Angkor What?

Angkor Wat.
A massive temple located near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Why did I come here? Fellow backpackers that have been there say it is the "bees knees!" A "must see!" etc.

This morning I woke up at an ungodly hour (4:30 AM) to see the Sunrise at Angkor Wat. I stood there in the dark, listening to Explosions in the Sky (music not actual explosions), anticipating the rising the sun. As the sky slowly lit up, I understood why so many had recommended that I extend my trip to include this wonder of the world.

But as I stood there, looking around at how many people had gathered behind me, I began wondering how I got here. Not to Angkor Wat, I remembered how I got there ($7 tuk-tuk, that's how). The question was really: how did I end up surrounded by tourists, at this tourist attraction (which is historically important, of course), taking pictures that many others before me have taken, and feeling generally apathetic towards it all.

I think it came down to the lack of originality and the fact that I wasn't really taking in the experience, I was just taking pictures.  I came to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat. I could have spent another week in Laos, easily and I feel like I need to be enjoying myself to prove that I didn't make the wrong choice in coming here. Originally I had planned to spend the entire day beginning at dawn exploring Angkor Wat but as the sun finished rising I realized that I couldn't force myself to enjoy an experience. I want to want to Angkor Wat, to choose to explore it and really enjoy my time there. Had I stayed all day today I think my memories of Angkor Wat would be much more jaded. So, since I have a three day pass, I've decided that when I feel like going to Angkor Wat I'm going to take a bicycle there and then, instead of doing what people tell me I should  do, I'm going to do what I feel like doing.

EEFA (Equal Education For All)

My orientation to EEFA went a little something like this: "Here is the book, the curriculum is up on the board, you make up a lesson plan. You teach at the primary school for 50 minutes Monday to Wednesday at 10:30 am then from 5pm-7pm Monday - Thursday at the evening classes." Ready? Go!

Day 1: Thrown into the Lions Den

Dear lord. The only thing more frightening than standing in front of 25 anxious 4th graders with nothing what-so-ever prepared is maybe... scratch that. There is NOTHING more frightening than standing in front of 25 anxious 4th graders with nothing what-so-ever prepared. Lesson of the day: Color (more specifically, "I See (insert name of color here)). So, what did I decide to do? Point at things. Yep. I spent 20 minutes pointing at colors and having the kids say "I see" and then the color that I was pointing at. What was going through my mind? "Okay 20 minutes down, 30 to go... what now?" Stroke of genius! "Everyone take out a piece of paper! (blank stares) Um... paper?" I point to a piece of lined paper, girl sitting in front says something in Laotian and they all take out a piece of paper, phew. I proceed to have them write the names of all the colors and then we draw pictures of objects that are that specific color. Or if you are a 9 year old boy, you take the crayon and do whatever the heck you want with it. Like draw a picture of a spider playing soccer. The best part of the morning class was the last 10 minutes in which we sang "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." So cute!

Boys at Primary School

Then the evening class. And I thought 50 minutes with 4th graders was hard. Try one hour with a bunch of rambunctious 5th grade boys followed by an hour (teaching a lesson that should really only take 30 minutes) with students ranging from 14 to 20 years old. Beginners class was learning about the past tense: Score! I've totally got this one! ... or not. I'm sure they came away with some understanding but the blank stares were not helpful. Alright the next class should be easier. Nope. How to teach the word "Enough" as in: Am I strong enough to lift this table? and Is there enough bread for everyone? Why are they different? In addition let's throw in some vocabulary... like lift and mechanic and secretary. Now what do those words mean? Seems easy right? Now teach it to 20 people who understand 60% of what you say. There was a lot of gesturing and over-simplifying but I got through it.

Level 2 (2nd hour)

Beginners

After it was over, I was probably the most exhausted I'd been in a very long time. But the feeling I  had after teaching and the response I received from my students after class "Thank you, teacher!" was enough to make the whole experience worth while.

Day 2 and 3 were fairly similar to the first day. The lessons were equally challenging and my class periods never really went exactly as I had planned them but they always seemed to finish on a relatively positive note.
Day 3 was my last day teaching at the primary school so I waved goodbye to my students and sang one last round of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" before I went back to the farm.

Primary School

Evening Classes

My final day teaching for the evening classes was a bit more difficult. With the primary school children I saw a different group everyday but the evening class students were the same for all four days. I was just beginning to get to know the students when I had to leave. It was a review day so luckily it was an easy lesson. After the first hour with the beginners I got a high five or a handshake from each of the students as we said goodbye. The second hour was also review and was probably the most engaging lesson I taught during my time there. Students were asking questions and I could tell they were really trying to learn what I was teaching. At then end I taught them what "What's up" means in the U.S. and we talked about how bad I was at speaking Laotian (really bad by the way, just awful). 

It was a great way to end my time volunteering and although I would have liked to spend another week getting to know the students and teaching, it is time to move on. So, south I go feeling all sorts of accomplished. 

I think this was exactly what I needed to get myself back in the right mind-set. My time traveling shouldn't be spent focusing on the negative (like how horrible I think the tubing industry in Vang Vieng is) but on  the positive experiences. 

I'm also leaving the farm with a new goal: WWOOFing. (I can do it in Uganda!)

A Quick Look at My Time in Vang Vieng

Today marks my last day of volunteer teaching for EEFA (Equal Education For All), my last day on the Organic Farm and my last day in Vang Vieng. Since I was without internet for the majority of my time volunteering, I will write a summary of some of my experiences and thoughts during teaching along with pictures in a later post (because I'm using a stupid internet cafe thing). It has been a truly incredible experience and I hope that I'm able to work in a school again. I finally feel a sense of accomplishment!

Teaching English to a group of children who don't understand 70% of what you're saying is a challenge. Thank gawd I'm fluent in gesticulation or else I'd be completely out of luck. I would also like to thank gawd for songs like " Mary had a little lamb" which turned out to be most helpful in teaching the past tense as well as "I'm a little Tea Pot" which helped in teaching the letter "P." You try teaching 25 hyper active 3rd graders who don't speak the same language as you an entire 50 minute lesson devoted to the letters "P" and "G" ... yeah, not that easy. Solution? "Let's sing a song!"

Speaking of the letter "G," I milked a goat. Yes, I finally overcame my fear of goats and I helped clean out their house, fed them and yes, milked one of them. I've decided that some goats are O.K. as long as they don't: jump on me, try to eat me, try to mount me, try to climb me, ram me, sneeze on me, or poo on me.

More to come later when I destroy the Trojan Horse that has invaded my laptop. Stupid technology.

First Impression of Laos

I can't quite put my finger on it but something here just seems a bit off. I don't know if I was just getting too comfortable in Thailand or if Luang Prabang is just a little too backpackery (it's a word I made up, if Sarah Palin can do it I can too). I also think my state of mind upon arrival has had a lot to do with how nonplussed I am about this place. I think if I would have made it off a bus or mini-van I wouldn't be so quick to compare it to a completely different country and a completely different set of experiences. I might be going through the same sort of thing I went through in Bangkok; I just need to give Luang Prabang a second chance and then move on. For the most part it seems like a much more laid back country than Thailand was. In this "booming metropolis" of Luang Prabang the pace still seems exponentially slower than Chiang Mai or Bangkok.

Of course to make myself feel better about the situation I bought a scarf (or three)! And then, oh happy day, Anna Kramer joined me after an entire day of travel from Hanoi to Vientiane to Luang Prabang. It was a joyous reunion. I can't express via blog how thrilled I am to have her here. It feels like I finally have someone to travel with who "gets it." Plus it's refreshing to talk with someone from home.

Three days later we decided to head to Vang Vieng and here we are using the slowest internet in the world. Soon I will be staying on a farm teaching local children English so I may not be updating this blog for a while. I promise to update it as soon as I can.

Leaving Thailand on the Slow(est) Boat (in the world!)

Have you ever thought to yourself: What on god's green earth possessed me to do such a thing? By the second day of the Slow Boat ride down the Mekong River. That's exactly what I was thinking. Don't know what a slow boat is? Basically it's a boat used primarily for cargo. Think Teeny Tiny Tug Boat and you're probably close. For some reason, back in the day when tourism was developing in S.E.Asia some genius said "I wonder how many foreigners we could trick into riding on one of these things" and from then on Thai and Laos slow boat drivers have been making a fortune.
The crew and driver were actually very nice (on the first day) and I have no hard feelings towards them, I will, however, being holding a lifelong grudge against the person who designed the most uncomfortable (not to mention unstable) bench on the face of the planet.
Other than the ass-numbingly slow ride down the Mekong, this was actually a fairly enjoyable trip.

This is a Slow Boat

This is what it looks like on the inside

Now, this was the first day. Look at all that SPACE! My, oh, my did we have it good. This was the second day: Imagine being tired, frustrated, cranky and above all riding on a bench that is about to break with a sore ass. And that was my day from 10 am to 6 pm. 

As negative as this post may sound there was, of course, some good to be found in it all.

In conclusion, boats are usually fun, unless you are tired and cranky. Then, hopefully, there is some beautiful scenery to keep you complacent. 

Loi Krathong (The Festival of Lanterns)

I made it back from Pai just in time to catch the famous Loi Krathong.

The festival occurs on the full moon in November (same day as the full moon party which happens down in the south). Everyone is supposed to have a lantern. The lanterns are made of this thin paper material and are attached to a small ring of wood (bamboo I think) and when lit, it creates this little hot air balloon/lantern that floats up. Each lantern is supposed to represent a wish that the person who releases the lantern makes to the Buddha. 

  After the Monks give their blessing they give an announcement telling everyone to light their lanterns, make a wish and then everyone standing in this large field lets their lanterns go. It looks a little something like this:

Or if you're in the middle of the field (which I was not) it would look something like this:

http://www.unseenthailand.org/

It was absolutely beautiful. The lanterns continued to go up into the air well into the night. Some were caught in trees and some just fell, but the majority floated away. Thousands of wishes ascending into the night sky.

Pai

I took a bus to Pai and instead of taking in my surroundings on my first day here, I fell asleep for 13 hours. Go me! But no worries, I rented a scooter on the second morning and set out for an adventure. Sort of. First off I had to teach myself to ride a scooter. On my first attempt down the street I ran into a street vendor. And it wasn't "ran into" as in "oh hey, ol' chum! How are things?" It was more like, "HOLY COW! Move out of the way! Batten down your hatches! Hold on to your sticks of meat!" and then thump. Don't worry no damage to anything but my ego. And of course I wore my helmet. Safety first, kids.

Motorbike/scooter

After half an hour of riding around I finally mastered the art of the turn and then it was off to the water falls! I saw two in a day and that was good. Too many people and not enough water fall.

Overall Pai is gorgeous. I made a few wrong turns and ended up in the old part of the city and the farming area. I almost hit a cow as well. He/She seemed completely unaware of my existence and just carried on crossing the road. But, back to the point, gorgeous countryside.

It's a charming place and I wish I had more time but I'll be back in Chiang Mai tomorrow and then onward to Laos!