It was nice being in the capital again as life in Kratie can be a bit same-y! Read on!!
On Saturday we put on our gladrags and set off for Happy Hour at Raffles. After a Long Island Iced Tea and a few nibbles $5 approx £3 we set off for the boat.
It was lovely to see people I hadn`t seen since training and a good time was had by all.
Sonia, Louise, Me, Wendy, Scott and in front Neil
On Sunday I went to Pencil, the supermarket, and stocked up on some things you can`t get here e.g. cheese, baked beans and butter. I had no idea I would miss butter or margarine so much. Marmite on dry bread just doesn`t do it for me! Tea on Sunday night was Cheesy beans on toast-bliss!!
Monday morning it was back to `work` I use the term loosely! BUT I did actually get to go and observe 2 student teachers in 1 of my schools. I won`t say what I thought of the lessons on here but thank God there is no OFSTED here!
On the same theme here is a photo of a typical PE class which seems to consist of standing in one place, taking up different positions and counting-a lot!!!
 |
| P.E. or Maths? |
Also on the work theme here is a picture of my VA (Volunteer Assistant) Tona. He is brilliant, and funny and he helps me buy gas cylinders, invites me to his house, buys me banana snacks, helps me with the Khmer langua(ge which I am getting no better at!) and generally looks after me! His wife is having a baby in December and I am going to be its English grandmother. Sorry girls I can`t wait for ever!!
On Wedsnesday of last week it was Children`s day so we had the day off. I went to Koh Trong with Abi, Gilly and Quennie. Here they are, notice Gilly embracing Cambodian headwear. They are very practical actually.
 |
| "The sun will not reach my skin" |
On Thursday" About 400 stalls at Kratie town’s market burned down in a blaze that vendors, many of whom have lost thousand of dollars worth of goods, fear could have been deliberately lit." My landlord has a rice stall on the market and had been bringing his stock home most of the night. It is such a shame for Kratie as it really is the heart of the town. They set up a temporary market along the river but now most of the food stalls around the outside of the market are back. When I went yesterday they were demolishing the market completely.
Another bit of excitement has happened-the carnival has come to town I went with Quennie, Abi, Gilly and Sam and Zac after being rained off on Wednesday. Well when I say carnival I mean a big wheel(not soo big but very fast) a thing where they drive motorcycles round a very confined space and a magic tent along with food and drink stalls and stalls where you can win groceries or if you are Sam and Gilly a cover to keep geckos out of their fruit bowl! Unfortunately, halfway through my 2nd beer I had a "stomach situation" and had to rush home on Gilly`s bike! So I never did get to see the thrills of the show or in fact finish my beer!
On Friday I went to Kratie Krong High School for a celebration of Children`s Day. Some of the girls did some Apsara dancing(Cambodian Classical dance) but I hadn`t got my camera.
On Saturday I went with Miwa to an orphanage to teach English for 2 hours. The students were very keen and their english was already quite good. I will hopefully go every week while they are keen.
Yesterday before 5.30 the heavens opened and it rained heavily and continually most of the night. This is my road when I woke up at 5.00 this morning!
Everyone was already out trying to clean up. The road just doesn`t drain when it rains but I think this must have been bad even for here. My landlord said the water came into their house when idiots(my word) in big cars came down the road and caused waves which just flooded into most of the houses. I feel really sorry for him because last night I watched him and his workers bringing all the rice, scales, stools etc back from the market, as he can`t leave it there now, on their motos in the pouring rain. Then he gets flooded as well. The people opposite have just paid to have a slope built and a wall reinforced at the front of their house to stop flooding but the water still entered their house! But they are all still smiling.
 | ||
Before
|
I decided quite early on that there was no way I was wading/cycling through the rubbish to get to work. Especially as I can do what I do at work just as easily here! In fact the teacher trainer who leaves over the way hasn`t gone in either! To add to the geckos, mosquitoes, ants, dogs, and other creatures who live round here I actually saw a crab outside my house! The water is full of peoples rubbish, which they leave by the side of the road, takeaway containers, bamboo, flip flops, plastic tubs full of something I can`t even guess at and all sorts of crap, The strangest thing is a large gilt picture frame-God knows where that came from!! People are still driving down here too fast and a big lorry just caused another wave which has washed into the houses, so they have to sweep it out again.Here are some photos of the scenes.
An early morning paddle!
 |
| Wot no drains?! |
 | ||
The picture frame before...
|
 |
| Fun for some! |
 |
The morning commute A Cambodian gnome? No my landlord`s daughter!  Not everyone made it through!  An ingenious contraption fashioned from wood and a cement sack to slow down the selfish people who go through here way too fast! I`ve had a really good morning sitting on my balcony watching the goings on. The road has become something of a Waterpark to the children of Kratie and they`ve had great fun cycling, paddling, fishing, throwing, splashing! All for free! |
Well who said life in Kratie was same-y? Oh yes- ME!!
No comments:
Post a Comment