How I contribute to the project

Maybe some of you are wondering what exactly do I do at Coconut Water Monday to Friday. Well, here is how I am contributing to the project:

I work 8 to 5. Almost every day I teach one or two hours of English --to the school children and/or to the Coconut Water staff. This means that quite a  good bit of my working day I spend planning lessons, looking for suitable handouts, making up games for the kids, and so on. I found out that most of the times it's just easier and quicker to create my own, since the activities need to be adapted to their different language levels and, more specifically, to their culture. It seems that localisation chases me everywhere I go (wink, wink to my work colleagues).

Teaching English at the local school

When I teach at the local school, I always go with one of the social educators, since most of the times it's not feasible to deliver the lesson in English only. Especially when learning new grammar, children normally need a brief explanation in their native language. Although they love games, children can be shy, as they are not used to expressing feelings as much as Westerners do, or to represent scenes using body language.

All in all, classes are fun... and with the adults are even funnier! :) With them, I focus on pronunciation and more complex grammar structures, and content is targeted at their own jobs and responsibilities.

English lesson with the staff

Every day I assist with communication and editorial tasks, which range from drafting short to medium articles for the English version of our website to posting on our Facebook fan page about recent activities and upcoming events. I also help the staff whenever they need me to correct their writing. In general, I gladly take on any writing tasks for which nobody else has the time, like the bi-monthly newsletter -I couldn't help but adopt it.

At the office with the social educators

Last but not least, I also lend a hand with ad hoc tasks as needed. We often visit schools and families in the so-called support visits. We are in the process of revamping our fair-trade shop, and I recently changed the design of our billboard to better publicise our restaurant: we got rid of the old-school menu to focus on the social component of the project. Judge by yourselves! I can already tell you that we are getting more attention from customers.

I know --brekkie is misspelled, but already corrected

Documenting the Bloco Malagasy vs Coconut Water match

It is also worth-noting that about 15% of my working day goes to patiently overcome bad internet connections and sluggish, overheated computers, including my own -which, to add insult to injury, has the Windows interface in Russian.

The Coconut family having lunch together

Siem Riep, where the Wonder of the World meets Pub Street

Last bank holiday weekend we visited the world famous, ancient city of Angkor. Angkor -which literally means "the Great City"- was built over the years by successive Khmer emperors -or better said, by their back-bent, enslaved subjects. The main monuments date from the 12th century, and they have lost their former religious role to serve a much more mundane yet lucrative purpose: they are a true cash cow, with one-day tickets priced at 20 USD (12.50 for the locals, which is a small fortune). 

The thousand faces of Bayon (actually, they depict the deified emperor; not Buddha itself)

Hello from my window!

Panoramic view of Angkor Thom

The historic site is huge and there is a fair distance between the temples so it's necessary to rent a motorbike or hire a tuk-tuk. Different in size and importance, each temple is a true piece of art, strong but delicate, and although they might all seem pretty similar at first sight, each of them has an original beauty. I like them all, but if I had to choose maybe I'd go for Bakan (the big central pram in Angkor Wat). Its breath-taking panoramic views and the tranquillity it inspires despite the visiting crowds are just priceless. I can imagine how back in the day it was a perfect place for monks to pursue the Buddha's path.

Beautifully ornamented door and lintel 

Nature vs mankind: Ta Prohm temple has been literally eaten by the trees

Yet the awe-inspiring temple complex is somewhat marred by buzzing Siem Riep: a modern, artificial settlement that serves as both sleeping hub and party town. Despite the noise and the drunken youth walking up and down in Pub Street, the Night Market is kind of nice and you can still get a good bargain and sample the local delicatessens. Oh, don't leave without trying the "fried" ice-cream --a Chinese-style ice-cream made right before your eyes on a freezing plank, then cut out in rolls. If you're wondering where is the "fried" part, well... that's just a fancy addition; there's no frying involved. 

Freshly made ice-cream

Snack at the bus station. I think I'll stick to grilled rat

And... at the Night Market in Siem Riep we bumped into the Bloco Malagasy! The Bloco Malagasy is an all-female batucada band formed by beneficiaries of the Coconut Water project in Madagascar. The girls are trained in Afro-Brazilian percussion with a double purpose: as a way of safe, healthy entertainment and to build up a skill they can use in the future. The Bloco's next stop will be... Battambang! Of course, we will be there to give them the warmest welcome. Don't miss the video I posted on Facebook! (There you will find more pics from Angkor as I'm sure you're dying to see them.

At the Night Market with the Bloco Malagasy

Curiosities

Today I'm bringing you a series of random pics about things that just happened or drew my attention for one reason or another. Enjoy!

Since I never crave chocolate in hot weather, my addiction has been replaced by a healthier choice. I have to buy one of these every day!

Coconut water: delicious and nutritious!

Let me introduce you to Battambang's surprisingly elegant rubbish bins. They usually fill up fast, so trash keeps on piling up on the streets anyway.

A giant cooking pot of a rubbish bin

Some things are the same all over the world. In the remote Cambodian countryside, the girls are reminded that they are just not pretty enough as they are. The national female obsession is a pale skin (actually, it's hard as hell to find skin moisturiser without whitening chemicals).

Khmer women's interest magazine

Battambang is quite easy to navigate. Especially when the streets are so clearly signalled, and even broken down into fractions.

And there is also Street number 2.5

In one of our visits to poor families in the countryside, I was horrified to see this woman's mouth covered in a bloody red substance, as if someone had punched her. Then I learnt that it was just betel. It is customary for old women to chew betel nut just for the crack. They do it non-stop, hence the bloody mouth.

Old lady from the countryside

I've written before about the local alcoholic beverage, but what I didn't know is that it has an evil twin: you will need some spelling skills not to order an "Anchor" instead of an "Angkor". Not sure which one would taste worse...

The Bat-Cave show

Finally, I managed to visit the Battambang Museum. I woke up earlier today to go before work -earlier by Western standards. Here the day starts at around 5pm. Although small, the museum has a good collection of sandstone lintels from the 10-11th centuries, lavishly decorated with reliefs of apsaras (heavenly dancers) and nagas (the guarding snake). There are also several fine Buddha heads and statues of Hindu deities. 

However, the most interesting part is the room dedicated to the Cambodian genocide. A series of panels explain how the people were forced to relocate from the capital and other major cities to their hometowns or to the countryside, and the brutal treatment that the Pol Pot army dispensed to them. From forced labour to torture, not to mention the systematic killing of intellectuals and people with higher education... or glasses, for the matter. Although there are no artefacts from the period, just written information, the real stories from real people are vivid and more valuable than a thousand ancient statuettes.

But, although we are not under the rule of the Khmer Rouge, one wonders how much has really changed when you see this sign on the road very fifty metres:

Even though Cambodia is a democracy now, this is pretty much the only party 

After a relatively quiet morning at the office, I had lunch at the HOC café. HOC, which stands for "Hope Of Children", is a local NGO that provides shelter to orphan children while teaching them life skills and a profession so that they can become self-sufficient. I was lured into the place because of the food, since I was told it was top-notch. And it is.The Japanese-run café is spacious, neat and tastefully decorated, apart from offering a great chance to skip the Khmer staples for a change and sample some real Japanese dishes -a rare gem in Battambang. I had the most delicious iced matcha tea, and tomorrow I will be coming back for a coffee frappe. The pictures on the walls were painted by one of the cooks -a child of the orphanage himself. If you want to learn more about the HOC project, you can find more on their website. They have volunteer opportunities (wink, wink).

The HOC orphanage

When we were back from English class, Thearout kindly offered to take me to Phom Sampeau to the bat show I went to see -but missed- last week. This is how it works: the crowd gathers at the foot of the cave and when the sun goes down -at 6.15 approximately- millions of bats dart out of their lair in a massive swarm. This natural curiosity is not to be missed... and if you are a bit late you might even still catch them as it goes on for a good twenty minutes!

The swarm on their nightly expedition to get dinner 

Say a little prayer for you

This weekend I played the tourist quite a lot, starting on Saturday with a solitary walk around the around town with a stop at the cobbler's, as it's the second pair of shoes that I break in fifteen days. Now, what I used to regard as dusty old houses in Streets 1 and 2 have gained a new status as elegant French colonial workshop-houses. I discovered a small Chinese temple -still in use- and took a sneak peek into the old cinema, its roof blown away by Pol Pot's army back in the day. Oddly enough, although the temples are quite stunning, they seem to be quietly ignored by locals and travel guides alike -and even used as pubs by the poor families that live in the pagoda site- and the small local museum seems to never be open. 

The Sangker river

Thai-style temple from the 19th century

The way back home was a bit of an ordeal, as many streets and bridges were closed due to the famous Angelina film. I don't know how, but I ended up at the film set, where a crowd of Cambodian men, women and children melted under their parasols waiting from the stage managers orders. After watching for a while, I bumped into this other temple below:

Angkor-type temple

On Sunday, Eva, Juanjo, Kosal, Bulang and I went to the Banan temple, about 30 km from Battambang. This Angkorian style compound dates from the 11th century and it's strategically located at the top of a 400 m high mountain. The structure is almost intact but, like so many other Khmer ruins, it has fallen victim of massive looting. There's still a very cute Buddhist shrine inside the central pram, where we all said a little prayer Buddhist style with our burning incense sticks.

Juanjo, one more lion, guarding the Banan temple

After a painful climb up 300 steps under the implacable 38º C heat, we were rewarded with a stunning bird's-eye view of the winding Sangker river amidst sugar palm trees, rice fields and small country villages. To the south there is a crocodile-shaped mountain range that it is said to be home to even more temples.

Painful 300 steps

The temple has its dark story too as it was used by the Khmer Rouge for their skirmishes. Today, ten-year old children wait upstairs for the wrecked visitors to fan them and offer their services as photographers. Obviously, they do it to eventually get a tip from those pitiful tourists -maybe they are even sent there by their own parents so that they contribute to the household economy. But how sad it is to see a ten-year old in rags fanning our sweaty white faces, just like little slaves.

Local fanning girl with great English

After praying, the sticks are poked into a holder where they burn out

After the temple, Juanjo, Kosal and I decided to make a stop at the swimming pool. Here, in most hotels and resorts it is possible to use the swimming pool if you order a drink at the pool bar. We went to a resort-type of place at the side of the road called Au Cabaret Vert. Despite the somewhat inconvenient location, it is a lovely place with a Bohemian air and lots of character -their ice coffee is rather terrible though. Which didn't come as a big surprise anyway, as coffee here is terrible in general. At the moment they have an exhibition from New York artist Karen Hartmann, who has been living in Battambang for four years now painting its surroundings and people. A really nice, down-to-earth lady who even presented us with some self-made spa salt. Oh, and Kosal had her very first swimming lesson!

Friday in images

Today is Friday, end of my first working week. Since I'm pretty knackered -not because I've done a lot, but because here it takes a really long time to do anything, I will let the images speak: this is a visual walk through my day. Enjoy!

Lights, camera... action!

I have to explain a bit here: As it happens, Brangelina are in town shooting a movie based on the book First they killed my father, by the Cambodian author Loung Ung. The story portrays the horrific killings carried out by the Khmer Rouge in the seventies. I didn't spot the famous couple, but my fellow volunteer Juanjo has been chosen as an extra. Ten hours a day under the blazing sun for 25 USD. Still, how cool is that?

Streets closed because of the filming

At the office with my colleagues

Seyha, Vanna and Thearout are social educators at Coconut Water

Visit to a local school (or "the praising of the water filter") 

Mother teachers often have to take their babies with them

Work day interrupted by noise Chinese New Year parade

Actually, the Chinese New Year was meant to be over on Wednesday, but these guys didn't get it. Battambang has some population of Chinese origin and that's why the Chinese New Year is celebrated.

Best excuse to take a break from your chores

Visiting a typical Cambodian country house

People actually sleep on the wooden board, with only a carpet as mattress

Bye-bye office! See you on Monday!

The Coconut Water headquarters, restaurant and fair-trade shop

Everything is yummy, especially when you don't cook it yourself

Traditional Khmer soup with veggies, egg and pork balls

The after-class snack

As part of the work I'm doing for the NGO, today I taught my very first English lesson at one of the local Primary schools. At first it felt a bit intimidating, especially for someone like me without teaching experience. But in general the students behave well and pay attention, so showing some confidence and having a smile on your face is usually enough. The Cambodian education programme already includes English, but Coconut Water offers after-class lessons as additional support. Normally, we have twenty students, between seven and nine years old. They know quite a lot of vocabulary, but usually have trouble forming sentences, even simple ones. Maybe they are still too young, or maybe it's the methodology teacher's use here.

Students complete a handout. Vanna, on the background, is a social educator at Coconut Water

Two visitors joined us for a day during an English class -a couple from the Basque country travelling around South-East Asia who bumped into Coconut Water headquarters while walking around Battambang. They were taking photos and videos of the class and interviewed us for the website they have set up to tell the world about their adventures. It's really encouraging to meet such nice people with such an interest in projects like ours... and they help us spread the word, of course.

On the way back to town, we stopped at the side of the road to sample one of the most curious staples of the Cambodian cuisine: grilled country rat. It is not uncommon to find improvised barbecues displaying rats and mice for bike drivers to take quick bite along the way. It was actually really good -tastes a bit like rabbit (they are all rodents at the end of the day, right?).  These little beasts scout the rice paddies feasting on the grain, so it's no wonder that eating them has become a local tradition. Yummy!

And now the anecdote of the day -apart from somehow having lost my debit card, with is actually not that funny: one of the inconveniences of wanting to live Cambodian style is that we don't have hot water at home. So, unfortunately, cold showers have become part of our day to day. Now, talking about how washing my hair with cold water was for me the worst torture ever, I was told that in Cambodia it is common to go to the hairdresser just to wash your hair. So I thought it would be worth a dollar to give it a go and have my hair washed with hot water. Well, I didn't get any hot water, but I did get a thirty minute head and neck massage as part of the washing ritual -highly recommended! Well, it somewhat made up for the lack of hot water.

First day at school

On our first day of work, we visited a school near Battambang. Thearout, one of the Coconut Water social educators, gave a workshop on agriculture and pesticides. The Cambodian legislation on the use of toxic substances in agriculture is pretty lax, and many children -especially those from poor backgrounds-, have to help their families in the fields. This means that they need to be familiar with the different Hazmat labels, be able to identify the symptoms of poisoning, and know what to do to prevent it.

Theraout, one of the social educators, teaching the workshop on toxic substances

Coconut Water also gives Khmer, English and Maths classes in a number of primary schools in the area. The aim is to provide extra lessons to children who are falling behind or need additional support. Below you can see how Seyha, another educator, improvised an outdoor classroom.

See Seyha in action!

First impressions

Who ordered chicken?

My discovery of Battambang and Cambodian people and their culture has started.

On Saturday morning we went to the local market to get some basic supplies. The market, located in the heart of the city, made me think about how markets surely looked in the Western world a couple of decades ago. The stalls, crammed in beside one another, sold anything from fresh crab to flip-flops. Nostrils were filled with the stench of meat and fish sweating under the blazing sun, flies swarming around. Overall, food is expensive in Cambodia. You would expect meat and fish to be (the latter being sold salted most of the time as it's the only way of preserving it under the hot temperatures), but also local fruit and veg are quite pricey. I don't know how the locals get by.

Actually, when you order noodles with pork in an average Cambodian eatery, you only get a few tiny pieces of meat scattered over a heap of noodles. Also, the portions are rather small, but this is due to the Cambodian habit of eating more than three meals a day.

 Life here is rather slow, but locals add a bit of speed by moving around by motorbike. It's usually too hot to cycle and cars are expensive, so the motorbike is handy as can be. There are shops selling and repairing them everywhere, and it's quite normal to see a family of four riding the same vehicle... without helmets. The road safety laws have recently changed and now driving without a helmet or having more than two people on a bike is not allowed anymore. However, it will take a couple of fines for the citizenship to comply with the new legislation.

In the afternoon we visited Battambang airport. This small airport built in colonial times doesn't operate flights anymore, but it has been re-purposed as a football pitch. Besides, it has become a true favourite for hanging out. It is frequent to see young locals taking selfies for their Facebook profiles after enjoying a glass of sugar cane juice -never tried anything sweeter!

Waiting for our death-by-sugar beverages

In the evening, the Coconut Water staff was invited to a "party" in the pool area of a fancy hotel. And I say "party" because there was no music or even a good crowd: it came down to a bunch of us just chatting away, without any frills other than some warm Angkor beer -yikes! Thank god it was free.

I had the chance to chat with some Cambodians and observe them. My first impression is that they are a friendly bunch, perhaps more open and assertive than their Thai neighbours. The way they socialise resembles the way children interact, which is an adorable thing. For instance, parties as we know them and going out are not that common in this part of the world and when they are not at work, people are usually at home. So, for them, sitting at the improvised table of a street food wheel barrow having a laugh with some buddies is their definition of fun. Women normally don't drink alcohol in public, although they might have a beer or two at home. Friendship is also very different: Cambodians do not usually have much physical contact and they don't tend to share intimate thoughts or experiences with their friends. Needless to say, the boyfriend-girlfriend relationships are also totally other. Sometimes they are even limited to phone conversations with their beloved, and maybe a walk along the river bank if the lovers live in the same city. Of course, living together before getting married is an absolute no-no.

Motorbikes everywhere!

The "party" was followed by a light dinner and right after the meal almost all the females headed home. 9 or 10pm is late for Cambodian standards, and certainly not a good time for women to be out and about. But Eva, Juanjo and I were determined to make the most of our Saturday night. Only Bulan, a young lad who works as a chef at the Coconut Water restaurant, joined us to the Sky club. The club was rather odd. The facilities were quite amazing, including a parking area for motorbikes, but the music and the ambiance were just bizarre: Asian electronic themes interrupted every now and then by cheesy Cambodian love songs. It was funny to see how the young crowd on the dance floor rapidly shifted from a robotic bouncing to a slow dance, holding their partner carefully like teenagers at the prom. An interesting experience. But probably the first and last time I hit a Cambodian club.

Unrelated pic of myself in a nearby pagoda.
(I don't have any of the nightclub, but I know you love temples)

Sunday was the first day of the Chinese New Year three-day celebrations. I,  ignorant westerner, woke up expecting fireworks, lanterns and dragons crawling the streets. Instead, I got kids playing with firecrackers at 5am, closed shops and museums, and the least festive environment you can possibly imagine. Apparently, Cambodians keep the hype out of the streets and celebrate only at home with family and close friends. Women cook all sorts of food for the whole day, then relatives gather together in the evening to enjoy the staples. Since we are not that popular yet so as to be invited to a Cambodian house party, we just went to the Battambang resort for lunch beside the pool -I had a delicious fish amok- and had a lazy day, which is not to bad either.