What a year!

Towards the end of last year, i was really going around Cambodia. I spent about a week each in Kampong Speu, Kampot, Koh Krolor, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh between the months of November and December. It was exhilarating to be able to get to know these places, find out about the activities (junior youth groups and others) that were going on, meeting many animators, most of whom are youth and serving closely with the coordinators of the program.

The experiences were different from one place to another. In Kampong Speu, we (Rithy, the Battambang JY coordinator, and i) were showered with lots of love from the family of Ratanak, whom we stayed with and whose mother and sisters were wonderful hosts. I also got to know how difficult it must be for youth, most of whom were in their exam year, to make time between hours and on the weekends to serve the children and junior youth in their community. Rithy and i had some time to edit Learning about Excellence throughout this trip because the youth would be at school in the mornings and we only had the afternoons with them. It was also my first time going through Spirit of Faith in Khmer with other animators... I just love that book!

Oh, and it was also my first time charging up my handphone, laptop, ipod and camera battery with a generator! They do have a guesthouse in the small-town of Kampong Speu but it was an hour away from where the activities were. It didn't make sense to commute back and forth that much.

A week later, we took the most horrid ride (of my life) to Kampot. It was the Water Festival holidays and everyone was heading back from Phnom Penh to Kampot, so it wasn't surprising that the tourist vans were packed (and from where we were, that was the only mode of transportation to take). I felt like a chicken among many other chickens, packed in a crate ready to be taken to the market. Here's what went on in my mind (and some were expressed aloud):

Van driver: Oh, there's space. Get in while i load your bags at the back.

Me: But where are you gonna put the bags? There's already a bicycle and sacks of stuff hanging out (tied up) of the back door (which was left ajar the whole ride through).

VD: Don't worry, we'll tie it up tight.

Me: Ok (looked into the van) Err...excuse me, where did you say is there space?

VD: (comes around, points to a space about 10cm wide between two ladies) Here!

Me: (thinking to myself - If you'll just have a nice look at my ass...it's much wider than that.) What about my friend (Rithy)

VD: (Looking annoyed, points at the space between the back of the front seat and the first row of the back seat, where there were already 4 others sitting squashed against each other).

(Rithy and i roll eyes at each other...which we did a lot of throughout the 4 hour journey)

Me: Sigh, oh well... (got in, sour-faced and grumbling, at the amusement of all the other Khmer ladies, who were by-the-way half my size).

So, there we were, 30 people in a 11-seater van, with luggage above, around and under us. And when we thought the van had reached it's limit, the driver would stop and pick up another passenger. Gladly, by then, i wasn't the only one grumbling! It didn't help that we couldn't close the windows and unprepared as i was, i was eating and breathing red-earth from the road all through the ride. I vowed never to travel by such a van again. It did, however, make me appreciate how 'comfortable' the return journey (Kampot-PP) was, with Rithy and I in the front seat of a taxi, next to the driver and a 13-year old boy.

The point of that journey was to reach Phum Thmei, where the JY coordinator lives and where there are quite a number of junior youth groups. Unbeknown to Rithy and i, the youth were already gathered and waiting for us to start. So, dear Rithy took the lead in getting the consultations going about the program and the purpose of our visit and worked out a schedule for the next few days. It wasn't a surprise that we were both ill by the time we returned to Battambang.

We returned to Battambang just in time for sessions with special visitors, the Walkers. It was also the first time using the new Bahai centre hall, impressive as it is, and having a wonderful celebration for the anniversary of the birth of Baha'u'llah.

Right after that, I made my way to Phnom Penh to spend a week visiting junior youth groups and potential animators, tutoring Unit 1 of Ruhi 5 and visiting the homes of friends. That week ended with the arrival of my nephew, TJ, to Phnom Penh, as we made our way to Battambang. Oh, that was around the time my mother made up her mind to move in with me. She's been helping me oversee the school (Gems) as i focus on the junior youth program. It was lovely to have TJ with us, though the poor boy has a different story to tell...he was sick all through his stay in Battambang. Note to self: Never buy sugarcane drinks from new vendors for visitors who come.

When TJ left was also when I made my way to Koh Krolor, this time with Saloy, the national children's class coordinator, who wanted to learn about accompanying cluster coordinators and children's class teachers, too. It was the time for rice harvesting and we had a little challenge in meeting with some but also I got the opportunity to learn the ways (and schedules) of a farmer's family (many of our animators are also from among farmers). We'd arrange our visits during the 'free-time' in between the work in the fields and even help out a friend with his harvest.

The visit to Koh Krolor was followed by a visit to Kampong Thom. It was an amazing trip...I am still looking forward to my next visit to Kampong Thom. It's when i got there that i discovered that there were already over 20 groups, that some of the animators who had recently completed Ruhi 5 were public school teachers, and that the program was already introduced in 7 schools. Most of all, I was in full admiration of our dear coordinator from there, Vuthi. He's now serving full-time but when i visited, he was in his Grade 12, in his exam year, and serving full-swing. What an exemplary youth!

One thing i've learnt throughout all these visits is that as a person visiting and learning about the situation in the different places, i must be very careful to manage my expectations, and treat each cluster fairly and objectively. If i had laid any expectations on the youth in any of my travels, it would have been easy enough for disappointment to show. It would be a killer for any youth on the receiving end. As much as we hope that the program does well in every place, there are circumstances specific to the area that we are unable to control and it's important to let it take it's natural course. That was the case with Kampong Cham.

Since that trip, I haven't visited the other clusters much. There was a need to focus on Battambang as a learning site. We had 2 coordinator reflections since. A few faces are changing, some places are growing fast, some are maintaining status quo. At the last reflections (ended less than 2 weeks ago), the spirits were high, the youth were vibrant and i'm still beaming in memory of the wonderful times I've had with these youth! Oh, how i love my 'work'!

In January, I had the wonderful opportunity to spread my wings and visit Panchgani, India. There was a session for facilitators of a program by the Institute for Studies on Global Prosperity (ISGP). The courses are for university-going students, to understand these years of education that they are pursuing and how to make better life choices. It was an amazing learning experience for me.

It was followed by family time in Malaysia, where i got to spend Chinese New Year with my mom, sisters and their families, and extended family! It's amazing how much i can miss my little nephews and nieces. I managed another short trip in July and i still miss the kids!!!

CORDE also had a fruitful campaign for the World Environment Day and i lent my support to one of the Centres of Learning and was touched by the support shown by the village leader and community. As a coincidence, i ended up doing my research practice (as part of my Masters' studies) in that same village and the village leader remembered me well and was helpful in providing information about the village)

Since this month is the school holidays, it's no surprise that it is filled with large gatherings and training sessions. Our dear JY coordinators finished exams on 29 July and were eager to come for the coordinator's reflections by 31 July. That went on till 18 Aug, coinciding with an Intensive Book 5 study for animators and tutors-t0-be that was held from 9 - 15 August. The latest was the PSA training for tutors, organized by UniED, 13 to 26 August. And Gems training for teachers will be on-and-off throughout the next 2 weeks. It starts tomorrow with Character Development training for our new teacher and assistant teacher.

Anyway, having had the opportunity of spending more time in Battambang, i also cycled around much and took pictures (of what else but the sky??!), met with the numerous visitors and volunteers that came this way and attended a few weddings.