I feel compelled to share the very little I know about the state of healthcare in Cambodia. I want you all to read this because: You should never take for granted how good your own life is or lose sight of the inequity in the world; Some of you, as medical professionals, may have some good thoughts or ideas about appropriate responses; and Some of you might have an idea about fundraising and resources to address some basic needs. Again, I want to emphasize that I know almost nothing about the Cambodian healthcare system, but some things I saw with my [View Full Entry]

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It's been a busy week for us, and I thought I'd post a very quick update. Monday was sad because we had to say goodbye to Mim. It seemed a loooong time before we had an email from her saying she had made it home safe and sound, which reminds us that we have a long journey ourselves next Thursday. (We'll be taking a van to the Thai border, a bus to Bangkok, a taxi to the airport,a flight to Singapore, then another to Frankfurt, and then New York, finally hopping home on a JetBlue flight. Today I tried to figure [View Full Entry]

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As if figuring out all the unwritten dating rules of an American teenager isn't enough of a challenge, Jaz has to figure out the cultural norms of dating in Cambodia. And I can tell you this much: she cannot go out at night alone with a boy. It just isn't done. It would be like showing up at school naked or something; it is just that unthinkable. She has been spending some time with a nice young man named Borey (or Borei, depending on how you feel like spelling it that day.) He is nineteen years old and works at one [View Full Entry]

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Hello - guest blogger here, so don’t expect the the great writing skills of my lovely ‘wife’ Jess and wonderful daughter Jaz. This trip has far exceeded my expectations. The only real downside has not being able to talk to my BIG kids (Marissa, Skyler and Dylan) as I often do at home. It’s difficult to add to Jess’s entries so I’ll try to articulate why it has been a unique and great experience. Lori, who helps run the guesthouse and the foundation, is just great to hang out with. She is just fun to be around and a great source [View Full Entry]

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I told Jess that I would like to guest blog some time, and as I am hours away from my Cambodian departure, the time has come. It’s harder than it looks. You think of things that you want to capture, but then become tired or busy or on to the next thing. It is too much, so I will just mention a few things from our weekend. Jess, Steve and I took a trip to Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Bayon. We were accompanied by our knowledgeable tour guide, Dara, and he made the trip delightful. He explained the symbolism of [View Full Entry]

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We've had a few busy days since I last wrote, so it must be time to catch up a little. (Thanks to the occasional blog comment, I have reason to think that at least a couple of people are reading this. Remember, folks: a little comment and here and there provides further motivation for me to write.) We left for the wedding reception soon after I wrote the last entry. We didn't leave at 4:00 or 4:30, but at 5:00, which is what the bride herself told us before she and Jaz and the rest of the wedding party left the [View Full Entry]

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We had a conversation with Ponheary about religion yesterday. I hadn't realized before all the wedding preparations for her niece this week that her family was Muslim. It's not something she makes well-known. I suppose in a country that is 99% Buddhist, being in the 1% Muslim minority has its drawbacks, and there has been persecution over the years. She told us that her family was unusual as Muslims, because rather than living in the communities of only other Cham Muslims, her father lived among Khmers and was an educated man. Ponheary's family is not really observant - I suppose they're [View Full Entry]

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If the bandwidth here allowed, I would post photos right here on TravelBlog, but that's painfully slow. Instead, I'll post links to our PicasaWeb photo albums, and I think you should be able to click right through to those. Here's one to tide you over: [url=http://picasaweb.google.com/jessw3745/Nov2LunchAtKnarSchool?authkey=Gv1sRgCNTEyMOTlPDYmwE&feat=directlink]Lunch at Knar School It is my intention to post more in the next day or so. In the meantime, enjoy! [View Full Entry]

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I could spend all day organizing and writing captions for photos, but I have other plans in mind, so here are more links to more photos, each more random and unorganized than the last! [url=http://picasaweb.google.com/jessw3745/HealthClinicAtKnarSchoolAndSceneryAlongTheWay?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ26jpyS9paBjQE&feat=directlink] Health Clinic at Knar School [url= http://picasaweb.google.com/jessw3745/WaterFestivalBonnOmToek?authkey=Gv1sRgCMf94-_5zau6cA&feat=directlink] Bonn Om Toek, the water festival [url=http://picasaweb.google.com/jessw3745/ThePAGEGirls?authkey=Gv1sRgCNiY [View Full Entry]

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It’s 1:30 Tuesday afternoon in Siem Reap. I am sitting on the balcony outside our room where the temperature is a very pleasant 75 degrees or so. Rain is falling softly, I can hear a little noise from the street and the Ly family below me in their outdoor kitchen. The smell of the chicken on their fire is wafting up and it smells delicious. I am supremely content. And for once, I am not sweaty. So much has happened, and so much will happen yet, and I’m feeling a little guilt about not blogging more. I know some of you [View Full Entry]

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