Lessons From the Back of a Moto [Part 1]

Disclaimer: This post was written back in November, intended to be the beginning of a much longer blog post... I never finished it, so here's the beginning- unedited- as I wrote it back then. 

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I ride on the back of a moto quite frequently. I hear the phrase, “We go now,” and know that it’s time to put on my silver alien helmet and hop on the moto. When this happens, I don’t always know where we’re headed. I just know that it’s time to go. So, I clamber on. 

The other day, I was riding with my coworker. We were travelling down a road that had suffered much during the torrential downpours of the rainy season, and we were swerving around potholes and driving through puddles… I’ll be honest: it was rough. The road alternated between being so bumpy I thought I was about to launch into the sky and being so slippery that I had visions of an impromptu mud bath. As we travelled, I was hyper-focused on the road ahead: Oh, here, it’s eroded, prepare for the bump! Oh, it’s flooded- will we go around or through?

Suddenly, I was prompted to stop looking ahead and to look around instead. Let me tell you, it was beautiful. We were driving out of an orchard, approaching open fields. To my right, across the verdant rice paddies, the mountain began to rise, a startling, luscious green against the brilliant blue sky spotted with wispy clouds. To my left were traditional wooden homes, raised on stilts above the fields, with a view that stretched to the horizon. It was a moment of I want to picture this forever.

A bump jostled me from my reverence. I was back to staring achingly at the road, automatically clenching my hands to the bar beneath my legs. Wait. Go back to the view.

I relaxed. I open my hands, letting them hang loose at my side, and once more, glanced up, beginning to admire the beauty surrounding me. It still stunned me. To go from a white-knuckle grip, anxious about the approaching rough spots, to suddenly being filled with peace and a sense of awe for where I was at… it shocked my system.

It shocked my system so much, I began to get philosophical.

It’s like life, I thought. We go through our life journeys so focused on what troubles might be approaching, so focused on the rough spots, the places we’re shaken, or in the slippery places, where we fear we will fall. We even use the analogy of roads and journeys, it’s so easy to see. We talk about how the road we are on is rough, about the trials we’re facing, trying to reach some goal. We talk about the road; we talk about the destination; why don’t we talk about the scenery?

Sometimes, yes, the road we travel is rough. But, don’t forget to take a moment to look up and enjoy the view. Your road might be taking you through some beautiful places, giving you the opportunity to see something you haven’t seen yet, before leading you on to your destination. 

Instagram Round-up, Part 3

I've also realized that I've totally slacked on my "Instagram Round-Ups", for those of you not following me on Instagram. (Probably most of you?) Here's a small selection:

[Original] Caption: ...when I first arrived, I couldn't get over how funny I thought these cows looked, with their droopy bunny ears, humpback, and neck flap. And to be honest, that enjoyment hasn't faded. Say "hello"to this fella!

[Original] Caption: The rain has returned. [Addendum] Rainy season hasn't yet begun full-throttle, but it's coming soon, says the experts. It's raining at least four days a week, enough that some farmers have begun to plant their rice crop, enough that ponds and ditches are filling up, enough that the countryside is returning to a brilliant emerald green. 

Caption: This graffiti was taken in a neighborhood that's been painted with graffiti- and, as graffiti often is, the messages ranged from colorful cartoons to political statements. For me, this graffiti doesn't need any caption, any translation. 

[Original] Caption: Sometimes, trying to pick just ONE photo to share is just so difficult. Enjoy this waterfall! They said it only has a little water because it's the dry season. [Addendum] This photo was taken during our YAGM Spring Retreat in March on an excursion up Bokor Mountain. 

[Original] Caption: I'm not 100% convinced this tree was actually a tree... 

[Edited] Caption: In awe as I consider that the sun sets here in Kampot at the same time it's rising back in the States. My sunset is their sunrise. (Also, that's fact-checked. The sunrise/sunset times differ by mere minutes.)

[Original] Caption: Infinity. 

[Original] Caption: កម្ពុជាស្អាត [Translated] Beautiful Cambodia

[Original] Caption: I have a Christmas Easter Tree. The end. [Addendum] This tree (and nativity scene) was set-up late February or early March, added to in late April, and yes, is still proudly standing. 

With love from Cambodia,

KMJ

P.S. I really will post photos to FB for everyone to see, but I haven't had strong enough internet nor the photos on the correct devices to post. So, most likely, allllll my photos will be posted after I return to the States. I hope you'll still peruse them and listen to my stories then. 

Excursion

ម៉ាក់ចង់ជូនKyleទៅមើលសមុទ្រធំៗ

It was a grand adventure. For months, my host-mother has been telling me about the beautiful beaches and big sea in nearby Kampong Saom. Knowing that I loved the water, and wanting to show me more of her country, my host-mother dearly wanted to take me to see the sea. That's what the above Khmer states, a common refrain of my host-mother's, I want to take you to see the big, big sea. Well, last weekend, it happened! A favorite aunt and uncle, plus my host-parents and sister, a cousin, and two family friends gathered together for our grand beach adventure...and photo shoot.

Below, please enjoy some photos from this experience:

With love from Cambodia,
KMJ

It's April?!

My heart is heavy with joy and anticipation and sadness, among many.

I recently returned from the YAGM Spring Retreat, and my mind is busy contemplating and reflecting.

As I'm in the process of composing blog posts to end this drought of communication, I seek prayers to aid me in processing all that I've experienced: seen, heard, and thought. If you have questions or prompts for blog posts you'd love to read, please share them!

Peace and love from Cambodia.
KMJ

Cheers!

Happy New Year!

រីករាយចូលឆ្នាំសកល!

Dear Readers,

I wish for you a blessed 2017, that the year be enriched with sincerity and compassion. I pray that 2017 will be full courageous dreams and beautiful memories. In this new year, may you abound in hope, love, and joy!

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Well, this blog wasn’t posted on the first day of the new year as I intended. (Surprise.) However, I think there’s some circumstantial elegance in that I’m continuing this post during Chinese New Year celebrations. 

Bountiful goodness

Happy Year of the Rooster! “Roosters auspicious gifts are forward thinking and solid self-confidence,” according to an image I saw. The Chinese New Year is also referred to as the Lunar New Year, and each year is identified by one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac. A common well-wish for the New Year, in loose translation, is for health, wealth, and opportunity. Here’s a fun language lesson for you:

Earlier, I read a festive coke can, and Google Translate insists that the phrase says “Chinese New Year Greetings!” However, my host-sister had told me that the key word meant opportunity, so I asked, “Like, it’s wishing good opportunity in the New Year?” She said yes. Then I used a dictionary define each word, discovering that the phrase can mean “Blessed Occasion,” where opportunity can substitute for occasion.

ជូនពរឱកាសចូលឆ្នាំចិន!

Delicious

In Cambodia, the Chinese New Year is celebrated because there are many with Chinese ancestry. My host-mother spent hours preparing plates of delicious food- chicken, stew, fried noodles... Tables laden with food, lucky trees decorated with little red envelopes (containing money for the children), offerings, and burning incense were seen in every home. My host sister showed me her Facebook feed, filled with photos of families dressed in red and the lavish decorations and displays of food. Friends and family gathered to eat together, to play together, or to holiday together.

Cambodian holidays are united by the traditions of food and family.

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Well, I started this post because I wanted to write about the first New Year’s Eve celebration, as in the 31^st of December 2016. Ordinarily, I don’t await the New Year by staying up until midnight or going out to parties or what-have-you, but this year was special. My host family was going to the riverside for Countdown, and they wanted me to join them.

Uncertain of what was ahead, I patiently waited through the day. My waiting was interrupted when we took a short afternoon adventure to the nearby province of Keb, where I finally saw the sea. (More on that later.) Then, upon our return, my host mother began cooking, making these delicious fried shrimp cakes. (I love them so much!) She kept making them and making them, and that was my first conception that this wasn’t just a *little* event that we were attending.

Ultimately, I found myself at the riverside. The riverside is a long expanse of what you’d call park space, I suppose. Along the river, between the water and the road, is a wide paved area with trees and benches, frequently used for river-watching and sunset-gazing, for strolling, or for chatting with friends. On NYE, it was used for all that and more. The paved area was covered completely by picnic mats, lounge chairs, and blankets where families had staked their claim. We shared our picnic mats with a family from the neighborhood and their friends.

Some of the delicious food

Our speaker was playing music while the children danced along. My host-brother and his fiancée set up the grill and began cooking squid and shrimp. My host-mother unwrapped the heaps of fried shrimp cakes while her friends dished out rice and began serving food: shrimp, chicken, beef, cucumbers, and so, so much more. There was probably 20 of us and we could have eaten three times over. One of the friends started chopping up the fresh fruit- watermelon, grapes, longan, apples, oh so many types- and prepared a cooler full of sangria to share.

The children were dancing, the people were laughing, the air was just filled with good cheer. After sunset, the children started lighting firecrackers and fireworks. There was music pouring from many speakers, and further down the river were stages with live music and performances.

Launching a lantern

At one point, I took a walk with my host-sister and her friends, threading our way through the people and through traffic, admiring all the food, fireworks, and festivities. The public buildings were decorated with strands of lights. The restaurants were over-flowing with people. While we were out, one of the friends bought a paper lantern, and I started to notice all the glowing lanterns people were launching into the sky.

Back at our picnic spot, children were attempting to launch lanterns, too. These lanterns were about half the size of a full-grown human, so the children were dwarfed. The adults were invested in this experience, too. As some lanterns caught fire before they launched or others caught a draft of wind then promptly dropped from the sky into the river, everyone offered their advice, their suggestions of the best method for success. When a lantern would float gently up in the air, the crowd would cheer. When it would dip, and start to fall, they’d gasp and urge it up, up, up. If it fell, the groans resounded. Everyone had the joy of little children, and it was beautiful.

Another lantern!

Side note: there were also children wandering around carrying balloons shaped like various animals, and I thought it was genius that instead of tying the balloon to the child’s wrist or making them hold tight, the balloon was simply tied to a full water bottle to weight it down.

There were these rocket firework sticks that shot sparks from the tip, in slow succession as you held it out. They were quite pretty. However, I loved them because they so much reminded me of the spells in Harry Potter that would shoot red or green sparks from the tip of the wand. And there you have it. Okay, I’m sure there’s a name, but I don’t know it, so from that point on the were Harry Potter firework sticks.

As midnight approached, I was quite tired, despite the copious amounts of coke I’d consumed. As I grew tired, I grew chilled, despite my jacket and blanket-like scarf. Eventually, I was tucked inside my host-father’s jacket, too, and I leaned back against the wall, content with life from within my three layers. It was peaceful and I was happy.

I spent most of that time in silence, but there was one especially sweet, sweet moment. There was a Canadian in the group, and I did not speak to him for most of the night. However, at one point my host-mother sat beside me and him beside her. He looked at her and complimented her fried shrimp cakes (as well he should, because those are the bomb)… and she looked at me, because this man was speaking English to her and she did not understand. I felt this warmth inside of me as I translated for her, and again, as she wanted to tell him they were all eaten, all gone. Then there was a moment of grand confusion, because he started talking about these mosquito net tents and how they’d be good to buy for a farm (he has one?) and would be better to rent than the karaoke business he already ran (honestly, I was lost by this topic transition), and I attempted to translate, because he was still talking to my host-mother, but it was not successful. Regardless, I just want to honor that moment, when my host-mother turned to me, silently asking me what this many was saying to her.

Fireworks!

At midnight, the crowd was standing, people were on the beach lighting the Harry Potter fireworks and some fireworks were exploding in the sky. Two confessions: One- I found this do-it-yourself celebration so much fun and engaging with the whole crowd standing, engaged in the lights display, more so than I’ve ever found passively sitting and watching a massive firework show. Two- I actually missed the turn of midnight. I was videoing my host father and some young men and their third attempt to launch a lantern when I saw the sky start to light up with sparks and fireworks, so I turned my camera towards the sky. Then, my host mother handed me a lit Harry Potter firework stick. It was after that I glanced at my watch and saw that it was 12:04a.

Midnight celebration

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Happy New Year, Readers! I hope you’ve been able to catch a glimpse of this beautiful life, despite that words really fail to express the experiences I have had. 

Peace to you and yours!

With love,

KMJ

Upcoming Attractions

Hi lovely Readers,

Even though this means I'm doubling up on posts, I wanted to take a moment to tell you about some of the posts that I have sitting in drafts.

Here are an assortment of topics:

• New Years' Eve
• Christmas
• Thanksgiving
• My host family
• Animals
• Identity and names
• Cambodian holidays
• Independence
• Khmer language

I've also been meaning to write about the organizations that I've been working for...

Well, if you have any questions related to those topics above that you would like to see answered, don't hesitate to contact me! I will attempt to answer your questions in the [eventual] blog post! I'm serious. Also, if you have other questions about life in Cambodia, again, don't hesitate to ask. I'll either turn the answers into a blog post (I will!) or I'll just respond to you personally.

With love,
Kyle

All the Small Things

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
- Winnie the Pooh

It's been a project of mine, since the New Year started, to really focus on the little things; to look for, to seek, to anticipate those small moments that swell my heart with joy, peace, contentment, or love. (Other emotional states are welcomed, as well.) This cultivates greater anticipation for each day.

These small moments bring a smile to my face and help me appreciate life anew. They remind me that the big moments or the grand gestures are garnish, mere excitement that is meaningless without the small moments that makes life profound.

 "Life...is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindness, and small obligations given habitually, are what win and preserve the heart and secure comfort."
- Sir Humphry Davy

It's riding home after dark on my bike, pedaling from the school in quiet companionship with a staff member. We exchange short phrases: "Dtou nah?" (Where are you going?) "Luan! Luan!" (Fast! Fast!) or simple desires "Knhom jang ni yay angkle jiamuay Teacher." (I want to speak English with you.)  "Knhom jang ni yay Khmer buntai plek piak teang a." (I want to speak Khmer but I forget all words.) It's full of smiles, laughter, and delight.

It's leaving the house and spending a couple minutes convincing the puppies that no, they can't go to work with me. It's learning to quickly shut the gate and, just as quickly, turning away from the accusing eyes. It's returning home to a sweet puppy face, wagging tail, and cuddles.

It's another bike ride home, but this time we hear "Hello teacher! Hello teacher!" as some students catch up to us. These girls proceed to drive their motos behind us, graciously lighting our path (illuminating the cavernous potholes) with their headlights. We continue, accompanied by their light and light-hearted laughter, until a chorus of "Goodbye! Goodbye!" arises, and we all part ways at the Durian roundabout.

It's in greetings. It's the smiles of the children who greet me when I arrive at the school. It's the quiet "Sus'dei" I receive from a woman at work. It's the women who recognize me at the store and say hello. It's the aunt, who brings me fruit, and wants to know how I am.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
- Leo Buscaglia

It's a teacher, who when my flashlight wouldn't work one night last week, drove alongside me while we chatted about life decisions until I reached home, ensuring a safely lit journey. This same teacher saw me fussing with the flashlight again this week, concerned. But noticing my companion waiting for me, she smiled delightedly, asking, "Pi neak?" (Two of you, together?)

It's seeing beautiful flowers on the way to work. It's seeing those same beautiful flowers on the way home, u-turning in the road, and stopping to admire them, because they were irresistible. It's taking a picture, for photographic evidence.

Gorgeous, right?

It's a moment, when my host-mother and host-sister are busy outside and a customer walks up to the store. I go to the window, "Dting tuk tom!" ([He wants] to buy a big water!) I didn't know the word for the giant 20L bottles of water. My host-mother told me the price, and I collected the money. She laughed, enjoying this, saying that I made my first sale. I walked around for several hours after that, thinking to myself, "I got to sell something!" It's the little things, I tell ya.

"We sometimes underestimate the influence of little things."
- Charles W Chesnutt

It's quiet time and contemplation. It's watching fish swim, admiring the flash of color. It's simple experiences that invite a moment of holiness.

"Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to accomplish something big, that we fail to notice the little things that give life its magic."
 - unattributed

I've always been a sucker for magic. 

Let it snow?

My host-sister saw this and so earnestly responded, 

"I want to build a snowman, but there's no snow!"

Apologies

Readers, be you friends, family, supporters, or interested persons,

I apologize for my absence.

All is well.

How are you?

I wanted to take a moment to let you all know that I am well. It's been a while since I've posted anything on this blog. I have a backlog of emails sitting in my inbox, and I'm starting the process of responding to them all.

As you may recall, I mentioned having some blog posts in drafts already- between now and the end of the year, I will try my hardest to edit and finish them, and yes, publish them for your viewing.

Meanwhile, here are two facts:

According to weather.com, it's 87 degrees outside and feels like 95 degrees. It also tells me that it's currently 30 degrees in Atlanta... I'll take 87 over 30 any day!

As for food, we eat rice as the main staple for almost every meal. I quite enjoy it, actually. However, here are the top three unexpected foods that I've eaten with rice:
3. Watermelon
2. Salad
1. Noodles

Cheers,
KMJ

Sit, enjoy yourself

As YAGM, under the auspices of the ELCA, we practice a mission model referred to as the model of accompaniment. Accompaniment means

“walking together in solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality”. 

Okay, but those are challenging words. At its heart, accompaniment is about reconciliation. We are a people called to be in relationship and created for community. How is this call articulated in this broken world, where the pronouns “us” and “them” have become normative? There is division, there is injustice, and there is exclusion and objectification of “the other”. In such a world, accompaniment is “a tool to see otherness as God intended: a gift”. It means not just speaking, but listening.

The holistic definition here, as I have come to understand it, is that accompaniment means being present in one's community, forming relationship, and just living in that intersection of my story, their story, and God's story. 

In three words, it's about "being, not doing". 

Now, there's more to say on this topic, and perhaps one day I can elucidate my thoughts further; however, accompaniment is just the framing for the subject matter of this post. So today, I leave you readers with that introduction, and move on. 

គុយលេង

"Koy leng" is a phrase I have heard every day since I moved to Kampot, Cambodia. "Koy leng" is a phrase that encompasses so much of Cambodian culture as I've experienced it. "Koy leng" is a phrase that has a deep, embedded significance.

"Koy leng" literally translated means "sit play". (Koy is short for the word angkoy, which means "to sit".)

"Koy leng," when spoken to you, can be understood as "sit, enjoy yourself".

On first observation, one can see that for Cambodians, sitting is a significant component of culture. Life is much-slower paced. There is a calmness intrinsic to life, where family members will just sit together, chatting or respecting silence. There is a familiarity, where a neighbor can walk up to the corner shop, and after making their purchase, pull up a red plastic chair and visit. There is a hospitality, where a visitor is welcomed, and immediately offered a chair upon which to rest. Family sits together. Friends sit together. Strangers sit together.

That is what "koy leng" means.

This sitting should never be interpreted as laziness, as passivity, or as a meaningless action.

To "sit, enjoy yourself" is intentional. When with someone, it's about intentional togetherness. When alone, it's about intentional relaxation and enjoyment of the moment.

A U.S. American equivalent for this action is visible in coffee dates with friends or a walk to the park and a rest among the shade.

"Sit, enjoy yourself" is a beautiful form of walking in accompaniment, of being not doing, which, in its essence, it truly is. It's a moment of silence. It's a moment of conversation.  It's companionship.

I can sit at the kitchen table and enjoy life with my host sister, as we smile over cute puppies, talk cultural differences, or eat snacks. I can sit in the shop with my host mother, watching our constant stream of visitors (customers), and sharing the moments. I can sit in the yard of a stranger, observing life in the village.

As I sit and enjoy myself, I cannot help but reflect on accompaniment, on building community, and creating relationship.

"Sit, enjoy yourself" is more than just a simple phrase. It's a way of life.

Love to you all. Take a moment to "koy leng" with your friend or your neighbor, share life together, and smile.

Peace,
KMJ

Instagram Roundup part 2

Greetings,

I have a list of a least 5 pending blog posts. I'm going to start it off with another Instagram Roundup, so you can see some of the lovely scenery I've been sharing on that social media medium.

Map of Cambodia

The CamFam departed for their placements on 12 September. I absolutely cannot believe that that was over a month ago!! Before we left, we placed stickies on a map of Cambodia to indicate our placement locations.

Cloudy morning at the riverside

This was originally captioned "Peaceful Saturday at the Riverside". One of my favorite activities here in Kampot is to ride my bike up and down the riverside. This photo is of one of the riverboats. Incidentally, a couple weeks later, I happened to take a sunset river cruise on this exact boat!

Sweetsop farm in the mountain foothills

Original caption: "The beauty of this country is overwhelming. It's omnipresent, found in the landscape and in the friendly, hospitable smiles of every person one meets. I'm in love. Also, I'm ever-grateful for the fact that a simple smile transcends every language barrier."

Secret Lake

Original caption: "This is Secret Lake, a place that I've come to refer to in my mind as where beauty rises from ashes. We sat here one day, waiting out rain, gazing over this beautiful, peaceful lake. Then I heard its tragic story. Secret Lake is man-made; it was dug out through forced labor during the Khmer Rouge occupation. Many people died in its creation. Yet, beauty triumphs. So tragic, yet so beautiful."

Bananas!

Original caption: "Practicing patience. To everything there is a season... These ចេក grow in my backyard! Khmer lesson 101: ចេក is pronounced "jake," and means banana."
My family has an orchard in their yard, practically. I love the fruit in Cambodia and have tried many new varieties... some of which I've yet to find the English translation of what I've eaten!

Sunset on the river!

 Original caption: "Same sun, new sunset, everyday"

Boats!

Original caption: "We casually stopped by this unofficial port to purchase some crabs for lunch. Crab = ក្តាម (kdam)"

Sunset

Edited caption: "You know there's a gorgeous sunset happening behind those clouds."..."Sunset = ថ្ងៃលិច (tnai lake)"

Lovely river

Original caption: "The river is gorgeous, what can I say? View of the river FROM the river. We took a riverboat sunset cruise... At night, the fireflies lit up the trees like Christmas lights. Khmer: firefly = អំពិលអំពែក (ahm-pell ahm-pike, where ahm rhymes with bomb)

Puppies!!!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm rather obsessed with dogs. One of my host dogs just had two puppies a week and a day ago. They are absolutely adorable. Also, I had the fascinating experience of watching one of them be born.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Kampot! More photos to come (once I take them), and more posts to come, as well.

Cheers,
KMJ

Thankfulness

Greetings!

As some of you know, I recently celebrated another successful revolution around our dear, light-giving sun. It was a quiet, pleasant day. 

Sometime during the afternoon, while I was sitting outside studying Khmer, my host sister looks at me and says, "Oh, you're eating dinner out with my father and I tonight." Oh, I am, am I? Then later it was a simple, "We go now." So off I go, riding on the back of Vandy's moto, with her friend driving alongside of us. After a detour, stopping at a quaint shop, we cross the railroad tracks and drive down the road to one of the omnipresent bamboo hut restaurants.  

A bamboo hut, similar to where we ate

Vandy, her friend, and I joined my host father and a co-worker who were already waiting. We ate a delicious dinner; they ordered for me, a Khmer crepe called បាញ់ឆែវ (banh chow), which happens to be one of my favorite Cambodian meals thus far. THEN they surprised me with a lovely cake. 

Matt, my country coordinator, asked how my day was, in just six words, so I said, "a quiet celebration with good cake."

Elephant Gift
ដំរី (damrei) means elephant

I am just constantly overwhelmed with thankfulness for this host family of mine. I'm thankful for their care and concern for my well-being, their provision, and my host'-mother's fabulous cooking skills. I'm thankful that they're one of the sweetest, open-heart families that I have ever had the privilege and pleasure of meeting. They have much to teach me of compassion, of generosity, of love...

Responsive art project
អរគុណ (a-koon) means "thank you"

Cheers, and love to all back home,
KMJ

Discernment

So. I wrote this poem back in April. I wrote it as I was waiting, sitting outside the room where momentarily I would be having my interview for the Cambodia country program.
----------------------------------------
It is
swirling thoughts
and drumming heart
with a thousand worries
and a thousand joys
in one brief moment
lifetimes long.
It is
groaning sighs
and whispered pleas
and falling onto battered knees.
Is it
rushing wind
or still small voice?
Listen.
Listen to the silence.
Find the calm within the storm.
----------------------------------------

Companionship

companionship (n):
          the good feeling that comes from being with someone else *

Yesterday before dinner, I walked to the riverside with my host mother. On our journey back, night had already fallen, so we walked under a blanket of darkness. We walked in silence. It was a comfortable silence, a peaceful silence, but it was a silence that waited to be broken. It was a silence that was holding its breath, opening its mouth to speak but not finding the words, and subsiding again.

I was out walking alongside this beautiful woman, one who holds my hand as we cross the street to ensure our togetherness, who points out "tuhk" (water) so that I don't walk through the mud, and who congenially performs charades to tell me the wind is chilly or that we were to go on this walk.

You see, my host mother does not speak English, and lamentably, I do not speak [intelligible] Khmer. So on this walk, we walked in silence, and we walked in peace. I eagerly await the moment when I can chat with her about my day, when this walk is filled with words and laughter.

But for yesterday, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of companionship and of comfort. I was comfortable walking alongside this woman, sharing this experience with her.

Yet, I was struck by how different our experience could be. While I was walking, I was thinking about how dark the street was, how nice the temperature was, how glad I was that we were together... in English. I was thinking in English. Perhaps my host mother was thinking about how dark the street was, how nice the temperature was, how glad she was that we were together... in Khmer. Perhaps those were not her thoughts, but perhaps she thought something similar. Regardless, my stream of consciousness was running in English while hers was running in Khmer. Our experiences would be described differently by our contrasting languages. The same, yet different. Intertwined, yet distinct.

It was a lovely moment, that walk, that shared experience. I felt that good feeling that comes from being with someone else.

While I walked, I thought about what I could say in Khmer to be understood, and I have a feeling that she was thinking the same thought, too. We lacked the words to acknowledge the moment.

So we smiled.


(*definition from Merriam-Webster online)

Biding Your Time

Hi all,

So I'm still settling into Kampot...  and still establishing a means of regular internet connection.

First things first, Cambodia is a beautiful country, filled with beautiful people. As I struggle with language acquisition, I am ever-grateful that a simple smile transcends any language barrier. Life has been wonderful; life has been challenging; life has had ups; life has had downs. I've had moments of humbling experiences. I've had moments of joy.

I anticipate the day when I begin to tell my story of my journey in Cambodia. For now, I'm still searching for the words, for the way to encapsulate my experience in a blog post, or a newsletter, or an email... For now, I'm witnessing life, and taking a few pictures along the way.

While I'm busy collecting my thoughts (and finding the opportunity to connect to the internet and publish said thoughts), I encourage you to read blog posts from my fellow YAGM in Cambodia, as well as the blog post by our country coordinators, Jen and Matt. You can find links to their blogs on the sidebar of my main page.

Amanda, Kurt, Rachel, and Savannah serve with Life with Dignity
Ashley, Lindsay, and Mallory serve with the Lutheran Church in Cambodia
Jen and Matt live in Phnom Penh


In future posts, I'll share more about these lovely individuals and the partner organizations OR perhaps I can get one or two to guest-post and tell you about it themselves! Meanwhile, please peruse their blogs.

I wish peace, blessings, and love to you all. When you smile today, remember it's more than a reflex or coordinated muscular movement; remember, and recognize, the power it holds to brighten someone's life and the power it has, especially when words fail.

Love,
KMJ

Instagram Roundup

Greetings, Readers/Followers/Supporters/Everyone Else!

Today is Day 17 (what!) of life in Cambodia. Orientation is drawing to a close... Tomorrow morning, I leave Phnom Penh for Kampot! Tomorrow, I leave for my placement. Tomorrow, I meet my host family.

Orientation has been a complete whirlwind. We've had conversations about logistics, fears and expectations, how to communicate our stories; we've taken trips to the markets, taken a Khmer cooking class, visited the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and Wat Phnom, and took audio tours at the genocide memorials; we've had Cambodian history lessons, church history discussions, and Khmer language lessons... It's been full, and it's been intense.

I'm still processing, so I haven't completed any blog posts or newsletter articles. Those are pending, but TBD when they'll be published. In the meantime, here is a roundup of photos that I've posted to Instagram. I've included modified captions for each of the photos, but this should give a glimpse of my Cambodian journey thus far.

Banana Flower Chicken

I had the joyful experience of an hour of anticipation waiting for our order of chicken seasoned with banana flower. When they say whole chicken, they mean whole chicken...

Lion statues can be seen all around Phnom Penh

We explored the Royal Palace and the "Silver Pagoda" (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), learning more about the rich history of Cambodia. The lion- symbolizing protection- stands guard outside the throne room of the King.

Tofu A Mok with Dessert

The CamFam took a Khmer cooking class! We took a trip to the market to learn more about the ingredients typical to Khmer cuisine, and then we made Green Mango Salad, A Mok (chicken, fish, or tofu), and Chek Ktis (a coconut cream, tapioca, and banana dessert). It was a delicious, educational experience.

Ice cream

Who would have thought that a "rainbow" paddle pop would have "toffee and butter caramel" flavor?? So confusing.

View from the balcony of Casa Bishquist
(our country coordinator's apartment)

"Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth." Hosea 6:3 ... I took a moment to be still and enjoy the cool, refreshing rain that swept through the city today. It reminded me of this verse (and LCM Atlanta).

A notes page of transliterated Khmer

Su'suh'dei! Khmer is a beautiful language. It is also unlike any language I have attempted to learn thus far, because I don't know the script, so I must attempt to write the words as they sound... A positive to this language is we don't have to conjugate verbs! My vocabulary is growing, but unless it's asking names, asking "what is this?", or ordering fried noodles, conversation doesn't get too far. At least there's room for growth...

Homecooked meals!

Cooking food with the CamFam has been one of my favorite activities during orientation. We've gone to market(s) to select our ingredients and brought them "home" to la Casa Bishquist, creating some stellar meals. The first meal was spaghetti with garlic toast and fresh spring rolls (the latter was lovingly given by a community partner). The second meal was a variation on a delicious Khmer Crepe we ate at a restaurant one day. The third was chicken kabobs with corn and watermelon. And the fourth was fried rice with chicken and fried egg (and Hoisin sauce). Definitely some fantastic bonding time while we braved shopping and new cooking experiences.

Genocide Memorials

I have a painful heart. (Warning: this Instagram synopsis does not do justice to the tragedy that occurred.) By 1975, Cambodia had already been suffering from a tumultuous period of civil war AND carpet bombing by the U.S... In 1975 the Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia, establishing a 4-year regime where the policies and atrocities resulted in genocide and the deaths of an estimated 30% of the population. We visited Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, and here are some photos of the memorials. (L) preserved remains of victims, (Top) Choeung Ek's Memorial Stupa, (Bottom) Fourteen Graves, on the grounds of Tuol Sleng

Friendly silk worm

I held a silk warm! We road a boat up the Mekong River to visit a Silk Village. We learn all about how silk is made, from butterfly to fabric. The women working the looms were so impressive with their dexterity and their memory for the patterns.

Rachel and Amanda

We celebrated September birthdays with some festive purple and green, coconut and lemon cake; that was such an experiment for the taste buds.

If you stuck with me through all those photos, I hope you enjoyed viewing them!

Cheers! -KMJ