We safely made it home last night. It sure was a long trip back. The lay overs were four hours at a minimum which is what really got to us. After having spent the day in Phnom Penh and then getting on the plane after midnight it had been about two days since taking showers. Not a pleasant feeling for sure.
Everyone was glad to see the animals and them us as well. Everyone is settling in just fine. We are so thankful for Karen and Rowena for staying at our home while we were gone to take care of our four legged family.
We were glad that we opted for an extra day off school for the girls as they were able to catch up on sleep. This is helping with resetting their biological clocks. They are anxious to see all their friends tomorrow and speak Khmer with them.
Now for the fun of unpacking to begin and doing laundry. The things you don't miss when on vacation.!
We sure miss our family we have in Cambodia. We will be keeping in touch with them through snail mail, email and skype.
We've heard from the people at CASC (Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity). Annie will be presenting two cases to her Zonta group to consider taking on. One is a girl that is in 6th grade who was accidently acid burned when she was a baby and the other a young mother who had acid thrown at her by a passing moto. We sure hope that we will be able to aid these people. This is an organization we intend to stay connected with.
This may be the end of this part of our adventure but the memories and family we have gained will be with us forever. May you all feel the peace and love that we have felt along this journey.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The flight back home
We are currently sitting in the Incheon International Airport in Soeul, Korea. Our next flight is in a few hours and that is the really long one. It is currently 9:00 am here in Korea, 7:00 am in Phnom Penh on the 4th and 7:00 pm in Michigan on the 3rd. It took us so long to fly here at the beginning of our trip and because of crossing the international dateline, it doesn't take as long but in reality, it does. This is so going to mess with our internal time clocks!
Spent yesterday finishing packing and then checked out at noon. Yoen picked us up and we made it to Child Safe finally. They have a nice set up there to train the kids taken off the streets. There were job postings listed outside but we did not have the teaching credentials they were looking for. This is such a positive program and we are so glad that we have supported it.
Tried to go to a sponsored restaurant of Child Safe but there was a funeral happening right by there and we couldn't get in. The best laid plans as they say. Headed to another very nice place though. One thing we have learned in our venture here is that it takes a longer amount of time to get served your food and it doesn't come our altogether like in the states. When going out to eat, plan on a couple hours.
Yoen has not been feeling well. He has an abcess on his neck and eye. Poor guy has been miserable and we are really concerned about him. We had him drop us off at their version of a mall and told him to go rest for awhile. We killed time at the mall and had dinner there at their version of fast food.
We went to the airport around 8:30 pm. Yoen gave us letters from his boys that they had written to us. It was so sweet. Yoen had gotten word from Miss Chinda that she wanted to see us off at the airport and hug Maddie one last time. She wasn't there when we arrived so we got our bags checked in and tickets set. After that we went back outside to see Chinda and her oldest children. They had helped their Mom take care of Maddie too and were thrilled to see her. Miss Chinda gave each one of us a gift. It was so sweet of her to do. Her daughter wrote notes to both of the girls. They waved to us as we walked through the airport to the security area.
Our flight leaving was delayed due to a connection issue. We are on time now though as there was down time here at Soeul. We will be home tomorrow afternoon.
Reality is setting in as to the change in temperature. It is cool here in Soeul as it will be in Michigan. Oh how we are missing the warmth of Cambodia already!
Spent yesterday finishing packing and then checked out at noon. Yoen picked us up and we made it to Child Safe finally. They have a nice set up there to train the kids taken off the streets. There were job postings listed outside but we did not have the teaching credentials they were looking for. This is such a positive program and we are so glad that we have supported it.
Tried to go to a sponsored restaurant of Child Safe but there was a funeral happening right by there and we couldn't get in. The best laid plans as they say. Headed to another very nice place though. One thing we have learned in our venture here is that it takes a longer amount of time to get served your food and it doesn't come our altogether like in the states. When going out to eat, plan on a couple hours.
Yoen has not been feeling well. He has an abcess on his neck and eye. Poor guy has been miserable and we are really concerned about him. We had him drop us off at their version of a mall and told him to go rest for awhile. We killed time at the mall and had dinner there at their version of fast food.
We went to the airport around 8:30 pm. Yoen gave us letters from his boys that they had written to us. It was so sweet. Yoen had gotten word from Miss Chinda that she wanted to see us off at the airport and hug Maddie one last time. She wasn't there when we arrived so we got our bags checked in and tickets set. After that we went back outside to see Chinda and her oldest children. They had helped their Mom take care of Maddie too and were thrilled to see her. Miss Chinda gave each one of us a gift. It was so sweet of her to do. Her daughter wrote notes to both of the girls. They waved to us as we walked through the airport to the security area.
Our flight leaving was delayed due to a connection issue. We are on time now though as there was down time here at Soeul. We will be home tomorrow afternoon.
Reality is setting in as to the change in temperature. It is cool here in Soeul as it will be in Michigan. Oh how we are missing the warmth of Cambodia already!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Fried cockraches, the floating village and Miss Chinda
This will probably be our last post from Cambodia. We will be flying out tomorrow night and won’t have email access after noon.
It has been another wonderful day here. We started by trying to go to Child Safe again. Today was a holiday here from the New Year and it was not open. Will try again for the last time tomorrow. From there we went down to a trusted jeweler that we have gotten stones from in the past. Needless to say, it was an expensive venture. We picked up several gifts and the Cambodian stone blue zircon to have some things done later for the girls. The stones were mined here in Cambodia in two different provinces. They are just stunning.
The central market was the next order of business. This is my third time here and I finally made it there. This market is much cleaner, cooler and less crammed than the Russian market. We saw a vendor selling fried cockroaches, water bugs, toads and baby birds. Although it was lunch time we opted to wait. We picked up some last minute gifts and headed off to lunch.
Lunch was at the food court in the mall. The mall had a games area that intrigued the girls along with a rollerblade park. Ana, Maddie and Yoen did a simulator rollercoaster ride. We got to watch them on the screen outside the simulator and it was a hoot. We headed up to the top of the mall to see the view of the city. It was amazing. We could see so much more here. The city has really expanded since I was here last.
We headed back to the hotel for awhile so that Sara could lay down as she is fighting one heck of a cold. The girls took the opportunity to work some more on their homework and send emails to their classes.
Yoen and his family picked us up at 4:00 pm and we went to the boat area to take a ride to see the floating village. It is amazing that these people live on their boats or floating houses. This is such a hard life. We watched them cast out their nets and later pull in their catch for the day. We ate corn, sweet potatoes, tapioca, longans, rambutans and mango stein. Navy kept us all well fed. The sunset behind the Royal Palace and the view of the city skyline was beautiful. It reminded me of never missing a sunset on Mackinac. I told Hong (Yoen and Navy’s son) about our tradition there and said it should be the same for Cambodia. Hong and Navy tried teaching the girl’s traditional dance on the top of the boat as we cruised along the river. It was a great time.
While we were on the boat, Yoen got a phone call from Miss Chinda. She was Maddie’s nanny at the orphanage. Her children got Yoen’s information to her so that she could contact us. She wanted to come to the hotel to see us. We got back to the hotel just before she arrived. When Yoen walked in with her and she saw us, she began to cry and I got all chocked up as well. She was so happy to see Maddie. Yoen interpreted for us. Chinda said that she still has the photos we had given her and she said that I had told her I would bring Maddie back to see her. I said that I kept my promise to her. We talked for awhile and have exchanged addresses so that we can send new pictures to her. It was wonderful to have had this connection for both Maddie and Chinda.
Yoen and Navy took us out to dinner for hot pot soup. There are electric burners inset into the tables where they cook the soup in front of you. A number of items are placed into the pot to cook. It was just delicious! We need to find a place that does this in the states.
We will be heading to FedEx in the morning to ship some items back home. We have more things than our luggage can hold. Some items are bulky such as some of the Buddha sculptures and those will be shipped. The girls will be carrying their Cambodian traditional musical instruments, a drum for Ana and a violin for Maddie, so that they do not get wrecked along the way.
Can’t believe that it is time to leave this beautiful country. We have had a marvelous time on this adventure. I know that I always have a sense of peace and that I am at home when I am here. We now will be planning when we can come back in the future to see our extended families and to once again connect with the wonderful country that has blessed us with these two beautiful girls.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year!
We started New Year's day by watching fireworks out of our hotel room window. Talk about a perfect view! Now this is the way to watch fireworks. The girls had fallen aslepp but we woke them up so that they could watch them.
After breakfast we began our day by picking up fresh French bread to take to Maddie’s orphanage. From there we went to the Russian market to pick up the girl’s necklaces that we had made with their Cambodian name on them in the Khmer language. Maddie’s necklace was done but they made a mistake on Ana’s so we would need to go back again later to pick it up.
On the way to the orphanage, we stopped at the market in Kandal province to pick up three 50 lb. bags of rice and two stalks of bananas to bring with us to the orphanage. When we got back into the van, all we could smell was the 122 loaves of bread we had gotten earlier.
As we pulled up to the orphanage, we saw elephant statues at the old entrance. What we learned was that this section of the orphanage is now abandoned. It is where Maddie was put into my arms 9 ½ years ago. The new director of the orphanage came to meet us. There are 129 children there now but the older children were gone when we were there. We chatted for a while and learned that Horn Srey Mom, my sponsored daughter, was no longer at the orphanage. She left the orphanage as she no longer wanted to study and wished to help her Mother who had just gotten remarried. We also learned that Horn Raksmey, my sponsored son, was at the orphanage. He is now 20 years old and has had some time in at the University. He is a computer teacher for the orphanage. He had written to me in the past and said that he had wanted to be a teacher. I am very proud of him for achieving his goal of becoming a teacher and for giving back his time with the orphanage. As you will be able to tell from the photos, he is a very handsome young man.
We brought the bread, rice and bananas from the van and the director spoke to the children. They were lined up in rows according to height. They came row by row up to the front and got the bananas and bread. The kids were very excited. There was one little girl in particular that was just adorable.
As we toured the orphanage, we got to see that they had added another well. Improvements had been made by the Hungarian Baptist group. The eating area is open with one large table that they sit on while eating and several regular sized tables with benches as well. There is a small gas powered stove in the kitchen. The living quarters consist of anywhere from two to four beds with two dressers to a room. The beds are similar to a camp cot with a much thinner mattress than what we have at camp. The children grow vegetables in their gardens and fruit is hanging from the trees. We got to see jack fruit, papaya and tapioca on the trees.
I took Maddie over to the area where she used to be at so that she could see it. It is sad that Ana doesn’t have this same opportunity as her orphanage is closed. We asked her if she wanted us to drive there even though it was closed and she did not want to do that.
After we left the orphanage, we headed back into town to have lunch. We went back to the Russian market to get Ana’s necklace. It was not there yet. The vendor gave Maddie an new bracelet and Ana a pair of earrings since it was not done when they said it would be. We headed back over to the restaurant to wait as the heat in the market was overwhelming. Yoen went back about 20 minutes later and picked up the necklace.
It was time to get ready to go swimming after all of this. We picked up Yoen’s family and headed to the store to get swimming suits for the boys. Hong opted not to get one but Har and Hai were very excited. We headed to the hotel to take a dip. The kids had a blast and Yoen enjoyed swimming too. Ana and Maddie were trying to teach the boys how to swim. They got them to float on their backs. We think Ana is a natural as a swimming teacher. They were all having so much fun together. After swimming we had dinner together. It was the first time for Navy and the boys to be at a buffet. The food was good but the company was the best of all. We raised our glasses and toasted in Khmer to the New Year and wished for good health for everyone.
All of us have gained family during this stay. Yoen, Navy, Hong, Har and Hai are such a wonderful addition to our family. We feel truly blessed to have them in our lives. We will be staying in touch with them once we return to the states via Skype. It will enable us to also keep up with our Khmer and them with their English.
We have had a wonderful and very memorable New Year’s day.
P.S. – Maddie lost a tooth today. I wonder if the tooth fairy gives reils here instead of dollars.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Going to the ocean
Cambodia is such a beautiful and amazing country! The road to the ocean was bumpy then smooth and bumpy again. There was a sea of rice fields, water lilies and more rice fields. As we drove, mountains appeared on both sides. They were spectacular to say the least.
The first stop of the day was at a mountain where we went through a cave. It is known here as Kompong Trach Resort. It was by far the worst road we have travelled on yet. I think we all flew off our seats at one point. As we pulled up, we were greeted by a bunch of kids with flashlights. They said they would guide us through the cave. Upon entering the cave, we saw formations of stalagtites and stalagmites. They formed various images, a turtle, an elephant, an eagle, a dragon and a Buddha image. The guides were pointing out the bats and Annie and Sara said no thanks to that one. As we climbed back outside, we were at the base of the mountain. There were many rocks of mica there. The crystal formations are a beautiful amber color. We each are bringing some home with us, our own piece of Cambodia.
Back on the road again, the mountains just grew in shades of green and then you would see sections of brown on them in various locations. They are being stripped down. It appears that the Chinese have bought rights to some of the mountains to take away the stone. It was sad to hear this. Not only does it take away from the beauty of the mountains and change the habitat of the wildlife but it also affects the environment.
We reached Kep and saw the ocean. In actuality it is the Gulf of Thailand. The first order of business was to have lunch and a bathroom break. After lunch we walked across the street and walked into the water. Ana and Maddie went swimming while Annie waded in the water. The girls found some shells and a tooth of an animal there to bring back also.
The drive back was on a different highway. We saw Bokor Mountain. This is the second highest mountain in Cambodia. It was just breathtaking.
We drove through Kampot. They are know for the best fruit in the country and for their pepper. This is where the kampot black pepper is grown. We are bringing some back to use in our Cambodian cooking. Another thing we saw was the salt factory.
Coming back to Phnom Penh it was the end of the work day. The factory workers were coming back home. They ride in the back end of an open truck, standing up and packed together like sardines. Another travel option is in and on a van. People sit on the top of the van as it goes down the highway. There are no OSHA or transportation laws against it. We knew you wouldn’t believe this so we took photos for you.
We went out to dinner with Yoen, Nevy and their three sons, Hong, Har and Hai tonight. The boys wanted burgers and pizza. Everywhere we went, they were packed and you couldn’t get in. After going to the second mall, we were able to get in at Lucky Burgers. They had everything there, fried chicken, hamburgers and pizza. It was like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and KFC all rolled into one. We had ice cream in waffle cones and cups for dessert.
Heading back to the hotel was a trip and a half. Yoen is the best driver in the world and has the patience of a saint! Traffic was so heavy and people were driving in and out. The people that were really moving were those on motos. As we passed by Diamond Island, we saw that they were having a concert. People were everywhere. The police confiscated seven motos and were hauling them off. The reason for the unbelieveable traffic is that everyone was trying to get to the water front as they are having fireworks this evening. Our hotel is having a big celebration. We are watching it on TV and hearing it out our window. The girls have already fallen asleep but we will wake them up to watch the fireworks from our room.
We wish you all a Happy New Year as 2011 counts down!
The Gulf of Thailand
Factory workers on top of a van
Heading back to the hotel was a trip and a half. Yoen is the best driver in the world and has the patience of a saint! Traffic was so heavy and people were driving in and out. The people that were really moving were those on motos. As we passed by Diamond Island, we saw that they were having a concert. People were everywhere. The police confiscated seven motos and were hauling them off. The reason for the unbelieveable traffic is that everyone was trying to get to the water front as they are having fireworks this evening. Our hotel is having a big celebration. We are watching it on TV and hearing it out our window. The girls have already fallen asleep but we will wake them up to watch the fireworks from our room.
We wish you all a Happy New Year as 2011 counts down!
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Russian Market
It is yet another beautiful day in Cambodia. Our day went a little different than planned. Annie developed an allergic reaction to a medication her doctor had put her on for the trip. She has a rash all over. We went to the International SOS which is a very good western doctor’s office. This is the same place both girls had all their medical testing done prior to their adoptions. Annie was seen and all is well. She was given medication to counteract what caused the rash along with good old calamine lotion to aid with the itching. This has really helped.
We attempted to go to Child Safe International and found that it was closed until after the New Year. This is the place we made a donation to in honor of the guests at our wedding. It looks like we will try again on January 2nd to go there.
After everything, we decided to go to the Russian market. This place is one that you need to see to believe. Try to imagine a three foot walkway with stall after stall of small shops full of various items. The vendors see you coming and begin to ask if you want to buy something. In the mean time, you have other peddlers with books, cards, etc. coming up to ask you to buy something. As we walked through, we got a waft of dhurian fruit. It is vile smelling and you either love the taste of it or hate it. Since we all have tried it, we can say we hate it. Needless to say, we moved quickly through that area. We did pick up several more things for the girl’s gotcha day boxes there though.
It was back to the hotel and Sara took the girls for a dip in the pool. Annie got some reading time in the room. The girls are doing more of their homework and we are heading to bed early. We are in for another day of driving as we head to the ocean tomorrow.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
On the Road Back to Phnom Penh
On the Road Back to Phnom Penh
Today was another traveling day…Yoen picked us up and we headed back to Phnom Penh from Siem Reap. The country side is so beautiful when you are not dodging, cows, chickens, motos, bicycles, or slower moving vehicles. We stopped for lunch at the same place we had on the way to Siem Reap only this time we were able to get a “hut” over the water complete with hammocks. Maddie and Ana took full advantage of those.
Yoen told us more about Cambodian culture…wedding customs. The man must present a dowry to the bride’s family and the bride has three wedding costume changes. We think the girls should marry a Cambodian man so the man can pay for the wedding (ha ha).
We are back at the Hotel Cambodiana for the rest of our time here. We are relaxing this evening and going to the Russian Market tomorrow. We will have lots more tales to share then.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)