oNe PhOtO a DaY aPrIl 2018

THE PROMPTS FOR THE MONTH

SUNDAY 1st ONE: Organising our new resources to teach the little monks today and I realised we have a lot of number manipulatives to help improve their recognition skills and enable them to create numbers up to 100. Number one is yellow and we now have 15 of them

MONDAY 2nd TWO: One fresh coconut prepared in two different styles - half shredded while we waited to be used for cakes, curries and sauces and half still in the shell to dry for snacks and trail mix. Making the most of local ingredients in Kep

TUESDAY 3rd THREE: simple ingredients make up my favourite tipple - Vodka, lime and soda, and this prompt was all the excuse I needed to indulge

WEDNESDAY 4th FOUR: Despite the diversity of dishes we regularly cook just about every one begins with these four basic ingredients

THURSDAY 5th A IS FOR: avocado! After seriously over indulging in avocados in Tanzania I thought I would never eat them again, but this perfect specimen brought me back from avocado intolerance this morning.

FRIDAY 6th B IS FOR: beach of course. Today was Kep Gardens School Beach Day and we spent the whole afternoon supervising kids in the water. Lots of squeals of delight, water fights,

laughter and ice cream

SATURDAY 7th C IS FOR: Cambodia. Spent all day waiting for my bike to be repaired so that’s it. Still feels like a privilege to live here and a delight to finally have a decent map of the country

SUNDAY 8th D IS FOR: Deco designs. The historic Art Deco Fish Market on the riverfront in Kampot, now completely restored and a swank seafood restaurant

MONDAY 9th E IS FOR: elephant’s eye.  Just over two weeks ago we visited Mondulkiri Province specifically to see the elephants. We spent a magical day walking among five of these gentle giants and feeding them copious quantities of bananas

TUESDAY 10th F IS FOR: fresh fruit from the market. I seem to be subconsciously supporting the Aussies at the Commonwealth Games with my green and gold choices today but who can resist bananas, limes, mangoes and avocados?

WEDNESDAY 11th G IS FOR: gecko. This is one is a tokay gecko and bigger than my hand span. He or she visits nightly and enjoys hanging out behind the fridge in the kitchen. Various smaller ones reside permanently indoors. You just have to accept that they are part of life in the tropics

THURSDAY 12th H IS FOR: hibiscus. This gorgeous one blooms prolifically in our front yard despite being only about half a metre tall. They really are the essence of summer

FRIDAY 13th I IS FOR: ice-coffee with ice cream. Made at home to avoid the plastic cups, lids and straws of the seaside vendors. Perfect for these hot humid conditions and an excellent way to celebrate Khmer New Year too

SATURDAY 14th J IS FOR: jetty pylons. All that remains of the old jetty at the crab market in Kep. It still looks lovely at sunset in my opinion

SUNDAY 15th K IS FOR: Kampuchea and the Khmer people and language but the ubiquitous kramer or scarf is seen daily and worn as sun protection and to keep warm. However it also has hundreds of other uses; a belt, a baby hammock, a turban, a carry bag, a sash, a beach towel...... to name but a few. As you can see I adore them and their versatility

MONDAY 16th L IS FOR: lotus. I love these flowers and they symbolise purity. May we all, like the lotus, have the ability to rise unsullied from the mud and bloom bringing joy and beauty into the world

TUESDAY 17th M IS FOR: monks with muffins. We start teaching these gorgeous little guys again next week so we went up to the monastery- ostensibly to repair the blackboard but also bearing muffins today. We so rarely see them before midday and their religious vows do not allow them to eat after then so I was finally able to make good on my promise to bake them muffins

WEDNESDAY 18th N IS FOR: numbers. We now have 4 sets of numbers like these to help our little monks work in pairs to recognize and write four digit numbers. I am thinking about our classes more and more now that the break is almost over

THURSDAY 19th O IS FOR: Outdoor outpatients clinic at the Kep Hospital where we took our little monks today for a checkup and treatment. It was an outing for them and a totally new and novel experience. I think Nit thought he was having an operation when the blood pressure cuff was put on him. All of them left with several packets of medication and I do hope this alleviates some of their itching and suffering

FRIDAY 20th P IS FOR: palm right on the beach and swaying in the breeze. Captured at twilight as we returned from swimming

SATURDAY 21st Q IS FOR: quiver, question, quail and quilt according to our teaching resources. Problem is I doubt our little monks will know any of these objects. At least they will enjoy colouring them. Just one page of the hundreds we have prepared for our classes and the only “Q” I could come up with today

SUNDAY 22nd R IS FOR: river-the Mekong actually and taken by Ian when we were out dolphin watching. I am feeling rested, relaxed and ready to resume the regular routine. Last day of the Khmer New Year Break today

MONDAY 23rd S IS FOR: school and students. The final school term began today at Kep Gardens and we are back volunteering

TUESDAY 24th T IS FOR: tuk-tuk transport to the hospital. Follow up visit for the little monks today and a noticeable improvement in their health. Sorry to lose our English lesson time but glad they are getting better

WEDNESDAY 25th U IS FOR: ungulate in the shade under a tree

THURSDAY 26th V IS FOR: VEGEMITE. Say no more

FRIDAY 27th W IS FOR: Words. This online game is called words with friends and I play it daily but only against two people, both of whom I know very well. Haven’t done much today as Ian is running a high fever and we have just returned from the local hospital, which we’ve seen a bit too much of lately

SATURDAY 28th X IS FOR: xerophyte and there are plenty to choose from in our garden. Ideally suited to the current weather conditions as we swelter through the hottest month of the year in Cambodia

SUNDAY 29th Y IS FOR: yellow yoghurt - a delicious fresh mango and aloe yoghurt smoothie for breakfast

MONDAY 30th Z IS FOR: Zucchini is one of those vegetables we don’t see very often so I took the opportunity to buy a couple when we made a flying visit to Kampot market this morning

The Little Monks Project

A series of serendipitous events led to us being invited to teach English to the little monks who reside in a monastery near a fishing village in Kep. We met Yary by chance in Phnom Penh and expressed a desire to volunteer teach since we have years of experience in that exact area. She not only listened and then discovered a “pagoda” in desperate need of her financial support but also remembered. It was immediately before Pchum Ben and we were promptly invited to the pagoda to meet the monks the following day. We agreed immediately without even being sure where the “pagoda” was, how many monks were involved or how old they were.

I admit to being both surprised and shocked the first time we went there. The term pagoda for me summons up towers of religious significance such as I have seen in Thailand, China and Japan. However we arrived at what could best be described as a collection of ramshackle huts and a large open area with tiled floor and a galvanized iron roof. The stickler in me refuses to refer to this as a pagoda unless giving directions to a local. It is in fact a monastery however. There is a collection of young monks, who seem to range from about 10 to 17 years old and they all live on site.

On the first occasion we saw it, Pchum Ben festivities were in progress.  There were buntings flying, flowers and food in abundance and all the available floor space was occupied by local Khmer families devotedly listening to the chanting, prayers and oration of the head monk, whom I believe is called an abbot.  I was embarrassed that at some point proceedings stopped so that we could be introduced to the abbot, who quickly announced to the crowd that we would teach English. Yary acted as translator and we soon realised that we had no common language with any of the monks or the abbot. As soon as the official ceremony was over the food and beverages supplied by the devoted followers were served to the monks and an incredible feast was set out before them as they sat on a raised dais. Devotees were also served and we politely declined and contemplated the enormity of what we had already agreed to do.

The space itself was alarmingly unlike any temple or monastery I had ever seen. Whilst there were statues of Buddha on the entrance path and at an altar there was no temple at all. Litter was scattered all over the premises and the gathering was creating more at an alarming rate.  An atmosphere of disorder pervaded the place and we quickly began to assess how to go about the task we had already agreed to. We set a start date for a month later in order to accumulate resources and prepare.

Our second visit to the monastery was via bike along the foreshore past the mangroves. We went simply to reassure ourselves that we could indeed relocate this place and that it was possible to commute there by bicycle. On arrival we were once again surprised to discover Yary there and this time drilling for water. The pressing problem being that there is no available water supply. This problem continues to this day. After three attempts to find a water supply and establish a well at different locations on the property, the task was abandoned. Instead Yary agreed to sponsor the construction of small bungalows for the monks to sleep in. She has also supplied food and milk and made other improvements to the premises but the water issue persists. A new ablutions block has been erected and more statues have been installed in the months that have elapsed but our concern has increasingly been for the health and welfare of the little monks.

With posters, flash cards, manipulatives and other resources sourced in Phnom Penh we began the daunting task of trying to teach English. We quickly discovered that they were keen and in desperate need of both guidance and supervision. Their enthusiasm fluctuates and their concentration wavers but there is nothing new there when it comes to teaching young children. Games and hands on activities usually inspire and engage them.

Although it is not ideal for us, we conduct classes in the afternoon as the mornings are occupied with religious commitments. At that time of day they are not allowed to eat and are often sleepy and distracted. We soon developed a routine, which has enabled them to learn to recite the alphabet, count and name simple objects and colours. They can recognise, write or copy letters and we are just beginning the process of teaching phonetics, which will hopefully enable them to learn to read, very reasonable progress in my opinion, for a mere three hours of instruction a week, over a four month period. Each lesson ends with about 30 minues of playtime, for which we supply puzzles, jump ropes, yoyos and balls. They are after all young boys, who need to play and exercise and they have nothing.

We have had a couple of friends visit us in Kep and they have requested to come with us to teach the monks. On both occasions we were quick to point out that it is not a zoo and they are not exhibits. Anyone who comes must pitch in and sit with them, encourage them and teach and guide them, bringing a small gift of milk or something would also be beneficial. All of those who have joined us felt compelled to offer something towards to continuation of this simple project.

It has not been without its frustrations. Of the original twelve monks with whom we started only six remain. The others are now at different monasteries or somewhere else. We cannot ascertain exactly when only the little monks can communicate with us and conversation is limited at best. The older monks, who are in their twenties and who attended at first no longer wish to or perhaps only did at first to observe us and contain the boys. Nonetheless lessons continue and the little ones remain committed to learning albeit with the usual distraction and inattention of young boys.

Some two months after we began our English classes a Khmer teacher was engaged and he too now teaches both monks and village children in the late afternoons. We have resisted including all but two very persistent village boys in our classes mostly because we already have a wide range of ages and abilities among the monks, but also due to the fact that they arrived after we had already begun and would have been too far behind to catch up. We are also unsure of the correct protocol to include girls with the monks and thought it best to avoid possible conflicts. They mostly attend village schools and therefore do have at least some access to education unlike the monks.

We are now contemplating starting a village girls’ class if another teaching space can be negotiated. As it is we teach under the roofed area and it is open on two sides and far from waterproof. With basics like an easel and homemade blackboard we get by and the boys certainly engage.

From the onset we noticed how grubby they were and that they often have scrapes, sores, scratches and skin issues. Maybe they are water related. How can they keep clean with little or no water on most days and very little guidance and supervision beyond their religious education? We are currently trying to remedy this situation and hope it will improve. Today’s visit to the local hospital for a checkup and hopefully a diagnosis may supply some answers.

With vows that prevent them from eating after midday it seems that they are almost always hungry. We occasionally see them in the downtown area of Kep on their alms walk in the mornings and like most locals cannot resist their adorable faces. I’m pretty sure we are the only ones who offer croissants and other delicacies from the French bakery but both food and money is regularly given. 

Although we took this on as a volunteer teaching situation, it has quickly become a lot more. We feel the need to supply basic hygiene products and guidance as well as being adults whom the boys can trust and relate to. Just two days ago when we went to repair the blackboard after a month long break from teaching over Khmer New Year, we were greeted so warmly and surrounded by little monks trying their best to show they remember. Pointing at colours and naming them, reciting the alphabet and repeatedly saying “24.” That is the date that classes will recommence. This confirms for me that they really want to learn. We have asked ourselves “Do they even want to learn English?” several times after leaving the monastery. Now I am convinced they do!

Yesterday Yary’s son Gerald talked to us about a project to build an actual temple on the site via fundraising and donations. The future really is looking brighter for these little monks.