February 20, 2017
Hello,
I just wanted to write a quick note to let you know I will be writing a longer post tomorrow about the last couple days and the amazing trip we took to Kep which is in the southern part of Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand. Right now as you start your day I am really tired so I am heading to bed : )
Monday, February 20, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
February 18, 2017
Hello,
The 12 hour time difference is so funny to me. You all are finishing your Friday while I am starting my day on Saturday. I just finished breakfast and ate a lot of the mango I love so much. I really can't get enough.
We arrived yesterday morning after four flights taking us from Portland to New York to Frankfurt, Germany (where I got the text that there was a snow day) to Singapore to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
In the Phnom Penh airport, we made our way through Customs, showing our passports and visas then moved on to the luggage carousel where our bags were thankfully waiting for us. A drive from the airport delivered us to Villa Langka, the hotel where we stay, which feels incredibly like home. I am actually staying the same room I was in last year and the familiarity is comforting. We had a bit of lunch and then napped after our long journey.
After naps and settling in a bit we went to dinner at Comme la Maison which is one of our favorite restaurants here in Phnom Penh. We stopped at the market on our way back to Villa Langka to buy water. (Note: the tap water here is not potable, look at me throwing in a vocab word, make sure to look it up. So we have to be more thoughtful about what we drink and even brush our teeth with.) It was an early night as even with a nap we were worn out from our travel.
Today is going to be fairly low key. We have some work to do to prepare for an outing we have tomorrow with our current high school and university students as well as some of our alumni. Here is where I am working, not a bad place to get some work done : )
Later we will do a little exploring around the neighborhood we are staying in. And we have a dinner meeting tonight.
Hello,
The 12 hour time difference is so funny to me. You all are finishing your Friday while I am starting my day on Saturday. I just finished breakfast and ate a lot of the mango I love so much. I really can't get enough.
We arrived yesterday morning after four flights taking us from Portland to New York to Frankfurt, Germany (where I got the text that there was a snow day) to Singapore to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
In the Phnom Penh airport, we made our way through Customs, showing our passports and visas then moved on to the luggage carousel where our bags were thankfully waiting for us. A drive from the airport delivered us to Villa Langka, the hotel where we stay, which feels incredibly like home. I am actually staying the same room I was in last year and the familiarity is comforting. We had a bit of lunch and then napped after our long journey.
After naps and settling in a bit we went to dinner at Comme la Maison which is one of our favorite restaurants here in Phnom Penh. We stopped at the market on our way back to Villa Langka to buy water. (Note: the tap water here is not potable, look at me throwing in a vocab word, make sure to look it up. So we have to be more thoughtful about what we drink and even brush our teeth with.) It was an early night as even with a nap we were worn out from our travel.
Today is going to be fairly low key. We have some work to do to prepare for an outing we have tomorrow with our current high school and university students as well as some of our alumni. Here is where I am working, not a bad place to get some work done : )
Later we will do a little exploring around the neighborhood we are staying in. And we have a dinner meeting tonight.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
February 1, 2017
It is hard to believe I leave for this year's oversight trip two weeks from today. I'm excited about how many students have been donating money to buy books for CASF's new library project. I'm looking forward to purchasing books when I get to Phnom Penh.
This is the first post for 2017. Each post below this is from our 2016 oversight visit.
It is hard to believe I leave for this year's oversight trip two weeks from today. I'm excited about how many students have been donating money to buy books for CASF's new library project. I'm looking forward to purchasing books when I get to Phnom Penh.
This is the first post for 2017. Each post below this is from our 2016 oversight visit.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
February 22, 2016
I didn't plan to do much this morning before I departed. I've wanted to go to Wat Phnom because I've never been, but I had no idea what a treat was in store when we jumped in the Tuk Tuk with Mr. Lee. It is a holiday today in Cambodia in which Buddhists obserbe Makha Bucha Day click here to learn more http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/makha_bucha.php.
Makah Bucha means to honor so people go to their Wat (temple) to pay respect. As I write I can hear lovely music coming from Wat Langka across the street. At Wat Phnom it was the same. Beautiful music, lighting of incense and the giving of offerings. Simply beautiful. Such an unexpected end to my trip. We stopped by the FCC (Foreign Correspondence Club) for a juice after and they had the most appropriate quote above the dorm as we left : )
I didn't plan to do much this morning before I departed. I've wanted to go to Wat Phnom because I've never been, but I had no idea what a treat was in store when we jumped in the Tuk Tuk with Mr. Lee. It is a holiday today in Cambodia in which Buddhists obserbe Makha Bucha Day click here to learn more http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/makha_bucha.php.
Makah Bucha means to honor so people go to their Wat (temple) to pay respect. As I write I can hear lovely music coming from Wat Langka across the street. At Wat Phnom it was the same. Beautiful music, lighting of incense and the giving of offerings. Simply beautiful. Such an unexpected end to my trip. We stopped by the FCC (Foreign Correspondence Club) for a juice after and they had the most appropriate quote above the dorm as we left : )
My heart is full. See you soon.
Ms. Brewer
February 22, 2016
It is already Monday morning for me. Today is my last wake up in Cambodia. My last bowl of scrumptious, fresh mango. I have loved my trip, but alas as they say all good things must come to an end.
The last two days have been wonderful. I was up and out of Villa Langka too early yesterday to write about Saturday so here it is : )
February 20, 2016
We started our day with a cruise on the Tonle Sap and Mekong-they intersect in Phnom Penh with some of our current students as well as alumni and friends of CASF. It was lovely.
It is already Monday morning for me. Today is my last wake up in Cambodia. My last bowl of scrumptious, fresh mango. I have loved my trip, but alas as they say all good things must come to an end.
The last two days have been wonderful. I was up and out of Villa Langka too early yesterday to write about Saturday so here it is : )
February 20, 2016
We started our day with a cruise on the Tonle Sap and Mekong-they intersect in Phnom Penh with some of our current students as well as alumni and friends of CASF. It was lovely.
As I post I hear the bells being rung at the Wat across the street starting the day for the monks who live at the Pagoda. This seems ironic in a way as the post I am writing about is filled with Cambodian tradition.
In the evening we we to see traditional dancing at the Royal Museum put on by Cambodian Living Arts. Click here to learn more http://www.cambodianlivingarts.org/about-us/history/. It was amazing. The music and dancing colliding into a spectacular performance.
Now for yesterday,
February 21, 2016
We traveled to the Province of Svay Reing which is about 3.5 hours south of Phnom Penh. It was great to see the countryside. Small towns, rice fields and quieter life outside of the city. In Svay Reing we met with all of our students (there are 20) to see how they are doing and with the 11th and 12th graders discuss what they want to study in University. I loved seeing our CASF students and giving them the school supplies you sent along with me. The girls mommies made us a wonderful lunch as well including freshly cut down coconut water.
See you on Wednesday,
Ms. Brewer
Friday, February 19, 2016
February 20, 2016
Good Morning : )
I feel like a broken record, yesterday was another great day. This has been a wonderful trip full of learning and deeper understanding. In fact I will be brief today as we are heading off on a boat trip on the Mekong River with our students soon.
We had a meeting a RUPP in the morning with the Director of Community Development Studies. This is a new program in its second year. Community Development is a big need in Cambodia as the country itself develops and this program shows a lot of promise for the students in our program.
In the afternoon I felt a bit like Harry Potter as we went to the Ministry. Specifically, the Ministry of Education where we met with the Secretary of State (yes, we are a big deal ; ). He was a very kind man who helped us gain a better grasp of the Cambodia 2030 goals for education and how we can help support those goals.
Finally, we had dinner at Romdeng-click here to learn more http://tree-alliance.org/our-restaurants/romdeng.php?mm=or&sm=rd. This restaurant is part of Friends International which works to train street kids for employment. I had a very delicious Cambodian specialty fish amok.
Good Morning : )
I feel like a broken record, yesterday was another great day. This has been a wonderful trip full of learning and deeper understanding. In fact I will be brief today as we are heading off on a boat trip on the Mekong River with our students soon.
We had a meeting a RUPP in the morning with the Director of Community Development Studies. This is a new program in its second year. Community Development is a big need in Cambodia as the country itself develops and this program shows a lot of promise for the students in our program.
In the afternoon I felt a bit like Harry Potter as we went to the Ministry. Specifically, the Ministry of Education where we met with the Secretary of State (yes, we are a big deal ; ). He was a very kind man who helped us gain a better grasp of the Cambodia 2030 goals for education and how we can help support those goals.
Finally, we had dinner at Romdeng-click here to learn more http://tree-alliance.org/our-restaurants/romdeng.php?mm=or&sm=rd. This restaurant is part of Friends International which works to train street kids for employment. I had a very delicious Cambodian specialty fish amok.
I am so very thankful for all of the great connections we've made in Cambodia to move our work in support of education forward.
Ms. Brewer
Thursday, February 18, 2016
February19, 2016
Yesterday morning we went to the Annual Meeting of NEP (NGO Education Partnership) which is an organization which works to coordinate the efforts of NGO's working in the education sector in Cambodia. I felt like I was at a meeting at the UN. The presenters spoke in Khmer and we wore headphones in which an interpreter spoke English.
In the afternoon we took a trip to Open Book which is a library open to everyone. CASF is a project under the umbrella of Open Book here in Cambodia. With current NGO laws we need to have an umbrella organization based here in Cambodia. Open Book publishes books as well. They have published many books by our founder, Fred Lipp. Additionally, they just published Maribel: Cat of the World by Jean-Claude Redonnet who is on the Board of CASF and joined me on this visit to Open Book. I have a copy of Maribel to share with you when I return.
It was another great day. I am learning so much and am really excited about the educational landscape here in Cambodia.
Ms. Brewer
Yesterday morning we went to the Annual Meeting of NEP (NGO Education Partnership) which is an organization which works to coordinate the efforts of NGO's working in the education sector in Cambodia. I felt like I was at a meeting at the UN. The presenters spoke in Khmer and we wore headphones in which an interpreter spoke English.
In the afternoon we took a trip to Open Book which is a library open to everyone. CASF is a project under the umbrella of Open Book here in Cambodia. With current NGO laws we need to have an umbrella organization based here in Cambodia. Open Book publishes books as well. They have published many books by our founder, Fred Lipp. Additionally, they just published Maribel: Cat of the World by Jean-Claude Redonnet who is on the Board of CASF and joined me on this visit to Open Book. I have a copy of Maribel to share with you when I return.
It was another great day. I am learning so much and am really excited about the educational landscape here in Cambodia.
Ms. Brewer
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