POP GOES THE WEASEL!

...or, maybe we should say, “pop goes the chih-khai (dog)!” Bottom line: there was a lot of pops and a lot of laughs in our English classes today.

When my parents visited us in February, they brought with them a seemingly infinite supply of balloons with which we could teach the kids how to make balloon animals. There's not much to say that the photos don’t convey, so I’ll keep this short.

Most kids managed to make a dog (.../weasel), and some even made a parrot sitting in a ring—which they quickly turned into swords and helmets. The scorching heat of the day made it tough for the balloons to last longer than ten minutes before erupting into confetti and zinging across the room; the few balloons that did last a while quickly made their way into the hands of the 2-year-olds standing in awe at the door.

Mom and Dad: Thanks, it was a hit!

UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE

Well- it's official, our time at Rescue is coming to an end. Only 5 more visits (4 more days of classes and one day of partying) and another chapter is closed. Because our friends at Korean Air refused to re-route our flight home, we'll be in SE Asia for another month before heading back to our home and native land.

In the mean time, we'll finish strong here and then head off to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, or maybe all of the above. I must be ready to go back because right now out of all my options, I'd probably pick a patio in Greendale, BC or a dock in Rosseau, ON. And some BBQ burgers and a big ol' salad. Iced tea would be good too. And playoff hockey.

We spent Easter Sunday at a place called the Crystal Dome, along with the congregations of all the English-speaking churches in PP. The place was all decked out in yellow and pink and unlike Christmas, this time it felt a little more like a holiday. I love going to church on Easter and belting out the hymns--though sometimes those high notes are tough...same goes for the bass...and the melody gets me too most times. To compensate, I find it helps to sing louder--much to the delight of my wife. Man I love the hymns.

After church we went for lunch to a fancy buffet in a five-star hotel. Our neighbours invited us and we happily obliged. Ate a good old Easter Feaster and then headed home. No ham or turkey though. Maybe next year.

Later.

CAMBODIASTOCK

The walk from our house to Olympic Stadium usually takes ten minutes; yesterday it took forty. Normally at 8 pm, the city is asleep; yesterday it was still bumping at 10. Usually we stay in at night for lack of better alternatives; yesterday we went out. It was the concert event of the year and we sure weren't going to miss out.

There ara approximately 1.2 million people in this city, and I would posit that last night at least 80 000 of them passed through the turnstiles of the Big O. That doesn't even count the hoards of tailgaters eating prawn crackers and swilling warm Anchors. The scene parallelled Ralph Wilson Stadium, except instead of JP Losman and Lee Evans we were treated to Kokonut and Stacie Orrico. Stacie tanked-- her band didn't show and the music and BGVs were piped in. Kokonut, a Khmer original rock band, stole the show. They were cool [in a weird Cambodian rock band sort of way]. The lead guitarist had pink hair and could really shred, while the lead singer, dressed in an Alice Cooper T-shirt, gave it his all. Put it this way: I'm not rushing out to buy the CD, but these guys would give Billy Talent a run for their money.

Surprisingly, the biggest crowd pleaser of the night was a 5 minute laser light show advertising cell phones. The crowd was rapt and the stadium was lit up with flashbulbs and cell phone lights. It was kind of like watching the Symphony of Fire with a kid who's never seen fireworks-- lots of oohing, clapping, whispering, and cheering at the finale. Good times.

Unfortunately we didn't get any photos of the event. We left our house not knowing what to expect and ended up staying almost 3 hours. A great surprise weekend highlight.

Now'it's Sunday, and for the first time ever, I'm surrounded by palm trees on Palm Sunday-- gotta love it.

Enjoy the week, folks.

BACK TO THE BEACH

Well, as Wapato Willie would say, around these parts "it's a cooker, 114 in the shade". Seriously folks I'm about ready to draw an OTB and head straight for Harvest Moon.

But... since we have no access to the game invented on the seat of a tractor, Julie and I instead headed south to Kampong Som and the shores of the Gulf of Thailand. Unlike our other trips to the coast, this was no picnic. No swim-up bars, no leisurely breakfasts, and no rented motorbikes. This time we rolled with 217 of our closest friends, slept in the Two Lions Lodge, and were up before dawn singing songs and getting ready for the waves. On March 10, 2008, Rescue went to the beach.

And what a party it was. The kids had been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and by all accounts it did not disappoint. In preparation for the trip all of them got at least one new outfit, and they sported it with pride. The boys all rocked pinstripes a la Bronx Bombers and the girls glittered in rhinestone-studded jeans. They all looked great.

Without question, the highlight of the trip was the 3-hour long Tuesday morning swim. Picture 100+ kids, the majority being non-swimmers and all of them fully clothed, laughing, splashing, and flailing in the ocean. Never being ones to refuse a good swim, the two of us were in the whole time too. And after 2 straight hours of piggy back rides, swimming races, and tossing 10-year old boys, needless to say we were tuckered out. But it was totally worth it.

The trip to Kampong Som also tested our culinary mettle as we snacked on Cambodian seaside delicacies such as: Whole shrimp with eyes and antennae, Crabs in a bag, and octopus on a stick. All of the above are served with a baggy of homemade chili-garlic sauce that's actually quite tasty.

The Verdict? Out of the three my favourite were the shrimp with eyes, while Julie preferred the crab-in-a-bag. The Octopus on a stick was nice, but a bit on the chewy side.

Meals were a different story. Along with the typical chicken and rice, we were also offered some other goodies that we politely declined. Apparently the only part of a chicken you don't eat is the feathers. Parts of the chicken we deferred to others: heads, feet, and complete digestive, respiratory, and urinary systems. The feet were a big hit. I guess this proves that despite our baby steps, we have a long way to go before we can eat like a Cambodian.

Also this week we were reminded again of the risks of living in a totally foreign country. In the last 24 hours we have come in contact with 2 snakes and a scorpion. On the ride to the beach a flash flood hit and lightning struck around 50 feet from our car. Things like this make us thankful for all your prayers. We appreciate them-- keep 'em coming.

Until next time, enjoy the snow.

WEEK IN REVIEW

Meet Brad and Mike, two great guys who escaped Saskatchewan’s winter to make their way through Thailand, Vietnam, and now Cambodia.

Friends of a friend, they came to Cambodia hoping to plug into Rescue for a day or two. But after meeting a few of the grannies, playing a round or two of ping-pong, and reading to a couple of kids—not to mention helping with English classes, and tasting Oye’s food—two days weren't enough. And so, much to the delight of kids, they stayed for the entire week. And what a week it was!

For James and me, it began last Sunday night with a bash. One of the directors’ sons from Rescue was getting married. We, along with a handful of staff and kids, were invited. We’ve voiced our experiences with Khmer weddings before, but until last weekend, we had yet to take part in the celebrations ourselves.

At the heart of it, Khmer receptions aren’t too different from those we’re used to back home. A lot of food. A lot of music. A lot of really happy people. The streak of similarity stops, however, after dinner when the bride and groom enter the scene, who up until that point, are outside welcoming their +1000 guests. When they come into the room, they’re greeted by a gauntlet of silly-string, sparklers, and thousands of tiny flowers. (I think to most brides I’ve known, having silly-string spewed in their face might very well be a key component to one of their worst matrimonial nightmares.)

The hall was massive, though incredibly tacky—complete with an outdoor fake waterfall, and a background mural depicting dragons, doves, and neon pink hearts. A boisterous pop band blasted tunes all night as the eight-course meal was served and the warm cans of Tiger beer were poured over ice.

We smiled when the happy couple and their parents were introduced on stage: right in the middle of it, the mother of the bride pardoned herself to take a call on her cell phone.

Apparently, it’s common for the bride and groom to kiss for their first time only once they’re married. In front of all the guests, when the groom leaned in to smooch his new bride she scrunched up her face and turned away...perhaps nightmare #2?

I’d like to hear a Khmer review of our weddings back home as I’m sure they’d be equally shocked to what we’re used to. What a party!

Ok, back to the week:

Monday morning came bright and early, and with it the cheerful Channuck-tuk and a bagful of delightful coffee. It was a day full of English classes, a couple bouts of “One Fish, Two Fish,” and a rousing Volleyball match. As with most weeks, one of the highlights was Monday evening at the Bible study with the older students. Tuesday brought about more of the same we’d had on Monday. By Tuesday evening, back in Phnom Penh, the four of us went out for burgers and burritos at a sketchy back-ally joint, and then settled down with a few movies.

Wednesday, James and the fellas did a little insider’s tour of the city. I, on the other hand, spent the day cursing Cambodian beef. Good times. Actually, it was...thanks to Vietnam’s $1/DVD, Mike and Brad were traveling around with Hollywood in their bag. I did some cultural catch-up.

Thursday and Friday had us back out to Rescue with lots more time with the kids. The kids loved the extra attention they got with more foreigners around, and we had a ton of good chats and laughs.

All in all, a great week at Rescue—maybe one of the best yet...though I’m sure this next one will be a good match: this week Rescue goes to the beach!

Hey, Mike and Brad...cheers, righ’?