Among what manner of people...

Not quite the twenty years that Ulysses was absent from his beloved Ithaca, I find myself on the cusp of a twenty-four hour flight that will set me once again on the sweet and foggy shores of Seattle. I have been too long away from my culture of comfort—yet, this day is the last.

Yesterday, Wednesday in Southeast Asia, I began the long process of packing, repacking, and shuffling those belongs that must make the journey with me. The power was out, of course, so as a grimy sweat began to show beneath my Sasquatchian arm hair I heard a faint knock upon my door. I quickly moved across the room and answered; it was Roat (the student I tutor).

“Hey, Roat,” I said.

“Cher, I wanted to make the thanks to you for teaching me individually this whole year.”

“Oh yeah, well—it was no problem,” I replied.

At this, he slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gift wrapped in bamboo. Grinning, I took the gift and opened a small silver ring-holder engraved with an image of Angkor Wat.

“Thank you Roat, this is amazing. I really appreciate it.”

“Cher, the thing is,” he began, “today is a very sad day for me. Oh, Cher,” he spread his arms wide, “please hug me.”

Obviously, as an American male, I was a bit discomfited by this offer, but what could I do—I hugged the little guy. He cried on my shoulder.

“Roat,” I said patting his back, “I will miss you friend.”

It was a difficult parting; a parting of a lifetime.

I closed the door.

I decided to postpone packing for a bit in my now melancholic mood, and instead picked up the last book I had hoped to read before departing, The Classical World. Before Andrea had left she decided to surprise me with hidden notes riddled throughout the books I had yet to read. So, as I picked up The Classical World, I opened to the chapter that held my secret note and pulled it out. Scrawled in the hand of my illiterate infant (Mommy’s hand over Regan’s) the note said: Dad, mommy misses you. Please come home soon.

There is so much I am leaving here in Cambodia; there is so much I am coming home to in America—what a beautiful and mysterious world in which we live.

I look forward to seeing you soon,

Ben

Missing the Shoolies meter: I watched an eleven second video that Andrea's sister sent me of Regan giggling forty-seven times yesterday.

The Final Push...

It's Sunday in Cambodia, and that means two things: one, the writing of this blog, and two, the start of my last week in Southeast Asia. I am little amazed that my time here has gone so fast, and that a year has come and gone. On Friday night, to commemorate my time at NPIC, the Korean staff took me and Bryant out to dinner. It was a crazy bunch of people kicking back sipping on green tea. They said some really nice things, we said some really nice things, and then we broke bread (well, actually, we broke the octopus soup—an Asian staple). Speaking of nutty foods, they also happened to mention that they regularly enjoy duck embryo, dog, and deer blood. According to the Koreans, these rare delicacies of the Asian world are not only anti-cancer, but slimming as well—bon appetite!

This weekend I hung around Phnom Penh for the last time. I was able to hit up the Russian Market for cheap goods, and get a much needed haircut totaling a dollar and fifty cents. It was a productive weekend. I am about to wrap things up here and make the hour long drive back to NPIC for what is sure to be the penultimate time. I’ll teach through Wednesday, pack on Thursday, and fly out late Friday night. It should be an eventful week.

Well, I miss you all and really looking forward to seeing some of you next weekend. Take care,

Ben

She eats!

Although I was not there as a direct witness, my sources tell me that Regan consumed solid food yesterday morning—oh, miracle of miracles, what a wonderful day. My sources also tell me that Regan then proceeded to urinate in the bed—oh, how sad I am to have missed the wetness.

In the sporting world: yesterday NPIC played an official soccer game against the Cambodian Department of Labor. It was an exciting game on a hot afternoon, but sadly they were obliterated by a much stronger side—maybe next year NPIC, maybe next year.

In other news: the semester is quickly winding down, and my students are readily preparing for their finals. Yesterday, after my IT class, Roat (the student I tutor) asked me if I could help him in the computer lab (which is rarely functioning) to look up American Masters Degree programs. It turns out there is a school very close to his relatives that he could attend to pursue further work in his academic area of interest, but he and I both were daunted by the overwhelming costs and red tape. It was a strange position to be in as a teacher as I wanted nothing more than to say, “If you believe, then you can achieve.” However, the reality of his situation is far more nuanced. While I was able to download and print all of the materials he needed to begin this process, it truly will be a miracle of all miracles if he ever makes it state side.

Well, that about wraps it up. I have a test to grade and some Korean red-sticky rice to eat, yum! The Liberal Arts Department head loves to cook for me and Bryant and regularly brings in Korean delicacies to please our platter. Today she brought in sticky rice.

“Enjoy,” she said, “maybe it will make for you a full lunch.”

“Yes,” I said smiling, “maybe it will.”

Alright, I miss you all and can’t wait to see you.

I’ll be headed back in nine short days. Take care,

Ben

Another Java Sunday...

Well, here I am, eating my Big Breakfast Combo Number One and writing my Sunday blog. It has been an eventful week: I taught, I tutored, I went out to dinner with the Korean staff at NPIC, and I talked to Andrea three times! Yeah! Today I am planning on updating the blog and shopping for groceries—it’s all pretty exciting.

This week I told my students the news that I would be leaving in two weeks and not be coming back; they were all a bit downtrodden. Yes, we have had a good year, but it’s time to move back home.

In tutoring this week, Roat, my student, brought a new friend of his to partake in the English tutoring. His little friend was a girl. I didn’t ask, but I wondered if there might be some summer magic in the air. Interesting fact: if there is some love fever going on, the Khmer kiss by sniffing, not touching lip to lip—yet another reminder that I am very far from home.

Anyway, this is a short update. I am doing well, finishing strong, and ardently looking forward to the journey home.

Take care,

Ben

Revenge of the ants...

This morning all I wanted for breakfast was my Frosted Flakes. I eagerly woke up, threw on a t-shirt, and walked over to the adjoining room (which is currently doubling as Bryant’s room, because his air-conditioning is out, and our kitchen). I opened up the ant cabinet—efficiently designed to keep the little buggers out—grabbed the blue box of deliciousness, opened it, and found an infestation of ants. Oh, the anger! Rage! This was not an acceptable way to welcome the day.

I quickly changed tactics though, fried an egg, and read a month old copy of The Atlantic—it would have to do.

Well, I have had a very busy week of teaching and grading. My students are chipper as always, and diligently studying for their chapter four test. The other day in class a very funny thing happened to me, however, due to the “G” rating of this blog I am hesitant to recount it in full. Basically, I have of late been breaking my classes up into groups and pitting them one against the other in vocabulary and grammar review games. It’s fun. The winner is dubbed the champion of the English universe and given all sorts of yummies (candy, Chuppa Chupps, Snickers, whatever). Yesterday I decided to branch out a bit and not only name the winner only the champion, but also the master of all things great and English. I won’t go into detail, but this led to a rather base question asked by one of my students referring to the second epitaph in my victor’s title. That is all I can say. It was funny; actually, awkward is probably the word for it.

In other news, we don’t have school on Thursday because it’s the Queen’s birthday. My students have no idea how old she is, but if I had to guess, I would say she’s pushing seventy. Way to go Queen! I hope you have a great day.

Anyway, I miss you all and can’t wait to see you.

Missing Andrea/Regan meter: the other day I wrote a song on my guitar called, “Missing Shoolies.”

The three Shoolies—we go together like spinal cords and car seats…

Well, what can I say? The internet and power were totally shut off all day at NPIC yesterday (Saturday—which means no students on campus), so I read a lot, played the guitar a bit, and ate some food. I also did some sit-ups and push-ups, but I don’t want to brag about it too much; I’m just trying to stay in shape for the American soccer season. What else? I am now sitting at Java (surprise) and it’s a hot muggy day. I woke up early this morning, shaved, dressed, and drove the old diesel all the way into town: it only died on me three times. I then dropped my chapter four and five tests off at the copier, headed to Java where I ordered the Big Breakfast Set #1, and Skyped Andrea. Yes, it’s been a productive day.

Tomorrow I start early with my Automotive class. They are always fifteen minutes late on Mondays, because, as they say, “Our real subject before this class Cher, so we must come late.” Awesome, what does that make English then, your fake subject? Yeah, I’m trying not to be hurt by it. So, after Auto, I have my IT class (my best class), and will have a good time reviewing for their upcoming test. If you’re reading this and thinking to yourself, “Sounds like a whole lotta fun,” then you’re in good company. It’s going to be a blast.

What else? Well, not much really. I am currently reading James Joyce’s Ulysses, it’s a whirlwind. Actually, it’s like wrestling an ancient Irish bear—the preface said, “Ulysses, an extremely difficult book to read, but well worth the effort.” To which I say, “If by extremely difficult you mean: I’ll have absolutely no idea what’s going on, then yes, I whole heartedly agree.” So, if any of you out there in blogland have any pointers feel free to let me in on your secrets.

Alright, not much else is going on. I’ll try to update the blog again when I get a chance, but who knows when that will be. Until then, have a great Sunday.

I look forward to seeing you soon,

Ben

Missing Andrea and Regan meter: I did all the dishes and sprayed for ants (again, Andrea will understand).

Barney Stinson...

Yesterday was Thursday, and you know what that means: tutor day! My student Roat (Row-aught) came over and studied the finer points of verb usage, followed by an intellectual stroll through his latest weekly essay. He is of an average height for a Cambodian, meaning, four-foot two-inches. He has dark curly hair, a wispy black mustache, and bronze skin. Last week it was awesome because he wanted to know how much I liked Michael Jackson. I couldn’t tell him the truth—he’s a huge fan; it would break his heart—so I said, “Oh, all Americans are huge fans. He’s like pop star number one; America’s musician extraordinaire. In fact, my Dad has a Michael Jackson autographed white glove he picked up on his trip to Neverland just last year.”

This week his essay question was: If you could change anything about your hometown what would you change and why? (I get the sample questions from a TEFOL book). Well, he understood hometown to mean Cambodia, and “what would you change” to mean systemic reconstruction—what can I say, the man has vision. He wrote: “When I am Prime Minister I will fix the Education System. I will pattern it after European systems. It will be the best Education System in Southeast Asia. When I do this there will be no more poverty and corruption, and Cambodia will never again repeat the living hell of the late seventies.” Dang! Roat isn’t messing around, so I did what any self-respecting teacher would do: I gave him my English Grammar Spark Note flash cards—study hard baby, cause you gots a whole lotta work to do. He was stoked. He stood up at the kitchen table, bowed, and shook my hand with both of his.

In other news, apparently Andrea and Regan (and Sophie too) made it home safely. I know this because they briefly turned the internet on yesterday at NPIC, and then, following a quick reading of my email, they turned the power off. One hour later when the power came back on, the internet was still off. I am writing this in Word with the hope that I can post it at some point in the near future.

I miss you all, and can’t wait to see you.

Ben

Missing wife/baby meter: today I made the bed (Andrea will understand).

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye...

Today is the day: Andrea, Regan, and her sister Sophie all leave for America. Yes, yes, I know; how sad, you say, that Ben will be left all alone for three and a half weeks in the simmering Cambodian heat. But, I say, rejoice (!) for Andrea and Regan will once again be among friends and family. The fearsome threesome is all packed and ready to board JET 5280 bound for Denver. Needless to say, it’s an exciting time for all; and what will Ben be doing while his right arm is in Denver? I’m glad you asked. He’ll continue his busy teaching schedule, trying to get his students up to Finals speed before he leaves; he’ll consume food, sleep, and use the restroom of course, but, and he’s most excited about this, he’ll get through the rest of his books—seventy-four books down, six to go!

~

Well, since the above a night and a day has passed, and I am now sitting at the Java Café in the heart of Phnom Penh. It’s not terribly hot, as a quite breeze is gently blowing through the balcony, but the humidity is high and my shirt is thoroughly pitted. The waitress here just approached me and asked where my baby was—we come here all the time and the waitresses regularly hold and play with Regan—and I had to tell her that Andrea and baby left at the last minute to head back to America for good. She was heartbroken. She loved Regan.

She said, “Oh, not so good. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

“Yes,” I responded, “not so good.”

This morning I woke up to find one of Regan’s blankets left behind, and I found myself doing the strangest thing: smelling it. Yes, Andrea and Regan, Cambodia will miss you.

Well, that’s all I have for now. I will try my best to keep an updated blog, but I fear the fates are against me. NPIC was going to put High Speed internet access in each of the teacher’s rooms, but they forgot about the American teachers and have since shut off the wireless access. It would seem that I am internetless (sp?) during the week then, but I will try my best to keep you faithful blog readers up-to-date on my exploits.
I hope to see you all soon,

Ben

The Latest...

Well, we will soon welcome my little sister Sophie to Cambodia. We are all very excited, especially Regan, she is dying to meet her aunt.  The weather is as humid as ever and we are battling the constant power outages which have been significantly worse this  month, but there is also a nice breeze in the air most days so it is okay.  The rains come in torrents daily now, but there is still a strange lack of water coming through our tap most days, and still our kitchen manages to flood on occasion too.  That is Cambodia, we are finally getting used to it. 

Ben has a soccer tournament next weekend which Sophie, Regan and I will eagerly cheer at despite the heat. There are always Khmer ladies who want to hold Regan and little kids who gather round to ogle at her light skin and blue eyes. They are sweet and they kiss on her, an allowance which I am hoping I won't regret.

We picked up some clothes we had made in the Russian Market today. They are beautiful.  I went to pick them up at 8am when they opened to avoid the heat, but it was already 34 degrees celsius, a balmy 93 degrees.  What really makes it feel suffocating though is that the air doesn't circulate.  The market is made up of corrugated tin and big tarps, so the sun just bakes everything.  They told me at the heat of the day it gets to about 47 degrees (about 117 degrees), they just sit at their sewing machines and work away, smiling all the way.  We got two pairs of pants for Ben, two for me, and two dresses for me made all for $31.00.  I went to one of the more pricey places too.  We also went to have some leather shoes made and each pair costs about $15.00.  The work they do is absolutely amazing.  

We had Ben's Internet Technology class over this week to play Pictionary.  They devoured our snacks and really got into it.  Each student took their turn kissing Regan and wiping her drool.  The child really will have incredible immunity.  All the students were so nice, it was great to be able to have them over and share a fun afternoon with them. 

We few, we happy few...

A year has come and gone, and seemingly overnight, we find ourselves on the brink of departure. In a few short weeks, Andrea will fly back to the States with Regan and Sister Sophie in tow, while I finish out the school year in Cambodia. The time is apt for reflection: it seems like only yesterday that we arrived in California for our entry level training, and soon thereafter landed in Hanoi for our licensing in TEFOL. The month in Hanoi flew by, but not without myriad opportunities to see the sights: Ha Long Bay, John McCain’s flight suit, Ho Chi Min’s tomb. We came, we saw, we then flew to Phnom Penh. We arrived on a hot August day greeted by Mr. Cho the foreign affairs liaison of NPIC. We piled our luggage into his Four Runner, dumped our gear at our transitional apartment, and later sweated through a Chinese lunch with him as he spoke of the many luxuries of NPIC. The moto-bikes shocked us, the humidity overwhelmed us, and the desire for a good burger was insatiable, but it was home—for better or worse.

The names and faces of the lives we have brushed up against will fade over time, but, for the moment, are vividly seared into our minds. There is Alex, our one time French roommate, who taught me the game of soccer and the value of a good baguette; Mr. Sivoun our English department chair whose quite voice, humble presence, and command of the English language handled all our university frustrations with grace and concern; Roat, a student I tutor, who just yesterday brought us a gift of minted sticks to share with Regan; and Allie, a young woman from Tennessee who is mired in the system struggling to adopt and care for an unwanted five week old Cambodian baby. There are more, but these few form a beautiful and relational mosaic of the vibrant lives that have touched us since living in Cambodia.

In January we flew to Chiang Mai to await the birth of Regan. It seemed an age that we were holed up at the Juniper Tree, but eventually she was birthed after thirty hours of labor. She suffered through an early infection frightening her new and naïve parents. She recovered however, and slept the two hour plane ride back to Phnom Penh on March first. In the wee hours of the night when she usually awakens and begins to cry, one of us will muster what little energy we have and take Regan outside on our NPIC balcony. Snuggled warmly against her daddy or mommy, one of us will walk her back and forth, back and forth, in the dampened heat underneath the starry night sky. From this vantage point, our dorm room’s third-story balcony, our eyes look out over the undeveloped countryside. There are no buildings, no roads, no sounds; only space. The rice paddies stretch out endlessly mingled with Cambodian oases bursting forth cool pools and lush palm trees. It’s a fleeting picture neither Andrea nor I will ever see again. And while the scene is exotically mysterious at night illumined by a pale moon, Regan loves the breezy warmth and quickly falls back into an infant’s fitful sleep.

The Khmer New Year came and quickly passed. April is the hottest month, and so given the time off from school, we traveled to New Zealand for a belated autumn. Three weeks passed quickly thanks to the hospitality of old friends, and soon we found ourselves once again making the trip on the potholed road from the airport to NPIC. The second semester has started, and this is where we find ourselves: teaching twelve credit hours a week, tutoring students, and developing relationships as we can. It has been a year of new experiences and growth; hardships and joy; incredible frustrations and new life. We are profoundly honored and humbled that you have chosen to share this journey with us.

We look forward to seeing you soon,

Benjamin John, Andrea Natasha, and Regan Elise

Beach Retreat

We have just returned from a few days at the beach with our teammates.  It was a nice getaway and we had a cute little room by the swimming pool, so we were able to sit poolside while Regan slept.  Unfortunately it was not all fun and games, we woke up the first morning and poor little Regan was covered with mosquito bites. She was wearing long sleeves and pants to bed but her face was left vulnerable. She had five bites on her head and face and one right on her eyelid, which was swollen shut by the end of the day.  She is better today, but the Cambodian lifestyle is taking a toll on her.  I have a picture of upload to my computer and then I will share her pain with you all. We love to hear from you, keep the emails and notes coming, we are on the home stretch. 

A&B&R

Happy Birthday to you, unnamed Cambodian monarch…

Yes, that’s right; it’s that time of year again: when all the little Cambodian boys and girls don their best celebratory garb and prance about in the masks of dragons in homage to their wonderful king (I made that up). Simply put, it’s the King’s birthday! And what does that mean for your favorite Cambodian dwellers? Holiday!!! I know it’s hard to believe that we are heading into another holiday break, but all of our students have gone back to their “homeland,” as they so aptly put it, and we ourselves are headed down to Sihanoukville for an ELIC team retreat. It should be a nice getaway from the big city; a time for our team to reconnect; and a time for me (Ben) to win some Settlers of Catan.  

On the NPIC front, we have started class—well, started class is a bit of a stretch. I should say we have been assigned classes, met with some students, and watched as a whole bunch of other students skipped their first two classes, because, after all, “next week is the King’s birthday.” We also watched as the rice farmers behind our dormitory planted this year’s coming harvest through the mounting heat and humidity. Now, Andrea told me to write something about the heat, but she also told me not to stretch the truth, so, seriously, it’s like 147 degrees outside with like 200 percent humidity; in a word, Hades. This, of course, makes sleeping through the night difficult, since we consistently have a nightly four-to-seven hour power outage that cuts off our air conditioner. All in all though, NPIC has been great. Why, just last week, Andrea, Regan, and I went out to Neo Suki with our Korean counterparts to eat some Asian fondue (boiled squid, octopus, and fish balls—yum!). We had a great conversation with Mr. Cho, NPIC’s foreign affairs liaison, about how the clothes of South Koreans are never dirty or tattered—amazing!

Oh, also, Regan and I are beginning the first steps down that long road called verbal communication. Our typical banter might go something like this: “Ohh, ahh,” Regan would say in her best high pitched voice; to which I would reply, “boo, eah,” my voice cracking in the upper register. This playful back and forth would usually go on for about three or four minutes before Regan, starting to cry, would be in dire need of a cuddle. Also, her poops are getting pretty crazy—whoa, watch out! It’s pretty neat. Regan’s really digs her First Focus book too; and who wouldn’t, it’s a book with nothing but pictures of cats, cows, and tractors—sweet!

Not that we are counting down or anything, but the day of our arrival on the beautiful and fertile soils of America is only about seven weeks away. Sophie, Andrea’s sister, will be coming to visit us the last week of our time in Cambodia, and both of us are really looking forward to seeing her in Phnom Penh.

As Garrison Keillor would put, “That’s the news from Lake Wobegon.”

I hope all is well with you,

Ben

pictures!!!

I was finally able to put pictures on the blog today. I have no idea why I was not able before but I thought I should add a few since the internet was being nice. We are in the city this weekend which could be part of the solution. It was a long week. The power and water are apparently worst of all in May. I thought April was going to be the worst, but for some reason no. We have had long periods of power outages this week and no water a few times. We just do our best not to move too much when that happens. Since Regan is still so little that is okay. We strip her down and put her in a hammock that we tied over the beds. She really loves it, she is such a Khmer baby.

Regan Elise Peters

Schooling in Cambodia...

Today I stood on our balcony and watched the kids who attend school at the Wat down the road walking home for lunch.  Everyday at 11am a stream of kids between the ages of 4 and maybe 14 head home for lunch.  Those lucky few with a bike whiz past the poor majority who have to walk down the hot dusty road.  I watched a boy, most likely 10 or 11 following a girl who zig-zagged away from him down the road.  She held her notebook up to block whichever side of her face the boy raced to.  He was taunting her in some way, and although I couldn’t understand what he said, she was clearly not happy about it.  I wished there was something I could yell that would get him to leave her alone, but there was not.  It dawned on me, after all this time here, feeling like I was in such a different world, that people face mostly the same stuff no matter where they are.  Middle school is a hard age for anyone, and we are always faced with standing up for ourselves and what we believe in, or tucking our tails and running, this little girl was trying so hard to be brave and ignore the boy.  Life sometimes doesn't feel that different here. 

Happy BIrthday Regan!

Regan was three months old yesterday. I would include a super cute picture of her if the internet would allow but it unfortunately will not. This is the second time I have tried posting today, the first one was much longer and more detailed but the internet is really getting me down so this is all I am going to attempt this round.
Missing you all...

bath time on the terrace

I have posted pictures of bath time outside our room on facebook and here as well (i think), but i really wanted to catch our bath time yesterday cause it was especially cute.  Ben and I were outside bathing Regan and she was a little fussy. Her crying must have called a few students to us, cause before we knew it there were Khmer hands in the bathtub with her rubbing her little hands. This particular female student who came over usually comes around and it was really cute cause she remembered Regan's name and was trying to calm her down with soothing words and small splashes.  It was really sweet and it was good to know she felt comfortable enough with us to do that. 

The students here love Regan. Walking to the office this morning it was like we had a child covered in gold or something.  There are a bunch of new students around campus today since the new semester is starting and they loved her. They were cooing and smiling trying to get a response from her cute little face.  It makes us quite popular to have a baby in this country. Even the Koreans yesterday were passing her around like she was good luck. It is pretty cute and it is a huge contrast to the Kiwi's reaction to a baby. They hardly noticed she was alive with the exception of a very few.  It will be interesting to see what it is like in the States after all this. 

no pictures today, the internet will not allow it. i have tried four times. maybe next time, sorry.

home again home again, jiggity jig...

Well, we are home. Cambodia is home. We had a long journey getting here, but it was worth the wonders we got to experience in New Zealand. 24 hours of travel with a 3 month old is not the easiest thing to do, but she was a champ. We arrived in Cambodia at 9 am on Saturday and we looking forward to taking a good long nap. However, before we walked in the door we were greeted by Korean neighbors who let us know that our place had flooded in our absence. If you have been keeping up with our blog at all you would now that this is ironic since water is usually something we lack, certainly we have never had a surplus, but Cambodia is crazy that way, always throwing you a curve ball. So we had a few hours of cleaning to do before we could even set the baby down.  It was a long day. 

It is hot here, about 105 degrees yesterday. No surprise there, but the rains have come early this year and today is actually not bad at all. 

We have a few more months to go, but more on that later. Time is of the essence with the internet here and I want to add pictures. 

A Sunday in NZed

Today we went to church with Amy and Blair. It was so nice to be in a group of fellow believers and to enjoy worship and community. We were able to put Regan in the nursery for a while too which was a nice break. We are still very much enjoying our time in New Zealand. Today we had to wear multiple layers and Regan is wearing long underwear for the first time in her little life. We are enjoying walking in the crisp weather and seeing autumn. We are also praying about our return to Cambodia and all that will entail. If you could do the same we would appreciate it.

Regan's trip to Zland

A note on news in Cambodia

I am not sure how much we shared in the past about the atrocities that have taken place in Cambodia in recent years, but if you know nothing about it, it is worth taking some time to Wikipedia the whole thing. You could look up Pol Pot or the Khmer Rouge. It was basically a huge annihilation of Cambodian people by their own. It took place between 1975 and 1979.

This was significant in why we chose this place to come and teach, but it is also significant to my post today. Many of the people we have met here are lawyers with the tribunal that is just now taking place. We were supposed to go to the trials starting last Monday for one man named Duch. He ran a genocide prison called S-21 which you can visit in Phnom Pehn.

His address to the courtroom and the jury was in the newspaper recently and I decided to include snipets here...
"Making good on a pledge to account for his past, the former director of Pol Pot's uppermost secret prison addressed his judges and the nation Tuesday both to acecpt responsibility for the killings of the Khmer Rouge regime and express remorse to his victims. 'I believe in general that at this time peopel regard me as a coward and an inhuman person. I would like to accept this with honesty and respect,' Duch told the court. 'In my position as head of S-21, I dared not think about any possibility beyond following orders from superiors, although I knew that enforcing the orders would lead to the end of thousands of people's lives. I attest under the law to all the murders in S-21, espeically to the torture and carnage.' "

Although he admits to the crimes he is accused of, his lawyers are trying to get him off the hook since he is the only one who is being tried currently and he was not the head of operations throughout the country. His defense lawyer says he was only one of 200 prison directors and he was not the deadliest, as at least one other man was responsible for as many as 150,000 deaths at another prison camp.

This approach is one reason the Cambodian people do not take the trials too seriously. The people we have talked to consider them to be mainly for show, and mostly ineffective. The coverage of the trials can be found on CNN in the States, but it is also constantly in the papers here. The Prime Minister, Hun Sen, declared Tuesday that he was opposed to further prosecutions of former Khmer Rouge leaders becuase he feared they would prompt a return to civil war. He also said that he hopes the UN backed court would run out of money so that the Cambodian judicial system can take over and speed up the exsisting cases. Hun Sen has connections with the Khmer Rouge party in his past, perhaps this is why he wants the UN to back off. This is from another article in the same newspaper, hopefully the irony is not lost on any of you reading this.

and the truth shall set you free...

So, i am not able to enjoy our latest adventure becuase I have not posted in so long. This time it is purely my fault, we have internet access and we have time, we are just lazy. We have had a really hard time deciding how to approach this actually, we are in new zealand. That is the long and short of it. We had some help paying for the tickets, we are staying with a friend of mine from when I went to school here, Amy Steven and her husband Blair, and we are able to use their car. We felt guilty for some reason, or like people would not understand us traveling like this. We are blessed beyond belief, that is all there is to it. This journey and escape from the heat is healing to my heart and soul and so I have to share it with you all. I will post pictures when we get back to amy's house. We are touring around the south island right now. Blair and Amy are incredible tour guides and gracious hosts. It is so nice not to have to worry about Regan being too hot, or the ants eating her up. We have two more weeks here and we are loving it. Thank you for those of you that read this and have been missing our posts. We will do better.

We are just loving being a family and seeing the beautiful scenery before us. Ben is struggling to understand Amy and Blair's accent, but we are working on that and he is learning a lot of new vocabulary. Look forward to another post, and pictures in two days. We would love to touch base on Skype as well since we have a reliable connection.

love and miss you all,
andrea

One more thing...

Ben is sitting next to me holding Regan and three of the wait staff at this cafe we frequent are surrounding him.  They are telling him all sorts of different Cambodian beliefs about children. The first is that if a little girl looks like her dad then it is believed she will be rich and have a high position in life.  A little boy should look like his mother for the same to be true. This would explain why everyone we meet here says she looks like her dad, I am not sure you can really tell, but it is nice of them. 

The other thing they mentioned has to do with her hand sucking. She likes to stick the whole thing in her mouth.  According to the Khmer this means she loves everyone. If she were to suck only her thumb then it would mean she loves only her daddy. The wait staff then proceeded to pass her all around so we could be on the internet. The other customers were holding her, and all the waiters and waitresses. They most likely think I am neglecting her to be on the internet and not doting upon her like everyone else. 

bath time in cambodia...

a long time gone...

Hello there, it has been a long time, I know this and I am sorry. I have tried numerous times to post and the internet has not been cooperative. I think my computer is about to die on me too, which does not help. We never forget that there are people who wonder what we are doing and who are waiting for pictures of Regan. I promise we have been trying.  The heat in April reaches a new high, and therefore the power outages seem to be more frequent, the water shuts off more often, and the internet is rarely functioning.

Our friends, Kiara and Andrew just left. It was great having them.  It was much needed fellowship for our starved souls.  This week ben proctored his final exams and once graded they will be returned and we will be on break for most of the month.  At this time students go home to their families and celebrate for weeks on end. Cambodians know how to do holidays, there are 30 holidays on the calendar for which they take off work, and that doesn’t even count this incredibly long celebration month.  We have mentioned before that we have tried to learn about the traditions of this celebration, and we are not finding it very easy.  Ben has asked students, I have asked friends of ours in the city, and no one seems to be able to explain to us what kinds of games the people play.  We will just have to catch some in action in the next few weeks.

Regan’s adventures in Cambodia continue.  She is quite the conversation starter.  We were at a birthday party last week and a Khmer girl who was about 25 came up to me and wanted to talk all about the fact that she was pregnant.  Her boyfriend, who apparently was English, was not present, but she said he was very excited. She wanted to talk about morning sickness, and her feelings about being pregnant, which were mixed.  Regan seems to like the heat still and sleeping under the mosquito net.  She is quite a good baby. 

We will continue to try to keep you updated. Hope all is well on your side of the ocean.

We wanted to publish an update while we have a good internet connection.  Ben reserved a nice hotel for my birthday this weekend so we have enjoyed ant-free living for a few days, which includes a bathtub (a highlight for me and Regan), tv, a swimming pool, a lovely breakfast, and nice air conditioning, as well as a sweet internet connection.  A bonus perk: constant power and reliable water supply.  It was a great birthday weekend and it was quite relaxing.  Husbands: take note.

Ben also played in a soccer game this weekend.  This is newsworthy because his team played a really good team and they tied.  It was epic really, a tie of 1-1 for his team is an accomplishment against this particular opponent.  He will most likely be sore all week since he has been off the field for a few months now due to our travels in Thailand, but I think it was worth it to him.  He came home beaming.  

We will welcome our dear friends Kiara and Andrew this week.  Their visit is bringing us great joy and anticipation.  We were talking this weekend, and I think the thing we miss most about the states is our amazing fellowship.  We miss the friends and family that we know we are beyond blessed to have.  I am trying not to count down, but lets say it is somewhere near 121 days until we get to see the good ole Rocky Mountains again and all your beautiful faces.

Shooley Love

Cuteness of the shoolipotamus

Regan's first train ride

Regan's first plane flight

Fellow babies that were born in Thailand during our stay...

She loves her daddy

NPIC all over again...

Well, we made it! We are finally back at NPIC and settled into our dorm life once again. Our students were really excited to see us and to meet Regan for the first time. Although Regan is average sized for an American baby, our Cambodian students think she is a monster. To compare: one of our Khmer friends had a baby two months before we did, and he is just now getting to the weight that Regan was born at! So, yes, Regan is rather large for a Southeast Asian. And, speaking of our child, she has a bit of cold, so I have been amusing myself with that little infant snot sucker as of late—who knew something like that could be so much fun?
In other news, it’s hot. I mean, really, really hot. Our students tell us that it only gets worse, but we really can’t wrap our brains around a weather that’s hotter than what we are currently experiencing. As if to mock us, what was once viewed from our third story dorm room as a lush and fertile rice paddy during the rainy season is now nothing more than a destitute and dusty dirt bowl. It has been an interesting process to watch as the paddy behind our campus turned from a vibrant green, to a harvested landscape, to a cow pasture, and, finally, to a meager and barren backdrop; needless to say, we are looking forward to July’s rain.
The Khmer New Year (or Chaul Chnam Thmey in Khmer) is right around the corner however, and will provide us with a nice two week break from the heat. It is much like our Christmas break back in the States, so teachers and students alike will be given a short vacation to escape from the heat. We still don’t know where we will be traveling, but our hope is that it is much cooler than NPIC.
I asked my students about the New Year and how they celebrated it, to which they responded, “Cher [a term of affection (I hope) that is short for teacher], we play games.”
“Awesome,” I said, “what kind of games.”
“New Year games.”
“And those would be what?”
“Yes, New Year games.”
“Hmm,” I pondered how best to phrase it, “but what are the games…how do you play them?”
They all looked around the classroom, as if one of them would have the right answer to my difficult questions, “No understand cher. The games you ask about are New Year games.”
“Yes, but…never mind; have a good weekend.”
So, I did some research (Wikipedia) on my own: The Khmer New Year is broken up into three days. Moha Songkran is the name of the first day of the New Year celebration. People dress up, light candles, and burn incense sticks at shrines, and for good luck people wash their faces with holy water in the morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they go to bed.
Wanabat is the name of the second day where people are supposed to focus on giving charity to the less fortunate, and attend a ceremony to their ancestors at the local Wat (Temple).
Tanai Lieang Saka is the name of the third day. The Khmer will travel, once again, to their local Wat where they will cleanse the Buddha statues and Elders with perfumed water—this brings longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in life.
This is not all however, to my surprise; there are seven different Khmer New Year games that Cambodians play throughout the New Year holiday. I won’t bore you with the details now, but next week in my IT class the students will be teaching me one of their favorite games. I will tell you all about it in my next blog; I am sure it will be a splendid experience.
Until next time, we miss and love you all,
Benjamin and Andrea

Passports, Grandparents, and the Beach...

Well, it’s been quite awhile since we last updated our blog, and for that we apologize. We are excited to inform you however, that Regan’s passport has come through! It was our last day in Chiang Mai; we were headed to the airport to meet Andrea’s father in Bangkok when we called the American Consulate and found out that the passport was ready—you can imagine our enthusiasm when finally holding the long awaited birth certificate and passport. Shortly thereafter, we found ourselves at the airport awaiting our flight to Bangkok when Regan began to poop, pee, and scream thus filling the terminal with rather odious sounds and smells. Ah yes, baby’s first flight. Overall, however, she performed splendidly well minus her terminal exploits. She slept the whole way to Bangkok (an hour long flight), and then met her grandpa (Andrea’s dad) for the first time (Andrea’s mother was already with us in Chiang Mai). We are now spending five days south of Bangkok in Hua-Hin at a nice little beach resort where, consequently, Regan experienced her first swim in a real life big girl’s pool. She’s a regular Michael Phelps (well, without the marijuana). Needless to say, we are having a great time with Andrea’s parents at the beach, but are also looking forward to our Sunday flight back to Phnom Penh and the start of classes again on Monday morning. As always, we thank you all for your support and thoughts…we could never do this without you—our community.

Ben and Andrea

good news, bad news...

Good news: Regan’s bellybutton fell off! Hurrah!

Bad news: No passport yet. Boo!

So, you guessed it, we are still at the Juniper Tree.

There’s really not a whole lot else to update.

Regan is astonishingly cute.

Notice her pacifier. 

Once again the Juniper Tree...

Out of the hospital we are, and living at the Juniper Tree until passport we can acquire.

Regan so dear, our child newborn, is her emancipation enjoying.

A simple picture of happiness shared: three shoolies in our abode so quietly snuggling.

For your support and supplications greatly we give thanks; to your charity, likewise, may we aspire.

Yeah!!!!!

Good news tonight...Regan's test is clear and all is well in the Peters' family.  We still have to finish the treatment we started but then we can go home! It is amazing how fast things can turn around emotionally and physically. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.  Our next need is a speedy passport process! We are wanting to get out of here!

If you want to check out some great photos of our little one go to this website, they can even be downloaded and used if you so desire, which you might, cause she is the cutest baby ever!

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/vandenn/page2/)

so sorry to 

keep you waiting. i know it is agonizing. the time flies by here between visitors and emotional bouts of tears and frustration it seems the time is in fact moving more rapidly than i thought, which is such a good thing. today is a good day. regan was able to stay in our room again after having to be in the nursery for the previous 48 hours.  she has regained all her birth weight and is thriving.

  for those of you picturing a sickly baby, please know that is not the case, she looks great and besides the little paddle on her hand holding her iv in place you would not know anything was wrong.  the doctor is very cheerful and seems to think she is well. she has not had a fever since the initial spike of a few degrees on her third morning of life.  really things seem anticlimactic, and now that she is able to stay with us i am feeling much more emotionally stable. 

thank you a million billion times over for your prayers. we are not out of the woods yet, and i am hoping my optimism is not crushed when we hear back today about the results from the culture of the fluid taken from her spine a few days ago.  that will let us know the severity of the infection and the hope is that she is only going to have to finish the initial 7 day treatment.  

your thoughts and prayers have been felt, i assure you.

Update...

Well, we received our first test back—the one that screens for meningitis—and it came back negative, so obviously, that’s great news. We’re still waiting on a seventy-two hour test result that will tell us if she has sepsis or not, which they can treat, but it will prolong her treatment for an additional seven days. In other words, depending on the sepsis screening we could be here for fourteen days rather than the originally planned seven.

We have already started the IV sessions—twice a day for one hour each—and Regan seems to be handling those well. She is vibrant, feeding, and very much alive with all the energy of a newborn.

We will do our best to keep you informed and update on any information as we receive it, and, as the blog seems the best way to disseminate, we will regularly be posting.

Love,
Ben and Andrea

Oh the sickness...

Our little shoolipotamus has a wee infection: group b strep. We thought that we would be going home today, but unfortunately we’ll have to stick around the RAM (that’s the hospital’s abbreviation) for another week. During this time Regan will be on an intravenous diet of delicious antibodies.

Please, let me stress it: PLEASE, do not be alarmed. This is a common experience, and the doctors at the RAM are the best in Southeast Asia; they caught it early, and they will treat it effectively. As Bobby McFerrin so eloquently put it in the 80's, “Don’t worry, be happy.”

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers; we will do our best to keep you posted and up-to-date on any developments.

Ben and Andrea

I just want to snuggle...

An hour and a half old...

All three shoolies at minute five...

Regan: two minutes old...

Andrea, Ben, and Nurse Connie going into hour twelve...

Mount Veshoolius!!!

Regan Elise Peters is here among us. She is a wonderful eight pounds and twenty-one inches. The labor was roughly twenty-nine hours, but Andrea was a champion throughout the entire process. We apologize for the spotty blog reports, but, per the usual, the internet at the hospital is not all that it was promised to be; however, the doctors and nurses are great, so don’t fret.

I will do my best [Ben] to upload pictures as soon as I can, so be on the look out. We miss you all, love you all, and thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.

Ben and Andrea