Pronouns. USE THEM!

            I hate going to the market. It’s cramped and muddy and stinky, but really the main reason why is because of the unwanted attention. EVERYONE stares at you and talks about you like you can’t hear them. And it’s not even because they don’t know me. They do! I’ve been in this village for over 8 months now. I know that I am often in the forefront of the market gossips. But when I show my face in the market, it’s like no one ever saw that coming.

            I’m digressing before I even really start my story.

            I had to go to the market to buy a broom for the new library. So I parked my bike, and started walking down the side of the market looking for a likely stall to have a broom, and trying to ignore all the people saying “look! Look over there! Look who it is! Where is she going? Does she speak Khmer? Watch what happens when I say this… HELLO I LOVE YOU.. hahaha, etc”

            I finally arrived at a likely stall and walked in

            “I want to buy a broom.” I said with a smile. She pointed to a stack of brooms in the corner. “How much?”

            “Different brooms different prices,” she replied. So I walked over and grabbed the cheapest looking broom, brought it back, and asked “this how much?”

            “2,500”

            At this point, a woman who was likely the sellers mother came outside to watch the foreigner make a purchase.

            The seller looked at her mother and said “works at school. don’t take money.”

            “Don’t take money?” she questioned.

            “Don’t take money” the seller repeated.

            I looked back and forth between them, and checked my understanding by asking “don’t take money?”

            The seller repeated for the third time “don’t take money.”

            I smiled enormously for their generosity and started putting my wallet down, thanking them for their generosity.

            “Work at school?” the older woman asked.

            “Work at school.” I affirmed.
            “Don’t take money.”

            “Thank you aunt so much! I will use this broom for the new library at the school!” I started walking out and the shopkeeper looked at me like I had 3 heads. She firmly stated “2,500!” and she put out her hand.

            And that’s when I realized that they were talking about how I don’t take money from the students. The statement had nothing to do with the purchase at hand.

            So yeah, I looked like a fool back there, but this (and countless other similar confusing conversations) could have all been avoided if we just added some pronouns. You know, an I  here and a she there never hurt anyone.

Now, for a complete mood shift. These are pictures from the Killing Fields in Battambang. They have done a beautiful memorial here. Inside the temple are the bones and the skulls all stacked up. All around the temple are stone reliefs depicting the types of things that happened during the Khmer Rouge Regime. The reliefs are really well done and are extremely descriptive, using little to no words.

Create Cambodia Arts Festival

Last weekend was the festival we have been working on for months here in Cambodia. It was our 1^st Annual Create Cambodia Fine Art Festival. And it went WONDERFULLY.

Saturday morning, we met at my co-teachers’ house- Lina and Daly. I thought the students would all be late because this is Cambodia, but I was actually the last one there! Well, the last one not including the no-shows. Unfortunately, 2 out of my 3 female singers didn’t show up. But everyone else was so excited, I was the only one who seemed to care. So we piled into the 14 person van- all 20 of us. I brought 15 students, 3 co-teachers, and myself (plus the driver).

The van ride there was just like any other high school field trip. The students were basically bouncing in their seats with excitement. Conversations and jokes were being shared from the back of the van to the front. They were singing along with the music at the top of their lungs. The choir kids even sang their concert pieces. It kind of reminded me of when I was in Italy EXACTLY a year ago on tour with the chorus and we did the same thing. We sang on the bus- as if we didn’t sing those pieces enough in rehearsals and at concerts. Except in this scenario, I was the Mark Shapiro to their music tour.

The festival was right on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, so we had to go through Phnom Penh. As we were approaching Phnom Penh, I realized that this was the first time for almost every person in the car to see any piece of their capital city. The first thing that amazed them was the Mekong River. We were crossing over the river and they were all pressing their faces against the window. One student said “teacher! Teacher! Look! BIG river!” Yeah, that would be the Mekong. Then once within Phnom Penh we took the most round-a-bout way through it, but I’m not complaining because the students got to drive past Wat Phnom, Central Market, the riverside, and tons of fancy stores and restaurants.

We finally arrived at the beautiful Khmer Arts stage, and my students were in awe. The stage is huge with temples and plants backing it up. My students poked around and watched the rest of the students from other provinces arrive. They had a welcoming greeting from a professional and famous Khmer dancer in Cambodia, and also one of the owners of the Khmer arts space.

After lunch students had a workshop led by the Royal University of Fine Arts, which is one of the best universities in Phnom Penh, and also one of the only ones with options in the Fine Arts. Representatives from the university talked about educational paths that many Khmer students don’t even know about. For example, they can major in architecture, art and temple preservation, and other stuff. I think it was good information for the students.

Then students were broken up into groups, given art supplies, and told to make masks. Each volunteer had about 10 students. I sat down with my students and they just stared at me at first. They kept asking “teacher… how? Do we cut it first? Do we draw it? Should it cover our whole face? Should it have a mouth?” I just kept telling them it’s up to YOU! Every mask should be different. So they stared blankly at their masks for about 5 minutes. Then they started. Within minutes, the most creative wonderful masks were being made. It was so simple, but it was something they’ve never been asked to do before. “Here’s some paper. Make something.” There has never been any reason to do that before. But they did it and they loved it and they came out great. Then we had a sort of parade with the masks. Later on, one of my students said it was his second favorite part of the festival.

I’ve waited too long in writing this blog, so now I’m getting a little fuzzy on the finer details and exact order of things, but I’ll proceed as if that’s not true.

After the masks, students went back to their seats for another workshop, this time led by Make Maek art gallery from Battambang. This was really cool for the students. The presenter was a real artist who makes his living from being an artist. He brought some of his artwork with him, and let the students critique his work. Also, his PCV counterpart, Arnoldo, brought a horse costume that he made. Two of his students walked around in the horse outfit. Then all the students were given an opportunity to discuss what they saw and how it made them feel.

I think after the workshop we had dinner.

Now.. to be honest we didn’t really have after dinner plans. We thought about possibly organizing a talent show, creating self portraits, or even just playing games. We played a couple spontaneous games of musical chairs. Then we just… left the music on.

And thus, Cambodia’s first prom night was born. The students DANCED like their lives depended on it. And it was HOT out. I thought their energy would last 3 songs, top. They danced for 2 hours. I thought MY energy would last 2 songs tops. I had the time of my life. It was just a completely comfortable space. Everyone danced and had a good time. They were free to MOVE and not have anyone judge them for it. They LOVED dancing with the foreigners, and I got really into. I even broke out the worm for them THREE TIMES! It was very much like prom, minus the “date” portion of it, and minus air conditioning of course. This was everyone’s favorite part of the festival, and it wasn’t even planned. But as our mission was to give these kids an opportunity to express themselves in a safe and welcoming environment, we found no reason to shut it down with any haste.

As we were approaching bedtime and the sweaty dancing was still persisting, we finally lowered the music, and asked everyone to form a circle. We gave out more art supplies and asked them to draw self portraits. This time wasn’t like when we asked them to make masks. They knew the deal, were excited, and got started right away. I sat there completely exhausted watching them with such pride. I felt like a mother lol, especially when all my kids came up afterward with their picture and said “teacher! Teacher! Look what I drew!”

Finally at around 10/10:30 all the students were in bed. The boys slept under mosquito nets under the roofed facility, and the girls slept in the dressing room. Sounds good for the girls, except it go SO hot and humid in there. With so many bodies lined up in there, it was difficult to BREATHE let alone sleep. Finally at around 2AM I started to drift off… barely even thinking about our 6AM wake-up call.

Then came 3:30AM. A few of the girls decided that was wake-up time. So they got up and took their baths and started doing each other’s hair to get ready for the day and the concert that wasn’t due to start until 10AM. I was FURIOUS! By 4AM more than half of the girls followed their lead and got up. Ok, I know this is Cambodia, and these are village girls used to getting up with the sun, but this was ABSURD! We set a curfew, and now for next year we know we have to make a quiet time rule. NO MOVING until at least 5AM!

Eventually us PCVs got up and stopped being cranky. Coffee helped. Then I let one of the girls to my hair. I was lookin good.

I feel like stuff happened between the breakfast and the concert, but I can’t remember it. Oh wait, yes I do. We had time to rehearse with our students.

Then at 10AM the concert started. My chorus kids went first. My chorus consisted of 7 boys and 1 girl. They started with the Khmer National Anthem. Then it was showtime. They sang a song in English first. I think it’s called Cambodia, Kingdom of Wonder. It’s a tourist advertisement song, but it’s very beautiful. Plus it’s a song in English about their country so it was perfect. Then two of my singers sang solos a capella. Next was The Lion Sleeps Tonight. This was where I was particularly worried about having only one girl, because that meant half of the song was a solo for her. But she is a fantastic singer, and it came together quite well. The PCVs were particularly moved by this song. Then I had one more student solo, and we finished with a Khmer song. The boy I taught to play guitar accompanied his classmates. Now, from reading this paragraph it probably sounds like it went smoothly. In fact though, the students were like deer in headlights the whole time. I had to physically go on stage and form them into an arc, because they apparently lost the ability to understand English AND Khmer. And between every song they looked at me like “now what!?!?!” even though we went over it a million times. BUT all that shows is that clearly these kids have never had this opportunity before! Hey kids, this is what it feels like to perform!

Also at the concert were dancers and actors from other PCVs and other provinces. The dancers were really cool. They did traditional Khmer dancing, then had a costume change and did the Cupid Shuffle. All the role-plays were very well done (however very long). One particular role-play stood out. It was about the Khmer Rouge. The acting was really good, and the story way very moving.

I also had a role-play group. They win at being the longest performance (something that I tried so hard not to make the case). Actually, I think I wrote about this role-play group before. Go back and check my International Womens Day post. However, the role-play changed very much since I invited them to perform at the festival. It went from being 15 minutes long to 50 minutes long. It went from being about womens rights to being about domectic abuse, drugs, peer pressure, bullying, and human trafficking. It is a very good story and it was very well done. They even had comic relief. The human trafficker was a male student in a dress, wig, and make-up. Haha he was hilarious, squeaking all over the stage. He was a big hit.

Also, during the whole festival there was an art gallery with beautiful pictures from students who have an art club.

After the concert it was simply clean-up time and goodbye time.

Our van was the last one to arrive, by 2 whole hours. But still, I allowed my students to stop and explore Sorya Mall in Phnom Penh for a half hour. Just walking in was hilarious. “Teacher, it’s very cold!” “Yes, that’s what air conditioning feels like.” I have a video of them taking their very first escalator ride. We were going to go on the elevator too but it was too busy. They were most impressed with the roller skating rink on the top floor of the mall.

Finally, we were back on our way. I arrived home at almost 9PM.

The festival was a huge success. To me, one of the most amazing parts was how the students all interacted with each other. We were worried that the kids would be too shy to socialize outside of their provinces, but that wasn’t the case at all. They all became friends in such short time. Before they parted ways, they said the most heartfelt goodbyes, exchanged phone numbers, took pictures with each other, and even joked about stealing away on the wrong vans to be with their new friends. It’s just amazing how art and creativity can bring people together.

I’ll end this post with a quote from one of my students’ facebook.

Hello Everyone! I want to tell all of u about my best happy time that i never meet in my life. On May 12-13 2012 in Kandal with Create Cambodia Arts Festival there are a lot of high school student from 6 province( Prey Veng, Kompong Cham, Kompong Chhnang, Porsat, Battambong, Kompong Thom).2 days and 1 night we dance, sing, make the mask, eat rice together, sleep, take photo with the best view at Khmer Art and... we are very very very very HAPPY! when the festival finish i do not happy i don't want it finish. When my friend leave to the province i feel very sad i don't want they go( នៅពេលដែលពួកគេចាក់ចេញទៅខេត្តរបស់ពួកគេខ្ញុំមិនចង់ឲ្យពូកគេចាក់ចេញនោះទេ). I said GOOD BYE to them with my hand at that time my tear wants to drop "pls don't go don't leave me" ខ្ញុំបាននិយាយថា “GOOD BYE” ជាមួយនិងដៃរបស់ខ្ញុំ ខ្ញុំមិនដឹងថាហេតុអ្វីទេ ខ្ញុំចង់ស្រក់ទឹកភ្នែក. last morning when i see our photo our video clip i feel very very miss them and my tear was dropping (កាលពីព្រឹកមិញខ្ញុំបានមើលរូបភាព និង ខារ៉ាអូខេ ខ្ញុំនឹងអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាណាស់ថែមទាំងស្រក់ទឹកភ្នែកទៀត. What time am I going to meet u again? I want all of u see the message(ពេលណាទៅបាចជួបគ្នាទៀត? ចង់ឲ្យអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាឃើញអត្ថបទនេះ) . I MISS all of u so much next year i must go. ខ្ញុំនឹក all of u… Khmer Art you are the best view make me happy with my friend.

I’ll share the few photos that I do have, but I also want to link to my friend’s blog where you can check out more, better photos. She’s a great photographer. http://bbmacias.blogspot.com/2012/05/create-cambodia-arts-festival.html

AND another friend was kind enough to take videos of the chorus for me! She's uploading them onto youtube for me THANKS CHRISTINE! The first one is up already. Check it out:

This is the song Cambodia, Kingdom of Wonder

This is not from the festival. This is from the fundraiser concert I had at my school in order to help pay for the festival. We had over 300 students come to the fundraiser concert!

These are shots from the role-play. Here's mommy and daddy.

Mom and Dad with the kids

Bad influences- apparently this is what Khmer druggees look like.

Real. tears.

hey there! fabulous!

The redemption scene.

Okay, the rest are from the festival. This is Channy (Shannon), the female singer and also the real-tears girl.

The workshop with the Royal University of Fine Arts

....that's me behind the mask on the left hahaha. i win.

2 of my co-teachers, Rithy and Lina. Rithy is an artistic minimalist. He just cut holes in the bag that the markers came in...

I love my students!

The horse Arnoldo made

Check out that banner!

My kids rehearsing and warming up in the morning

The whole group!

My singers

The role-play about the Khmer Rouge

I love this kid. Where has he been this whole year and why have I only known him the last month or so??

Sarith and Phalla!

Reasons Why I Love My Students

            I already posted a list of funny things the American students wrote to their Khmer pen pals. Now here are some wonderful things my students wrote in response. It is all typed exactly as they wrote it.

• ·         At 5 o’clock, we went to temple Bakheng and we rode on elephants to watch the sunset at temple Bakheng on a moutain. It was really interesting! I am happy and very happy! Do you want to visit Cambodia? Will you go to Siem Reap with me?
• ·         I never thought I would know you as my pen friend like this because we are really far away from each other. It’s like a dream that I know you and see your letter. Especially when I can write a letter to you. Since I have read your letter I always think about you. I want to know about you more.
• ·         Finally, can you send your photo to me when you write the letter back for the next time? I hope you send it for me. I’m waiting for you. (the last sentence immediately made me think of nick.)
• ·         At home I have some pets such as: a dog, a pig, a cow, and some chickens. I also almost always feed to all my pets.
• ·         My favorite kind of music is sentimental song. (who taught this girl the word sentimental??)
• ·         My name is Lisa. I’m 17 years old. I’m 42 kilograms. And you?
• ·         I hope you will visit in Cambodia one day and see me too. I want to see your face and meet you. Can you send your photo in the next letter? I hope you can and I’ll send my photo to you. It’s not pretty but I hope you can keep it!! All right? How do you think when you see my photo? Please tell me about your fell!!
• ·         I have some pets but I don’t like them as much as you. I think you love pets very much.
• ·         I know you like elephants and want me to make friend with it. So do you want to ride an elephant? But I don’t because I’m afraid of it. It’s a big animal. So I can’t make friends with elephants. Sorry na my friend!
• ·         My English Honor Society is taught by teacher Diana. I love her. She’s a kind person.
• ·         When I read your letter I always think about you all the time. I feel in my heart you are lovely, clever and cute also.
• ·         I have 3 kinds of pets: a cat, a dog, and three water buffaloes. In there have some water buffaloes or not? Do you know the buffaloes in Cambodia?
• ·         My parents are farmers so they go to the field in rainy season in order to transplant the rice pump water into the field and take care of the rice. And in the dry season my parents stay at home. And about your parents? What is the weather like in there? My family doesn’t have a tractor so my family uses water buffaloes to raking the soil. It is difficult.
• ·         In my free time I like watching TV, going to gym (I want to go to a gym, but we don’t have one), going shopping with my friend, and I like dancing too.
• ·         All in all, thank you for sending this letter. I miss you.
• ·         Good luck, good study, good health na! Joanna bye bye!
• ·         What do your best friends like? How many best friends do you have? Have you ever come to Cambodia? How much do you weigh?
• ·         If you join your badminton team I wish you or your group win win.
• ·         My plan is to study at college, but I am not excited like you. Because my family is poor. My parents don’t have enough money to support me. So I must find a good job in the city when I study in college.
• ·         I have a lot of pets. I have two dogs two cows and one cat. We always make fun together every day.
• ·         Finally I would like you to forgive me when I have any mistake in gramer or writing. Because it is the first time for me to write the letter.
• ·         I don’t know about how is Taiwan because I live in Cambodia.
• ·         I have some chickens in my house.
• ·         My life, I haven’t a best friend. I want to have a best friend soon. I want to be best friends with you. Even as a child, my mother taught me how to ride a bike. First I fell on the floor and I bled. And them, my father taught me how to ride a motocycle. When I ride a motocycle, I never fail only one.
• ·         First I’m sorry for my English because, I know a little English I hope you don’t hate me.
• ·         Anyways, I like flowers, animals, people in the world and earth. More importantly I live countryside so I have two cats, two dogs, one cow, ten ducks, twenty hens and field. Here don’t have restaurants, tall building, park, supermarket only have small shops, farms, animals, fields.
• ·         I happy that I know you. And you? I will remember your name Jessica and you don’t forget me Patricia. Jessica I’m happy after reading your letter and I hope smile forever. If you understand my letter I am sorry for you.
• ·         Especially I love my family, friends, myself, happiness, and knowledge.
• ·         Would you mind if I asked you some questions of your personal? But first I want to tell you of my background. I want to know you clearly and I would like you to know me clearly, too. I’m doing this because I think you and me can make relation much less. Will I can meet you? I really want to meet you. Speak with you. Would you mind if I take you as my good friend.
• ·         I am a sad person a little, sometime I don’t speak with someone. I don’t like noisy.
• ·         I’m welcome so bad for you for you want to be my friend. And I want to say I like you Garret and I want to tell you study hard and I think that you really clever and you must smile forever.
• ·         If I have mistak please apologize to me.
• ·         Finally, I wish you health, handsome, clever, and luck in your life.

           The following pictures are from a trip to Battambang I did like... 5 months ago. 

This was a cool looking building in the middle of the Wat

So we went in to explore. This was before we discovered a human within the depths of the ruins and ran out screaming.

At the Wat

These are graves. Khmer cremate their dead, and if the family can pay for these things, they do.

A new temple being built

Inside the new temple. Buddha is already in place, but the walls and the ceiling aren't yet painted. Soon this place will be super colorful with scenes depicting Buddha's life on every piece of the wall.

You can tell this isn't Prey Veng because there are trees and actually some GRASS!

At this Wat in Battambang is also the memorial for the Battambang Killing Fields. The memorial is incredible

 and heartbreaking. Those pictures will come next.

My 10th Graders Wedding

            That’s right. I went to the wedding of one of my tenth grade students. I came out of Honor Society one day and one of my students, Kim (not in Honor Society) called over another student, Channet (in Honor Society). Then they both called me over as I was about to leave. Channet said “She wants to invite you to her wedding.” “Her whaaa? She’s getting married?.. You’re getting married?” “yes, teacher.” “…but… how old are you??” “sixteen, teacher.”

            She told me the day and where her house is. I asked her which other teachers were going and told her I’d probably go with them. She was beyond happy to hear that and thanked me profusely. My next question was “are you excited?” to which she replied “uhh.. a little I guess.” My next question would seem like an obvious question to us, but she was completely thrown off guard. I asked “well, do you love him?” “uhhh.. teacher… I don’t really know him. My parents chose him.”

            I congratulated her and asked one final question before pedaling off “so I guess this means you’re dropping out of school?” “yes, teacher”. “Well I’m really sorry to hear that.”

            At that, I rode off with Channet, my jaw dragging on the floor. I still had to believe that I was missing something. I wanted to believe that I confused her as a tenth grader, but she’s really one of my 12^th graders. So I asked Channet “what grade is Kim in?” “Cher, she’s on our class.” Darn so she really is a 10^th grader. Again, all I could say was “but she’s so young!” I asked Channet if she was going, but she said no, her mother wouldn’t let her go and she didn’t know why.

            At home I had just gotten into the bathroom in my sarong when Kim showed up on a moto with an official invitation for me. She was so awkward when I accepted the invitation in my sarong haha. Khmer women walk around in sarongs all the time, but I guess she never expected to see her foreigner teacher like that.

            The day before the wedding, Channet came hurrying up to me to tell me she IS going to the wedding. Turns out her mother said no because the family didn’t have enough money to give a gift. Channet told her mother that she had some money that she could give. After a little more persuading (and a phone call to her grandfather), she was allowed to go. Channet is one of my poorer students, but that is one of the reasons she is such an inspiration to me, with all that she has accomplished despite that. But I was super happy for her, especially since it was her first time going to a wedding. (weird, it was my 12^th wedding in Cambodia alone! Haha).

            The day of the wedding came. I went to my friend and co-teacher’s house, Lina. I waited for him so I could go with somebody. This is important because at Khmer weddings, you are seated with whoever you happen to show up with. So I went with Lina, and we happened to arrive at the same time as some of his older male students, and some ex-students of his. All male. So I was sitting at a table with them. So of course they just drank and drank and got really drunk and stupid. And all the time, I’m looking around wondering where all of my favorite 10^th graders are.

            Finally they show up. It was so cool to see them all dressed up. They were all wearing like prom dressed and had their hair done and were wearing make-up. They look like children in their school uniforms, but in their dresses they were women for sure! They were beautiful.

            After all the courses were served, and the only thing left to do was keep drinking, I left my table and went to go say hi to my students. And of course my presence meant one thing to them- PICTURE TIME! So I had to take pictures with all of them, as you can see below.

            After picture time, we went to dance. It was fun and of course slightly awkward. But I bopped around with them, and hammed it up once in a while for a laugh. They seemed to enjoy it. It was especially awkward every time an old creepy drunk man would try to wisk me away and dance with me. HELLO can’t you see I’m dancing with my students??

            We all left pretty early- we have early curfews haha including me.

            I knew that in Khmer culture, weddings are often arranged, and girls are often married off before they finish high school. I read about it before I got here. I heard about it in training. I’ve heard stories from my host families. But still, this surprised me. I guess I can say that I was thinking that things were changing in Cambodia. In music videos and television shows, everything is about relationships and dating. Some of my students have boyfriends or girlfriends. But the truth is that most of these kids, especially the girls, are going to have their futures planned for them. Maybe things have changed in Phnom Penh, but that hasn’t reached the villages yet. This is actually my second female student that was married off during the school year- the other was a 12^th grader.

            I’m not saying arranged marriages are bad or that they never work. I know of some couples here in Cambodia that work extremely well together. I just wish they would wait until they at least finish high school.

Here are my pictures from the wedding.

Dear Family: Please print copies of these pictures (one for each person in the photo) and bring them with you when you come to Cambodia. My students have been asking me practically every day for copies of the pictures.

This is Kim, the bride!

This is Leakna, or Linda as I call her in Honor Society.

Woops.. I don't know her name. But she's in the same grade 10 class.

This is Sokhorn

wooo peace sign

Wait, one more time with this girl all up in my grill. I'm not even sure who that is. I don't think she's one of my students...

Me and Channet, or Chelsea, as she is called in Honor Society

Chan Thuern, with the English name of Cheryl.

Dancing (family, you don't have to print these pictures from here to the end)

hammin' it up!

My co-teacher Lina!

Now is not the time for shenanigans Diana, we are TRADITIONAL Khmer dancing.