Showing posts with label Festivals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festivals. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Overwhelmed
Yesterday was a really intense day. Perhaps like eating a bowl of really yummy peppermint ice cream (intensely yummy) but occasionally coming across a really hot chili that somehow got mixed in (small but painful). If you like peppermint ice cream and you don't like spicy food that analogy will work. It was so exhausting but that's only just starting to catch up with me today.
Let me tell you some of the things that happened. (Keep in mind this is all happening in hot humid weather.)
"Ice cream" was the dominant feeling of the day, but I'll start with a "chili".
I spent the morning at three different hospital-like places. A friend of a friend is sick so we went to visit her and give blood for her. She's been sick for months, has three kids and a husband who is often drunk. She was lying on the bed crying and crying. As her husband drinks they don't have enough money for food. She said she didn't mind dying as her life is so hard anyway. But I guess other times she worries about what will happen to her kids.
Hospitals here don't have all the staff that ones in Oz do. If you are a patient you need family to stay with you to cook food and look after you. She had her kids and her mother with her, and my friend brought her some take away meals and fruit.
So overwhelming thinking about this sick ladies' life. Others from her church have been bringing her food as well, even thought they barely have enough food for themselves each day.
Knowing there are so many sick and poor people in Cambodia is overwhelming.
After visiting her I went to give blood, the doctor wanted 300ml so they took me to a place that does it. I've given blood in Australia, but this was the first time in Cambodia. I was a little nervous- wondering if I would understand all the instructions, wondering if the needle was clean etc etc. Luckily the form I had to fill out was an English version, although the lady who had to read it couldn't read English. When they were about to stick the needle in me I was trying to watch so I could see if it was a new clean one, but at the same time not wanting to watch. So I guess that was a bad experience as such, but a second intense thing for the day. (I went to the toilet there just before I gave blood- there was a sick but with no taps in the sink (there was another tap else where though)- perhaps a little different from medical buildings in Australia.)
And now to the "Ice cream". The Bible school had their Khmer new year celebrations yesterday. In the afternoon we had a chapel service, then games outside. We ate dinner together on the grass, then back to the hall for a singing competition and dancing.
As well as students and staff, others came including people from church, old students, my old language helper, some Aussie friends. So it was really fun to see everyone. The students had spent the last few days decorating the hall. (photos below)
The chapel service was fun for me, we sang some songs that I know some of the words to. I would have been able to sing more if I had the words in front of me, but I was still able to join in a bit.
Some of the games were so funny to watch- they had a sack race with TWO people in one sack. So funny!!!!
Other games were tug of war, and throwing black round seeds to knock other ones over.
In the midst of all the fun, someone ran into some glass Coke bottles. The next thing I knew they had picked him up- all I saw was a bloody foot in the air. He was put in a car and raced off to the doctor.
During dinner I sat with our Aussie friend and people from our old and new church. Then if was back into the hall for a singing comp. A rep from each small group got up to sing a song. It was so funny to watch- during the singing people kept running up to the singer to give them flowers. Everyone was very excitable and there was so so much cheering and clapping. (Not sure how to explain this very well, I guess you had to be there- it was so so funny.)
The boy who hurt his foot got up (half carried) to sing too, much cheering. He was given a seat to sit on.
Things got a little crazy towards the end. When people ran out of flowers they started grabbing pineapples and watermelons from the hall decorations. Students had created a centre-piece to dance around, but it ended up doubling as a source of presents for the singers.
Soeun's small group won!!! A student in his small group sang a song that he (Soeun) wrote about Romans 8.
After that it was time for dancing. Soeun and students played music and others danced around the fruit thingy. The students tried to teach me khmer dancing but mostly they ended up laughing- it was fun! I thought after giving blood I would be tired but I ended up dancing and hanging around for ages. The fun that had started around 2pm lasted until about 10pm!!!
But then I got a message from a friend. They had their bag snatched on the way home. Not pleasant. Travelling by moto or tuk tuk is dangerous at night, esp around this time of year when people need extra money for New Year things.
So that's why I'm feeling overwhelmed and tired today! Also I've been thinking about traffic accidents lately as the other day one happened in front of my as I was riding up a main street (Norodom). And did I mention it's hot and humid these days?
Let me tell you some of the things that happened. (Keep in mind this is all happening in hot humid weather.)
"Ice cream" was the dominant feeling of the day, but I'll start with a "chili".
I spent the morning at three different hospital-like places. A friend of a friend is sick so we went to visit her and give blood for her. She's been sick for months, has three kids and a husband who is often drunk. She was lying on the bed crying and crying. As her husband drinks they don't have enough money for food. She said she didn't mind dying as her life is so hard anyway. But I guess other times she worries about what will happen to her kids.
Hospitals here don't have all the staff that ones in Oz do. If you are a patient you need family to stay with you to cook food and look after you. She had her kids and her mother with her, and my friend brought her some take away meals and fruit.
So overwhelming thinking about this sick ladies' life. Others from her church have been bringing her food as well, even thought they barely have enough food for themselves each day.
Knowing there are so many sick and poor people in Cambodia is overwhelming.
After visiting her I went to give blood, the doctor wanted 300ml so they took me to a place that does it. I've given blood in Australia, but this was the first time in Cambodia. I was a little nervous- wondering if I would understand all the instructions, wondering if the needle was clean etc etc. Luckily the form I had to fill out was an English version, although the lady who had to read it couldn't read English. When they were about to stick the needle in me I was trying to watch so I could see if it was a new clean one, but at the same time not wanting to watch. So I guess that was a bad experience as such, but a second intense thing for the day. (I went to the toilet there just before I gave blood- there was a sick but with no taps in the sink (there was another tap else where though)- perhaps a little different from medical buildings in Australia.)
And now to the "Ice cream". The Bible school had their Khmer new year celebrations yesterday. In the afternoon we had a chapel service, then games outside. We ate dinner together on the grass, then back to the hall for a singing competition and dancing.
As well as students and staff, others came including people from church, old students, my old language helper, some Aussie friends. So it was really fun to see everyone. The students had spent the last few days decorating the hall. (photos below)
The chapel service was fun for me, we sang some songs that I know some of the words to. I would have been able to sing more if I had the words in front of me, but I was still able to join in a bit.
Some of the games were so funny to watch- they had a sack race with TWO people in one sack. So funny!!!!
Other games were tug of war, and throwing black round seeds to knock other ones over.
In the midst of all the fun, someone ran into some glass Coke bottles. The next thing I knew they had picked him up- all I saw was a bloody foot in the air. He was put in a car and raced off to the doctor.
During dinner I sat with our Aussie friend and people from our old and new church. Then if was back into the hall for a singing comp. A rep from each small group got up to sing a song. It was so funny to watch- during the singing people kept running up to the singer to give them flowers. Everyone was very excitable and there was so so much cheering and clapping. (Not sure how to explain this very well, I guess you had to be there- it was so so funny.)
The boy who hurt his foot got up (half carried) to sing too, much cheering. He was given a seat to sit on.
Things got a little crazy towards the end. When people ran out of flowers they started grabbing pineapples and watermelons from the hall decorations. Students had created a centre-piece to dance around, but it ended up doubling as a source of presents for the singers.
Soeun's small group won!!! A student in his small group sang a song that he (Soeun) wrote about Romans 8.
After that it was time for dancing. Soeun and students played music and others danced around the fruit thingy. The students tried to teach me khmer dancing but mostly they ended up laughing- it was fun! I thought after giving blood I would be tired but I ended up dancing and hanging around for ages. The fun that had started around 2pm lasted until about 10pm!!!
But then I got a message from a friend. They had their bag snatched on the way home. Not pleasant. Travelling by moto or tuk tuk is dangerous at night, esp around this time of year when people need extra money for New Year things.
So that's why I'm feeling overwhelmed and tired today! Also I've been thinking about traffic accidents lately as the other day one happened in front of my as I was riding up a main street (Norodom). And did I mention it's hot and humid these days?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Too noisy!!!
There was a funeral happening right next to church this week. If you’ve been anywhere near funerals or weddings in this region you’ll know that means it was very noisy! We couldn’t hear each other talk, very annoying. Like weddings and other events a marquee (see photo) is set up on the street, decorated with white and black instead of colours. Tables were set for a meal. Flowers and offering were set up around the mounted photo of the deceased lady. The noise was an "arjar”chanting. ‘Arjar’s are men from the temple who wear a white top and black trousers. Originally they were Hindu priests but now Hinduism and Buddhism are mixed together. Under different kings in ancient times Our church meets in a tall brick house, in a row of other tall brick houses. When we started going last month they were singing a cappella. Soeun has started playing his guitar, and he is preaching next week too.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Chinese New Year traffic accidents
Traffic accidents always happened but there were more over the new year as you can read here.
Monday, January 26, 2009
On the Eve of the Ox
Well Chinese New Year in Cambodia obviously isn't as big as it is in China, but it is something. Among other things in the lead up to CNY our local market started selling lots of red and gold shiny things, and our neighbours set off fire crackers. Not nearly as many as in China but enough to remind me what time of year it is.
A few months ago we got cable TV, one of our channels is CCTV1. Every year on the eve of CNY they have a big long show- singing, dancing, skits etc. The year I spent this holiday with a family in China we watched it all night until midnight as we ate our dumplings. At midnight everyone went out side to watch fire works and set of more red loud things even though it was minus 18!!!!
Well this year I did the same, well I watched the NY show on CCTV1 and ate some kind-of-Chinese food.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Road block
Like the days of the flood we couldn't get in or out, so class was cancelled. A marquee was put up in our street for a ceremony. You may have seen similar photo over here when I mentioned Khmer people do this for weddings.It is used for other ceremonies and parties too. This one was an official thing, something to do with the opening of a new road, or work on a new road? I'm not sure.
I took this the day before they set, on the say it would have been filled with people and chairs.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Kampot province wedding
On Saturday we drove south for about 3 hours to go to a wedding. Its the first time I've been to a wedding so far away from the city. It was in a province called Kampot, basically in the middle of rice paddies! Cambodia is a bit like a frying pan, flat in the middle and hills around the outside. When we went to R'kiri last month I was reminded of that when I saw the hills- I hadn't seen hills for ages, I'd forgotten about them. It was fun to see hills again on Saturday.
On the right you can see the wooden house on stilts, I think the bride's family live there. At the colourful entrance to the wedding marquee the bridal party are waiting to welcome guests. More photos of Khmer wedding clothes and wedding traditions on Rachael's blog.
These 2 photos show the food being prepared by these "groma" wearing grandmas, out in the open on a wooden bed frame. What I call a bed anyway, but in Cambodia they are used for sitting around on and eating on. (In the photo below you might be able to see the bed behind the people, under the trees.)
Here is Soeun happily eating a ducks head.
And the ice... even if the water the ice is made from is clean the method of making it into ice cubes (glass size chunks) might not be as hygienic as one might prefer. Although as far as I know my tummy is ok.
In Phnom Penh people travel mostly by motos, I think this was the first wedding I'd seen people come by bike. We came by car and at one point we were getting a bit worried. The way there involved travelling on the ridge between rice paddies, it can get quite narrow at times!
On the right you can see the wooden house on stilts, I think the bride's family live there. At the colourful entrance to the wedding marquee the bridal party are waiting to welcome guests. More photos of Khmer wedding clothes and wedding traditions on Rachael's blog.
These 2 photos show the food being prepared by these "groma" wearing grandmas, out in the open on a wooden bed frame. What I call a bed anyway, but in Cambodia they are used for sitting around on and eating on. (In the photo below you might be able to see the bed behind the people, under the trees.)
Here is Soeun happily eating a ducks head.
And the ice... even if the water the ice is made from is clean the method of making it into ice cubes (glass size chunks) might not be as hygienic as one might prefer. Although as far as I know my tummy is ok.
In Phnom Penh people travel mostly by motos, I think this was the first wedding I'd seen people come by bike. We came by car and at one point we were getting a bit worried. The way there involved travelling on the ridge between rice paddies, it can get quite narrow at times!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
So many weddings!
There are lots of weddings on at this time of year, and being part of a Bible school community there are lots of people who are around the getting married age. This one recent graduate of the Bible school is getting married in a province north of the city, and another is getting married in a province south of the city. Some people will head north and stay the night there, we will go south, just for the day, with a car full of students and staff.
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