to her yet – HOPE builds somewhere in the range of 50 to 100 wells in Cambodia each year. When they get the funds, they build the wells. Ran’s family is still on the wait-list. <br />
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What is life like for Ran and her family?<br />
<br />
Well, Ran herself is sick with some kind of typhoid. She suffers from anemia, from lack of iron. Her son has swelling in his legs, arms and shoulders from some kind of muscle infection that has gone untreated. They have no money for medicines much less vitamins. <br />
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She and her family eat twice a day... simple meals. Just rice porridge. We met her around 11am that day. She'd just come back from working in the rice fields since day break, about 5:30 or 6 o'clock in the morning. But she hadn't eaten yet - and her kids were still out in the field. She was about to prepare her family's meal: the rice porridge - ie, rice boiled down with water – more water when there’s less rice. She didn't talk about eating - just about 'filling stomachs'. She showed us her drinking water – an almost-empty jar of collected rain water. She lives too far from any river or open water source to even be able to get water from there. When she runs out, her family drinks the water from the rice field – the kind of mud, really, that we were wading around in and Adam did his bellyflop into. At least – that’s when they are lucky enough to be in the wet season. In the dry season, even the rice field water has long dried up.<br />
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There are some people, some distance away, Ran and her mother said, that have access to some water. So, when they need it, they ask if they can have some little bit. Ask might be too nice though. Beg might be more fitting. Where water is scarce, even neighbours are reluctant to share. Ran's mother just looks at the ground: <b><i>We make ourselves lower than dogs and cats to ask for water</i>.</b><br />
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They had no smiles for us. Not for themselves. They didn’t even look us in the eye when we were there – they were squatted down as we stood around them, eyes down at the ground as Ly talked with them about <i>what if </i> HOPE was able to support them. Ly translated for us, but we caught most of it in their voices. Their voices were lifeless. They had nothing to say when we asked what they dreamed of for the future. <br />
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It was hard to stay. And hard to walk away. We gave Ran’s family some loaves of bread that we had brought, and then left, very much sad, and had a quiet motorbike ride home. It was a hard day for the team. We had a team chat that night, and talked about poverty and development, as we’d seen over the last few days.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><br />
‘Poverty’ doesn’t just ‘exist’. ‘Poverty’ can be so vague it hardly has any tangible meaning anymore when we use the word. It isn’t captured by indicators of daily income, child mortality rates, poverty 'lines' and who's over or under it. <br />
<br />
It is captured in the life of a young mother whose every day existence is a struggle to survive, whose health is failing, who’s lost a child, who works and toils to no end, only to fill her family’s stomachs with food that will not nourish them. It is captured in eyes that can't smile, and voices without life, two beautiful lives so desperately surviving today, that there is simply no hope, no dreams of <i>what if?</i> for a different tomorrow. It is captured in a family who makes themselves lower than dogs and cats, for water.<br />
<br />
It is captured in real lives and real people… and it is very much real.<br />
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Food for thought.<br />
<br />
xo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-10155695038710709572010-09-04T22:05:00.000-07:002010-09-04T22:12:44.304-07:00Water wells!Well the the next day indeed, here we were... gettin' to be a part of a real well in another village!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We met one of the families that would be getting their water from this well... very exciting! The mom has always had to walk wayyyyyy far away to get their water - and here is this almost-going-to-be-ready well, right in their back yard! It’s already dug and cement-walled down into the ground – we just got to help make the foundation around it. <br />
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Shoveling rocks… by now, we know all about moving rocks around.. !<br />
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(But I love that the kids always without fail, get right in there and start helping!)<br />
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Dumping rocks<br />
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Workin’ the rebar… <br />
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I now not only know what rebar <i>is</i>, I know how to tie ‘em together in straight grids with wire & twist it with a nail! :)<br />
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Preparing the cement... just doin' what we do best at this point! :)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pouring water to make cement... Scottie is now cement connoiseur directing this process :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TIMf9gDjJqI/AAAAAAAACUE/8z_luLHp3BU/s1600/IMGP1318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TIMf9gDjJqI/AAAAAAAACUE/8z_luLHp3BU/s320/IMGP1318.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Mid-work coconut break, fresh off a tree! (Really, they sent a kid shimmying up the tree to get it!)<br />
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Which was a gift from that village's Village Chief, who came to thank us for coming to visit the village and to help with the well. (Though really - thanks for letting us be a part of it!)<br />
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Ok- back to work. Pouring cement by the bucket (if we weren't ripped at the beginning of this trip, we sure are now! ;) )<br />
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Pouring & smoothing out the cement <br />
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Inscribing the well with HOPE! They do this with all the wells, with the year it was constructed, etc - though I'm sure no one will be forgetting any time soon! <br />
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Laying bricks around the edges for a bit of a brim around the foundation (that way they can draw buckets of water and wash stuff right in the big foundation area, or pour water over the foundation to wash it and have all the water drain out to an opening we left... we've already tried it with washing off our mud-covered feet. Works wonders! :) )<br />
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Cover it up with more cement... <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Smooth it out... (and beautifully slice off the excess along the rim as the cement hardens a bit, which I missed getting a pic of!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TIMjfUFfC8I/AAAAAAAACVU/HsH3oHFpAZw/s1600/IMG_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TIMjfUFfC8I/AAAAAAAACVU/HsH3oHFpAZw/s320/IMG_0244.JPG" /></a></div><br />
And... we're done! <br />
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HOPE well... full of water, and many life stories to come, I'm sure! :) <br />
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:)<br />
<br />
xo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-31932282932774081892010-09-03T20:25:00.000-07:002010-09-03T21:01:44.545-07:00O-jaa!!We had many awesome field trip days... but this was one of the best. Definitely one of the most impacting... off on a motorcycle adventure we go!<br />
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... to have a real, face-to-face introduction to the<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i> life-changing-ness</i></span></span></b></span> of access to clean water!<br />
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HOPE met this family just a few short years ago... when just mere survival was a struggle. They live in the "higher lands" of Cambodia, where they can't really grow rice (which needs to be on lower land, where at least a couple inches of water can sit in the field), even in the wet season. There was no 'life'... just survival.<br />
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But then, in 2006, HOPE was able to build a well for this family!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Life has been incredibly, incredibly different for this family since they got their well. As the family shared with us with big, vibrant smiles of how life has changed... there was a moment where our whole team just stopped… and kind of took in the magnitude of it all.<br />
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A video of us, wide-eyed at the scene, would have caught the moment so perfectly well:<br />
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<b>Kat: </b>So… in <i>four</i> years, this family has gone from having absolutely nothing, having only enough rice to fill their stomachs for four months of the year… to having clean water, health, water to irrigate their crops, now a garden full of vegetables, and is making US$9 - $20 every other day selling their crops to the market? That’s pretty…<br />
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<b>Adam: </b><i>O-jaa!!</i> ... which is one of the few Khmer words we’ve all learned, which means <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><i>awesome!! </i></span></b></span><br />
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And awesomely o-jaa it is! This family has now been able to grow beans, cucumbers, watermelon, fruit trees, all kinds of veggies! And, fun for us - we got to join them for some planting that morning… <br />
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which will yield a harvest full of long green beans in just 2 months! :)<br />
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Hopefully anyways, if we did it right! We were joking about how the beans, when they are ripe, would get a better price at the market because they were <i>barang</i>-planted. Ly (HOPE Cambodia's director): "Yah, they could market them as miracle beans - it'd be a miracle that they grew!!" Haha.. well thanks to the family for trusting us with their bean field... fingers crossed we did them more help than harm! :)<br />
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As one of my UNION team said that day, <i>“It’s amazing how one well transforms lives .. And we get to be a part of it tomorrow. Cambodians are filling my heart with love .. One smile at a time!”</i> (I stole this off his Facebook, because this, among the other status's that they’ve been putting up, made ME smile so much, every time I took a peek on my news feed when we get a chance to catch some internet time… I hope he won’t mind). :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i> <b><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">O-jaa! </span></b></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TIG8vs7HhUI/AAAAAAAACSk/OzvT9pnWsZ0/s1600/IMGP1244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TIG8vs7HhUI/AAAAAAAACSk/OzvT9pnWsZ0/s400/IMGP1244.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-50452173655916453622010-08-29T20:41:00.000-07:002010-09-08T10:36:15.076-07:00Bringin' in the harvestField trip #3!<br />
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It’s just the start of the wet season in Cambodia, and like I’d said before, that means there really shouldn’t be any rice to harvest right now! But, lucky us, one of our neighbours has been a part of HOPE's Dry Season Rice projects... and so, has a whole field of golden ripe rice ready for us to harvest!<br />
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All this would've just been barren for 8 months of the year? Crazy.. <br />
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Well, with a grim-reaper blade in hand, we get to take a go at rice-harvesting! <br />
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My first harvest handful, ta-da!! <br />
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Nice work, team! :)<br />
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Kat’s even got the bundle-tying down! <br />
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Done! <br />
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... But now we’ve got to thrash it to get the rice kernels off! ... By schmacking the bundles against a wooden plank! Hiyaaaa! (Adam's go at it)<br />
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Look at all ‘em kernels flying off! (Scottie)<br />
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Kat, showcasing the shake-shake-shake (+song) technique.<br />
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And, finally... rice! <br />
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Fun! :) Kinda awesome to see where it really all comes from (ie, not just in a bag from grocery store!). There’s a lot of work that goes into it before it gets to our table. And- a lot of real people and real lives. Our neighbours, by the way, since being a part of the Dry Season Rice project, have been able to earn enough income (selling extra rice) to put their kids in school, and this year their oldest son is going to college! He wants to work in a business one day. Kudos & best wishes to him! :) <br />
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I didn't write about it before, but when I was doing the project evaluations on the Dry Season Rice Projects just before the UNION team came in, I talked with 2 groups of farmers (maybe 20+ people altogether) who were telling me about life in the dry season before joining the project. Many of them went to the Thai Border looking for wage labour doing agricultural work, carrying huge loads (a guy said he cried when he saw what he had to carry). They illegally crossed to the Thai side if they couldn't find work on the Cambodian side & -often- got arrested, beat up, any earnings taken from them, put in jail, dumped back into Cambodia in trucks, etc. But they had no better choice. Yikes. Now being able to work on their own land, on their own soil, in safety, with their families... and provide for their families through the year... is nothing short of amazing. Pure joy. :)<br />
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Thanks to our neighbours for letting us join in on their work, fun, lives... and yes indeed... joy. :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.hope-international.com/projects-and-programs/sustainable-agriculture/dry-rice-farming.html">Want to be a part of this</a>?Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-49770509122760611282010-08-28T21:21:00.000-07:002010-08-29T13:45:05.814-07:00Workin' the rice fields of Cambodia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Field trip #2! (Not really in the order that they happened in, but anyhow! :))... Team Barang-utang takes on the rice fields of Cambodia!<br />
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Like I said, we had many field trips during our 2nd week in Cambodia... to see more of what HOPE does! So, one day, we got to join in one of HOPE/DFP's village training sessions on rice farming<br />
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The facilitator explaining all the steps and techniques for good rice farming..<br />
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Pech, one of the HOPE staff, translating for us everything going on<br />
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With some good seeds (see <a href="http://rainbow-in-cambodia.blogspot.com/2010/08/story-time-2-water-buffalo-and-lots-and.html">my last post about this</a>), and good training, from about 2.5 tonnes of rice per hectare, farmers are now able to harvest up to about <b>6 tonnes </b>per hectare… and up to 3 crops per year instead of 1 for the farmers who have been able to start growing Dry Season Rice. <i>Pretty darn amazing. </i><br />
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And then, a little later - post-training - we got to join all the villagers to the demonstration field to put what we’d learned into practice… (trans)planting rice seedlings! Out we go to the field!<br />
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Our field... / muddy puddle... <br />
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Seedings, ready to plant!<br />
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Hikin' up the shorts & gettin' in there! <br />
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Planting the seedlings, all in a row (with a cheater learning line to make sure they're straight! :) )<br />
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Look at all the rice we've planted.. one of 4 fields! It'll be ready for harvest in about 100 days (~3 months)! <br />
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Many hands make the work quick! :) <br />
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Even making our way to the field... is muddy work! <br />
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But… somehow, one of us <i>barangs</i> got a little muddier than others… but a LOT more laughs from the locals! Probably the highlight of the day... definitely was mine. :) <br />
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Like I’d said before – us being in Cambodia doesn’t necessarily do a lot for Cambodians in terms of practical help… but it was very evident that our presence brought something of value to our friends around us – and, I have to say, this team was especially amazing at it: Encouragement, support, and a whole lot of smiles and laughs and a delight in work! <br />
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:)<br />
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xo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-56017863827426564542010-08-25T20:20:00.000-07:002010-08-29T14:29:31.151-07:00Field trip!It was an awesome privilege for me to see some of HOPE's projects my first week in Cambodia doing the project evaluations... so it would only make sense for our UNION team to get to see more of the amazing work that HOPE does! So our last week in Cambodia, we also took a couple morning ‘field trips’ away from school construction… to experience more of real life in rural Cambodia, and see how HOPE is helping to transform lives!<br />
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Off we go in our ride - the back of HOPE's pick up truck!<br />
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What did we see and what did we do? A lot of different things - but I'll start with this one! Actually I think we just walked to this family's house, it was down the road from our school, but anyways! We went to visit a neighbour in our village, who's gotten this water filter from HOPE for clean water!<br />
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But... before we get to see how the water filter works - we gotta get some water! So, that's what we did, as a small 'something' we could do for our kind hosts! The mom of the family walks down to the river every morning to collect water. She makes at least 3 trips a day, other families say they sometimes make 6 or 7.<br />
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Well, we <i>barangs</i> aren’t able to do a whole lot that Cambodians can’t do better for themselves… but we can take a turn in carrying some water! <br />
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The village kids all gathering to watch (and laugh at) what these crazy <i>barangutangs</i> are going to try to do now!<br />
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Down to the river we go! Scooping the water in...<br />
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Standing up… and trying to balance!<br />
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I can’t stand up!!<br />
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Show off. :P<br />
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Carrying water back up from the river to the family’s home<br />
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Gosh that’s a long trek!<br />
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It really wasn’t, but I couldn’t believe the mom of this family makes a this trip a few times a day! I was wobbling & swaggering the whole way up and - literally - hunched over & could not stand up by the time I got those water buckets up to the family's home!<br />
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Pouring our precious carried water into the family's big ceramic canister...<br />
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And finally, 9 big buckets of water later, we got to the best part… <b><i>seeing that water go through a bio-sand water filter</i><i>!!</i></b> (which the family received from HOPE 2 years ago)!<br />
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Good enough to drink!<br />
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The kids guzzling down the water as it came out of the filter.<br />
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This little girl drinking is one of the daughters of this family... and one of my favourite kids in the village! Not that I play favourites... but she is always has a gigantic smile & is taking care of the even littler ones! (She's also the one on the left in the next picture)<br />
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It really was amazing to hear from this family – and all the kids that we have been playing with around the village. They used to get sick from typhoid, cholera, diarrhea and other unclean-water-related illnesses<i> two or three times a month</i>. Since they’ve gotten the filter? <i>No one gets sick anymore!!</i><br />
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I think everyone (including me, again!) has been so, so, so amazed by what $50 can do. A filter for $50 (the material costs anyways, I guess plus the education & health/hygiene/maintenance training and staff time that goes into it too) gives clean water, freedom from constant illness, freedom for kids to do their work of laugh and play, for moms and dads to sigh a breath of relief and do other more important things like planting rice and growing crops, rather than taking care of sick family members. <br />
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Well, we sure found out the hard (and aching-shoulders!) way - it's still not easy to get water. But it is <i>clean</i> - and THAT makes a huge difference!<br />
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Healthy kids = happy kids.<br />
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Love it! :)<br />
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<a href="https://id409.van.ca.siteprotect.com/hope-international/j/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=96">Want to donate a filter for clean water</a>? :)<br />
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xo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-67363827956760179172010-08-24T21:27:00.000-07:002010-08-24T23:24:19.475-07:001 school, 2 swings, 1000 smiles... and a whole lot moreThere’s quite a story to tell…one that is pretty darn awesome. Maybe many stories that make up the story of our UNION team's experiences over the last week. I don't really know where to start, so I'm just going to give 'er and see where it goes! So... here goes my attempt to share what it’s been... in little bits and pieces. <br />
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What has our second week in Cambodia looked like? It’s looked like a lot of things. For one thing, it looks like a school that’s been built up a whole lot more. With a lot more pillars and walls... <br />
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<o:p> </o:p>... some door frames</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSWyJ5KjwI/AAAAAAAACHc/56J9TvYvsB4/s1600/SAM_0892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSWyJ5KjwI/AAAAAAAACHc/56J9TvYvsB4/s320/SAM_0892.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">...some windows</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSWvH0CDcI/AAAAAAAACHM/vG_kv_jC2_U/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSWvH0CDcI/AAAAAAAACHM/vG_kv_jC2_U/s320/IMG_0055.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">... and a foundation of rocks waiting to be filled with cement. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSWwgYVKHI/AAAAAAAACHU/WmXSnlYoGfI/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSWwgYVKHI/AAAAAAAACHU/WmXSnlYoGfI/s320/IMG_0057.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We’ve continued on with our brick laying, cement mixing, rock carrying, mud hauling, and all that goodness...<br />
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Devising our own (Jungle Book-inspired) ways to cool down when needed<br />
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But, we’ve also been doing other things around the work site – like hucking ropes into trees… </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSXcjsViBI/AAAAAAAACHk/zZxnD0g1QQI/s1600/IMGP0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSXcjsViBI/AAAAAAAACHk/zZxnD0g1QQI/s320/IMGP0975.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
tying some knots…</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSXi4cga2I/AAAAAAAACHs/-1c_4ulMMRQ/s1600/IMGP0978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSXi4cga2I/AAAAAAAACHs/-1c_4ulMMRQ/s320/IMGP0978.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>and singe-ing the ends… </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSXsg9IKpI/AAAAAAAACH0/Mb9W_OetKmw/s1600/IMGP0969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSXsg9IKpI/AAAAAAAACH0/Mb9W_OetKmw/s320/IMGP0969.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>... To make a set of rope swings off the big tree in front of the school! </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSZA5oMzCI/AAAAAAAACI0/HJBmHrbvrIs/s1600/IMGP1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSZA5oMzCI/AAAAAAAACI0/HJBmHrbvrIs/s320/IMGP1075.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSrgUIhR0I/AAAAAAAACJ8/j2yXtE4h7Cs/s1600/IMGP1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSrgUIhR0I/AAAAAAAACJ8/j2yXtE4h7Cs/s320/IMGP1089.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSrn4gG85I/AAAAAAAACKE/ENgqLLn8OBs/s1600/IMGP1079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSrn4gG85I/AAAAAAAACKE/ENgqLLn8OBs/s320/IMGP1079.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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Fun for all ages! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYNzSqU5I/AAAAAAAACIE/QSaWv2wRhxA/s1600/IMGP1051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYNzSqU5I/AAAAAAAACIE/QSaWv2wRhxA/s320/IMGP1051.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whee!! Really! When's the last time <i>you </i>took the time to play on a swing? Definitely conducive to general well-being, I'd say!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYRvZFmwI/AAAAAAAACIM/O_YLo5NNh4c/s1600/IMG_0754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYRvZFmwI/AAAAAAAACIM/O_YLo5NNh4c/s320/IMG_0754.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Unfortunately our creation wasn't always so perfectly conducive to peacebuilding... but I guess I'll let this one slide ;) <br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Fun even for our monkey-friend Sok! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYcx9z1rI/AAAAAAAACIU/iB5_SVNyWW4/s1600/IMG_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYcx9z1rI/AAAAAAAACIU/iB5_SVNyWW4/s320/IMG_0032.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYggdz-QI/AAAAAAAACIc/H1G2TdEoREk/s1600/IMG_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYggdz-QI/AAAAAAAACIc/H1G2TdEoREk/s320/IMG_0043.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p>and just because this monkey is so funny, haha... </o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYnwYPVCI/AAAAAAAACIk/u7Oh7z-d2jA/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSYnwYPVCI/AAAAAAAACIk/u7Oh7z-d2jA/s320/IMG_0052.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Needless to say, we’ve been part of building a lot more than just a school… the team has transformed the school from a pretty bare construction work site… into a KID-filled, FUN-filled adventure playground<b><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"></span></b>! All of our waking hours (and more than definitely, even after we’ve crawled into bed, and well before we’re up again), the school yard is FULL of kids running around (usually with us, until they tire us out!), swinging on swings, kicking around soccer balls or feather hacky sacks that we brought.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THS2yqDXEMI/AAAAAAAACK0/leQxJ1EelUw/s1600/IMGP1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THS2yqDXEMI/AAAAAAAACK0/leQxJ1EelUw/s320/IMGP1061.JPG" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSZsry8irI/AAAAAAAACJE/1hJhicH3mIA/s1600/IMGP1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSZsry8irI/AAAAAAAACJE/1hJhicH3mIA/s320/IMGP1076.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSZwhu99WI/AAAAAAAACJM/Rdo-3S6LjiM/s1600/IMGP1065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSZwhu99WI/AAAAAAAACJM/Rdo-3S6LjiM/s320/IMGP1065.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">So fun to look out over the once-empty work site, and just see it full 24/7 of laughing, screeching kids (and workers too - I think we might have decreased their productivity with our instigation of constant breaks for fun). But I’ve been so impressed by the initiative of this team. They see needs & opportunities, and mesh those with their initiative & creativity and make things happen. And we’ve built a lot more even than schools <i>and</i> swings… we’ve built some amazing<span style="font-size: large;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">relationships</span></b></span> and shared a lot of <b><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><span style="font-size: large;">smiles</span>,<span style="font-size: large;"> laughs</span>, <span style="font-size: large;">fun </span></span></b>and <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";">friendships</span></b></span> with the workers and kids. We're still <i>barangs</i> but we're definitely no strangers anymore!</div><br />
Adam's human swing!<br />
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My hair salon... </div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THScnNAinxI/AAAAAAAACJc/fuDYkIdaIJE/s1600/IMGP1056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THScnNAinxI/AAAAAAAACJc/fuDYkIdaIJE/s320/IMGP1056.JPG" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Kat, Poi extraordinaire, teaching the kids the fun & art of swinging tennis balls on the end of a string with colourful ribbons off the end, and making all sorts of designs. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THScxP26FkI/AAAAAAAACJk/zWHZibvxJRw/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THScxP26FkI/AAAAAAAACJk/zWHZibvxJRw/s320/IMG_0093.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSc10E9dKI/AAAAAAAACJs/gnj5c1uMADE/s1600/SAM_0948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THSc10E9dKI/AAAAAAAACJs/gnj5c1uMADE/s320/SAM_0948.JPG" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Scottie, getting a Khmer lesson from the kids, with a whole lotta laughs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOG_video_class" contentid="FAILED" height="266" id="BLOG_video-FAILED-0" width="320"></object></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b><i>(Hmmm.. this video isn't uploading right now. But I'll try it again in the</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>morning - you should definitely check back and see it!!)</i></b></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The community threw us a big dance party our last night in the village – very much fun. Very much hilarious. Unfortunately the best videos got deleted off Adam’s camera, and we’re trying to salvage them. Hopefully we will, because they were really so good! I'll put one up for sure if I can get 'em back! <br />
<br />
Playing catch-up now, with all that's happened. But, definitely, more to come.... <br />
<br />
xo<br />
Rainbow</div>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-785140088337032862010-08-21T09:58:00.001-07:002010-08-21T10:13:36.185-07:00Somethin' specialIf words could express what the last week here in Cambodia with my UNION team has been... I don't know what they are yet!<br />
<br />
Even a thousand words in a picture don't quite capture what it's been. And I have a lot of pictures to choose from.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THAFs20hb_I/AAAAAAAACG8/o_OeIyoNA6E/s1600/IMGP1485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/THAFs20hb_I/AAAAAAAACG8/o_OeIyoNA6E/s320/IMGP1485.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Here's one picture... which has a whole lot of a story, that touches on so much that's happened this week, to go with it.<br />
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I haven't quite figured out how to share it all yet. For now, I can just say it's been nothing short of <span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> something really special.</span></i></span><br />
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I'll hopefully share more... soon.<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-22989954078756233392010-08-15T01:18:00.000-07:002010-08-15T01:21:28.623-07:00All work and no play....would make for some sad<i> barangutangs</i>, so, we make sure we have lots of fun on the job site...<br />
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Everything from brick-carrying contests (I think Adam holds the record at 20 bricks in one go) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeau0hOxpI/AAAAAAAACD8/zViuIHXClww/s1600/IMGP0721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeau0hOxpI/AAAAAAAACD8/zViuIHXClww/s320/IMGP0721.JPG" /></a></div>To soaking up some sun... and getting water poured on by the lively little lady that cleans our clothes<br />
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Team yoga in the afternoon rain storms...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeaoBCtuMI/AAAAAAAACDs/meeZkpG8D8k/s1600/IMGP0705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeaoBCtuMI/AAAAAAAACDs/meeZkpG8D8k/s320/IMGP0705.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGejNi7gjzI/AAAAAAAACGM/k4uchOhRZQM/s1600/IMGP0706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGejNi7gjzI/AAAAAAAACGM/k4uchOhRZQM/s320/IMGP0706.JPG" /></a></div><br />
and rain-time break with the other workers for volleyball over the electrical wire<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGegDj6kqzI/AAAAAAAACFU/KYzR3yMWFP0/s1600/IMGP0737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGegDj6kqzI/AAAAAAAACFU/KYzR3yMWFP0/s320/IMGP0737.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Finding some critter neighbours<br />
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Learning how to blow bubbles from the stem of a leaf!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzuhvdk9M1wDL4XGUx4Qq8jqvmBAej88aZEoy6e2cJ84Z0SZivw9Z6kHZ5xyUQ5HUC9jpcGjg9UpcXlIhJ_' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Us <i>barangs</i> giving it a try<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeeRm0qTCI/AAAAAAAACE0/-FWU8nUlR-Q/s1600/IMGP0691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeeRm0qTCI/AAAAAAAACE0/-FWU8nUlR-Q/s320/IMGP0691.JPG" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeeTqy8_KI/AAAAAAAACE8/nR3AdOArse4/s1600/IMGP0692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGeeTqy8_KI/AAAAAAAACE8/nR3AdOArse4/s320/IMGP0692.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Making our own hammocks.. <br />
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Tree climbing... (As the team leader in charge of team safety, I definitely did not see this, or the tree jumping that followed ;) )<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGee09NtQII/AAAAAAAACFE/uiLKMhnAJRc/s1600/IMGP0724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGee09NtQII/AAAAAAAACFE/uiLKMhnAJRc/s320/IMGP0724.JPG" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGefxo_exoI/AAAAAAAACFM/aIraTLiAhYk/s1600/IMG_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGefxo_exoI/AAAAAAAACFM/aIraTLiAhYk/s320/IMG_0465.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Meeting a neighbour's monkey... <br />
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And some newborn can-barely-stand-up baby piglets! <br />
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Watching a late-night movie with all the kids in the village powered by a generator, after an evening of slugging mud up from the river<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Basically... just a whole lot of great team building! <br />
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We are heading back out to the village in a half hour, after a weekend in the town of Pursat... until next time! :)<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-78945343887798377462010-08-14T09:45:00.000-07:002010-08-14T09:53:26.317-07:00Team Barang-utangMeet my team...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGa1NjAWRvI/AAAAAAAACAs/5eykDqYdNIU/s1600/IMGP0884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-H3WkwSNxQ8/TGa1NjAWRvI/AAAAAAAACAs/5eykDqYdNIU/s320/IMGP0884.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Adam, Scottie, and Kat... we crazy <i>barangs</i> seem to be a bit of a spectacle everywhere we go and Adam's coined us nicely. (If any HOPE staff are reading, we didn't drive the moto, just a photo op! ;) )<br />
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I could NOT ask for a better team. I am super thankful for them - these guys are amazing. They are the most positive, good natured, enthusiastic, genuine and easy going bunch probably to have ever been on a UNION team. They are so pumped for everything we do and can't stop grinning from ear to ear and pouring out their enthusiasm to everyone around us. I have one great team!<br />
<br />
<br />
So... what have we <i>barangutangs</i> been doing over the last week? Oh so much! :)<br />
<br />
Well, for one thing, we've been building up this primary school, which will serve maybe 200-300 kids in the village.<br />
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Look how far we've come since the beginning!<br />
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We've been carrying some bricks...<br />
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Laying 'em down...<br />
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Carrying rocks over from the big rock pile...<br />
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Filling up the foundation...<br />
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Mixing cement...<br />
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Pouring it into molds (?) for the pillars (?) - might be a more technical term for it - my construction site learning curve is just flying! There's re-bar or something inside, which I remember by rhubarb, as in strawberry-rhubarb pie). As an aside, I also learned the word 'trowel' the first day when we started laying down the bricks - "We need more of those spatula things"<i> </i>"Trowels" "What are they called? Truvels? Tralls?" "Trowels, Rainbow, like <i>towels</i> with an R!" <br />
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Anyways... it might not be fast, and it might not be pretty... but I know how to lay me a brick wall!<br />
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...and look fantastic my giant sun shielding hat while I'm at it! (not really, but I do what I can! :) )<br />
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And even slug basket-fulls of dirt up from the river bank to bring to the school into the night!<br />
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Well, for all we've done, we certainly haven't been doing it alone... we've just been working alongside the local workers... <br />
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Who have become great friends!! :)<br />
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These guys just LOVE Scottie & Adam especially, joking around and getting the <i>barangs</i> to carry the heaviest bucket of dirt or cement! :)<br />
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Our real contribution really is probably not what we can do - they can lay down 3 rows of perfectly straight bricks in the time that I can lay down one crooked one! But we can encourage them with our presence, bring a sense of joy, fun and excitement about work, show them by our helping alongside the dignity of their skills and expertise, and just have a great time together! :)<br />
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A bunch of the village kids came out to see us on the first day... and have been back every day since! <br />
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And they LOVE to help out! :)<br />
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Even the very little-ist ones!<br />
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Everyone loves to help out, and work together, and I think that's what's made this team and this time "working" at the school such a great time for all.<br />
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Even in the heat... yes, that's us laying bricks in 44.5ºC<br />
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Adam, sad at 44.5<br />
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Oh and it gets hotter! 56.5ºC!!<br />
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But, heat and all, we've been having a great time. I just love how happy everyone is to be here. We've had some great 'group chats'... and, for some of the team, this has been the best trip or best thing they have ever done. In ways that they can't even quite put words to, our time in Cambodia has been an experience of joy in sharing smiles, serving and loving people, asking some big 'life questions', reflecting on & sharing 'why are we here?'. That makes me smile! :) Just look at this enthusiasm... what more could I ask for? :) <br />
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Ah.. there is so much more I could share... but it's about 1am now! So I should head to bed. As always... more to come! :)<br />
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xoxo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-28896963070948453892010-08-13T10:06:00.000-07:002010-08-14T22:57:11.370-07:00(4) Chapters of life behind me! :)We've just made it back from a week in the village... and it has been an FANTASTIC time so far. I can't wait to share more!<br />
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-BUT- it's almost midnight and in also very exciting (HOPE/UNION-aside) news...<br />
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Here's where I was about one (long, persevering) year ago... <br />
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And today.... here I am now, - finally & OFFICIALLY putting 4 chapters, 140 pages, and 40,685 words behind me and<i> living the long-awaited day of talking about my thesis in the past tense!! </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hmm.. I wanted to upload it so you could (if you were so inclined!) download it to read... but unfortunately, I can't remember my Shaw webspace password which I haven't used for years. I also haven't used my Shaw email for years to be able to receive the forget-your-webspace-password email. Darn. </div><br />
Well, what can you do! If you want to read my thesis, send me an email, and I'd be more than happy to send it to you! :)<br />
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**** AHA! I DID IT!! ****<br />
You can<a href="http://www.members.shaw.ca/rainbowchoi/RainbowChoi_MA_Thesis_Final.pdf"> download my thesis here</a> if you want to read it!<a href="http://www.members.shaw.ca/rainbowchoi/RainbowChoi_MA_Thesis_Final.pdf"> </a>(Thanks to Jon McKenzie for helping me figure it out!) <br />
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More to come about our UNION team/trip soon!<br />
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xoxo<br />
RainbowRainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7272024587410319208.post-72413566242291779972010-08-09T18:16:00.000-07:002010-08-09T18:18:17.175-07:00U.N.I.O.NI've now switched gears to our <a href="http://www.hope-international.com/volunteer-overseas-with-union.html">UNION Program</a> - our <a href="http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=210174&q=215464056&qz=10a445">Cambodia 2010 UNION</a> team arrived on Sunday, and after a day in Phnom Penh visiting two museums to put our work in context of Cambodia's dark history with the Khmer Rouge regime & genocide... we are now in Pursat, ready to head into the village.<br />
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Among other things, we will be helping to construct a school:<br />
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We'll also be visiting some families with bio-sand filters, seeing how awesome they are, and helping the families with carrying water from the river (a trip they make 6-7 times a day); visiting some farmers with a dry season rice crop ready to harvest, and helping to harvest; and a water well project (which to date, HOPE has constructed over 700 of, in Cambodia!) that gives clean water for up to 4 families that live far from a river/water source, and helping to mix up some cement and make the foundation for the water well; and visiting HOPE's orphanage in Pursat for children without families. And some other things just for fun. Which I won't say now, in case my team is reading my blog, and I said they would be surprises. :)<br />
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Why are we doing all this?<br />
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To <i><b>U</b>nderstand <b>N</b>eeds <b>I</b>n <b>O</b>ther<b> N</b>ations</i> and see how we can come alongside. <br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_181257201"><br />
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<a href="https://id409.van.ca.siteprotect.com/hope-international/j/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102">Want to join us next year?</a> :)<br />
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<span style="color: white;">. </span>Rainbow Choi =)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15875032435860646868noreply@blogger.com2