Going to Camp

She barely finishes a sentence without her hands flying to cover her face.  She curls in the chair, as if trying to make herself small enough to just disappear.  Her hands shake with nerves.  Words come out slowly and choppy as the ocean in a hurricane.  No, this is not a summary of how I lived the first 13 years of my life (though, it could be ;)).  This was one of my students at English Camp.

For the past six days, I have been back in my village (WOOOHOOOO) providing an English Immersion opportunity for the top English speakers (eight youth). 

Most beautiful place in Cambodia

Or, maybe looking the other direction...

Two of my friends from Phnom Penh came to join me for the first two days, one is a professor at a University here and definitely up'ed the academic rigor of the program.  The goal of this week, that I was given when asked to lead English Camp, was to get the kids speaking.  As all you language learners know, this is often the most difficult part. 

We played games, learned idiomatic expressions, discussed culture, tradition, and values, learned a One Direction song, learned prayers in English, watched movies, discussed movies, wrote daily, and gave a speech daily.  I am not sure if the kids or teacher were more exhausted at the end of this week.  My work day started around 6am, correcting papers, prepping last minute materials, etc.  Then, we would end around 9pm (as all the youth came to prayer at the church followed by movies).  Sometimes, more prep occurred after that.  Needless to say, I can barely see straight :) (I guess I learn from my favorite first grade teacher in terms of 'work hours').

I had decided before camp that each day, I would meet with each student one-on-one to go over their writing and watch their speech together (I recorded them all).  We would stop when they made errors and I would write out what they said.  Sometimes, they could fix their error, other times, I would correct their grammar.  I don't think any of them had ever seen or heard themselves speak before.  My one rule was that I would never correct someone while they were speaking (in a presentation or conversation), as I myself know how that makes you just shut down.  So, this was the opportunity for feedback and to hopefully to build self-confidence.

And, IT WORKED (even though I was afraid the students thought it was a torture technique)!  As I am not a teacher, I am always pleasantly surprised when my hair-brained ideas are actually successful.  For my nervous speakers, I also gave them a stress ball to hold when they presented and by the end, no one was using it but hands were no longer covering faces. By the end, even my most shy, quaking students would stand proudly before their class and deliver a speech (sometimes for 1-2 minutes).  Is their English better?  I hope so.  But, if nothing else, I think they have all improved their self-confidence in speaking and that, I think, is the most important part.  (Plus, go figure, on the evaluation, every single one mentioned the speeches and writing homework as one of their favorite parts).

Learning about culture and tradition

Acting out vocabulary

More acting out vocabulary

With the whole group and their presentation visual aids about their life history and future goals

Confidently going out in the world.

Why can't Deaf people talk?

"Why can't Deaf people talk?"  This was the question posed yesterday by a young fifth or sixth grade boy at the International School of Phnom Penh where I was helping with an NGO Fair.  His question made me want to teach an entire class to these kids about Deaf people and the realities of their lives.  It also made me realize how lucky I was to be exposed to the Deaf Community at six years old (and makes me excited to be a part of it again).  Our two CSL teachers did their best to answer (they probably would have been great at answering but they were relying on me to interpret, thank goodness they are forgiving).  So, other than working the table at the fair and doubling as an interpreter, I enjoyed this opportunity to get to know more of our staff and learn some more sign language. And, apparently was making squirrel faces at people...

The gentleman next to me is our IT guy, on the other side is our interpreter manager, one of our CSL teachers, our illustrator (not sure his official title) and a woman with another NGO showing us her name sign.

So, for those who keep saying, "I can't wait to hear what you are doing!"  This is part of it.  Because all of our interpreters are out in a training, and I speak English (on a good day), and because I was supposed to take photos of the teachers teaching Cambodian Sign Language (CSL) my limited, self taught vocabulary was stretched yesterday!  Going forward, hopefully, I will be a better interpreter :)

So, what else do I do?  I do lots of media related things.  I am learning to tweet!  I am helping to design brochures, posters, banners, etc.  I am helping with the website (P.S. I hate WordPress because it won't let me just go in and change the html to do what I want it to do.  I understand it was not really designed for this and they expect you to use the front end of it, not the back door, but it is driving me nuts).  

I also get to make promotional things like this!  

Shout out again to my favorite musician, Andrew (now with a group called Cloudwalkers), for letting me use his lovely voice for a few seconds!

So, in short, I am loving working in a communications position again and working on the whole communications thing in general.  Learning CSL.  Trying to keep up my Khmer.  Learning new work related Khmer vocabulary.  All good things!  Hopefully, at some point, I will be able to correctly interpret "Why can't Deaf people talk?"  So, the Deaf people can answer for themselves and be understood by the questioner.

If you want to see more of my "work," follow us on twitter, like us on facebook, read our blog :)

Dress for "Success"

That has so many different meanings but usually means a business suit that is completely impractical for movement and less than comfortable, which I will argue actually decreases productivity and creativity but I have yet to find the statistics to prove that claim; and, for women shoes that are equally uncomfortable and probably lead to more workplace injuries than any other single item (assuming blisters count).  On a couple different occasions, I have had people say, you should really wear business suits as you want to dress for the job you want to have.  While, to those speaking these 'kind' words, this was sound advice, there is a flaw in their logic:  You assume my measure of success is some kind of job that requires a business suit. 

And, so, I give you "The Outfit"

Looking classy on my first day of work, if I do say so myself... (More on my work later, but if you want to see some of what I am doing, check out Deaf Development Programme on facebook or at ddp-cambodia.org  the blog content there is one of my responsibilities)

As many of you know, I am not a buyer of clothes but this outfit I did buy, based on the principle that you should dress for where you want to be (and because I left all my work clothes in MD when I went to OR with a broken foot, but let's focus on the profound). 

100% linen pants that are loose fitting = great for working in heat and appropriate for more conservative cultures.  100% cotton Columbia Sportswear shirt that doesn't show much skin, same idea (and both were under $10 at the second hand shop).  I bought this specific outfit almost two years ago on a whim, knowing that I saw myself working overseas somehow in the international development realm.  I said, "why not try dressing for the job I want to have."  Especially since applying to it was getting me no where :) 

I remember thinking at the time, "This shirt has a rather Asian-style neckline."  With a background in Spanish and a dabbling of French, I always saw myself in Africa or South America, but I guess I bought the wrong style of shirt.  :)  Or, the exact right style for where I was meant to be.

So, I guess it is true, we all really should dress for 'success' - defining that as we may. 



To stick with the theme of great sayings, they also say,



"You are what you eat."




(Weak of heart be warned...)

 

Why, yes, those are spiders...

 

Don't mind if I do... (note the look of sheer terror in my eyes)

 

Chewy leg...

 

 

All in the name of cultural experiences.  With John, one of our Notre Dame student summer volunteers.  This is how the Holy Cross taught us to eat...

 The thorax was like burnt BBQ chicken... But hairier...

And, yes, I ate the whole thing.  Go big or go home baby!

 

John was brave enough to hold the arachnid.  I shrieked when it was almost dropped in my lap.  Holding it is a fear I have not yet mastered.

And, if we combine the two great sayings from today, I guess it is time I buy a blue and red suit ideal for swinging from webs, attached to buildings, as I fly through the night stopping evil doers...

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. What it means to me

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.  We can all spell it, thank you Ms. Franklin, but what does that really look like?  I have recently been reflecting on this both from the standpoint of transitioning to a new culture and in dealing with difficult people from my own 'culture.'  In Cambodia, and I am told in much of SE Asia, there is great emphasis on not-losing-face and a fairly strict hierarchy in respect for people, names are very rarely used without the familial age identifier (example: I am Big Sister Karen to people slightly younger than me, I am Younger Auntie if I  am their parents' age, I am older Auntie if I am older than their parents, etc).  Being old gets you more respect; being male gets you more respect; being rich gets you more respect.  Heck, if you are the king in Cambodia, there is a whole special version of the language used for you and your family... oh, and God.

The respect issue I have encountered recently is authority related.  Now, many of you will say, "Oh no, not authority, Karen doesn't do so well with that... " (correction, I have no trouble with intelligent authority ;)).  But, I have more encountered this in the sense that I do not receive respect because I am not authority (Sadly, I was not sharp enough to pick up on this on my own until someone else said to me, "Karen (s)he doesn't respect you because you are not authority. (S)he only gives weight to things coming from above and only shares up) *INSERT MIND BLOW HERE.*

I guess I forgot there are people who function in such a way.   It made me reflect a lot on how the world works.  Here is my dilemma with all of this respect.  I very strongly believe that I owe a complete stranger the same respect I owe to my grandfather, that I owe to the president, or the person struggling with addiction, or my best friend, or the Dalai Lama.  You see my point (but if you disrespect my people, oh I will be spittin' mad and see no point in respecting you, pacifism out the window, so look out ;)!).  So, I struggle to understand why I am disrespected based on who knows what.  Or in general, I struggle to understand disrespect.  As I have recently encountered it, this seems to stem from a self-centered attitude of only looking out for the all powerful ME.  Example, if it doesn't bother me, I won't do it.  If I see no direct benefit to me, I won't do it.  Or, from fear, if I don't make myself seem the dominant one, and look out for me, it will be bad, thus putting another down gives you something to stand on.  No wonder our world has so many problems, if there are many operating from this standpoint.  Why can't we all operate from a "what is the best overall option" standpoint?

So, what does all this have to do with Cambodia?  Well, it is another thing I must work out in my head (just like the gender issues of my last week's struggle).  If I treat a child with the same respect I treat a grandfather, how do I explain this when I 'need not' respect the child?  Or said differently, to some it seems disrespectful to the "higher" if I equally respect the "lower." All of these nuances are parts of life, I think I had a better handle on in my own culture but, like with gender norms, I am back to square one in some senses figuring it out.  I guess though, I would rather the lower feels respected for once and typically have less worry for the higher, they have enough people grovelling at their feet.  Besides, there is a great quote that says something like if you aren't annoyed, you aren't paying attention - maybe it is time the "higher" start paying attention...

While you enjoy this fine tune, I give you some photos of people I respect here in Cambodia.

 

This is Rota.  She is currently in a convent in Kampong Cham because she wants to be a nun and help people :)  We met while I was in Kampong Cham and hopefully will meet again!  She taught me, in Cambodia, you always wash the drinking glasses first, never the dirty plates.  Then, you can use the same wash water.  She definitely has a heart for the greater good above her own desires.

 

This is Hil.  She is also studying to be a nun, largely because our attempt at being Khmer dancers failed ;)  She is from one of the native tribes that live in the N.E. of the country.  She speaks an indigenous language, as well as Khmer. I sadly, don't remember from which tribe her family comes, but she sang beautifully in the language for me!

 

This is Kunthea.  She is another one of my language teachers.  I have great respect for her as she is a strong, single woman in a country where that is not the norm.  She also is raising her nephew to allow him to get a good education, as the rural province where his family lives has no great schools.  She is very forward thinking in terms of things like savings accounts.  And, she seems to work tirelessly for others, especially her nephew.

There are many more on this list, but, need to save some great people for future blogs!  Share a little respect today!