Thanksgiving

UME Club in American Corner

Visitors from DC from a last month

As I’m sure you can imagine, holidays are pretty tough here.  I have been through one full year of missed holidays and am approaching a full two year cycle of missed holidays, and although it really stinks, there are ways to cope.  One way is to celebrate with fellow Americans who are missing the same holidays.  We tend to get together for the big ones (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and the 4^th of July- as Americans living abroad, this one has become a little more important).  For Thanksgiving last year, we had a dinner at a restaurant with the volunteers from our province and the three neighboring provinces.  It was rather small but fun.  Well, this year, we discovered that language training for the new volunteers was to be held in our province, Battambang.  The venue was Darlene’s school, which is across the street from our school.  We decided to take on the incredible task of cooking for all of the new volunteers (there are 45 of them), the volunteers from my group that live nearby (12 of us) and all the Peace Corps Staff (about 30 of them).  It quickly became all or nothing.  So we assembled a team of about 10 volunteers- Darlene and I leading the brigade, four volunteers who live in our province, Kara and Keiko from two nearby provinces, Darlene’s host sister and Darlene’s neighbor who studies at my school. 

Me and Chatriya

Pasta salad prep

peelin pumpkins

Brownie batter

Darlene, Nary, Chatriya and me

The turkeys in the oven

Kara and I makin pumpkin dessert

The feast!

The dinner was on Friday (the volunteers weren’t allowed to come in until Friday) and we started to cook on Thursday then had a Thanksgiving dinner of Khmer noodles.  We sat around, drank some beer and said what we are thankful for (more on this later).  I slept in on Friday (6:30 is the latest I can sleep anymore)  and called my family, who was celebrating at my aunt Sue’s house because it was still Thursday night in America.  I was able to talk to a lot of my family members.  It’s tough to talk to everyone celebrating together and I’m not there, but it made me realize that I made it through two Thanksgivings away from home and that I will be there for next year’s Thanksgiving.  After the phone call, we made coffee and I cooked pancakes for everyone.  We made a trip to the market and nearly cleaned the place out.  The menu consisted of- three turkeys, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, pasta salad, gravy, bread and a variety of desserts- brownies, cookies, apple crumble and pumpkin delight, a name we dubbed for stir fried pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Now, the problem is that we live in Cambodia.  I don’t have a fridge at my house, but Darlene has a small one.  The turkeys were sent up from Phnom Penh a week in advance, so we stored them at our favorite restaurant in town.  They refused to accept money from us when we offered it.  As for cooking, we spent a day and a half preparing.  We made some stuff the day before.  We also borrowed Darlene’s neighbor’s kitchen and her host family’s kitchen.  It wouldn’t have been possible without them.  We got about 40 pounds of potatoes, 20 pounds of sweet potatoes, about 7 pounds of green beans, 6 pumpkins, 5 pounds of pasta plus all of the vegetables we put in there.  We wiped the market out.  The woman who sold us the potatoes was really happy to sell us every potato she had.  Afdter much peeling, waiting for water to boil, stirring, mixing and sweating, we did it.  It was a little hectic getting all of the food from Darlene’s house to the school, but Peace Corps sent two trucks and we were able to serve dinner at 6:30. There was plenty of food and everyone was able to get their fair share of turkey and mashed potatoes.  The Khmer staff enjoyed the meal.  We had enough to give to the girls who study at the school and live on campus.  I was a really great chance to celebrate together as a group.  Some provinces had their own Thanksgiving dinners, but some don’t have enough people.  It was a blast to be together and the food turned out well, so it was a huge relief. 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for three reasons.  First, fall is my favorite season and I think it’s such a pretty time of year.  Second, the food is just so good.  And last, the meaning is so basic- let’s get together, have a good meal and think about what we are thankful for.  Even though this is something we should do everyday, it’s a great reminder for me to look at myself, where I am at in life and reflect of that.  Am I happy about where I am at right now?  If not, what can I do to fix this?  Where do I want to go?  Most importantly- how did I get here?  I made a list of things that I am thankful for, because I love lists.

1. My parents.  They raised us to be independent and although it must be difficult for them when we are away, their support and love is never wavering.  No one understands quite you like your parents.  I really appreciate all of their hard work and dedication to their value system.  I have learned many lessons from my parents, but the most important ones are about hard work and dedication, even when it isn’t fun and the results aren’t immediately visible. I think that I would have given up on a few tasks, but I think about the example they set throughout our lives, that giving up is the easiest thing that you can do.  It’s the hard work that brings results. I never thought about it before this experience, but I can finally understand many of the beliefs that I never understood before.
2. My siblings each offer a very different role to the Waldron Children Clan.  Katie is the pioneer.  She is the one who showed us, rather than told us, that there’s a big world out there, go see it.  She also taught me the significance of finding a professional passion and pursuing it.  Her journey to become a teacher was difficult, balancing work and school.  Her passion for teaching and her students is really inspiring and often think of her where I think that I can’t cut it as a teacher.  Teaching, in my opinion, is one of the most important jobs in America, and one of the most difficult.  She helps me to remember, as a teacher, why it is that I teach, because it’s easy to forget.  Her example throughout the years has really helped me grow.  The newest to the family, my brother in law, Matt, has really been a great addition and fits right in.  He has a great sense of humor and has really been a great source of support for me.  He can always answer technological questions and crack a one-liner about any one of us.  Although they have only been married for a few years, I have gotten to know him better, even during Peace Corps stint, the more I get to know him, the more I realize that he married not only my sister, but the rest of us, but he takes it like a champ.  I have never understood math and science, but just like my sisters, he is science minded and very practical.  I know that is a tough role for him because Maura and I tend to be tough critics, but the more I get to know him, the more I realize what a perfect match it is for he and my sister, but also for our family.   I don’t think that my brother could have chosen a better professional track because he has been a professor for a long time.  I am always amazed at his never ending quest for attaining knowledge, but moreover, using it.  I coasted through college and studied for the sake of a test or a paper, but Pat studies for the sake of the knowledge, then passing that along.  Although he is the smartest person I have ever known, he never speaks down to me, but rather urges me to think deeper.  I think that anyone can teach a subject if they know enough about it, but Pat will make his students want to learn.  Even from so far away, he has already discussed helping me write a book and always sends along little articles.  Maura is actually younger than I am, but is wise beyond her years.  She is probably the person that I look up to most in the world and is probably the most ethical person that I have ever met.  She never buys into what the crowd thinks is acceptable, but rather what is right.  Her moral code is airtight and never lets her guard down.  This transcends all areas of her life- her school work, her relationships and her extracurricular activities.  And by extracurricular, I mean health trips to Africa, presenting at medical events and volunteering.  Maura has always been interested in the rights of older people and although I joke around that she is a grandma already, she understands the importance of taking care of the aged.  It’s incredible to see her tenderness when talking to older people.  I’ve never met anyone who has sacrificed so much of the tempting and chosen the difficult. 
3. My extended family- My cousins, aunts and uncles. Aunts, uncles, and cousins in two continents, I have quite a large family, but I feel so lucky to know them so well.  I have always looked forward to family events, but even more so now.  They supported me as an athlete and now as a volunteer.  The letters, emails and packages mean so much to me because it’s so nice to get something from family.  Some people don’t really know their extended families and I think that is really unfortunate because they are really missing out.  I’m so glad to have them in my life and even if we don’t talk for a long time, it always seems to pick up right where we left off. 
4. My friends- I have been lucky enough to keep friends from my days as an Ascension charger, in high school, college and softball friends through the years.  Many of them have gone to great lengths to stay in contact and maintain a friendship.  If I named them, it would take a long time.  But I think they know who they are and I’m so grateful for them because I’m the one who decided to leave, but they take the time to stay in touch.  I also have a few good friends here that are fun to meet up with and talk about those Peace Corps things that no one back home understands. 
5. My host family- Many volunteers tell horror stories of host family invasion, perpetual illness and constant pressuring, but I have been lucky enough to find just about the best.  I have stayed healthy (knock on wood) and happy here.  They always think to include me and look out for me when I feel weird or out of place.  They make me happy every day.  I have learned so much about the universality of people.  Family is family- regardless of the past, they stay true to their family and take so much pride in their family.  I like to spend time with them and the more I am here, the more comfortable I feel. 
6. My job- Being a Peace Corps volunteer has been one of the most difficult things that I have ever done.  But I am so fortunate to be from a place that offers this service.  We also live in a time of war and there is no doubt in my mind now that spending time person to person goes a long way in the scope of international relations because when it comes down to it, we are all the same.  Regardless of religion, ethnicity, language and any other barrier that people focus on to create conflict instead of friendship.  Sounds really hippy-like, but I truly believe that people aren’t relative.  It’s funny how I came here to teach and have learned more in just over a year than I’d be able to teach in a lifetime. 
7. America- So lame and I get annoyed with over the top patriotism, but being from America has provided opportunities that I really have come to appreciate.  My education, the chance to play sports and clubs, my liberty to say what I’m saying, the chance to volunteer.
8. Technology- Emailing, facebooking and blogging are extremely pivotal in my happiness.  Talking to my family and friends, seeing pictures of everyone and remaining in the loop (somewhat) really helps me feel like I’m not totally cut off from the world.  I’ve met a few Peace Corps volunteers who served twenty years ago and they were saying how it’s so cushy for us because we have cell phones and internet.  But twenty years ago, no one had those things.  I will be very behind the times when I get back.  I just found out what an iPad was about 2 months ago and still don’t really understand what it is.  But in the meantime, I will continue to read the BBC online and Keiko’s left over Economists because I can’t watch the news unless I’m at a hotel.
9. My health- Some volunteers have gotten extremely sick while being here, and I’m glad that I’m not one of them, knock on wood.
10. Peace Corps- As you probably know already, I feel very strongly about the idea of international development.  I met many volunteers, but none of them can compare to Peace Corps.  I think that it is great what they are doing, but they are not what I want to do.  One of the most appealing aspects of Peace Crops is that it’s two years, all encompassing.  There is no escape.  And because of that escape, volunteers are productive and successful.  Without a host family, teaching position at a public high school and low salary, I probably wouldn’t be learning as much as I’m learning.  The main goals our Peace Corps mission are: 1. to teach English as a foreign language in high schools and teacher training centers; 2. to teach Khmer teachers techniques to improve their skills; 3. to teach Americans about Cambodia; 4. to teach Cambodians about America.  I think the last two are out of reach for volunteers that stay for a few months and live on their own.  There are some people who come to Cambodia and volunteer for the sake of volunteering.  They tend to have lofty ideas about projects that they want to do, not necessarily what the community needs and wants.  So, there tend to be many buildings, wells and other facilities that are vacant or unkempt because there is no interest on the part of the Cambodians and no one asked them how they felt.  This is lesson that I learned the hard way, but it has made me a more effective volunteer not for myself, but for Cambodians, which is why I’m here.  One volunteer saw this when she went to a poor community and determined after talking to people that there was no water.  Everything was dirty, they hardly had water to drink and cook with, so she asked around and everyone agreed that they needed wells.  While she was working on the proposal, she found out that an organization built 2 wells last year that cost $4,000 each.  She asked them why they don’t use the wells and the villagers said that they asked the organization to build the simple wells, because they knew that the water would be bad.  The organization never asked, built the wells and left.  They weren’t being used.  This volunteer provided the equipment, the community provided the labor and now they have two wells that are always used, for about $1,000 total.  Plain and simple, they wanted something, she listened and now their needs are met.  People just don’t listen sometimes because they think that they know better. 
11. My students- There are sometimes when I just don’t think that I am helping anyone, my students always give me a little sign that I can’t give up.  I don’t think that it has anything to do with me, except for the fact that I have invested a little time in them.  It’s incredible what a nudge in the right direction will lead to.  Their never ending quest to study really rubs off on me.  They tell me about what it’s like for them, not for sympathy, but more to help me understand.  They wake up around 5:00 in the morning and take care of their chores before biking for miles, studying for hours and forfeiting their lunches to take tests and study in private classes, then coming home at about 7:00 to relax for a little before dinner, homework, more chores and then bed.  Then repeat.  Everyday, except Sunday.  

Thanks to everyone who donated money to the hygiene station! The money will be here next week and then built in a few days! The health workshop will be next weekend.  I will post pictures! It means so much to the kids!!! Now that Darlene helped repair the pump, the hygiene station will be a great addition to the center! 

The children

Sothea, one of the students who will be trained to deliver the health workshop and monitor the station. 

This week, I decided to get coined, which is the Cambodian treatment for simple illness.  It is basically rubbing a coin with lotion on your skin to create bruises.  It's an attack on your system to speed up the recovery process.  Every Cambodian does it, even the babies.  So, I decided to do it when I got a cold brought on by the change in weather.  Here is the result....