meeting in PP

On Monday, I met Holly and Joelle at 7 am at the market and we had breakfast together, it’s called Ban som and it is like a sweet chilli dish with yummy soft thick noodles and something else I couldn’t identify so far. Holly is another volunteer, who works in Livelyhoods but was in PP for the last month, having had holiday and visitors and a workshop to prepare. She is 23 I think and I hope to know her a bit better with the time.
Then Channa and me met at 7:30 at the bank to get our card to use the ATM machine. When I received it, they asked me if I know how to use it. Well, I did.

sunset over the mekong

I then went to work and found myself in the middle of 10 RTC teachers, all male. Because the office has moved, we are now in the big meeting room, forming an U-shape with our desks. Facing each other. On the other side I have the feeling it is better for communication and getting to know each other. This is only temporary until we move into the new building, which they build on for nearly 2 years already.
In our old office they just knock the walls down and make another classroom out of it.

In the afternoon I developed an annual Refresher booklet for Preceptors. This was an idea to decrease costs for another workshop to be held for all 40 preceptors who had already training. It now must be approved by the RTC, VSO and Kadoorie and the MoH. So it can take ages until being used properly.
I also helped translating some nursing knowledge into Khmei language.

a lizard running away from me

In the evening I met a rather grumpy guy from Oxford!. It felt good to talk about good old Oxi and places in and around England.
But I realised also, that talking about going clubbing and all that, I don’t miss it. Thinking about wearing high heels feels somehow abstract to me now. It just doesn’t fit to being here. My world are flip flops now and flat sandals. If I think how many shoes I have at home and handbags and clothes in general, and how much I have here and I live fine. Finally I realize how little I actually need and how unimportant certain things are, which just cost money. I can see how being here will have a big influence in my live.

I said that before I came and I am totally aware of it, and at the end it is up to me what I do with it, but I am glad to have the opportunity of new ways of thinking and being.

On Wednesday, I joined in the morning the same English class then I’ve joint already once last week. I could see a change already. They were all quiet and tried to listen to me. I try to talk to them as interactive as possible and wrote every more or less uncommon word onto the whiteboard. I also tried to motivate them again to become a very good nurse and learn as much as possible about nursing in order to give the best care they can. I think that they understand the importance of English now as well, because this time even the hip boys at the back were listening and asking questions. I really liked it though.
In my lunchbreak I went to Joelle’s place and then we had lunch together at their local restaurant.

eating eel soup for lunch

Also Holly and her friend ( who visits her at the moment), were there. We had Eel-soup.

mmhh, eel soup

Yes the fish. It was nice actually.

Then I had a quick shower and back to work. Then a clinical instructor, Narem is his name asked me, if I could show him how we do wound sutures in England. Well, me as the wound sewing expert ( never did some in my whole life) improvised. Due to having had theatre experiences and surgical patient care, I know how they have to look. So we walked straight into a 3rd year student class and there I stood, in the front of the class, with the dummy on the bed, next to me a little table with some instruments, 3 teachers also, keen to know how we do it in England.
So I introduced myself first and then talked about pre procedure care and then prepared my tray. With also 30 students around me I stood in the afternoon sun, putting my sterile gloves on and started sewing some foam ages. When I did the 2 different styles of sewing I believed were ok, one of the Instructors asked me to show them another one. I couldn’t, so one instructor came and did a faboulus suture. He then said loudly: that’s how we do it in Cambodia. Everybody laughed loud. Well, I couldn’t deny that that was far better then my style ( but at the end of the day it’s all the same), but I agreed with him and encouraged to keep their style.
It wouldn’t have been so bad, if Narem wouldn’t have come to me afterwards, giving me a guideline about performing wound suture.
But it was real fun.

I have the feeling, sitting together in this big room broke the ice. Everybody greets me now and talks to me. Even two others asked me already some translating questions.

Later we have a meeting. Clinical instructors with VSO team. Will do a brainstorm session about our work relationship.

I like teaching. In England I was always very unsure and felt not very confident, but here I have the feeling, I will gain lots of teaching experience and confidence. Maybe I will lead my nursing career into a different direction. We’ll see. But I really like it so far.

The meeting with some of the teachers ( the same as clinical instructors) went well. I could really see that some are really interested and want to improve, others are not bothered at all. I tried to make them understand that I only have 2 years time and that I would apprichiate teamwork. They would like to give feedback to them and teach them new methods. I said that I’d like to sit in the class when they give a lesson to the students, so that I can give them afterwards individual feedback. Some liked it, some refused it. And that are the ones who are afraid of not being good enough. I reasured them that I would only sit and watch, I would’t even understand what they are saying in Khmei. But I think, even with only doing that, I can see what level of teaching the teacher is.
They also want me to teach them English language. Because some of them can’t speak at all, some speak very good, I’ll devide them into 2 groups and who doesn’t attend for 3 times without apologies is out.
I need to get some advise on that from somebody, because I never taught anybody any language. But somehow I am looking forward to that and I am sure it is possible.
In the evening we met and had "Ban Chow".

omlette filled with soy beans and meat, to be eaten with leafs

the traditional "ban chow" round

Thursday morning, Hor and me went to PP at 7:00 am by bus. Before I went to the busstation, I gave my Papaya to Helen, she wants to make some Papaya-Pineapple jam out of it and then to the bank. Still no money from VSO, and I have run out of money by now.

The busride was very long. At the end we were on the road for 9 hours. Khmei people love Karaoke, and all the way it was really loud Karaoke musik on the screen or they showed bloody war movies. Meanwhile the aircondition is really cold and blows very strongly.
We also overrolled a dog puppy. I saw it. It brought tears into my eyes. The busdriver was sad too. So many animals on the road. It is a constant horn noise to hear to make the way free.
Then after 5 hours, the bus made a horrible noise and somebody said, the wheel is broken. What amazed me was, that the busdriver was able to fix it in 25 minutes. It was the Keilriemen (don’t know the English word), that was broken.
We also stopped 3 times on the way and ate something. So I think, I finally had the sweet sticky rice in a bamboo stick, Shane was talking about. Got it in Kratie.

In PP, Hor introduced me to his family and his geogous baby daughter. I then went to the VSO office and met a few volunteers there. We went out for dinner and I had chips with ketchup. That was good. In that restaurant, I saw an old guy, sitting next to a beautiful khmei girl. She looked not older then 15. And suddently it became reality again that PP is also a city of sex tourism. I felt really sorry for that girl. Apparently, they get $20 for the act and $50, when she stays overnight. It makes me sad.

On Friday, we had the meeting and I think it was good. The director was on time and in a good mood. He talked openly and agreed to a few things. When he went at lunchtime, Daniel, Hor and me continued with project revision all afternoon until the evening. Hor is just so good in what he’s doing.

On Saturday, I mainly relaxed. Forgot to take my camera, so no pictures available.
I did all my shopping in two different supermarkets and even got fairy- lights. There are many people around in the VSO office at the moment due to different workshops.

Sunday, the Mini-van picked me up at 4:30. Hor and his wife were in there as well. Pleasant trip, it only took 7 hours.
This afternoon I’m going to prepare for preceptor supervision trip tomorrow. We’ll go most likley at 9 am, so not too bad. I am really looking forward to see Ratanakiri.

If you want to send something, then maybe black and herbal tea.

More from Ratanakiri. Am quite exhausted now. Hugs and Kisses to all of you!

cute doggy

Phnom Penh, Cambodia