January 31 Peam Village

Buying orchids with Narla
Teaching villagers how to brush teeth with homemade model ( teeth are parts of an egg carton)
Narlan, narrating and Steve, shooting
Me with the kids whom I can not stop taking pictures of.
Peam Village is the village that our prize winning funds are being used to bring 12 wells and education to the Villagers. The B team was there filming consisting of yours truly, Narla as narrator ( wonderful Cambodian who visited the US with Andrea and Brandon) and Steve my new friend and enthusiastic photographer now turned videographer. We tried using his boom mike for Narla to narrate the scene of the Villagers learning how to brush their teeth and general hygiene, well repairs and filter maintenance.

On the way back Narla and I stopped and bought some orchids to make my apartment a little more homey for when Lauren and Lyman come.

After this visit I again went back and polished up Vathana's application. The band was not there yet to practice. but I got a wonderful greeting from the band members that were there.

I got a haircut for $2. It really is the closest thing to shaving my head but with clippers. Next step is to shave it but need to get the blades to maintain it. The crazy thing was the barber with a blade razor shaving the hairs of my ears.

Came home and watched the finals of Federer beating Murray and doing emails. Then I was invited by the Owners of my apartment building for an " apertif" at 6 pm. It turns out that the owners are Josh Levine ( born in Cambridge Ma. and his Dad is an avid fly fishermen and lives in Livingston Mt...need to follow up on this) now lives in Kyoto but has a big architectural office in HCM city Vietnam ( Saigon). He is married to a Vietnamese woman that he met in Malaysia. We had drinks at the apartment of an Israeli man married to a Cambodian, who owns some cafes in Siem Reap. His Mother was there and just leaving to return home to Jerusalem. His partner Scott from the UK joined us for dinner and he lives in Saigon now. Also joining us was Othello a film producer and his French girl friend that live in Saigon. We ended up for dinner at an Indian restaurant on Pub street that was quite good.

Horse back riding Januaury 30.

Jon Mieko and Rikki enjoying a movie in my apartment
A bucolic scene in the rice paddies taken on the back of a horse

Mounted up and raring to go.
I met Andrea at Journeys Within at 8 a.m to go horseback riding, Cambodian style, which turned out to be fun. We road with Western saddles with rope reins and trotted and cantered on surprisingly well mannered horses. The ranch is called Happy Ranch and is run by an American Cambodian from San Jose California. We went through rice fields and saw ducks being herded and visited a wat and a temple. And the next day I can report I was not sore!

After that I went to visit with Vathana to help her with her application to be a delegate to a Youth Congress in Turkey. She is a 22 year old student who is in her last year of High School and we think is likely to be one of our characters in our next film. So I sat with her in her room that she shares with 5-6 girls ( she sleeps in a bed with 2 other girls which is just a mat no mattress) and we literally sweated over correcting her English and getting the application in shape to be noticed. The paper was wet when I finished!! Vathana has extricated herself from no opportunity village life to having been chosen to participate in there travels, to East Timor and Japan for a week or so; and for three months to Australia. Her story does represent the future of Cambodia because she is interested in the community and changing that and in equal opportunities for woman.

On the way home I stopped at "craft show" in front of the National museum. It was interesting in that the craft show was not individual crafts people demonstrating their techniques and or wares like in the US, but tent booths of satellite stores selling an array of clothes, silks and spices.
I bought a palm leaf wall hanging and mat to brighten up my apartment and maybe find a way to take home.

Then I met Jon and Mieko Morgan and watched her play soccer. It was a team comprised of her international school kids and the French school. Later we had drinks on my roof deck and watched the sun set and their daughter Rikki took a swim in the pool and later a hot shower, all of which was a great treat. Rikki was a baby abandoned at the Ankor Hospital for Children 8 years ago, and was premature and weighed about 2 pounds. She is a miracle baby as there were no incubators there. She remains a miracle child speaking American English and Khmer fluently and also speaks Japanese. She has a way to go however in her soccer to try and keep pace with the French kids.

I got invited to a Khmer wedding by Sam my guide friend, who put in most of our initial wells. I took a rain check as I could not imagine a night of drinking and dancing and getting up early the next morning to go to our Village where the money won at LA film fest is going to build 12 wells and to educate the Village on health and hygiene.

Dinner was a ham and cheese sandwich and to bed.

January 29th

The plan was to start work early at 8:30 a.m to fix the leaking ones. But Vanghn did not show up until after 10 so I instead worked in the garden mixing in the bio char and nutrients. It was 8:30 in the morning and I am working shirtless and after a half hour my shorts are soaked and I am lightheaded and it feels like I have already done about an hour of a Baptiste Yoga session. The heat and humidity is crazy and it is still January and we are suppose to be shooting a film in March.!!!

Bio char is a charcoal product produced by the oxygen deprived gasificaition of rice husks at the rice mill where the rice is polished ( husked). The gasification produces gases that reduce by 80% the amount of fuel needed to run the rice mill; and now the byproduct, the bio char is being used experimentally to hold water and nutrients in the garden. A biologist from the University of Edinburough is studying the garden and we shall be planting peas soon.

Had lunch at home after a shower to get the concrete and dirt off. In the afternoon met with Michael at ConCERT and gave him a copy of ADITB to view over the weekend. I will pick it up on Monday morning. His business is to act as a clearing house for 25 NGOs for tourists and volunteers to come to one place and check out all of the NGO's that he sponsors. He is a charming Brit and we shall need to have dinner and share pholosophGot a good swim in at the spa pool, 2o laps before a massage.

Friday night took a moto taxi ( in other words sat on the back of a motor skooter) to attend a wine tasting with the Old Bastards wine club. The wines were poor but the company was fun. All were westerners ( barangs) and we had fun. Chris Coats made bean and ham soup with corn bread and home by midnight as I had a horseback riding session planed with Andrea for 8 in the morning.

January 28th and 29thy

Vaughn and I working on repairing concrete filters by scoring the concrete with a power saw and then chipping at it. It saves alot of time but the Khmer employee our friend PHala is disdainful as he would rather just sit there and chip away. I went with my friend Steve PsarKrum market to buy a bigger chisel and hammer and there I got my bicycle repaired. The repairman told me that my bike was not quality as it was made in China so I replaced the light for $2 with one made in Cambodia.
I met Steve and Vaughn for lunch down on Pub Street at a mexican joint called Viva that Chris had done some paintings for and that Scott had made a green geiko out of paper maiche. Then I bought a dish rack of sorts and then visited Se's boss Billy at This Life Cambodia. He is an Australian and more meek looking than I imagined but thinks the world of our Se and thinks he someday could be Prime Minister. Took a swim and a massage and then met an American at the spa at the Hotel Sokha Angkor where I work out. He is this tall good looking guy who helped me with to learn some neck exercises. He shocked me when he told me is 52 as he looks 30. He is here teaching dance meditation and yoga and hangs out at what is now called the Peace Cafe formerly the Singing Tree Cafe. We had dinner and he told me that he was here recovering from a very bad dump by a girlfriend that dumped him because he had a medical problem that made him seem very depressed but has turned out to be a hormonal issue. I empathized with him and moved on. I did meet Kevin ( the biologist) and his wife Beth who were in Town working with Mieko and who were looking for an apartment in Siem Reap., who came in to the restaurant for dinner while we were sitting there.

Just wanted to let everyone know some news:

A Drop in the Bucket: Official Selection DC Independent Film Festival

Official Selection Women's Internatonal Film Festival, Miami

Here is a working synopsis of our new film project: Angkor's Children

Angkor’s Children, the descendants of a lost generation of Cambodians, reflects on its past and tells the story of resiliency, compassion, and hope.

Significance of Angkor’s Children: Cambodia is a country of youth living on the razor’s edge. Coping with the collective loss of teachers, mentors, and family, Angkor’s Children are developing the greater psyche of their nation through caring for their neighbor. This important drama of everyday struggles enlightens the viewer about the aftermath of horrific trauma and the human strength to move forward.

This post is from Lauren back in the arctic north.

Another Day at the Office January 27th

Yup, doing work on the computer late last night and this morning before heading out to volunteer with Vaughn working with me. Vaughn is the Brit whose Moto and shoulder Lauren held onto on our trip to Sras village. Today was sort of routine. It is now Sunday and the week has gone so fast that I am going to have to go back over my pictures to remind myself what I have been doing.
I had lunch with Chris and Scott at the Kool Korner and then went and swam and worked out.It was the first night that I had eaten in and had myself some bacon and eggs after shopping by bicycle. The bacon smelled awful and I froze it for Lauren who loves bacon.

Human Translation Reservoir Project visit Jan. 26th

This morning slept late until 8, after partying with Sam the night before. Then worked and found the perfect combination as I am a morning person and Lauren is a night person. So if we are in time zones that are 12 hours different as we are I can work in the morning and my dear can work at night and we email and talk to each other and get much done.
This afternoon I was taken by Awren driving her truck to the Human Translation project, where they restored and built a modern reservoir in a location that had been used by the Khmer Kingdom in the 11th century. Apparently the reservoir is fed by a stream from the Kulan mountains and this stream was a dividing line in the 1990's between the Khmer Rouge and the Cambodians. Now the new reservoir and the new canal system shall provide water for drinking irrigation and fish farms. This is what water being the source of life is all about. HT has installed 60 or so bio sand water filters and now is working on turning the management of the reservoir over to the Villagers, however that can not be done until the Villagers learn some basis adult literacy to be able to record readings of the water depths and flow and learn how to operate the reservoir on their own. The turn over to the Villagers is to occur sometime in March and may be an event to worthy of filming.
The reservoir is located on Aspara land as there is the Temple Choucray Vibol there. We visited there. It is next to a closed monastery.


I learned that this is a one shot project and has taken them 7 years to get to this Phase III. It is not HT's intention to do another one; but to encourage its indigenous NGO partner Cambodian Translation to utilize the know how to do another reservoir. One of the key persons in this organization is Chai and I am excited about Chai being one of our compelling characters in our film. Lauren and I met him briefly and I now have a dinner planned with him for this Thursday.

I do hope someone is reading this blog. I have no plans tonight except to watch this wonderful tennis match between Nadal and Murray.

Khmer birthday

In the morning I resumed volunteer work at Trailblazers. I somehow find sifting sand, as monotonous as it is to be very soothing. It does make one appreciate the taken for granted things in life or that which we in the USA have done for us by machine. I am sure that at home there would be a machine or some mechanized way for me to do this menial task repetitive task. I laugh at myself at age 65 doing this work for nothing and getting satisfaction doing it. It is a long way from being a lawyer and charging an hourly fee that people here are lucky to make for a months wages.
Getting better riding my bicycle. I even was able to put a person on the back of it and peddle . I got a bit tired but it is fun and a crazy. I will get a picture to post.
Last night I had dinner with Warren ( from the UK but lives in Costa de Sol Spain) Antoinette ( from the UK and lives in East Village NYC) and Claudia, ( from East Germany and lives in Bejing) all volunteers, to send Claudia on her way to Lao. Fascinating conversation on how they liked living in America has all of them had done so. In general they all liked America. the diversity, the enthusiasm and the vastness.
Then at around 9:30 I decided to honor an invitation from Sam my guide friend to attend his son's 18th birthday party, which I really did not want to do. But I took a tut tut and my usual gift for Sam a bottle of Johnny Walker Black and showed up. What a good move. As I came in he came into the garden with at least 200 people with a live band on the stage and lights and decorations he exclaimed to me " OH my God" and hugged me. This is not usual for Sam. The custom was that all of the men were at the center tables and the woman were at the side. I asked why and was told that when the men are drinking the women step aside. Needless to say these guys were well oiled; and they convinced me to dance with them and we drank danced and talked into the early hours.

Peam Village and more IT problems

This morning up early to ride my bike to JWOC, the NGO that received the money from the awards that were won in Hollywood by our film. The money is to be spent bring water and education to an entire village. I brought Steve with me, who is a photographer that has a new Cannon 7D that takes HD video to see if he can stand in for Lyman. Today the students conducted a survey of the present practices of the villagers regarding the source of their water, the reliability of it ( does open pit well go dry in the dry season and/or get polluted by the wet season run off).

I met the Village Chief who was not as dynamic as others we have met. He seemed to understand the need to test and filter but when asked whether he regularly boils his water, his response was not all of the time, as often is not convenient to do so. Peam village is really 4 sub villages and they are planning to put in twelve wells. I am interested in how JWOC works with the Village Chief. It seems that in this instance JWOC is assessing the needs of the village and is determining where the wells are to go. The determination has been made that this is a poor village so that the Villager is paying 5000 riel for a well or $1.25. The money shall go into a Village Fund.

I thought that the Villagers would be excited to meet and greet me as I think they were told that it was through us the funds are available to pay for the will; but I did not feel the sense of gratitude that I had experienced last year. Perhaps because they have yet to see any wells and their attitude I think will change radically when they see the water flow. Although one does realize that Cambodian manners are quite formal and are not generally very expressive or emotional.

Having difficulty again with my wifi connection and could not talk with Lyman and Lauren on skype as we try to put a story book together for the next film and determine whether we have enough material to continue on. So biked back to my apartment, took a swim in the rooftop pool and then spend 3 hours with the IT technician that came over on a Sunday afternoon!! Now it sis working but for how long... hopefully long enough to have call with Belmont.
Then I had dinner at the night market which is sort of a take out deal for the locals. Dinner cost me about $1.75 and was good. It was an adventure biking there in the dark and eating Pro Lok and fried fish and a rice dessert.
So my life here is certainly varied. From the night market eating , to doing this blog and watching Roddick v. Gonsalves in the Australian OPen, such great tennis. Another day of being by myself, sort of.

Bang Mealea Jan 23

Hi, Trying a bit larger font. Visited this temple which is about 1 and half hours drive and is as large as the great Ankor Wat but it was built in the 12th century before Anbkor Wat and has not been restored and the jungle had taken it over so most of the Temple has fallen to the ground. I went with another volunteer named Claudia ( a bit weird to be with a Claudia). We rented a car with no guide for $40. We got their early before 9 a.m to beat the crowds and to get the morning light. I really liked it as you crawl and climb about on these fallen limestone blocks that have been toppled by the huge trees that entwine their roots in the most amazing and beautiful ways over and around the Temple. The birds are chirping and there is a haze in the air from the leaves being burned and I just stretched my imagination to make the smoke smell like incense. There are not the beautiful carvings in bas relief like Ankor Wat but there is peacefulness and sense of well being that pervades; this is until later the buses arrive with the hordes of Japanese, Chinese and Korean tourists. At that point it is time to leave and then we saw a quarry where many of the stones came from.
Stopped at a market to try and buy a sleeping mat. The Village Cambodians sleep either on the floor or on a raised platform made of bamboo upon which they lay a mat. If is often made of palm leaves or grass, at least it used to be, and it is the grass mat with a design by vegetable dies. However now predominantly most of the mats or ( kotlet) are plastic and made in China or Thailand. So far I have not found a grass one that I want. The Cambodians do not have many native crafts and those that they do have are copied over and over again. Very little originality. Perhaps again because the artisans and their traditions were lost in the genocide. The arts really needed to be fostered, as we visit the Village I do not see any local indigenous designs or crafts or implements that catch my eye.
Last night had dinner with Brandon and Andrea at the Nest which was expensive and OK but ordered a broiled Australian steak which was poor; however, as usual the green mango salad was great.
Also had some time at the pool at sunset and had a glass of wine with friends that I have met. One is from the UK who lives in the East Village and has lived in India and Japan; and Warren is from the UK and lives in the Costa de Sol in France. I had dinner with them the night before at a Cambodian all you can eat barbecue for $3. Had squid tofu chicken beef fish noodles spring rolls and beer. The barbecue is set on the table and you cook your own food and it was frequented mostly all by Khmer.

Jan 22

Today started sifting sand at NGO and then was asked to go on a delivery of a water filter to a Pagoda. After that I took a tut tut and had lunch with and interviewed Vathana a 22 year old High School student who has managed to not only extract herself from Village life but surprisingly enough has been recognized as being so outstanding that she has been chosen for three programs that have taken her out of the country to East Timor, Japan and Australia.

IT problems- solved

Today had planned to continue to work on making bio sand filters but my wifi was so bad I called the IT tech at 7:30 in the morning and convinced him to come over. His right away was an hour and a half later. Needless to say I spend 5 hours with him and finally figured out that it was not my computer but that we needed to replace the modem. So I am now in great shape and can skype and be in touch.
So it was a down day. The first yet. I later worked out and got yet another massage which seems to be working as my neck is feeling better. Last night I went to a vegetarian cafe around the corner that Lauren and I had been to which we thought might be fun. Yoga and meditation classes are available there. So had veggie sushi and it was not fun as I was the only one there.
When I left I noticed a sign just made up of lights hanging all of the way across this dark side street which said "ABOY" and I said this is a sign for me as I was thinking of my daughter Greta who is to have a baby in a couple of weeks and we do not know what she is having. But alas it was a sign for a Khmer restaurant in which only Cambodians where frequenting and my Khmer is not yet good enough to negotiate that scene, but working on it.

January 20th

Today was my day to be hands on. So I rode my bike to Trailblazers to work making bio sand filters. We started at 8 and I worked with Pauli and Ti . First we made cement which required us to wash gravel and then mix 3 pails of gravel with 3 pails of sand and 1.5 pails of cement in a cement mixer, Then the job of getting the gas engine for the mixer going required it to be cranked. Pauli tried 5 times and it just coughed and sputtered. You have to crank it very quickly and he was wearing a oversized glove on his cranking hand. In preparation for my trip I took a pair of gloves made by Stihl that fit me perfectly since I did not want my soft hands to blister and make me look like a wuss. So I lent him one of my gloves and woosh it started and so the picture posted is of Pauli getting the mixer going. He then added something called Safir about 200 cc and let it mix for 20 minutes, after which we filled the molds. I had to use a rubber hammer to wack the mold to get any air bubbles out. I assume that only those who either love me alot or are curious about making cement in Cambodia have gotten this far in this description.
Then I sifted sand for about two hours getting the clay and debris out of it. I am posting a picture of my sand pile which was about an hours work.
Then a typical Cambodian experience occurred, the power went out which meant the pump for the water needed to wash the sand and gravel stopped and so around noon we quit for the day.
I bought some towels in the Old Market and rode my bike home for lunch.
Later in the day I joined the spa health club at the Sokha Angkor Hotel and worked out. Need to continue to do this and get myself in shape and in form..you know what I mean. Unusually so for Cambodia we had rain ( came in from Vietnam!) and so I took a tuk tuk back to the apartment to be on time to meet Se. We had an hour lesson in Khmer which is very difficult to learn. I think I can only do so by speaking with him as from a book sounding it out phonetically I do not get.
I am getting tired of Khmer food which is usually rice and a curry or rice and chicken and veggies so had a " chef salad" on pub street and ate alone for the first time. An American couple asked me to join them but I said no as I was more interested in being by myself. If I were to describe myself as being " alone" as opposed to being by myself, it would connote a totally different image and I find that interesting and is the mantra for how I see this experience " being by myself".
Then Bora who is the apartment manager arranged for me to have a massage. The masseuses was a 20 year old who gave me a more westernized massage with oil rather than the punishing Thai massage which most here do. Such a luxury and I think it did improve my neck which is bothering me. The cost was $15 plus a $2 tip, Shes spoke enough English to tell me that she makes $50 a month.
Tried before going to bed to connect on skype and email but my wifi was as they say here" not stable" and then I finally lost the entire wifi connection. I was so frustrated that I spoke with Katheen and Lauren on the blackberry with a very clear connection and I have no idea how much that will cost. So did not get to bed until 1 a.m. knowing that I would probably spend most of the next day trying to find enough patience to deal with wifi.

My project with Sam

Sam is the guide with whom we have built our first wells and the person responsible for our initial interest in water. He is featured in our first film A Drop In The Bucket. He has built over 400 wells and there are other guides who similarly interest their clients who come to Siem Reap to view the Temples in donating wells to bring water to Villagers who have not ever had such. However, we now know that just digging wells and providing water is only a partial cure to the situation. If these waters are not tested and filtered then one does not know whether the water we westerners have donated in good faith is eliminating the water borne diseases like typhoid and the parasites that cause dysentery. We are now working with NGO's that are leading the way in water testing and providing filters so that we can be assured that modern technology is being applied to provide the Villager with clean water. We know that more than 10% of the wells drilled have ecoli bacteria. So my project is to cross the cultural abyss and work with the guides that I estimate may be responsible for 800 or so wells in the province of Siem Reap, most all of which have never been tested and the water from which is not filtered.

Sam is very highly respected amongst his peers and is looked to by other Khmer for his leadership ability. I met with Sam yesterday and his initial reaction to doing some testing was that 90% are clean and is that not " good enough". These people are used to drinking water from the footprints of water buffalo. Cambodians do not have to use any filtration as they are used to boiling all of their drinking water. Sam has done a great service to his people by getting all of these wells built. I later that day at lunch met a friend of Sam, another guide, who has done 200 wells, none of which have been tested.

Sam and I are going to begin a program to test some of his wells. I also will be hopefully putting together a meeting with other guides to meet with some of the testing people and to also meet with NGO's that build filters. Sam and I will be jointly drafting a letter to his donors to urge them to support this new program of testing . I am hopeful that Sam will soon agree to installing filters on any new well . Paul

settling in

This morning I selected my wifi plan and it will now take two days to get hooked up. I chose the fastest plan they have ( 512 ) and learned that it is twice as fast in the evening after 7 pm which will coincide with most of my use back to the States, as I am 12 hours ahead of EST.
Then I took a Tuk tuk to Trailblazers and sat in on a staff meeting. I met one of their Board Members and some of their volunteers. I spent quite a bit of time with a guy who is here for the second time for 9 months or so and is a photographer and has a Canon 7D. He will help with some of the shooting that needs to be done before the Varsity team arrives of L and L ( Lauren and Lyman).
I have been lent a red ladies one speed bicycle so I now have transportation and I already have gotten lost after checking out a work out option at a hotel spa. Last night I had dinner with Se, a Cambodian student that Lauren and I are sponsoring. I am really getting to know him and the cultural ways of Cambodia and how they think.
I have TV here and so am mesmerized by the coverage and dire situation. Being in such a poor country as Cambodia one can easily envision such a disaster occurring here after such an event. The tsunami was not that far away from here and we are all reminded of how vulnerable such poor people are. The lack of water in Haiti further emphasizes the need for a well engineered water system that does not exist here. Clean water only exists in 40% of the country.

And I am having such fun. I do not know where my day goes. Time is flying by despite my attempts at a routine, it has not yet happened. Paul

Lauren departs, I am now on my own

Lauren and I spent our last night together in Bangkok, before we headed out in different directions with me returning to Seim Reap and Lauren heading back to US. The transition from this idyllic island beach life of hammock time, swimming, snorkeling and sunning to the big city life of Bangkok was a shock. In the morning on the beach and in the evening drinks at the highest building in Bangkok the top of the Banyan Tree Hotel, the Vertigo bar. The view was breathtaking and the only regret was that we had no camera!! I was looking forward to our last night together without Lauren seeing life through her lens but I do regret we did not have any photos to post her of the amazing City which appears to be larger than Manhattan.
We said our goodbyes at the airport as Lauren headed through one immigration queue and I to another. It was tearful and heartfelt as this has been an amazing bonding experience and I am now left with a significant a responsibility to continue the research of our emerging new documentary. To make it happen. If we do not feel that we have enough substance and compelling message to tell with compelling characters then Lauren is threatening not to return. But I am confident we can put it together.
I am settling into my apartment and did a big shop at the expat super market and it felt like I was at Whole "Paycheck" Foods. It is fun to get myself established in such a foreign environment but not that hard as I know enough people if I need help. My next job is the get an internet connection in the apartment so I do not need to sit in a bar and drink 50 cent drafts to access WiFi. Tomorrow I begin to do volunteer work to build bio sand water filters for an NGO called Trailblazers. So this is my first day and evening on my own in Siem Reap. The best news is that I have hot water in my shower if I let it run for awhile.

Reflections of the past two weeks

As I begin to ready myself to depart and Paul prepares for his two month socjourn in Siem Reap, we will try to share our insights, hopes, and conclusions. We have spent the last two days luxuriating in simple pleasures: the sea, the breeze, great music, tasty Thai food, and the gentle touch of sand. Always we find ourselves asking each other what is the story: This Life Cambodia, Children of Angkor.....whatever it is, our goal is to tell the story of the Cambodia that is transforming, becoming its own, turning toward the future..tomorrow full of hope and prosperity. It must start with access to clean water and literacy. Water is the source of life but just having access is not the answer. It must be safe, clean, and ultimately managed and maintained by Cambodians. It is ironic after spending two weeks talking about access, filtration, and sustainability that an earth quake has hit the poorest country in the world which has been struggling, as well, to provide clean and safe water to the people of Haiti. Now even with the help of every international aid organization, the country will be set back light years from becoming sustainable. Life is a rebuilding process. We are in the midst of the area impacted by the tsunami 5 years ago, and so much has been restored and rebuilt. Both Paul and I believe in the power of resourcefulness and the will to survive as evidenced in Cambodia so vividly, but it does not happen without the world's "nudge" as our new friend Jon Morgan describes. So,I shall return home to Boston and reflect, refine, and respond to what Paul and I have experienced and now want to transform into something visually compelling. Stay tuned. Lauren and Paul

Arriving here in Koh Jum Village

We left Phenon Phen, Wednesday, January 13 for a few days in paradise on a remote island, Koh Jum Lodge about an 1.5 hr by boat from Krabi. I heard about this from Mark who is married to a Thai woman and has an amazing shop in Cambridge. Turns out Mark went to Emerson many years ago, and I met them after our return last year from Chang Rai. Mark said that when he is going on holiday, they come here because there is very little tourism. It is very true. Koh Jum is run by Jean Michel and his Thai wife. It is heaven on earth. We have our own bungalow, and everything they have done is impeccable, simple, and full of beautiful aesthetics everywhere. The food is great, and after 2 solid weeks of work in Cambodia, this is a gift from heaven.

Here are some more pictures of Se's village: his father, mother, and grandfather.

Se's Village

Tuesday (January 12) we spent the morning with the Minister of Rural Development Water Authority: Mr Mao Suray. This was an extremely interesting visit. Dr. Siray said that it was important for all NGOs to work with the Government, and that the Government has produced a guideline for building and maintenance of wells. He also told us about a program dealing with "gender balancing." This is a program acknowledging the need for female participation in water management. This was the first time we ever heard anything like this. We hope what he said was true. Dr. Suray's daughter happens to live in Lowell, Ma., and I plan to visit her as soon as I return. It was also interesting to have Se with us listening to a fellow Cambodian talk about his plans for Cambodians. We also asked the Minister if we would be willling to go on camera in March. Needless to say, he said we would have to get clearance from his boss. Grabing a few banana chips and cashews we piled into the car for a 1.5 hr drive to Se's village to meet his family. Se had not seen his family for three months, and we imagined warm embraces. Upon arrival everyone was there to greet us: parents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, etc. There were no embraces but many j'im rip surs and head bowing. We sat on a mat in their house, and I decided to video his parents talking about their new filter which looked like a Brita, but did not function very well. We learned about Se's father's fishing and rice harvesting. Everyone was there laughing, smiling, and enjoying the camera. Before saying goodbye to Se, we drove out to where his father fishes everyday. The sun was setting and light was so soft and miraculous. Se said no one notices the beauty because they have always lived with it. After many embraces this time, we said our goodbye to Se and headed back for dinner in Phenom Phen. Paul will see Se next week in Siem Reap where they both will return. I felt a bit sad saying goodbye. Lauren

More pictures