Day 3

It was early in the morning at around 7-ish when each girl woke up with a
cheery knock on the door from Ms Fisher. With dismayed faces, we all went
down from our rooms to eat at the Golden Gate Restaurant. There was a
buffet filled with all different kinds of food; from scrambled eggs to
noodles, and from toast to asian stir frys. Picking fussily, the girls ate
their food and headed up to pack for the day ahead.
We were going to the Krang Angkrang Pei Community.
The Krang Angkrang Pei Community had an approximate of 161 families
which was abput 870 members. The area only had
one school classroom which had around 67 students from grades 1, 2, and 4.
Each of us arrived at the foyer of the Golden Gate Hotel and we headed
down the stairs to board our 'took-tooks'. We were nearly at the Krang
Angkranng Pei Community when suddenly, our took tooks stopped. We were to
ride bikes from there. Each with an individual bike, we headed off on the
dusty roads to makeour way to the squatting community. As we were getting
there, we were stopped numerous times by the ongoing trucks and millions
of motorbike, as well as the 'únwary pedestrians' and a few muddy looking
cars. As soon as we got to the dusty community, we were greeted by four
members of the CVCD, including Vanna and Dara. Dara introduced us all to
the woman's house we were to be staying in. Vanna on the other hand,
shared his knowledge with us of what we were to be doing there and the
activities we were to enjoy. Vanna and Dara were to act as translators for
us all.

As we ventured into the slum community, we were split into two
groups; one, to cook banana rice cakes, and the other, to learn how to
weave a hammock. The banana rice cake cooker would earn her living by
selling banana rice cakes to people in Phnom Penh and even sometimes to
people in Krang Angkrang Pei. The Hammock weaver would also make her
living by selling things, but this time, with hammocks. It would take her
at least two weeks to weave one full hammock, and it would only be worth 5
to 6 US dollars.

Once we had perfected the skills of cooking and weaving
in our separate groups, we heade off for a community talk. We were
introduced to villagers and told of their lives here in the community. One
of them, the leader of the Krang Angkrang Pei Community and a woman who
woul make her living by selling small meatball things in Phnom Phen's
city. Afterwards, we were brought baggettes by the CVCD members were we
spread layers upon layers of different toppings on them; Nutella, Peanut
Butter and even Strawberry Jam. We sat under a small tin shed which was
supposed to be a meeting area for members of the community to talk about
issue affecting the community and what coul be done about them. As lunch
ended, we were shown the children of the community in the classroom which
was right next door to our lunch area.

We had a one hour khmer lesson, each of us, learning the different greetings
in khmer taught by one of the CVCD members. There, our two groups split up;
one in teaching the students about time, and the other, teaching the children to read.
After a one hour class, we swapped our roles as readers and teachers to the other group
where we once again taught the children english. Soon after the second
class had ended, we were given free time to play with the children. Once
our free time had ended, we headed back to the community house we were to
be staying in. There, we were introduced to the 'shower' which was a big
pool of water and a bucket, in which we were to pur over ourselves. The
toilet was not much better, just a small 'hole' in the ground. As we
finished, we all struggled to set mosquito nets up on thin mattresses on
the ground in the main room of the house. Soon after, we all fell into a
deep sleep, as we dreamt of the days to come.

Scarlett :)

Day 2

Greetings from Cambodia.
We touched down in Cambodia yesturday and checked into the golden gate
hotel in Phonm Pehn. Today was split into two halfs; the what I like to
call good side of Cambodia and the bad side of Cambodia. We began the day
with tour of the city of Phnom Pehn. We took an airconditioned bus
(YAYAYAY) around the streets of PP and saw many amazing things along the
way including an elephant, monkeys as well the hustle and bustle of the
Sunday Markets (just like paddington in Sydney).

We then went on a royal palace tour with our tourguide and saw the Kings quarters and a golden
Statue weighing 80 kilos. After all the walking around we did we stopped
for a quick lunch in a local cafe run by teachers for hospitality
students. We ate our share of bagettes and soups and chatted with a local
boy called Pop who could do a very good Australian accent GDAY MATE!!!!.
Pop was also selling books so we bought our share of books and also played
rock, paper, scissors. We then said our goodbyes and headed across the
street to the Tuol Sleng genocide museum across the street.

On our journey there we were aproached by some beggers asking for change.
This signified the start of the bad side of Cambodia because in the genocide museum we
learnt about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge (look it up). We got a brief
introuduction abput the event where ourtour guide told us about his
experience in the Khmer Rouge including a story about his brother who
tragicly passed away in the genocide. We went for a walk inside block A in
the 1st set of rooms right next to the gallows and the graves of the last
4 people killed in the khmer rouge. The rooms were simple including a wire
bed, leg chains, a box to go to the bathroom in and most terrifyingly of
all a picture of how the dead person who stayed in the room. We then moved
over to block B which displayed picture of the soilders fighting on the
Khmer Rouge side smiling for their mug shot  and also pictures of the
victims of the khmer rouge numbered and with the same haircut and posture.
The most shocking thing to see was pictures of women with their babies on
their lap. in the back of your head you can imaging those women and
children being brutally slaughtered there. The last block we went to was
block c which showed the tiny rooms the people had to stay in. Our
tour guide informed us that if the person in the room were to move they
would be subjected to torture. Also in the room there were the skulls of
some of the victims on display which really struck me as the skulls
belonged to the pictures of the people who had fear in their eyes and a
look that simply said save me. We soon left the museum and took the bus to
the second paret of the khmer rouge story; the killing fields.

The bus ride there was quite different from that morning. That morning we were all
pointing out the window, taking pictures, waving to the locals, laughing
at Bridgets jokes and smiling very chessey. This bus ride was different.
There was silence. It was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. What
we had seen before had shocked every single one of us. Most of us have
stated that as we were driving all we could see was the pictures of those
poor people in our heads. I started to cry as the though swirled deeper
and deeper into my head. We then reached the killing fields. The killing
fields were the places were the victims were killed and buried into mass
graves. Inside we went inside one of the buldings and on display there
were more skulls of the victims and clothing of the victims. We then
watched a video explaining what happened at the killing fields and also
some of the things we were about to see. Once again we were silent as we
walked around the fields. We walked past the many mass graves, which once
contained bodies of people, astounded by how many people buried there.
The most stricking thing for all of us though was a grave which
contained mostly women and children in it and next to it being a large
tree which the executers would beat the babies heads upon until they threw
them in the grave. The blood could still be seen on the tree. The last
thing we saw was a memorial tower right in the middle of the fields. In
the tower were all the skulls and bones of the victims put into glass
cases for a traditional burial. We left the fields and were once again
approached by beggars. The beggars were the direct result of what the
Khmer Rouge had done to their country.

Coming out of the fields it suddenly hit me why I was here.
I was here to bring hope and joy to the country by
education and joy. I was there to make sure that none of the children I
was about to teach would have to go through the same thing that the
victims had to go through.

Back at the hotel we got ready to go out for dinner at a resturant.
This I saw as a very special occasion as today was
also my birthday. As we waited for the food to come everyone sang and then
we ate. My food was the last to come out which was a bit disapointing but
oh well. We then went back to the hotel once again and prepared for our
nightly reflection which included a poem written by Ms Fisher about our
experience and my birthday and also the exchanging of gifts packed by my
parents. Once again we sung happy birthday and went back to our rooms for
some shut eye. As I lay in bed I though about what we had done today and
about how I felt happy, angry, sad, confused, motivated and loved  I
felt. I'm sure most of us felt that way too as well fell asleep. We are
also so determined to do the best we can in our teaching tomorrow and are
looking forward about what will happen next.

Goodbye
Scarlett

For Scarlett

Today is Scarlett's birthday
She is sweet sixteen today
We all gather around her
With birthday wished to say

For we are in Cambodia
A birthday she will never forget
An immersion of experiences
From sunrise to way past sunset

We set off after breakfast
To the King's Palace we did go
Viewing few remaining treasures
And coloured costumes were on show.

Following lunch we toured Tuol Sleung
To the Killing Fields so bad
We walked around in silence
It was eiree, tragic, sad.

But our presence had a purpose
Offering our hearts - an open gift
That maybe just our presence
Might cause some Cambodian hearts to lift

So Scarlett you and all of us
Have shared so much this day
But for you it's that bit more special
'Cause you offered your own birthday.
For Scarlett

from Ms Fisher