Yerng Dtoul!

Throughout our journey, that phrase (meaning "we go" in Khmer) has signaled our moving on to a new destination and new adventures. Last night, however, when we said our final "yerng dtoul," it really hit me our three weeks in Cambodia had come to an end. We've been all over the country, built a house and a community music center, swum in the Gulf of Thailand and the Holy River, saw the sun rise above Angkor Wat and set from Pre Rup, and shared more unbelievable experiences than I could have imagined.

A wise person (my grandmother) once said "three weeks is enough." To that, I would append, "for the first trip." I've been interested in this trip since I first heard about it in sixth grade, and when we first stepped out of the airport into the warm Phnom Penh night, I knew I was in the right place. I was amazed by the stories brought back by previous travelers, but none of those compare to the excitement being there myself, freeing a tractor from a rice paddy, riding a tuk tuk through the city streets, or bargaining in the market. In three weeks, we visited a seemingly impossible number of places, but I know we only scratched the surface of the country. I don't know in what capacity, but I know that some day I'll be back in Cambodia to see and learn about even more.

There are a great number of people who deserve thanks for making this trip happen; I'm sure there are many more than I am even aware of, but I will do my best to include everyone here. I can't even begin to express my gratitude to the following people: firstly, Steve Riege, Karen Bovard, and Joseth DaCosta, for being our fearless leaders on jungle treks, in the city, and everywhere in between, with a word of reassurance (or a pack of Emergen-C) at the perfect moment; Arn Chorn-Pond for welcoming us into his home and sharing with us his love and passion for the arts and Cambodia; Sey Ma, our constant companion and guide (and translator, etiquette advisor, negotiator, entertainer, builder, etc.); Man Men and Sinat, who opened their homes and villages to a bunch of strange foreigners; Visal Neang for accompanying us to Siem Reap as a friend, translator, and local expert; all of our tuk tuk, van, and bus drivers (especially Tony, Pealy, Bo, and our other drivers in Siem Reap for rising to collect before sunrise and sticking around to bring us home well after dark); all the builders who patiently guided us in our unskilled attempts to help; all the people and families that allowed us into their lives and gave us an even better understanding of life in Cambodia; finally, my fellow travelers, who braved illness, language barriers, new wonders, and the unknown along with me and made this trip absolutely unforgettable.
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I'd also like to specifically thank all eight of the children in Poum Chreav for running with my photography project and returning images that were better than I ever could have hoped for, as well as Sinat Nhok, Sambor Om, and Sey Ma for selecting and organizing my photographers and explaining the project to them, and Visal Neang for helping me to identify and credit the images. Some of the photographs taken by the children in Poum Chreav will join photographs taken by children of Khmer descent in Hartford in a show that will be displayed at Watkinson and in Cambodia.


-Will Corban

East Meets West Farewell

We're packed or packing and on our last morning in Phnom Penh, heading for the airport in a couple of hours. Last evening's dinner at Friends was a lovely farewell, with ten of us and fifteen Khmer, saying goodbye to many and meeting others for the first time, including Jum a chapei and troh player from Sren, covering the Thai / Khmer border. He improvised for the crowd, playing and singing to the amazement of an unsuspecting restaurant. A wonderful way to slip away.

Unexpected gifts at Friends

gifts

Michael eating Cocoa Rice Krispies with Chopsticks

See you all soon.

Last Day!

Today is our last day in Cambodia. We started out the day with a tour of the U.S. Embassy. It was interesting to learn about how an Embassy works and how to get a job as a diplomat. After the Q&A, we went to a cooking class! We learned how to make fresh spring rolls and a dish called amok. We got to choose if we wanted bacon, fish, or mushrooms in our meal. Learning about traditional meals and sauces was something the group really enjoyed. Tonight we will be dining with the dance troop from CLA at a restaurant called friends. This restaurant teaches young people how to cook and run a restaurant.  It is sad to think that today is our last day here but I know everyone is looking forward to being reunited with their family and friends.
-Stephanie Sparagna

Last Photos from Siem Reap

Planting Mango Trees in Poum Kna

We're off to Phnom Penh this morning - embassy visit tomorrow morning, cooking class in the afternoon and then a farewell dinner at Friends Restaurant in the evening. Thoughts turn to home.

Playing traditional instruments in Friendship Hut

Baseball is never far away

Michael introduces football to the village

Eager new friends

Gathering information for photo project

New building at Poum Chreav

Goodbye at Poum Kna

Pre Rup

Sunset from Pre Rup

More Photos from Siem Reap

Will and Michael at Angkor Wat sunrise

Morgan at Bayon

Work crew nailing down floor

Flower chair at Phnom Kulen, the Holy Mountain

Phnom Kulen waterfall

Photos from Siem Reap

Raising the building frame in Poum Chreuv on June 30

Blessing for the land and building

Gifts for children in Poum Kna

Carrying materials to the building site

Sunrise at Angkor Wat on July 1

Arjun and Steve see the King on July 1

Building in Poum Chreuv at end of work day on July 1

Greetings from Siem Reap

 It has been a long time since we have updated the blog. We have left Kep and stayed another night in Kampot. We were then sent to Arn's house along the Mekong River. At Arn's house we mostly relexed and went swimming. At night we watched a movie with his community. The movie was in Khmer so we had a hard time following it. For two nights we sleep under the stars. We all have bug bits everywhere. Arn left to the U.S. so Visal, a dancer from the Cambodian Living Arts has joined us on our journey.We just arrived at Siem Reap, a smaller city than Phnom Penh, but larger than Kampot. We have started building a communty house in a local village, this house will be used for music events and other gatherings. In a mere two days of building, we have already started forging bonds with the local people and workers. So far the structure is up.  

Michael Eccles