Quang Tri General Hospital, Vietnam

This morning James and I accompanied CPI staff members, Phuong and Duc, to visit two beneficiaries hospitalized here in the hospital at Dong Ha Town. This was my first time to actually witness CPI's direct contact with patients. Each staff member in the office from the bookkeeper to the director is assigned beneficiaries to track for treatment both in the hospital setting and after-care when they return home.

The hospital setting is most different from those in the US. Here, a family member is responsible for the patient care including providing meals. Therefore the hardship of an accident impacts a family on many levels, not purely emotionally but also many times financially by removing a wage earner from the family unit as well as the patient.

On our visit today we saw two patients who are assigned to Phuong, the office bookkeeper. The first patient was a boy of nine. He met us at the door of the ward (which was locked from the inside resulting in an awkward delay outside the ward during which a newly admitted patient lying on a gurney was wheeled into the middle of the group swarming the entrance). His father has been living at the hospital with him as his mother is home with three other children. The nine year old turned out to be a "lucky" boy having sustained belly wounds when a friend of his threw a small bomb that exploded a few yards away spraying him with shrapnel to his abdomen.
This boy belongs to an ethnic minority. His family lives well-below the poverty level therefore his family could not afford his medical care. His assistance from CPI consists of hospital costs plus food for him and his family. While in the hospital a couple weeks ago a new friend of CPI's from Vermont (Suki Fredrickson) visited him and provided him with two new sets of clothes to wear. He'd only had rags before and was proudly wearing his new jacket. The rest of his belongings were in a large garbage bag to which he clung, making certain that the new clothes would remain his. This boy is well enough to go home to his family without any further assistance.
The second patient we visited was a 17-year-old boy. While walking along a path in his village, he spotted a UXO near by. Fearing that his younger brother or cousins might be injured, he picked up the ordnance to throw it further into the brush. As he attempted to throw the bomb, it exploded covering his hand and one foot with phosphorus that burned through the layers of his skin when oxygenated. He has been in the hospital one month and most likely will need to remain hospitalized for another month at least while his burns heal. His mother was by his side as Phuong interviewed him. My heart broke as I looked at the damaged skin on his hand and his wrapped blackened foot. He is in a ward of 8 or 10 beds with patients suffering from many different causes. The springs of the hospital bed are covered with a mat and I noticed that his family must have provided him with a blanket as well. The blanket appears to be a luxury item. The mother was so pleased to receive her payment of dong so that she can get the food for him today.
As a rule, the patient must provide proof of the expense before getting any funding. The CPI staff member assigned to their case will then continue to monitor expenses weekly or more often when needed. In dire circumstances, when the family can not even afford food for one day, the family will be given assistance in advance.
During our visit two women approached us with needs they would like to have addressed. One of the women has shrapnel in her arm and in one breast. We took photos of the patients and their names and CPI will see if there is a way to get this removed since the woman has pain in her breast where the shrapnel has lodged.
Today was another leap into this project for me. It is so enlightening for me to be here "on the ground". My appreciation for Clear Path grows by the second.

Goodbye Tenafly, from Terri

All my dear friends, both young and old, I refrained from blogging throughout this adventure of learning about the people and the culture of the small, complex country of Cambodia because I wanted to first absorb your impressions of all the new sights, sounds, flavors and (to put it politely) �smells� you encountered along the way.

I so enjoyed meeting each of you, and feel privileged to have been part of your introduction to so many of the selfless people who are working both inside Cambodia and in the US to try to remedy some of the pain and suffering you witnessed first hand. What would our world be like without people like Martha, James, Imbert and Kristen from CPI, Sarath, Tho Thary and Chanton at CVCD, Elizabeth at World Education, Arun at Golden Child, Seng at Cambodian Master Performers Program, the work of CMAC, the MAG deminers and trainers, David Shoemaker of the Angkor Children�s Hospital, of course our friend, Arn Chorn Pond, who continues the vision of his adopted father, Peter Pond, and now, all of you?

When your teacher and club leader, Mr. Hyman, first interested you in Cambodian landmine issues did you ever imagine that you�d be visiting master performers and their students in a third world slum village, a small makeshift class room in the midst of the squalor of a squatter community, a training center in a remote village of a province so cut off by roadways that during the rainy season access is possible only by a boat ride (actually top of a boat ride) up the Mekong River? Had you expected to fall in love with an orphan baby, learn ancient dance steps, detonate a bomb, shop and bargain in a market that not only sells silk but also dried fish or meet an ambassador and his princess sister? Did you think you�d travel by tuk tuk, have to push a bus to get it to start or jump into the back of a crowded pick up truck to get to your hotel? Was a visit to a floating village complete with school or to one of the Ancient Wonders of the World along with an elephant ride on your wish list?
You have already begun to become an activist for change in your world through your blog entries. Now you have experienced first- hand and know on a first name basis people who live in a land that has been devastated by wars both by invasion and internally. You�ve trodden on soil littered with teeth, bones and scraps of clothing at the Killing Fields witnessing first hand the unimaginable horrors man is capable of inflicting upon his fellow man. You�ve seen the effects malnutrition and desperate living conditions have on children at the hospital.
Now that you have returned to your families and friends what do you find important? Will the importance of traditions the Cambodians stress relate in any way to your life in New Jersey? Does your own family have traditions that are being lost forever because we have become so homogenized? Do we really listen and pay attention to world news as well as what is happening in our own communities?
I applaud each of you for making this trip. Your school, school district and townspeople should also be thanked for having the vision and making the contributions that made your trip to Cambodia possible. I�m certain you�ve returned to Tenafly better community and world members. As I continue to work with Clear Path International, I hope to hear from you again as you seek to make a contribution to world peace.

Back Home

Posted by Emily
I'm home now and it is really cold! It was really sad to say goodbye to everyone but I was happy to see my mom. The last night was really fun we had a huge party! And as a Birthday present James had Varnik brought to the party from the orphanage!!! I know everyone else probobly told you about the party so i won't talk about it much! When we were saying goodbye Chon Ton told me it's not goodbye it's just i'll see you again. I definetly think thats true i can't wait to come back to Cambodia!! It was amazing! I'd like to thank every one for making this trip awsome! Thanks to Dr. Greenwald and Mr. Hyman for making this possible! and Thanks to James and Terri for putting together CPI and thanks to all the other students it was amazing And Jessica thanks for keeping me from being bored on the plane and the whole time!! This may be my last blog so Bye!! I had and Amazing time!!!
Emily

You Say Goodbye, and I say Hello

While Tenafly said goodbye to Cambodia, my mother and I said hello to Hanoi, Vietnam after a brief layover in Lao. This is a gorgeous city... I will post photos later, as this connection is very slow.

We miss the Tenafly group, but we're looking forward to seeing our staff in Dong Ha.

A Masterful Evening: Farewell Tenafly

Thank you Tenafly! What a wonderful journey of discovery, not just for you, but for me as well. Thank you to Judy Greenwald, Mark Hyman, Jay, the kids and their parents for making all of this not only a possibilty, but a stunning success.

I hope the readers of this blog will come to know Cambodia as these trip participants have. Cambodia is a country with so many needs, it can be overwhelming.... but there also exists a human spirit here which is inspirational and from which we can learn quite a bit in the western world (or at least I should).

Last night, as others have posted below, was a beautiful evening. The children dancers are among the best I have ever seen.... and to know where they live made it all more poignant. Blind Master Kong Nai... I am at a loss for words here... it is hard not to think of him as a Cambodian Ray Charles. The man is remarkable as he makes up pieces as he goes along to include people he has met that evening and old friends in the room. This was a dream come true for me and many in the room to meet him

Farewell, Tenafly... a job well done... congratulations!

From Chanton

good bye tenafly, thanks.
thank u so much for the trip in cambodia to know what is the khmer culture, cambodia people and real situation in cambodia, and i thank u so much for the best kind with landmine survivor program of Clear Path International.

I very happy to spend the time to evey one, to understand what is crossing culture. Last night i very happy for dinner but I very so sad because it is the last time for to left in this year I dream and hope that in the next or in soon we can have the best opportunity to meet again.

I sorry it is my first blog, i hope in after this one every things will be change, and longer than this one


The best wish to all of you kids! Good trip and I hope all of you are the best new generational for the world!

I hate endings...but I like beginnings

Jessica K.

We're approaching the end. Our bus leaves in 13 min. My grandpa and I took a quick walk around the hotel today. The motos don't stop, the tuk-tuks don't stop, sometimes the cars will stop. We crossed the road and I began to smile, this country is so crazy sometimes it's great.

Lastnight was amazing. We were given a great dinner...more like a party. There were the people from organizations we had met along our adventure. The musicans were there! They did performances that combined acting, dancing, and singing. One of the masters played great guitar. It amazes me that even though he is blind he is able to produce such skill. Two boys began the performance by doing a wonderful dance, with great accuracy. Tears came into my eyes, but why? It was so beautiful, was I crying from happiness, or once again did I realize how fortunate I was.

The little girl who made me cry at the beginning of the trip was also there. She is amazing. I want to give so much money to these children and their families, I want them to all go to school. Tears also began to form in my eyes when Arn hugged me and said I was a good kid. I told him that Big Bird is going to come to Cambodia. We need Sesame Street here, all they need is the money to get it on television.
Before the dinner we had a meeting at the pagota, the first place we went to. The five other teens and I talked about our experience. I was unable to talk about my best experience. I still don't understand what has happened in the last two weeks. This trip has certainally made me unable to comprehend the world.
I want to go back with knowledge. That's what I've gotten from here. I want to show everyone that a whole country is unstable, partly due to our own country. I want them to know about the beggers, the children, the evil and the good.
I'll still have school when I get home, I'll still have my electronics, I'll still have my house, my family, my friends. That's not going to change, but my view on everything there will.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who made this possible. Thanks to the Gallaghers for taking good care of me. Thank you Dr. Greenwald for taking care of me on the plane, and talking so much with me, and being crazy. Thanks James and Terri for producing CPI, and organizing everything. Thank you to the 5 other students. I'm glad we went through this together. Thank you for whoever read all of this and commented. This trip wouldn't have been possible without raising money, thank you Mom for helping so much, I love you so much. Thanks Dad for buying power bars and giving money, I loveyou. Thanks everyone who gave money. It was worth it.
Thanks, and goodbye...and yes, this is a new beginning.

dinner,dancers, and goodbyes

michaelangelo~ we entered the resturant to see arn, the dancers, and master Kong Nai. there were 2 beautiful 14 year old dancers(girls), and 3 boy dancers. Adam and i were introduced to the master and then we sat down at the long table.

we were originally going to sit at the table with every one from our delegation, but then we decided to move to a table that was empty. the dancers came to sit next to us after they had finished praticing. i got to know the dancer who was sitting next to me. she was verry nice and polite. i couldnt pronounce her name and now i forget it which is a shame.

she got up to do her dance, her and the other girl together. they were amazing, like profesionals. we saw 8 dances and then we were done. we had to leave. since this was our last day here i would not get see her again. i probably never will.

So Long and Thanks for all the Fish

Posted by Adam (Britzilla) Volerich

Today is our last day and our bus for the airport leaves in just under a half hour. I want to thank all the people at CPI for making this trip possible, the parents and the teachers as well as all of our Khmer friends. This has been the most amzing experience of my life and I want to thank all of you for that. It is a shame to go home and leave such an amazing country but all good things come to an end and I hope to see you all again at some point. Goodbye everybody.

-Adam

Golf Anyone?

Posted by Michael

For our last full day in Cambodia, I made arrangements to play golf at the Cambodia Golf and Country Club while our teen delegation went to a public school.

I hired a car to pick me up at 6:45 am for an 8:00am tee time. Unfortunately , when I awoke, my watch ( which I had putchased here for $2) read 6:03... so I got up readied myself and went down stairs only to realize that it was really 2:00 am. I returned to the hotel and awoke the clerk to ask him to let me into my room as I had left the key in my room for my son. The clerk did not have a spare key so I rang the room telephone about thirty times but my son would not wake, so I was stuck sleeping on the third floor lobby couch until 5:30 am when the laundery lady arrived and was able to let me in.

Finally my taxi arrived and we began the 45 minute drive out to the golf course where I rented my clubs and shoes, purchased balls, tees and water and presented myself to the starter who told me I was he only player and my caddy was at the golf cart waiting for me. The caddy was a young Cambodian girl who spoke very little English but made a valiant effort to inform me about wind direction, bunkers, hazards, and the pitch of the green. The golf course itself was arid but very nicely planned out. I knew that this would be quite different from your regular golf game but I must say that I was looking forward to it.
For two hours I hacked away but was quite pleased to out in the sun and playing golf in this strange land. The grounds keepers trying in vain to keep some semblance of green , all Cambodians, never missed the opportunity to smile or clap when I got a good one off.
The ride back to the hotel became quite interesting when after some conversation with the driver I asked him about a large Pagoda that I had noticed on the ride out here. He said some things which I really didn't understand , but I nodded politely. he then made a left off the main street, down a dirt road and I assumed he was taking me to visit a Pagoda. After a few minutes I noticed this area which looked like an old military training camp. Then a few seconds later I heard the rat-a-tat-tat of machine-gun fire and saw a large group of men in military fatiques. I must say that my heart began to beat a bit faster. Then the driver pulled up to building and we got out only to find out that this place was a firing range as I was staring at a munitions menu ( UZI $30, AK 47 $30 etc.) I told him that I would rather just head back and away we went.
This is one round of golf that I will not likely forget anytime soon.
Michael

The Market

Posted by Adam (Britzilla) Volerich

Today is our last full day in Cambodia. It is a free day and as a result I went to the market. What a great place it was, mountains of fake name brand clothing and swords were spouting out of peoples ears. There was a place to get everything.

I made it my first priority to try and get a guitar because a guitar from Cambodia is a pretty cool thing to have. Bargainin was a key thing in this market, in order to get a good price on anything you had to bargain. I got a guitar from $50 all the way down to $20, although i think $5 would have been a better price. (this happened yesterday)
By the end of our trip I had bought a sword with a wooden blade, 8 Buddahs, a rolex, some bling, a chess set, some clothes and a gucci walet aswell as some gameboy games. Overall it was an awsome trip. If any of you ever get a chance to go to Cambodia check out the market.
-Adam

Catching Our Breath

Richard Gallagher
It has been wonderful to read everyone's reactions to the postings. Thanks to family and friends for sending special messages to Emily and Ben. The whole delegation helped Emily celebrate her 13th birthday with fun gifts and decorations. Dr. Greenwald has become a special friend to the kids. She is a warm, wise woman who knows how to have a good time. It has been enlightening for the kids to see someone with such a responsible job be so human.

We returned to Phnom Penh to get some rest and to visit some outstanding programs. Every time we get ready for another setting, it seems daunting and some fatigue sets in. The country has numerous problems and very high levels of poverty in both urban and rural settings. But, as soon as we get involved with the adults running these programs and some of the children obtaining assistance, all the fatigue wears off. Without exception, people are unbelievably friendly and full of joy. The school children in the squatters classroom yesterday were especially fun. They were a little mischievious, but very responsive to their teacher, a gentle man giving instruction in writing. The children sang Emily happy birthday in Khmer. She greeted them and encouraged them to keep studying. They loved Jessica's and Emily's blond hair and light skin. As usual they also enjoyed seeing their digital pictures. The school needs basics as it is run in a tin shack about 10 feet wide and 25 feet long. Kids can go here without uniforms which is an important rule as the cost of uniforms prevents many children from attending public schools. However, even basics are at a premium. They need pencils, sharpeners, and paper. With these meager supplies the children learn reading, writing, math and English.
Tomorrow we leave. We will need the long plane ride to get ready for the U.S. It is going to be a hard adjustment and I am sure we will all miss this country. .

James' Pics

Angkor Childrens Hospital, we get a flat, pickups to the rescue, a visit to Mines Advisory group.

Click here to view.

Ben's 3rd, Final Blog

--Ben G.--
The last days of our tour of Cambodia are upon us, and I think it is fitting to discuss our accomplishments and the effects our experiences have had on us thus far. Yesterday, after a long bus ride from Battambang (though no malfunctions were involved this time), we returned to Phnom Penh, the location at which our excursion began. Though we had just arrived in this foreign land slightly more than one week before, it seemed like ages. We have seen, learned, and observed so much that our stay has been an eternity. Our perspectives have changed drastically since our first day: I remember that our major concerns then were the heat and the state of our hotel rooms. While these are still prevalent issues, we have grown to become accustomed to them, and the importance of our work here overshadows them.

Yet, as much as this delegation has changed, there are certain things that remain the same. Two days ago, our bus had a tire blow out, and we were left stranded by the side of the road. We were informed that the hotel was only 20 minutes away, and assured that our abandonment would be merely temporary. Still, this incident was cause for great concern and panic among members of the group. Sure enough, we were able to hail two pick-up trucks that drove us to Battambang for a small fee. Even though we have seen so much poverty and despair and have seen that life wins out despite the hardships, we could not shrug off our unfortunate circumstance. In context, the reaction to the bus fiasco was rather unsettling, and showed me that to a certain extent, we continue to be "spoiled Americans." What does this mean? That I cannot tell you with any degree of certainty, but perhaps we should worry about changing, having been on this trip, our outlook and worldview as well as our humanitarian facets. .

MAG

Posted by Adam (Britzilla) Volerich

MAG stands for Mines Advisory Group. Visiting Mag was a really great experience. We began our visit with a short briefing in their main office, where we looked at charts of the process of their clearance since 1992. Out on the balcony was a giant model of a bounding fragmentation mine, it was incredibly accurate and looked really dangerous. After the meeting we got into vans and drove to a mock mine field a few kilometers away.

Upon arriving at the minefield we were given another short briefing concerning what we would be doing. There were four small stations set up acroos a cleared sandy area of the field.
At the first section a fully geared man toook out a long stick and pretended to prod around in the air and at the ground, he would do this sort of thing to check for trip wires incase the area was booby trapped to stop somone from de-mining the area. At the second station the area was no longer clear and had plants around it. The man took out a pair of vegetation cutters and cautiously cut down each stalk from top to bottom. At the third station a man witha metal detector surveyed the land for and buzzing noises, if the detector buzzed at all he would then have to dig. At the fourth station the man took out a prod and prodded at the ground a few centimeters down at a diagonal angle, to check for any objects that could be mines.
After viewing the stations we all got to try on the gear and try out prodding and cutting, it was a really fun thing to do. Then came the best part. A man went far out into the field and set up a bomb. He connected a wire to it and brought the wire back to where we were standing, he connected a detonator to it. The detonator was small and green with a button on either side. Both buttons would need to be pressed at the same time for the bomb to go off. I was picked to press the buttons. The man next to us said he would blow a whistle three times long and three times short, at the end of the third short whistle i was instructed to detonate the bomb. He blew and i pressed the explosion was loud and black smoke erupted from it, it was amazing and it felt really cool. I liked it a lot! Got to go now, be home soon.
-Adam

Floating village, michaelangelo

we entered the tuk tuk. we drove for about half an hour. we got onto a boat. where were we going you might ask? we were going to the floating village.

this village was located in the middle of a lake where there were at least 100 boat houses. we saw people leaving there boat houses in smaller boats to go fishing. shan ton told me that fish were abundent here and that is why the people lived on the lake.
our boat stopped at what looked like a barge but was a resturant and some what a market. they sold wooden goods such as buddhas and scarves and bags.
this place was like a floating zoo. there was a monkey in a cage with a 7up bottle, fishes, a giant lizard, an enormous snake, and what seemed to be about 50 crocadiles.
i sat down with the rest of our group drinking my soda, and 3 vietnamese children rowed up on the side of the resturant in what looked like large washing buckets. they reached into their buckets and pulled out a live shrimp. with out a word of warning the child whipped the shrimp at ella. to his surprise, she whiped it right back. this resulted in a game of catch that looked more like dodge ball with shrimp.
we had to say good bye to these children as we left, i gave the rest of my soda to one of the children.
as we got back and started to walk to our tuk tuks the smell of the fish and fish sauce coming from the town was unbearable, so i went into an all out sprint for our tuk tuk. since we had the coolest tuk tuk driver of all, Mr. Hak, when he saw me running and jumping into the tuk tuk, he went as fast as he could. we left far before any one else. Mr. Hak rocks.

More Pictures from Richard

A sunset on the temples, scenes from our visit to Angkor Children's hospital, Mark meets the locals, a school that stays above water, the end of a long day for a fisherman, Ella watches a demining demonstration, we visit an orpanage and Emily falls in love.

Sunset near Angkor Wat.

Making rounds at Angkor Children's Hospital

Nutrition classes for parents at Angkor Children's Hospital

Mark and a mentor at Angkor Wat.

A school in the Floating Village.

A fisherman in the floating village returns home with his catch.

Ella watches part of a demining demontration by Mines Advisory Group in Battambang, Cambodia.

Arun explains how Golden Child Foundation helps orphans in Phnom Penh.

Emily makes a friend for life.

I'm a mommy

Posted by Emily
Hey Everyone sorry i haven't bloged in a while. I have been so tired. Tommorows My Birthday!!! And yes I'm a mommy ...well not really! today we went to an orphange where you can't adopt the kids untill they graduate high school than they go to be an exchange student in the U.S or other contrues. well any way i fell in love with a five moth old girl named Varnik and the y told me that i can send her cloths and toys and sort of be her mommy. I think there might be a picture of me with her. she is really cute. As soon as i get home i want to send her a package. It would be really cool to take care of her like that till she is grown up. I think she really liked me too.

Well anyway just to give you a short descroptoin of the last days.
Saturday: We went to Siem Reap and on the way we met James' Cousins. well acyually some monkeys. We fed them and eat some monkey food. Then we saw sunset at the tempels it was really pretty.
Sunday: We went to the3 tempels they were beautiful. we climbed up a realy high tempel and o was scared on the way down. Then we went to a tempel that has trees growing out of it.
Monday: We went to the Childrens hospital. It was really cool to be there because i had studied it for the club. It made me happy to give everone toys and crayons. It makes me happy to see other people happy. Then we went to a really weird landmine museum but i don't want to talk about that.
Tuesday: We drove to Batton bong to MAG aine action group, We got to wear the demining outfits and Adam got to blow up a small explosive. in a mock miine feild.
Hope to talk more tommorow
P.S. Sorry about they typos and miss spellings there's no spell check and the key board is really old and faded

Landmine Museum

Posted by Adam (Britzilla) Volerich

The landmine museum was one of the most amazing places i have ever been to. Landmines were evrywhere. The walls were lined with defused bombs and landmines spelling out various words. Shelves were lined with different types of landmines and uxo and wired sections were brimming with anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.




I was happy to examine various mines and explain their anatomy and use. Talking about landmines is when I am at my best. The man who ran the museum had cleared all of the mines there and continued to clear and defuse mines every weekend. There were M-14s, Claymores, Box mines, Toepoppers and other mines scattered across the museum. I even spotted some remnants of bounding fragmentation mines.
The decor was questionable. A woodden table was surrounded by stools made of anti-tank mines for seats and UXO (Unexploded Ordinance). A flower vase in the center of the table was a hollowed out rocket and paperwieghts holding down various different papers concerning mine activities were nothing more than broken pieces of landmines.
There was a small souvenier shop selling T-shirts with the danger landmines sign on the back for only $3, another example of the poverty in tis country. The money supposedly goes to landmine victims but you never really know. Anyway so long for now I shall be home soon.
-Adam

2 for $1

Jessica
The temples were a wonder...the children hospital brought hope...the orphanage brought a connection...but the beggers brought something else.
"Two for $1, two for $1" It repeats in my head. The 12 yr-old girl sticks out her index finger to show the one piece of green she wants. She wants a dollar that in the states would get you only a hashbrown on the dollar menu. Will they be gone soon?

The thoughts come back again. That was this whole trip so far. A bunch of questions, why did they go through the hammer hitting their skull and not me? Why did my friends not care that they were starving. Beggers surrounded me now. Their hands grasped the tuk-tuk our mode of transportation. No one really had a car here. The motorcycle held the four-person family.
I wonder if they have philosophical conversatons. If the children think about their future. If that girl holding on to the steering wheel knows she has a chance of hitting a mine, or getting brought into prostatiution, does she know that she may never be able to read this story because she'll be illiterite. She just smiles now, and I'm the one worrying.
If I could sell them life insurance, I would. I want to insure that they will be OK, that they will keep that smile forever.
Yet again, they want to have my life. It's a hard concept to understand still. If only we all knew that there are too many problems in the world. Instead in our highschool we get wasted. Wasted so we can waste our life.
I glance out the window. Burnt fields, a girl squating to go to the bathroom, cattle grazing, a shack with no walls. I realize I'm finally fortuanate. This isn't Tenafly, but it is on the same world.

Two for one dollar

Posted by: Gabri(ella) Spitz

Angkor Wat is absolutely gorgeous, but I can't stand it anyway. We get out of our tuk-tuk, and the first thing I hear is "Two for one dollar! ma'am, Two for one dollar!" An eight year old girl is trying to sell me wooden, beaded bracelets. "Lady, I saw you first! You have to buy from me!" shouts a malnourished boy. All of the souvenir weilding children seem drawn to me; I can't walk ten feet without meeting someone else who says, "Lady, you pay for my school! Buy wooden flute, cheap!"


Tourism seems to help the economy, but I dont think that it is helping anyone socially. Maybe if Angkor Wat weren't such a large tourist attraction, these children would be on the streets begging, but this really isn't very different. Instead, people feel morally obligated to buy from these kids (as I do,) because they are using an honest means of making money. Unfortunately, many of these children will buy glue to sniff with the money we give them. Many children are also sent out by their parents to make money and are then forced to give it to them. I tried to remember these facts as children practically sobbed at me, but I finally broke down and bought some water from a woman. I had been led to the woman by her daughter, so her daughter yelled at me and told me I was now responsible for buying a pack of ten post cards. I bought it. Then a little boy told me he had seen me first, and that I had to buy the bracelets he was selling. I bought them. Finally, another boy told me that I had promised him that I would buy his postcards the day before. I bought them. So now I have twenty postcards, a bottle of water and ten bracelets.

Richard's Pictures at CPI Training Center

Mark goes up the Mekong, landmine victims become survivors, Dr. Greenwald tries on a dress, Emily learns about engine repair, and Ella visits a landmine survivor's business.

Click the "more" button to view.


Mark Hyman on the Mekong River

Electronics survivor students at CPI-CVCD Training Center

Moto repair students

Sewing students

Dr. Greenwald & sewing student in student projects, Mr. Kim, director, looks on.jpg

Student with TV wiring lesson

Emily at the mechanics school

Ella Spitz & graduate of CPI-CVCD mechanics program at his shop in rural (really rural) Kampong Cham

Ben's 2nd, Less Philosophical Blog

Posted by Ben

On Friday, after spending the night in a hotel that was supposed to be very rundown but was actually quite satisfactory, we traveld by boat to the town of Streung Treung in Kampong Cham province. Here we had the chance to visit the CPI vocational training center, a program to which we had donated $11,000, approximately twenty-five percent of the funding. We observed a sewing, an electronics, and a mechanics class, and met with one of the beneficiaries of the program who lived about one hour outside of town. (NOTE: this part of the excursion was quite uncomfortable, as the road was very dusty and bumpy and our bus was very cramped. However, it gave us the opportunity to experience the rural heart of Cambodia.)

It was very meaningful to see the work we had done in action right before our eyes. One could tell how appreciative the students were and how much progress they were making. It reassured all of us that we truly are making a difference in the world. I realized that it must not have been easy for the students to take the iniative to take part in the program; many would rather mope in dealing with such a traumatic event. These brave men and women are not only doing a great deal to help themselves in becoming more self-sufficient, but they are doing a tremendous service to their families, their communities, and ultimately, their countries. This is something that takes great courage and responsibility, and the students we met that day are the ones who are moving this country forward. I am extraordinarily proud of the students we met that day, and am eternally grateful for the progress being made by Clear Path and other NGOs.

A Chance Meeting

Posted by Michael

The night before last our delegation left for an internet cafe blogging session and I chose to remain behind for a little alone time. I crossed the street with the intention of smoking my cigar, having a beer, and reflecting on some of what we had experienced, to date. But in Cambodia you rarely get what you set out for. As I crossed the street I found my beer in matter of seconds and also found three very intriging fellows who wanted to engage me in converstion. They spoke varing degrees of English and said it would be helpful if I spoke with them as they wanted to improve thier Englsh. I bought them each a beer and set off on an hour and half conversation which covered the cost of my cigar, modern Cambodian politics, our present mission in Cambdia and before long we were laughing and joking as if we were life long friends and as we spoke I started to wonder exactly when these young men would make their sincere plea for me to help them out financially.Well that plea never did materialize all they wanted was little conversation, a few moments of companionship, and a feeling that they are not any different from me.

After all was said and done we hugged each other and they wished me a safe trip and hoped that somewhere all the way our paths might cross again and I must say that I hope so as well.

the wat

Posted by Michaelangelo

today we took a tuk tuk ride to the ankor wat. this is one of the 7 wonders of the world. it is a hindu temple. this temple was amazing. on almost every square inch of the walls were covered in disigns that were carved into the sandstone.

in front of the temples there was what looked like a river but actualy was a man made moat. this moat was 3.3 miles long and 7 meters deep when they built it.
the temple was so big. it was constructed by the slaves of the king. it seemed almost impossible that such a structure could have been built with out macinary. all of the walls had carvings of godesses all with different head dresses and hair. it was amazing to climb up the steep thin stairs. it was also amazingly hard. it was cool because it wasnt like in america with all the restrictions on national parks and stuff. you could go where ever you wanted unless it was falling down. people were swimming in the moat.
me and my dad were walking on the ledge of the temple and looking around. it was like nothing i had ever seen before. it was almost undiscribeable.

The Adventure Continues: Do you want Pringles or Spiders with that?

Richard Gallagher
Today we traveled from Kampong Cham to Siam Reap by bus. The road is a narrow paved path that cuts straight through fields and small towns with very few crossing roads for miles and miles. Sitting near the front of the bus provided a nervous scene as the rules of the road allow unrestricted passing at all times. Our bus passed trucks, other buses, bikes, carts, walkers with just inches to spare while other vehicles came right for us and swerved at just the last moment. Sometimes it seems like one of those video driving games. The driver was very focused and did not let any of this affect him. Every few miles, we drove through small towns composed of markets and small shops. It appears that everyone has something to sell. Coca-cola is everywhere. However, the national snack is also easy to find; deep fried spiders. Several people have them. Michaelangelo and Ella both like them saying that they are salty and crunchy with a soft center. They really don�t look that bad and no one gags or complains about the taste. Erika even said that they truly tasted a little like chicken.



At a market near our lunch stop, we find boxes and boxes of Pringles. This is a true hit which we enjoy with our Khmer lunch of stir-fried vegetables, dried fish, fish soup, fried pork, and rice.
After lunch, we return to the bus for special dj appearances on the iPod by James, Jay, and Ben. Old tunes from everyone�s teenage years (there are several decades represented) are really appreciated. A special dance exhibit is put on in the aisles. We roll into Siam Reap to the Who and find ourselves in a very nice hotel run as a training institution by a foundation. There are very many young people from all around the country sponsored by several NGO�s who swarm around us to help us with our bags.
Later, we take tuck-tucks to Angor Wat to see the sunset. Among large crowds from around the world, we find that we have to work to enjoy this pleasure. A steep mountain must be climbed and then we have to take on four set of steep stairs to get to the top for the best view. The view is good with a small orange sun in the distance.
We return for some traditional dances during dinner by a troupe of orphans sponsored by another NGO. Efforts to rebuild this country are obviously very extensive. We are off to bed after a well-prepared meal of Western-style foods.

I See an old Friend

Posted by James

It has been noticed and noted by my new friends on this trip that I love babies. I miss my own so much when I travel that I see my boys in each child. One affectionate, smiley one is my oldest, the mischievous one that steals your heart is my youngest.... it is not long before each one carries a recognizable trait of one of them. Then, across the universe, I send love to my kids back home through the eyes of the one in front of me.

Yesterday, as we boarded speed boats to travel down the Mekong to our hotel, I spotted a mother with her child waving goodbye to all of us...
We made eye contact from afar and I recognized the mother and child as the same ones that have shared space with me on my picture on the "about us" page of this web site!
I ran back up the stairs with everyone waiting in the boats... I wanted to see this little guy and get another picture... he must be about four or five years old by now! I got into the house and dropped my bag and the family brought the boy to me with big smiles, they remembered me too... not only did they remember me, but Kristen must have given them a copy of the photo as they showed me a copy they had kept for three years in their living room!
None of us had a camera... all were packed away and I had to run back down to the boats without a new photo, sadly. I hope to see them again next time.
The little boy, who's name is Prok is very healthy, very cute, and was still as sweet to me as he was in this picture years ago.
Ryder, Colvin... I love you guys. I think of you in every child I see. I'll be home soon.

Those Eyes

posted by Mark Hyman

Those eyes. Those eyes... At Tuol Sleng, before the Khmer Rouge incarcerated, interrrogated, tortured and killed their victims, they took a photograph of them. Each was given a number, then brought to their cells. Their victims were then given one of two accomodations.

Option one: a common room in which each inmate was chained to the wall with a number above them. The entire room - formerly a classroom - would be filled with such unfortunates, just waiting...
Option two: another classroom in which tiny cells - 6"X 4"- were constructed with brick walls, accomodating roughly 25 inmates. Again, they were chained to their cells. The lucky ones had cells next to a window, permitting a view outside where birds could be seen freely living their lives.
With your understanding, I will refrain from describing the rest of what went on there. Here words run dry.
...Those eyes. Tuol Sleng, formerly a school, then a chamber of horrors, is now a museum, a living testament to our capacity for inhumanity. In one floor of the museum, there are photographs of each of the victims. These photos alone reveal the terror. The look. Those eyes. Many were children. All were human - at least prior to entry. Once inside, this photograph was their introduction to dehumanization.
My only response: to renew and reenergize my commitment to be the type of person and teacher that seeks to promote good will among persons, a global perspective and the notion that there is value in every human life.
...I believe those eyes will be watching...

girl talk

Posted by Ella

Today was absolutely amazing! Our trip began with a journey up the mekong river. We took this really funky boat that resembled a really really long helicopter, and sat on top of it. Mike gave this one cambodian guy his ipod to listen to, and he started doing a sort of dance to it, which was really cool.

Next, we entered the actual town, whose name i can't spell (streng trueng?) in the middle of the main road, which was covered with red dust, was a cpi station. We took off our shoes and hats and entered, where we were immediately greeted by a prosthesis wearing director. I think that all of us (except for maybe James), were very surprised to find that he was missing part of his leg. we are all very aware that amputees are very common in Cambodia, but despite that, we all kept glancing down at his prosthesis.



The first class that we watched at the vocational training skills school was a sewing group. most of the women in this class weren't mine victims themselves, but had affected family members and needed to help support them.
Then, we watched a mechanics class. All of the students were male, and many were mine victims. I continued to smile at one student, a very handsome man/boy (early twenties? late thirties? early teens?) and then discovered, as we left the room to take pictures, that because of a landmine accident, his legs were stunted. He jumped onto the back of one of his friends as a means of transportation.
When we were done taking pictures with everyone, my mom, Dr. Greenwald, two of our Cambodian friends, and I all went back down to the sewing class to talk to the students. We all sat down on the floor together and asked questions with Chanton translating. Once Chanton translated the general idea of the conversation, we were really able to communicate well together without a translator. We would begin by asking questions to eachother, but after answering, we all broke into fits of giggling. I told the women that in Amerida, pale skin is considered ugly, and tan skin beautiful, which is the exact opposite of Cambodia. The women started shaking with laughter at our foreign customs.
We then took a disgustingly long, bumpy bus ride to visit one of the beneficiaries of the CPI program. This landmine amputee has a mechanical repair shop in a tiny village. We are, we think, the first caucasians to ever enter this town. All of the children pointed and stared at us, until we smiled at them and they grinned back. I gave a speech (through a translator) to what seemed like the whole town. After eating at a tiny, family owned restaurant, we went to the small village market. The word seemed to have spread, as people were practicall climbing on top of eachother to take a peep at us. I bought a gorgeous turquoise sarong, and a pair of "size 10" flip flops. Unfortunately, they must have been a Khmer size ten, as my heels stick off the back.

Meeting the beneficiaries

Richard Gallagher
We met the survivors and family members who have been helped by the students from Tenafly. All of the parents, extended family, friends, and teachers of these children should be in awe of them. They are gloriously humble people who meet the Cambodian people that they have helped with respect, grace, and amazing kindness. Under the incomparable leadership of Mark Hyman, they have attained an amazing level of humanitarian care. It is clear that this experience is going to make them compassionate leaders for the next generation. Our town does not know how fortunate it is to have Mr. Hyman in our midst. He makes us a better community, not just in our boundaries, but halfway across the world. We should all be proud to have even the remotest connection with this effort.

I hope the pictures help the contributors understand what an amazing effort they have made possible.

Cultural Connection

Michele Biasucci

Hello, Friends! I enjoy the double honor of being Mark Hyman's wife and a teacher with the Paramus, New Jersey Schools! And, so, I am on this trip in both a personal and professional capacity. At school, I co-advise the "Cultural Connection Club." Our club strives to develop in ourselves and others an appreciation for our human similarities and differences so that we might all get along together peacefully on this planet. I am thrilled to be part of this extraordinary experience and would like to share with you a copy of the first email I sent home to my family, friends, and colleagues:




Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues,
Greetings from Cambodia!!!
It is hard to sum-up my impressions of Cambodia so far. We have done so much and seen so much in such a short time; it's kind of overwhelming. Well, the plane ride was long to say the least-- 21 hours in the air, about 28 hours altogether. We stopped over in Seattle & Taipei. My first observation upon stepping out of the airport in Phnom Pehn was that it was hotter than H-E-double hockey stick here! It's been so hot and humid here I've been taking three showers a day, and this is the dry season! As we drove by bus to our hotel I just couldn't believe what a different universe I had been dropped into-- the third world that I had seen in magazines and on TV was right before my eyes, living and breathing! Phnom Pehn is really a mish-mosh of classes and visual images. There are "motos" (mopeds) everywhere, and nobody seems to be following any traffic rules whatever! There are few traffic lights, and people don't heed the ones that are there, anyway! The roads are (or seem to be) pure anarchy! We all hired what are called "tuck-tucks" to take us to the marketplace on our first day here. Tuck-tucks are little 4-seater wagons pulled by a person driving a moped. What a ride we had! Our guy was weaving all over the road, passing other vehicles (large & small), going the wrong way (several times) on the opposite side of the road... And this was all enhanced by the colorful sights & sounds we passed as we weaved: a makeshift lunar New Year parade, raw meat hanging on hooks in the sweltering heat, a Buddhist monk walking down the street talking on his cell phone...
The marketplace was bittersweet, as I'm finding out that much of Cambodia is. There were some amazing deals on everything you could think of; Mark bought some fabulous sandals (like you'd see at Campmor) for 13 bucks! And I'm sure we could have paid less than 1/2 that amount if we had bargained with the vendor. The really sad part is that the conditions in the marketplace are terrible--hot, dirty, cramped-- and there seems to be much more stuff than could ever be sold. The vendors seem so desperate to make a sale. Some of the vendors were so old and decrepit. It was really sad to see such old, frail people practically begging to sell their wares. And, wow, what a shock to see food sold the way it was being sold there. I really need to send you all some pictures because I can hardly do justice to the sensory experience it was... in a nutshell, it was filthy. Women were cutting up raw meat and fish as they sat right on the table off of which it was being sold. The smell was horrific; I don't know how anyone could eat that stuff. There was garbage in puddles on the ground all over the place and all kinds of interesting foods & things hanging anywhere there was space... (I'll show you the pictures & video.) By the way, I'm not judging, just giving you my observations.
The most memorable part of the marketplace was also the saddest part--the beggars. What a pathetic state of affairs those poor people are in! A very small man whose face looked like it had melted (because of a burn) and whose eyes were glazed over with white came up to me and was begging for money, saying "Please, please!" It had been suggested to our group that we focus our aid on the organizations we were visiting and that we not give to beggars, but, how do you refuse someone like that? I gave him a dollar, which is enough for a resourceful person to live on for several days here, I think, but that act only drew more beggars. A tiny, weary, and weathered woman with a sick, undersized baby came up to me, rubbed my arm, and asked for some money... How do you say no to that!? As the trip has gone on I have learned that there are throngs and throngs of people in the same condition and that you could spill out your whole bank account in ten minutes and still have millions of more people asking. It's so sad, and, despite the fact that it doesn't make sense to keep giving out money, it's painful to say no. (Especially to child beggars!) I am not giving any more money to the beggars at this point, though.
Later on we walked to a Buddhist temple, called a pagoda. The temple itself was ancient (restored after Khmer Rouge) and beautiful, and the places where the monks lived surrounding the temple were also quite beautiful. I will tell you more about the pagoda and the monks later.
That night we went to the most beautiful restaurant I have ever been in. It was super exotic with breezes blowing lightweight (I can't remember the name of the material) curtains and candles and lanterns... The colors of deep, dark red and gold cloth blended with the wood and bamboo furniture... We ate in a semi-outdoor section. It was such a sensual experience lying on the oriental-carpeted floor, leaning back on pillows with the breeze blowing through... And the food was really unlike any I had had before. You might say it was a sort of a cross between Indian and Chinese food, but it was still unique. And the whole thing was really cheap-- I think about 5 dollars per person. I have to say I had not a guilty feeling but just a bad feeling that here we were enjoying all this luxury while people were outside begging. It's not fair.
That all was Day 1. Day 2 was incredible, too, and I'm not using that word flippantly. Arn Chorn met us at the pagoda and then escorted us by bus to the site of his Master Musicians' program...................... I have to stop writing now as the group is meeting. Next time I will tell you about the Master Musicians' program, the slum, Arn Chorn's house on the Mekong River, the Genocide Museum, and the Killing Fields, all of which we visited over the past two days. I will also talk about the students' reactions.
Thanks for reading & talk to you soon! Don't forget to check out the blog for the trip at www.cpi.org !
Love,
Michele

What happened to the toilets?

Jessica K.
Oh wow...each day is an adventure. On Wed we devoted the day to learning about the genocide. I know you guys have prob been reading a lot about that. My grandfather kept trying to explain everything to me. It just doesn't sink and though, why does this happen? Walking through a torture chamber, stepping on bones.
The last two days have been a little uh...happier? We're back to the present. Yesterday I had my first "hole in the ground" bathroom experience; since yesterday I have become an expert. There are no garbages here and for someone who usually is environmentally aware of issues, it's hard to accept.

We arrived at our hotel. I knew that it was not going to be the very best. Somehow, I didn't care. I guess it hit me when I was bringing my suitcase to the bus. A begger was staring at me. I realized that my suitcase probably has more possesions than he has all together. Just that thought made my fortunate.
Today, we went to the "wild west." The trees were so cover in dirt that you could barely make out their color. Dust was everywhere. We visited the survivors who are now working. These survivors have gotten support from us. One man had not crutches but a bamboo stick to walk with. Another man used the back of a man as his mode of transportation.
Yes, dear friends, my power bars and fruit leathers are awfully yummy in the tummy.'
We went to a mechanics shop in which we were bombarded by children. They stared, but we all have gotten used to the fact that we don't fit in. The children were eager and not ashamed to practice their english. They were excited to learn my name. One boy, who had the face of a guy my age but the body of a 10 year-old tapped my shoulder and said with another girl, "You look very beautiful today." They're the beautiful ones, and I wish to just take one home.
We went to another village where I battled against the heat. These kids may have not seen Westerners before. They liked to stare and say hello. I played catch with three boys. It's amazing how much you can don't speak the same language.
I've changed a lot. This trip is overwhelming to say the least, but I seem to be dealing with it. I should be able to get in contact and at least do some of my homework in the next few days. With that, it's dinner time for us, and school time for you guys. Have a great break!

A recap of our days

Posted by Emily
I realize through the past few days everyone has been BLOGGING about the genocide Museum and the killing feilds and at first i wasn't ready but now i feel i am. I have been really questioning humanity and people. How could anyone do this? How could you just shoot someone with out any feeling? In a sense of physical characteristics the Khmer Rougue Regime were humans but in a emotional moral sence they weren't. That is all i have to say i can't really put my feelings into words.
Here is a recap of our days. Wensday night we went to a nice resturant for dinner.

Thursday we went to Cambodia Mine Action Center (CMAC)
Friday (Today) Was really fun. First we went on a boat down the Mea Kong river and got to sit on the roof. It was really fun and we saw a lot of cool things and pretty senery. than we saw Clar paths vocational training center where us last year 6th graders raised money for. It was really interesting to see who our donations helped. Than we went on a very bummpy bus ride to see a graduates michanic shop. then we took really cool speed boats back down th Mea kong and that brimgs me here.
Oh yeah i lied in my last blog we do have internet access here!
Please write me comments! Hope to hear from you soon!
Emily

most moving day

posted by Dr. Greenwald

(no shift key so no capital letters, not youir asst. supt. with no mechanics)

this to me was our most important day. we visited the town and the schools to which we sent money for landmine victim vocational training. we meet many of the students there and spoke with them about the training they are receiving (in sewing and in electrical mechanics) to earn a living and go on with their lives after they or one of their family members who was a bread winner lost a limb. it was moving and heartwarming to exchange greetings, thanks and ideas about what all of us are doing.

it was wonderful for all of us to see the fruits of the money that was sent from tenafly to this town and this school. it's amazing to be witness to the fact that the money gets there and is used for such important work. we can make a difference.

Richard's Pictures

Jessica's Photos

Check out some of Jessica's photos here.

The Killing Fields and Landmines

posted by Dr. Greenwald

It is maddening and heartwrenching to see all of this. Each piece of clothing, each skull, each bone was once a person's. Such depravation that caused all of this. (learn more about the Killing Fields here)I was moved to tears not only by those sights buy also those today at the government's presentation about landmines and UXO's. The filming of the war and my childhood memories of those days were especially poignant to me, the oldest on the trip who lived through those terrible times and worked to stop the madness.

The positive news is that inch by inch our work now is making a difference. Glory be to the wonderful parents on this trip who have raised their children in these sometimes shallow times to have the depth of feeling to learn what is truly important in life--that we all get our one chance on earth to live (unless you have Buddhist inclinations of course). The children are so mature beyond their years and seen to be a true blessing to the people here who have greeted us. How right they are.

We will not be able to blog or email for three days so do not think we are lost. Stay tuned and we will return.

Judy

Ben's First Blog

Ben G. here posting my first "blog" in Cambodia. So far, the trip has been rather exciting and full of experiences that none of us will soon forget. We have all chosen different methods of dealing with some of the troubling things I am sure you have read or heard about. Some have chosen to vent their emotions by crying, confiding in friends and parents, or writing personal journal entries. When it comes to times like these, I, however, tend to rethink my own philosophies and comtemplate existence.

Learning first hand about the horrible Khmer Rouge genocide has made me begin to think of myself as a citizen of the world. It matters not where or when this tragedy occurred, but it should be seen as a threat to human dignity and freedom. We as humans should witness atrocities like these and be disturbed by lack of decency, not because we feel personally afraid of being subjected to such torture, but because it jeopardizes the concept of humanity. Additionally, the scale, context, duration, or supposed justification of these events have little importance: American slavery, the Holocaust, Pol Pot's regime, or the Abu Ghraib scandal should all be viewed through a similar lens.
I hope I have not bored you with my philosophizing. This afternoon, we are traveling to Kampong Cham from Phnom Penh, so we will be out of internet communication for the next several days.

Learning Cambodian Dances

Emily G.
This is my first Blog and so far this has been the most amazing expeirence i have ever had. I wan't to talk about two days ago. We went to Arn's organization Cambodian Masters Performers program. We were in a slum city where the kids were learning traditional dances and music . The kids tried to teach me Dr, Greenwald and Ella how to dance. I was really bad but they were amazing! Me and Dr. Greenwald tried to teach them ballet. There's a picture of it.
We went to an other music class where the kids were learning how to speak english. They were really good. This one girl had a whole canversation with me aand as i was saying good bye she held my hand and walked me out. It was so sweet i was so tuched. The people here are so amazingly nice and never stop smiling. It is true what people say a smile can make your day!

Yesterday we had a very hard day we went to a school turned prison camp for the Khmer Rouge and the killing feilds the sight of the mass graves. I won't get in to detail but it was very uppsetting for me.
Today we went to a government landmine removel center and we got to actually hold deactivated land mines. We are going to Kampan Chung,we won't have internet acess for 2 or 3 days buyt i'll keep you posted on what we did.

We're here!

Posted by Gabri(ella) Spitz

I could probably ramble on for hours about the other days we were here, but everyone else has already done that multiple times, so I will talk about tuesday, at the Cambodian Living Arts organization. We arrived at this rickity, old, greying apartment building, and proceeded to walk (or maybe climb) up about three flights of terrifying, outdoor stairs, that only had a banister on one side. When we finally reached the correct floor, we went down a short, dark corridor until we reached two rooms. We split into two groups. (one group in one room, the other group in the other)

First, a group of children, ranging in age from eight to about fourteen, performed the "coconut dance" for us, where they used halves of cocunut shells as instruments to bang together in rhythm. It was delightfully awesome. Then they showed us their stretches, and I realized that there is a place for me in the world. You see, in classical Cambodian dance, it is considered beautiful if ones joints all bend in the wrong direction, so children actually practice to get their knees to bend the way mine do. Here's an example of a stretch. (try it!)
sit on your rear with your knees up.
mesh your fingers together and turn them out, so the palms of your hands face forward.
put your arms between your knees, and push your knees together so your elbows touch.
One of the boys we saw was able to make his elbows actually come together, which is unbelievable and painful.
After watching more dances, we continued on to the next room. Here, there were many, many students, and one elderly teacher and her daughter. The students performed one dance, and then two little boys and a thirteen year old girl performed what I could onlyh call a soap opera. The plot of this "classical Cambodian opera" involved a genie girl and her two suitors. Because of her indicisiveness, her true love was killed, and she had to marry the bad guy. Dr. Greenwald whispered to me that it sounded like General Hospital. Despite the melodrama, the children were magnificent actors.
We then did a question and answer session with the students. They asked what our names were, and then tried to repeat them. They seemed to have some issues with the name Michaelangelo. I wonder why. Then they asked our ages. When Mike said he was thirteen, all the girls started giggling and nudging eachother. When I said I was thirteen, the boys did the same. Dr. Greenwald asked if she could teach them some ballet, and they said sure, and that they wanted to teach us a Cambodian dance. It was fun to watch these Cambodian teenagers giggle and spin around in circles. Then, three other thirteen year olds came over to me and attempted to teach me the way one walks in Cambodian dance. This is where I learned that my flexibility is completely incompetant, as all three of them attempted to pull my fingers down to my wrist and discovered that it wouldnt move. We giggled a lot, and laughed over the fact that all three of them only came up to my shoulders.
After we left, I was told that one of the dancers, a pretty girl with a blue shirt, was a prostitute. She is twelve years old.
Many other amazing things happened later that day, but alas, my fingers are utterly exhausted. Fare well!

Trip So Far

Posted by Adam V.

This has been the most amazing experience of my life. We have visited many interesting places and done some really cool things. Visiting the Slums was a lot of fun, and i met myfuture wife there. When watching one of the classes iI sat outside on a chair and some of the women there were fascinated with the paleness of my skin. I had my picture taken with them and made parting wishes.
The experience that changed me the most was the Genocide Museum and the Killing fields. The Genocide Museum wich was actually a torture chamber disgusted me because of the pictures of the victims aswell as aglass case containing murder weapons. The killing fields wich sported massgraves and other remnants of human extermination was a meaningfull sight wich really got me, death was all around and i eventually broke down and cried. After seeing all of this it made me question humanity itself.

day 3: genocide museum

posted by michaelangelo


today was a touching and emotional day for all of us who visited the genocide museum. this museum was an old school that was made into a torture chamber by the khmer rouge during the genocide. they used this school for interrogations.

as we first arrived we watched a movie. this movie was narrated in muffled english and was hard to understand. it was a sad movie but afterward i was ok. then we entered the first building. in this building there were bedrooms with metal bed frames in the middle of the rooms. on the bed frames were ankle braces and chains, and sometimes empty boxes of bullets. in the next building there were classrooms, about 5 or 6 of them in a row. in these classrooms were the pictures of every person that entered the camp. after some time i couldnt bear to stay in the room any longer and look at the faces of those who died in the camp.
i stood out side for a while and then moved on to the next building. in this building there were more classrooms about another 5 or 6, but these rooms divided into cells by brick walls that the soldiers had built there. this was sickening because the cells were so small and in some of them the chains that held people down were still in the cell. there were so many cells, room after room.
at the last building we went to i walked into one room full of more pictures of the victims. in the next room were tools used for torture and methods of torture that the khmer rouge used.

i could'nt understand how humans could do this to each other.

They want everything I have

Jessica K.

How do I explain my day? Is this place really in the same world I live on? Are Americans really angels? It can't be that most of the world, lives like this.
We met Arn again today. Whenever I see him I often try to think about what he went though. He was a child soldier, and even now he gives all his money away for the country he loves.
We went on a tuk-tuk ride today. The transportation is far from anything we're used to. The only cars we see are usually the governments; and not any citizens. At the market we were attacked by beggers. I was forced to say no toand starving babies and adults who said they were blind.

If I had said yes, I knew I would have been bombarded. The food at the market was crazy. Whoever thought of serving meat at 85 degrees? I saw fish get cut up alive, and fruit that looked like it was from a different planet. Flies were everywhere.
On the way to the master's music classes, I was expecting to see Cambodian's off the street on a nice stage. This fantasy seemed to go away after being told about the rising HIV/AIDS issue due to prostitutes. The street where we were about to go to supposedly at night as people going down the streeet looking for a beautiful early teenage Cambodian girl to have for $2. Who are these "people" that are up to no good? These people inculde Westerners, that's right.
We were also told we were entering a "slum area." That was exactly what it was. Trash was everywhere. Kids were running around without pants. We were led to four different classes (which taught singing, dancing, and playing unkown instruments. We were greeted from kids of all ages; it seems almost as it's a sin if a child does not bow their head.
I looked around the room, looked at all these children who have gone through so much. Some were orphans. Out of their mouths came power. These kids seemed complete with music. There was a light on the ceiling held on by a bew wires. Yet, these kids were with huge smiles, the nicest smile I havfe ever seen.
The littliest girl who seemed as if she was four, was the cutest thing ever. I had to hold myself back from carrying her home.
I smiled at her innocence, and sure enough a smile from her gleamed right back. After their magnificent dance, we went to take a picture with them. I sat next to the little girl, and she put her hand on my leg. It turns out she was nine. I started crying, was she on her way to being prostitute? Was she an orphan? I thought about how she would kill for my life.
Another boy peaked through the door. I imagined he was trying to get a peak at Ben's height, Adam's pale skin, and my blonde hair. He quickly bowed his head, more tears began to form. Many of the kids stare at us, they think of us as beautiful and unknown; I can't complain because we think the same of them.
The kids dreams were to have everything I already had. One group of girls seemed fascinated by my braces. I realized none of them had glasses, something that they probably needed.
The tears stopped, but the wealth of beauty in their art never did.
As I walked through the streets which were contrasted with a huge government building in the back. I felt like it was all fake. That they were acting out something that happened from th epast. Their English was adoralbe answering in full sentences, "My name is..." Dozens of other children said hello. Oh, how I wish I could speak Khmer.
On a lighter note, the place we went to dinner at bugs all over the rice. I decided not to have that extra source of protein, and stayed with my power bars. Well I'm in a rush and must go for another exciting day in Phnom Penh.

The Beauty of the Cambodian People

Posted By Mark Hyman
Dear Friends,

My heart is full after today's experiences. Words are not sufficient, but I will try.

Today we visited four music classes which are part of Arn Chorn's program "Cambodia Living Arts." The purpose of this program is to try to recover and sustain Cambodian traditional arts which was almost completely wiped out during the Khmer Rouge Genocide.

The classes are held in a shanty town or poor section of Phnom Penh. Yet amidst this poverty Arn's master teachers are performing a miracle: they are restoring an entire performing arts culture through the open hearts and ready minds of the children. You see, this tradition is passed down orally; it will die without master adults from one generation and child students from the next. And with the death of a culture comes the death of a whole people.

This is quite a burden to place on a handful of master performers - all survivors of the Khmer Rouge - and children from the poorest section of Cambodia. But after what I witnessed today, it is clear that even in the most difficult of living conditions, children - when given the chance - will find joy in this responsibility. For I have never seen such happy and proud children as the dancers, singers and musicians I saw today. Children from what seemed like age 6 and up proudly displayed their talents with precise dance motions, soulful voices and exotic and wonderful instrumentation. Their performances literally brought tears to our eyes.

Let me tell you about the people. The first thing you notice are their smiles: a beeming radiance that comes over their faces in response to your greeting(which you do by bowing with both hands held together in front of your face). Then there is this: the capacity to make complete strangers - us - feel both welcome and safe as we literally walked through their streets and in front of their homes. We felt no concern whatsoever.
I will close with this: we are all grateful to be representing Tenafly as your window into Cambodia. Each of the students representing you have been wonderful, understanding and deeply compassionate. You would be proud of them. They are opening not only their minds but their hearts; that is not an easy thing to do. I am proud to be part of this Tenafly delegation and I look forward to sharing more with you on a daily basis.
Sincerely,
Mark Hyman

Incredible Day

Posted by Dr. Judy Greenwald

Well, it's our first full day in Phnom Penh. We began by taking a tuck tuck around the city to get an overview of our environs. That was a prelude to our visit to the master performers' demonstration of the work they are doing revitalizing the music and dance almost lost to the abyss. The children who performed were beautiful and extraordinarily talented in their music, dance and opera recitals.

However, it does not paint the picture entirely if we do not mention the utter squalor and poverty in which these schools reside. None of us (including me the third world traveler) have ever seen the like. We strolled through rubble and shambles for homes as the people greeted us with "hellos" on our way to visit the school. Such kindness and generosity from them as they proudly demonstrated their skill. It also is of note that we recited numbers up to 100, the days of the week and the months of the year with them. Emily and I gave the dancers lessons in pirouettes and change ma's.

Speak to you soon. We all thank you for your responses to us. It helps us feel we are having an impact from world to world, culture to culture.

More on Irwaddy Dolphins

As previously posted here, Arn and I were apparently swimming with Irwaddy Dolphins while in the Mekong with the village children.

Thanks to John Peterson (JP) for sending me the following:

"Fascinated with the river dolphins. Actually amazed. They have articulated necks where most dolphins have fused spines. This allows them side to side along with up and down movement. They have amazing sonar, as they use it more than most aquatic mammals for hunting and swimming in murky waters. ... Apparently they are worshipped by fishermen in the region. They actually 'Assist' in herding fish into their nets...."

Learn more about the Irwaddy dolphin here.

Sunrise on the Mekong: Jogging with Elephants

By Bill Clark


Having fended off jet-lag andslept pretty well on our first night in Phnom Penh, I wentout of the hotel at 5:30 AM in search of exercise inthe relative cool (after all, as Noel Coward once wrote, wisely, in the tropics only "mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun").

Also, I hoped to find a baguette to take back to share with Jessica for breakfast. I had seen lots (a reminder of the more benign side of French colonlialism?) for sale the day before on the roads to the airport.
It was still quite dark when I set out, and other than a skinny scrounging cat and a snoring moto-man (scooter taxi), no signs of life. The nearby Eiro Cakfe and the World Fantasy Comicand Book Store, and the Amok vegetarian restaurant were all still closed.
The people at the roadside cafe at the corner were just putting out table sand throwing buckets of water on the unpaved street infront, to hold down the dust that the throngs of motos and cars would lagter kick up.

Around the corner, on Sihanouk Boulevard, leading to the towering Indepencdence Monument,there was more activity -- people with twiggy witches' brooms rearranging the litter in the gutters, a steady stream of motos and,as I went farther toward the river, more and more joggers. There were single men and women, couple and some family groups, some grannies and grampas shufflng along with toddlers eve, a few with strollers, some with tethers, one with kid and dog on the same leash.
Many were there with there dogs and one man was actally there jogging with his elephant (untethered!). I didn't know an elephant could move so fast.
Near the monument there were two lines of perhpas 30 people doing calisthenics to the voice of a drill sergeant issuing from a boombox. Near the river's edge (confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap)was a horde of maybe 300 people dancing about and waving their arms --doing Jazzercise of the tune of "It Never Rains in California."
By now roadside stands were opening and people were sitting at little tables for breakfast -- but still no sign of baguettes.
A few businesses were open -- including the"Mittaheap Driving
School" which obviously tries to capitalize onthe fact that in the earlier hours of the day the maelstrom that we had seen the day before -- cars and trucks, bikes and motos,tuk-tuks and buses (some with people riding on tops) --has not yet mounted to the crescendo it reaches later in the day, when a neophyte driver wouldn't have as chance of navigating the swirling, honking stream -- the world's greatest Dodgem Car operation.
Finally -- it's the Boulevard Deau Cent Soixante-dix Quatre after all --the "european Boulangerie Bakery" Baguettes (and several thousand Cambodian riels change ) in hand, I turn at the corner of Boulevard Mao Tse-dung and head forthe Golden Bridge Hotel (across the street from the GoldenGate Hotel) and Jessica and breakfast.
-Posted By Bill Clark