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Published: August 28th 2009
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Dinner view
View of the Mekong from my favorite restaurant in Kampong Cham This is my last entry of the summer. I fly back to New York (via Bangkok, Hong Kong, Los Angeles) over the next few days. It's been a crazy ride, full of great people and fun new places and I'm sad to leave.
The last month of my summer was primarily spent in Kampong Cham, where I did an internship with a local NGO KAPE (Kampuchean Action for Primary Education). I wrote a training manual for a multicultural education workshop. It's a model, primarily designed for teachers and directors of public and Islamic schools in Cambodia. My boss liked the training so much, he wants the whole KAPE staff to go through the training.
The 2-day training was last week. It was so great to see some of my ideas come to life and, even better, see the participants really get into it. The facilitators (Mary, Syas, and Tahieth) were great and I taught them a new word in English - "awesome". They were funny and full of energy. I'm incredibly lucky that in the last month I was able to find an internship, design a training and see it happen.
On Friday, I was
Mary
The head of the project and main facilitator, Mary, keeps the participants in line and in stitches. invited to a Vocational Training Center graduation for work. I attended with the Director of KAPE. After the speeches, diplomas, and food, we all danced to a karaoke DVD. Everyone was amused by my dancing. Maybe it's because I'm a foreigner. Maybe it's just my dancing.
Outside of work, I've learned that riding your bike through Kampong Cham is a social invitation. Women on bicycles and motorbikes will slow to ride alongside me and chat. Some of them I know, I think, from work, but some just want to practice their English. Or maybe they think I'm lonely riding by myself.
A couple weeks ago I went to the market in Kampong Cham for a pedicure. I was talked into a manicure as well. Maybe "talked" isn't the right word, as there were mostly gestures and nods. I tried to explain that I wanted clear polish on my fingernails, but she found this unacceptable and insisted on adding glitter. Actual glitter that she stuck into the wet polish. I looked like a 3rd grader. But my toes look nice. And together it cost me under $2.
Back in Phnom Penh, I have enjoyed my
Dinner with coworkers
Dinner followed by dancing with the ladies from work last couple of days in Cambodia. I treated myself to lunch, a massage and a swim at the Raffles Le Royal Hotel. And my friend from Houston, Travis, and his girlfriend Suong swung through for a couple days. They are traveling through Southeast Asia between his taking the bar exam and starting his job. It was great catching up with them.
While I'm sad to leave Cambodia, I have been missing New York. Two places couldn't be more opposite it seems. I plan on finishing up my masters this fall, so I'm about to start the job hunt for January. Wish me luck!
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Pat Gresham
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Good Luck
Everything I read sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy it while it lasts and good luck with school and the job search. Call us if you're ever in Houston. Pat, Michelle, and Jake.