Sarah goes to school...
This was my first experience of the Cambodia outside of Phnom Penh, at the end of March. A beautiful communal verandah in a tranquil meadow in Siem Reap, being used from 7-11am for the village preschool. A few of the '5' year olds looked at least 7. The charming teacher was teaching simple numbers (like 6=first grade maybe?) & colours & names of animals & how they should look after the fish in the river. ... And eat them prepared with ginger & greens & a nice bowl of steamed fragrant rice... I was starting to think about lunch as we had set off at 5 in the morning...
This below was a delightful scene. This little chap turned up with mum & just stood quietly & peeped in rapt attention at his elders & betters having the lesson. Uniform optional as you can see!
The village had an NGO supported handicraft scheme where women weave silk & rattan & sew really very nice purses, bags, scarves etc.
This is how the silk is made, one single thread at a time, that is brought in line with the rest & checked carefully for straightness, the frame is adjusted to bring the next one over or under. It is beautifully patterned, & can cost $50-60 for enough for a skirt length - & that's not tourist prices but what Cambodian women also would pay for a skirt for weddings etc. I bought a beautiful scarf for $9. Note the beautiful shiny black hair of the young lady. People's hair here is wonderful, sure there is something in the river water... hmm marketing oppo!
Now to Koh Kong on the Thai border for Education Training Conference in May. Below is a typical fishing boat on the river front. These very attractive boats are all a bit different but all painted in various blue/green shades with complicated 2 storey cabins on top. They are sea -going as the river flows into the sea about a mile up the river. Needless to say the fish & crabs are stunningly fresh.
NOT on one of those boats but a classic long narrow Vietnamese style fishing boat... 20 of us went up the river to visit a wonderful fishing village community school right where the river meets the sea. Annoyingly, a lot of the photos didn't come out but the view of the banks was lovely with forested hills coming down to palm trees & mangrove swamps.
This was my first experience of the Cambodia outside of Phnom Penh, at the end of March. A beautiful communal verandah in a tranquil meadow in Siem Reap, being used from 7-11am for the village preschool. A few of the '5' year olds looked at least 7. The charming teacher was teaching simple numbers (like 6=first grade maybe?) & colours & names of animals & how they should look after the fish in the river. ... And eat them prepared with ginger & greens & a nice bowl of steamed fragrant rice... I was starting to think about lunch as we had set off at 5 in the morning...
This below was a delightful scene. This little chap turned up with mum & just stood quietly & peeped in rapt attention at his elders & betters having the lesson. Uniform optional as you can see!
The village had an NGO supported handicraft scheme where women weave silk & rattan & sew really very nice purses, bags, scarves etc.
This is how the silk is made, one single thread at a time, that is brought in line with the rest & checked carefully for straightness, the frame is adjusted to bring the next one over or under. It is beautifully patterned, & can cost $50-60 for enough for a skirt length - & that's not tourist prices but what Cambodian women also would pay for a skirt for weddings etc. I bought a beautiful scarf for $9. Note the beautiful shiny black hair of the young lady. People's hair here is wonderful, sure there is something in the river water... hmm marketing oppo!
Now to Koh Kong on the Thai border for Education Training Conference in May. Below is a typical fishing boat on the river front. These very attractive boats are all a bit different but all painted in various blue/green shades with complicated 2 storey cabins on top. They are sea -going as the river flows into the sea about a mile up the river. Needless to say the fish & crabs are stunningly fresh.
NOT on one of those boats but a classic long narrow Vietnamese style fishing boat... 20 of us went up the river to visit a wonderful fishing village community school right where the river meets the sea. Annoyingly, a lot of the photos didn't come out but the view of the banks was lovely with forested hills coming down to palm trees & mangrove swamps.
The village shop - fresher fish than Sainsburys!
This is a view down the library of the school, note the hammocks lining the sides, the books hang up on lines under the thatch. When you hear that the village is knee deep in water at seasons of high tide, you know it makes sense!
There is a great little ecology micro system next to the library. The school director is inspirational & set this mini mangrove swamp up to show the villagers why it works not to burn the mangroves for charcoal, how the crabs there live in seashells & how when the tide rises, fish can be farmed. It may sound odd to have to teach them why their traditional ways work, but they can be so easily wiped out, with bad consequences for the whole eco system & the humans in it.
More from your intrepid correspondents soon. In the meantime, please don't forget the need to keep supporting VSO through our Justgiving page at www.justgiving.com/jagoteers.
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