jet-7

Day 7

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 01:09:00 +0000

Description:
It was refreshingly cool this morning as I woke up and headed over to Mindy's house. We had a breakfast of eggs and toast before we headed over to meet with the rest of our team to get a move on to Kampot. This weekend is our semi-annual team retreat. We got a fairly early start, and after finding that Google maps doesn't always tell you which roads are dirt roads we made it to our hotel.

Lunch was leftovers from the night before, and Mindy and I both hungrily ate it all very quickly. We arrived a little later than we expected, and perhaps ate breakfast a little earlier than expected. In any case, I was ravenous. I think I also drank too little water, as I had a headache all afternoon and evening. Annoying.

Dinner was a mild adventure. We didn't have the facilities to cook, so we had to hunt on the street. Thankfully we had a bit of leftover money, so that helped our budget. We finally settled on a rather eclectic dinner or lok-cha (fried, worm-like noodles), sweet pumpkin, a piece of steamed corn and a pack of dried noodles.

Day 7 food:
- Eggs and toast: $0.25
- Pasta Leftovers: $0.50
- Lok-cha: $0.50
- Sweet pumpkin: $0.18
- Corn: $0.16
- Dried Noodles: $0.10
Total: $1.64
prices above calculated from Cambodian Riel, won't always add exactly)
Grand Total: $5.99

Thoughts:
We finished! I didn't calculate Mindy's final total, but hers would be slightly cheaper than mine. Her breakfast was about 500 riel ($0.12) cheaper per day.

Looking at the total for the week Mindy and I realized that we, frequently, for the two of us spend that much on a single meal. It's absolutely astounding that we ate for an entire week on what we can easily spend on a meal eating out.

It's easy to fall into, isn't it? Always looking for convenience. When I looked at prices in restaurants in the past I never really saw the cost of it. I definitely do now. One could easily argue the trade off between cooking at home and eating out. Labor speaking, this week was much more labor intensive than most of our weeks. Well, at least for Mindy. Going to the market takes at least an hour. Preparing the raw ingredients and cooking a meal takes time. Cleaning up takes time again. When we eat out, we're trading our money for that time.

Are we getting a fair rate though? And then, are we using the time that we bought wisely?

I confess that I don't always use my time wisely. l buy it, then waste it. Do you suppose it's any different than wasting any other purchased commodity? Pouring a soda down the drain? blending an iPad?I don't know. It's interesting to think about though.

Feelings:
I feel happy that today I have the freedom to go back to the way things were before. However, I'm also afraid that things will go back to the way they were before. Isn't the point of exercises like this to learn things and apply them?

I'm shocked at how much food we got over the week. If we'd been able to stay at home the entire week, even in absence of free lunches I have no doubt we could have survived, even flourished. This week we ate well, had company over, ate out a couple of times and still had a bit of money left over.

To get this result though we had to peck and pinch every bit we could. In a normal week we have the luxury of feeling or desire. If we don't want to eat rice, we can go over to Lucky Burger. If we don't feel like that, we can choose from any number of things. I think that was what I missed most at the end of it: freedom to choose.

In a normal week, I might have a coke with lunch if I'm feeling the urge. I might stop to get some fried noodles for a snack. I might get some sugar cane juice on the way home. I might pick up an iced coffee. A dollar a day meant intentional and planned moves. No spontaneity, no treats.

There is a certain joy that comes with that, and a certain weariness that settles on you from having to plan each second of your life.

I don't know if I'd ever felt that before.

Prayers:
I forgot to add them to yesterday's post. So today let's double up.

Today, pray for:

Development and aid efforts in Cambodia and beyond. Specifically:
-wise stewardship of financial resources
-the empowerment and independence of local people
-partnership between organizations
-A spirit of humility… global poverty and hunger are bigger problems than any of us can solve. Only God can turn our feeble efforts into something transformative.

And, Khmer New Year
-Khmer people who become Christians, but their families still expect them to participate in Buddhist rituals
-protection over the millions of Cambodians who travel over land on bad roads. Also protection during the lively festivities and water fights
-that the Spirit of God would be waging war in Cambodia this week as false gods are worshipped and honored
-that families would invite the TRUE Spirit into their homes this new year

Epilogue:

"Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God."

Proverbs 30:7-9

Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 07:32:00 +0000

Description:
Swimming day, and my last day of crab bread. Actually, that's probably not true - because I ate it all the time before all of this! But at least for the next week or so. This coming week is Khmer New Year, so Mindy and I are traveling a little bit. I woke up a bit groggy, but got on my feet and out the door more quickly than usual.

Mindy comes for lunch on Fridays so we can do pre-maritial counseling. It was one of my favorite meals: chicken, salad and soft bread rolls. The salad dressing they make at school is extremely delicious. I ALWAYS get seconds or thirds at this meal. It was hard to not go back for more.

Dinner was a bit delayed because of a Khmer New Year celebration at school. We went back to my house and made our most expensive meal yet: pasta. The tomatoes alone were $1! But, we were planning to make it last for 4 meals. (lunch for us both tomorrow) It was good, but not nearly as filling or price competitive as rice.

Day 6 food:
- Crab bread: $0.36
- Ice Cream: FREE (don't tell Mindy, it melted before I could give her any)
- School Chicken, Salad, Roll: FREE
- Pasta with sauce and Garlic bread: $0.55
Total: $0.91
prices above calculated from Cambodian Riel, won't always add exactly)
Week to date: $4.35

Thoughts:
Making and eating Western food was a nice break. Stir fry and rice can get old after awhile. What I really think back to is Benin and pate. Pate ("paht") is the staple food in Benin. Basically, it's corn flour and water mixed up into a sort of paste. By itself it's pretty flavorless. Usually it's eaten with a tomato sauce, but there are other sauces as well. In any case, most families eat pate, and pretty much pate only. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think there is a bit more variety in the basic Khmer diet, but when you're in the village you only have access to what is around the village. It's doubtful we'd even get ripe, red tomatoes, let alone be able to find pasta there. Another freedom we have, and often take for granted is variety. It's nice to be able to eat a wide variety of foods, and it's definitely something that we don't often think about.

Feelings:
i feel a bit sheepish after my rant yesterday. Of course not everyone that's mentioned school lunch is setting me up to fail. I didn't mean to get quite so dramatic. Usually I read my posts through before I publish, but time wasn't on my side yesterday. It is a frustration to be accused of cheating. It's even more frustrating when you're making an honest effort not to cheat.

When we invited people we left it up to their own convictions. Some people we thought might like to do a dollar per meal, or just decrease their weekly spending in an intentional way. Would it be better to have more comprehensive rules? We sought to be inclusive, but does the lack of hard rules make it less inviting? These are all things that we'll have to think about for the next time we run this project.

Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 07:45:00 +0000

Description:
Today was a running day. I felt pretty good getting up. Today the crab bread was day one fresh. Sometimes it's a day or two old, and the taro gets a little bit gross and the bread a little dry. It's nice, soft and sweet when it's fresh.

Lunch was Hawaiian style pork with rice.

I came home extremely tired from work and with a headache.

Dinner was actually composed of the small amount of fried rice we had left and the pad thai from the night before. Mindy was still hungry afterward, so she made some garlic toast for us.

Day 5 food:
- Crab bread: $0.36
- School Pork and Rice: FREE
- Dinner of leftover rice and pad thai: FREE
- 1 piece of garlic toast: $0.10
- Adding in for miscalculated pad thai price: $0.21
Total: $0.67
prices above calculated from Cambodian Riel, won't always add exactly)
Week to date: $3.80

Thoughts:
I was very surprised to see how much food we had left over from the week. In 'normal' life I try and avoid having leftovers. I don't know if it's the tales of the starving children in Asia that keep my plates and bowls clean, or if it's just that what's left over is so small. Whatever the case, I rarely have leftovers. It seems to me that not forcing myself to eat every bit and saving what's left over might actually benefit health and budget. It certainly helped us this week.

Feelings:
Talking with people about this project has definitely been met with somewhat mixed responses. I would say most people say something to the effect of "that's cool." But the next words out of their mouths are often criticisms for how I'm not being hardcore enough. How eating lunch at school should really count against my dollar, or just needling into the fine grained, micro-managing rules that they suppose should exist.

It's true, my provided school lunch does help in our budget situation. I am making a sustained effort to eat less than I normally would, but it is still free for me.

The fact of the matter is that, if we were looking at this experiment as a 'poor people simulation', we've failed from the outset.

Read economist Robert Heilbroner’s description of what stripping down to poverty looks like:

“We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his wardrobe his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.

We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards. . . . The box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.

Now we have stripped the house: the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed. . . . Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books — not that they are missed, since we must take away our family’s literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio. . .

Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms. . . . There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely. . . .

Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of an Iranian peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.” (Revolution in World Missions, p. 40) [lifted from Mindy's friend's blog]

If we were really seeking to emulate the life of the poor, we wouldn't use the fridge. We wouldn't even be able to use our gas stove. I wouldn't be driving my moto to work. I wouldn't be working in air conditioning. We wouldn't be sleeping on mattresses. We wouldn't be using fans at night.

The point of our experiment is to invite our students and others to live life in a different way. Not to become poor, or to forgo everything. We're just trying to encourage learning, to encourage a different way of looking at daily life. Maybe exposing excesses in one small area will make us think about the excesses we have in others.

So, I'm sorry that I'm eating school lunch. I'm sorry that I'm not hardcore enough. I'm sorry that our rules aren't as comprehensive as Deuteronomy.

I don't think I would probably react differently, so the real question is - why are we looking to make people that try something different fail? What threat do new ideas, or new experiences, on the part of others have to us?

Prayers:
-That God would meet families’ physical needs as well as their spiritual needs
-For the strengthening of marriages, including protection from the rampant sex industry which accounts for about 100 new HIV cases daily in Cambodia.
-For children who are growing up in homes of poverty to have opportunities for education
-For the thousands of orphans and others without families

Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:24:00 +0000

Description:
It was a warm night. I'm thankful for my fan, but it seems almost useless when all it does is blow hot air on me! I woke up on time and ready for my swim. I had my usual breakfast of crab shaped bread filled with taro. I'm finding that if I eat it slowly over an hour or so I'm not as hungry by lunch time.

Lunch was fried noodles with mysterious green leafy vegetables. It's one of my favorite meals in Cambodia in general. The school, sadly, doesn't do it justice. But it's delicious. The problem is that they don't fill you up very much. I was really hungry by the time I got home.

Mindy was already well into preparation of her famous pad thai, which I got to eat for the first time. She's said that she'd wanted to make it for awhile, but we just never got around to doing it. There was plenty of food, even enough to share with a visiting friend.

Day 3 food:
- Crab bread: $0.36
- School Fried Noodles: FREE
- Pad Thai: $0.44
Total: $0.79
prices above calculated from Cambodian Riel, won't always add exactly)
Week to date: $3.13

Thoughts:
We're doing pretty well! Day four and we're almost a dollar ahead! We have enough leftovers from the past couple of days that we'll eat them tomorrow for dinner. On the way home yesterday I was thinking about the unintended consequences of our project. Banding together does mean that we have more purchasing power and can eat a more varied diet. It also means that we're sort of stuck together though.

For example, normally on Thursday nights I take the evening for myself at my house. Dinner is usually on my own and I sort of hang out and do whatever it is that I feel like. This week I won't get that though, because I want to eat. I might be able to find something to eat for the rest of my daily budget, but it would be small. It's better for me to forgo independence and stick with my 'family unit'.

I'd never considered the effect of poverty on interpersonal relationships in this way.

Feelings:
Overall I'm feeling humbled. Going into this project I thought it would be a mere test of will. I didn't really think it would change my view or experience of poverty. I mean, come on. I lived in AFRICA, right? If anyone should know poverty, it should be me. It was AFRICA for goodness sakes!

Turns out I had more to learn than I thought. That in only 4 days I've learned more about this experience than in all of the omphaloskepsis of the past 4 years speaks volumes of how little I knew.

I feel like we're just scratching the surface.

Prayers:
Today we'd like you to lift up the church in Cambodia. I think we could spend an entire week devoted to this subject alone. Briefly, pray:
- For Khmer pastors and elders, that they could be encouraged in their ministries, find rest and unity in their home and family life and that they can have a heart for good theology and not just what 'sells'
- That the body and lives of the church members extend beyond just Sunday services. That support, faith and service to community and church can be daily acts.
- That the church always extend hands outside - to the community at large, but in particular the poor. Pray that there can be an excess of love for those that have nothing at all to give in return.
- For the financial well-being of the church in Cambodia. That giving on the part of church members is consistent, and that church leaders can steward well the resources granted.
- That international and local churches not be separated by a rift of language and culture. Pray that there can be strong partnerships and support between national and international bodies.

Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:29:00 +0000

Description:
I woke up with little vigor, but knew that I had to stick to my plan. All of it. I've started exercising in the morning in an attempt to get a little bit back in shape. I'm running again, but sad about how pathetic I've become. This week I'm running around 20 minutes. It's tough, and made no easier by our food.

Again, crab bread for breakfast. Lunch was fried rice with chicken and tofu. It was good, and definitely got me through the afternoon.

Tuesdays are choir days, which means that I have to get going from school. It was also rent day, so I had to stop by my house. After all taken care of, I went to Mindy's to find dinner already on the stove! Awesome. We had fried rice, using the leftover vegetables from the day before. Cheap, plentiful and delicious.

Day 3 food:
- Crab bread: $0.36
- School Fried Rice: FREE
- Mindy Fried Rice: $0.12
Total: $0.48(
prices above calculated from Cambodian Riel, won't always add exactly)
Week to date: $2.34

Thoughts:
Fried rice twice in a day sounds boring, but it was actually good. Both were different, delicious, and most importantly: filling. It was also nice that we could use some of our leftover vegetables from the day before. The main cost of our meal was the rice, and a single egg (1 egg is about $0.08). No snacking today, and I didn't even finish all that I could have at dinner. All in all, today was much easier than the past days.

Feelings:
We did use our leftover vegetables, and Mindy is eating leftovers from the night before for lunch. In a way, by using the fridge to keep things fresh, we're cheating the system. A fridge is a significant initial investment, and a significant cost each month. My fridge costs about $17 a month to run. It doesn't sound like much, but we're talking about 50 cents per day! A significant investment to be sure.

I'm also feeling that Mindy and I, for all our efforts, have actually secretly been living decadent lives. We'd always thought that our $1-$3 per dinner (per person) is a nice balance between richesse and 'living among'. I'm not sure if that's true though. We've always eaten out because it's less work, and because it's quite inexpensive. I think we're both finding that, in most cases, it's really not that inexpensive.

Prayers:
Today pray for the students of this nation. Cambodia is at a unique point in history: in essence, a rebirth. Their educated class was nearly obliterated in the not at all distant past. Only today are the first students of the developing education system graduating and taking jobs that will lead the course of this nation. Only today are the young people faced with the moral challenge of furthering a system of corruption, but in so doing saving themselves, or taking a stand and helping stop the injustices of the past.

Mindy and I each have a heart for students, and we both believe in empowering them to change their own country. We're nobody, powerless and under-informed in a system neither of us well understands. The students and young people of this land have the power to change things. Pray that they can realize that. Pray for wisdom. Pray that they can look outside of themselves and see that the plight of the nation rests in the smallest of actions.

Et Cetera:
Shane sent me a link showing what people eat around the world. It's a series of photos depicting what a typical family eats in a week, and its associated cost. It's very interesting, take a look.

Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:48:00 +0000

Description:
I woke up at what I thought was 5:55, hit the snooze and then got up and got ready. It turns out I got up a little later than I thought, so didn't get quite the early start I wanted. Stopped by my favorite bakery (the one that sells crocodile bread) for the larger crab bread. 1500 riel.

This is my normal breakfast during most weeks, so not much change.

I arrived at school, did my swim and went through the day. I was really hungry by lunch, but that's pretty normal. Lunch at school is free and all you can eat, but in the spirit of the week I'm trying to keep things smaller. I had one small pork and pickle sandwich. Not my favorite meal on most weeks, but it tasted more delicious this time.

Our staff meeting usually has fruit, so I had a couple of apple slices before I headed to Mindy's. Sadly, she was out and the only lock I don't have a key for was on the door. I sat around waiting for awhile, before a student showed up and we hung out until a key arrived. Mindy was still a bit away, so we didn't get dinner going until about 6:30. We made a stir fry with 100g of pork, cabbage, carrots, onions, green peppers and ginger. It was actually quite good. I was surprised by how much food there was.

Day 2 food:
- Crab bread: $0.36
- Pork Sandwich: FREE
- 3 Apple slices: FREE
- Vegetable Stir Fry w/ rice: $0.50
Total: $0.86 (prices above calculated from Cambodian Riel, won't add exactly)
Week to date: $1.86

Thoughts:
Rice is definitely the key to success. It's filling and delicious. It also helps here that you can buy very small amounts of things. Mindy bought the cabbage as an afterthought with the 300 riel (7 cents) she had left over from other purchases. It was just a small, small wedge. But it was nice that it's something that can be subdivided so small. Dinner was surprisingly plentiful.

Feelings:
Being poor really means living on the edge. Mindy talked about how she had to avoid sellers that would charge her just 100 riel more (2 cents) and that even small discounts were great concessions. We're fortunate in that in our experiment it's only food that we have to grapple with. With so many more factors like rent, electricity, water... not to mention shakedowns by the police or other forms of corruption. It's easy to see why there is so much distrust of other people here.

Prayers:
Today, pray for the government officials of Cambodia. In particular, Hun Sen, the prime minister of Cambodia. Currently, Cambodia rests at number 158 of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index. The divide between rich and poor is growing, and a sea change in legislation and attitudes towards the poor at the highest levels could transform this nation. Of particular interest is the controversial anti-corruption bill. Pray for wisdom for our leaders, wisdom for those that enforce the law and for trust to be re-established between those under the law and those that make the law.

Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:12:00 +0000

Description:
Mindy had planned on going to the market, but ended up getting food poisoning from the food we'd eaten the night before. She managed to take a couple of pieces of toast, and I one, before I headed off to Easter service with the students.

With only a slice of bread in my belly, I was happy that there was some free food at Church. I didn't go crazy, and made sure I took exactly what I ate for Mindy back home.

Lunch was a simple bowl of duck flavored instant noodles. Actually quite delicious, but not very filling.

By 5:00 I was in a bad mood, had a headache and was really ready for dinner. Markets were closed, so even though Mindy felt a bit better we were a bit stuck. We went to a local restaurant, and spent $1.50 (for both of us) to share a dish of sweet and sour pork. We shared a plate of rice, and saved about 1/3rd of the dinner for Mindy's lunch tomorrow.

I felt better, but still had a headache.

Day 1 food:
- 1 slice of bread: $0.05
- 2 small cookies, one piece of cinnamon bread: FREE
- 1 pack of duck flavored noodles: $0.21
- Rice/sweet and sour pork: $0.75
Total: $1.00 (prices above calculated from Cambodian Riel, won't add exactly)
Week to date: $1.00

Thoughts:
I think that rice is the key to success here. I was the most full from our last meal, and buying our own rice and ingredients will be much cheaper. 1kg of rice is about $0.61. Vegetables aren't too expensive. I'm glad that Mindy and I can budget the two of us, because there are more options with $2 than with $1. Tomorrow should be easier.

Feelings:
Living on a dollar a day sucks. Small things like sickness throw off your perfectly balanced budget. It's easy to see why malnutrition and sickness are a vicious cycle. I'm surprised by how much I think about food. Not the sort of Peace-Corps-dreaming-of-bacon sort. Just that constant gnawing, and counting down the hours until next meal time. I count myself fortunate that I know that I do have a next meal coming.

Prayers:
Remember the billions of people who live lives of hunger, poverty and difficulty every day. 40% of Cambodians live on a dollar a day. Most of them are agricultural workers in villages in the countryside, supporting large families. Most Cambodian villages still do not have access to clean water, basic medical services, or sustainable income. A growing segment of Cambodia’s poor also live in the slum communities in Phnom Penh. As Phnom Penh faces rapid growth, many of these communities are faced with the injustice of forced eviction to make way for more profitable developments.

seven days, seven dollars

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:24:00 +0000

40% of Cambodians live on about $1 per day.

In the world, about 1.4 billion people live on about $1 per day.

How much do you spend on food every day?

CHALLENGE:

For 7 days, April 4-10, spend only $1 per day on food.

Here in Phnom Penh, our students and we will take all of the money we save together and make food to give to hungry people on the streets and in the slums. For example, if you usually spend $20 per week on food, during this week you can spend $7 on food and give $13 to buy food for people.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

-To think about the money we spend every day and to feel some feelings
that poor people have

-To raise awareness about the poor

-To raise money to support hungry families. We want to show love to
the hungry people in Phnom Penh, and in cities all over the world.

Will you consider joining us too? We know that it’s harder to eat and live off of a dollar a day in North America, but we believe that you could do it if you were intentional. Even in Cambodia, we know that every person’s situation is different, so we ask our friends to respond to the challenge based on their personal convictions. For example, one could choose to commit to $1 per meal. Our main purpose is to intentionally consider the money we spend on food.

There are far too many people who have no choice but to think about it every day.

Whether through participation or prayer, we’d appreciate your involvement and support! Let us know if you have any questions about this project, or any encouraging words for our Cambodian friends involved.

-Lyle and Mindy

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:18:00 +0000

Will Cambodia follow China's lead? seems to be the question of the day online. The Cambodian Government plans to run all Internet traffic through the state run Telecom Cambodia. There is lots of talk about the extent to which things will be filtered, but no announcements from the people who matter.

I am, of course, concerned about the censorship issue here. I think that censorship laws often get pushed through under the guise of protecting society and children, but end up being used as a tool to squash dissonant view points. I don't know if that will happen in Cambodia or not, but I am afraid.

What this really got me thinking about though is about development. As the now developed nations evolved, they came up with their own policies, laws and solutions to societal problems. I sometimes feel that developing nations, and the developers of said nations (NGOs, foreign and national governments) forget that fact. Cambodia needs to develop solutions that work for Cambodia. Some things are obvious: access to clean water, a developed network for transporting goods, stable electricity and others. If Cambodia doesn't have these things yet, and only a small fraction of the population even uses the Internet, do we need a centralized firewall that will protect us from evil? Are we making this because we need it? Because it is something that will help Cambodian society? Is there a cultural basis for it? Or are we getting it because China says we should?

It seems like every country has an opinion in how Cambodia ought to develop. Cambodia, what do you think? Has closing all the casinos (read: all the casinos that locals can go into, the foreign casinos are very much open for business) helped the morality of the common man? Will letting the government decide what you can see and not see reduce the corruption on the streets?

I definitely don't know the best way to develop a nation - but it seems to me that the solutions that worked in developed nations might not work just the same way in developing nations. There was, for us, a natural flow and evolution. Things changed in response to problems created by the solutions to the problems we had. The problems here are different, why would our solutions work?

I do believe that Cambodia is at an advantage though. The economy has been good here. Things have developed. I believe the Khmer are sloughing off the coat of self-ascribed inadequacy and finally putting on the coat of self-reliance. There is a national pride here that will turn Cambodia again into the Pearl of Asia. Not because it's inevitable, but because it is desired. It's just a matter of time.

best cake you've ever eaten.

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:29:00 +0000

"Do you want to experience the best cake you have ever eaten? Seriously... ever eaten?!
Come to the newest Cafe in Phnom Penh & get ready to go to Cake Heaven!"

I subscribe to the ICF InfoFlow, a weekly newsletter of announcements, classifieds, and the occasional advertisement. Last week the above ad ran, and I felt a bit challenged.

It's not even a question of wanting to experience the best cake I've ever eaten. I just don't know if I'm ready yet. I mean, seriously.... ever eaten?!

If I soar to such great heights would I be able to come again to the lowly plains of bundt and sponge? Would New York cheese still please? After eating the best cake ever, I don't think I would be able to enjoy any other cake.

I'm scared.

... Mindy, however, is not. The same day I got this e-mail, a friend called her asking explaining that if we didn't get our wedding cake from this shop we were fools! So, she's off today for the experience of a lifetime. I hope it doesn't change her too much.

As a side note though, if you come to Cambodia for our wedding be prepared to experience the best cake you have ever eaten. Seriously... ever eaten.

the poor

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:18:00 +0000

This weekend I went on a trip with some teachers to Oudong - the former capital of Cambodia. It's scenic and lovely, perched on a hill overlooking field and farm. It was nice.

As with most things of touristic value here, there were beggars.

What is the correct response to poverty? When an old woman comes up asking "Sohm muh-roi" (please, 100) they aren't asking for much. 100 Riel is literally 4 cents. It's well within my power to give. But why don't I?

Most people say things like "It's not sustainable, we should be teaching them skills so they can survive on their own!" But, it's easy to say that. And, as soon said and heart sated it's just as easy to never follow up. To never take the step to teach. To avoid thinking about the plight of the suffering. To convince ourselves that we're good.

Others might make it more economic. "I'm here, giving my time and energy to the development of this country. I live and work here, sacrificing what I could be making at home. The opportunity cost that I pay annually is in the range of $40,000! I'm giving so much!" (Never mind that the 1,600,000 beggars that you could give 100 riel to with that would rather have the money than you in their country)

Others might feel that, like with birds or squirrels, that feeding them encourages them to stick around and forever exist at the whim of others. And in the process dismiss and devalue humans the same as themselves, but for circumstance.

They all seem valid, don't they? Logically they makes sense. Spouting heady ideas makes us feel better. It doesn't make us feel good though. But isn't that, at the end of the day, why being confronted with poverty makes us so uncomfortable? When a beggar comes and you refuse them you're forced to either admit that you're a bad person or to come up with a way to convince yourself that you're not - that what you're doing is in their best interest, or the best interest of the nation.

Who are we though? Who are we to choose who should sacrifice themselves for the good of the land? Why should this beggar not eat tonight or tomorrow? Is it our job to decide, through our action or inaction, who is worthy to live or die? Who put me in charge?

It's frustrating. I don't like the poor because they force me to evaluate my position. The force to me to admit that the problems I have aren't so important. They force me into a position where I have to make a choice and defend it. Or worse, put me in a position where I have to devalue the existence of another person so that I don't have to devalue my own.

Jesus went to the poor. He treated them with respect, placed value on their lives and let them live with dignity. Sometimes I feel that straight giving, with no relationship, does the opposite. Simple giving puts the giver in a role of power, and the receiver in a place of powerlessness. Simple giving destroys the chance of a relationship, destroys the chance for dignity and humanity on both ends. Just as the rich de-humanize the poor, so must too the poor de-humanize the rich.

And isn't that the real problem? If my friends are hungry, or even people I know only casually, won't I be compelled to help? Won't I share what's on my plate? Wouldn't I gladly not order a Coke so my friend could join me at my table? When the sacrifice is small and the gain is great, it's easy to be generous.

What does that leave us with though? I think that giving with no relationship is a missed opportunity for both. I think that the best way to approach the poor is with humility and a heart seeking a relationship first. But it's the same as every other argument if I don't act on it. "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." says James 2:17. Ideas without implementation are useless. If I convince myself that simple giving isn't good, but never go with what I think is good, then I'm just fooling myself. At least the person giving is doing something!

I don't know what to do, or where myself should and and others begin. I won't pretend that I have any answers, but I'm happy that I at least have the question. I think Mindy said it well: "In our countries we don't see the poor because they're few. Here we don't see the poor because they're many."

Can you see them?

social media

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 05:27:00 +0000

I was pretty down on twitter last year. I still feel the same in many ways. I still think that the new forms of social media are fattening us, turning us slow and unable to digest any more than a 140 character summary of real thought. But over the course of the year, there have been a few times to pause and re-evaluate my position.

Seeing how social media have been affecting the way that information flows over the course of the past year has been interesting. Seeing how people have used it to communicate information (and misinformation), organize and connect has brought it to a point where it no longer seems like it's just pointless shouting.

Just a couple months after my original tirade, I went home for my brother's wedding, and to the first day of the Jesusita fire. Information was hard to get, and the local news could only be so updated. Watching twitter though we were able to track to the movement of the fire, see where road closures were, and hear what houses had been taken. All in real time, and all with a relatively high degree of accuracy. It was interesting, and kind of cool.

I also had a conversation with my friend Shane about twitter in the months that followed. His take was, although there is a lot of pointlessness on twitter, sometimes those pointless moments are what connect people most. I think that rings very true with some of the same ideas that I've had.

Mindy and Di know tried to convince me that birthdays are awesome because it's a day where everyone celebrates you. I countered with "I'd rather be celebrated a little bit, every day!" (to which they then, and now, occasionally pause and say "let's take this moment to celebrate Lyle") But, I think the ideas are interlinked.

I just finished reading The Irresistible Revolution in which one of the authors main theses is that true Christianity is doing small things with great love. It's through these small acts that we can make an actual impact. Perhaps one far greater than just a few big acts(It was, by the way, a really interesting read. He touches a lot on the relationship between the poor and the rich, the importance of community, and points out places where individuals can make a huge difference)

I think my Peace Corps experience also reflects this. Maybe we didn't dig as many wells as some of the larger aid organizations. But I do think our effect, being involved in the lives of those we were near was more lasting.

A bit disjoint of an argument, perhaps, but my point is that maybe I've been thinking of it all wrong. Big things like long blog posts and full photo albums are hard. Small things are easier, and maybe all the more appreciated. (after all, I probably would skim most of what I've written if I weren't me!) Maybe I should pay more attention to the people 'near' me.

I'm afraid the approach still seems self important to me. The new era of social media seems to point to a "if you want to be friends with me, you have to follow me where I go." Then, the old social rules may not apply. There seems to reciprocity in this new age, and for every friend request you send one comes in.

Maybe social media is less about 'me' and more about 'us'.

I can get on board with that.

So yes, I've opened up a twitter account. I have it linked with my facebook status, so you can get things there as well.

I'm still not fully convinced that it's not all pride and techno-lust that drives social media. But, let's experiment.

where did all the milk go?

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:25:00 +0000

I'm not a huge milk drinker, but now and again a glass is nice. If I have some of Ailin's delicious cheesecake brownies frozen for times of great need (which until about last week I did), or the time to go over to USA Donuts for a taste of mapley heaven (which I sometimes do) I like to have milk.

Sadly dairy drama seems to be a theme in my life overseas. First the butter debacle in Japan, and now the milk misunderstanding between Thailand and Cambodia.

Relations between these two nations have never been great, but they're something brewing as of late. Thailand and Cambodia have both recalled their ambassadors as a result of a conflict after Cambodia's prime minister appointed former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as a special economic advisor.

Why is this man a big deal? Shinawatra has been convicted in absentia of various crimes by the current Thai government, and they demand his extradition. Cambodia refuses.

All of this on the shoulders of the already tense matter of the land surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple which is claimed by both countries.

ASEAN announced yesterday that it would not intervene in this situation.

On the ground people are talking about it, but the streets don't really seem to be buzzing. What it means in my life is that existing stocks of Thai products are dwindling. I haven't been able to find my much needed supply of canned Nescafe, and fresh products like delicious Thai milk have been difficult to find. Annoying for the moment, but I do pray that nothing escalates further. I feel Cambodia's economic situation doesn't warrant making ALL of its neighbors angry. Shinawatra may be a valuable economic advisor, but is he as valuable as TRADE?

Only time will tell.

ANZ

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:22:00 +0000

I would just like to say that I love my bank. Mindy knows well. Every time we're out I'm always pointing out one of the many, many ATMs located around Phnom Penh. They're really all over the place! It's so awesome! You can withdraw in US currency or Cambodian riel. You can use your ATM card at almost any fancy restaurant or shop. AND the staff is very nice.

For example, I forgot my PIN number and the ATM ate my card. I went in today expecting to have to fill out tons of paperwork and wait 3 weeks to get it back or some such nonsense. Really though, I just had to sign one paper, show ID and I was done. It took literally 3 minutes. And the lady was so nice, reassuring me that many people forget their PINs and it's no big deal.

The one annoying thing, is that my ATM card is restricted to Cambodia. I think I can apply to get one that will work in other countries as well. (ANZ is an Australian bank, I believe) Still though, it's worlds apart from Ecobank in Benin! Although, to be fair to Ecobank, they did introduce ATMs while I was there. I just never signed up for a card. But, I don't think they even installed an ATM card in Parakou until like a month before my service ended, so I didn't see the point.

I suspect ANZs coverage outside of Phnom Penh is somewhat less, although they do say they have ATMs in Battambang and Siem Reap.

That's it. No more bank talk.

monsoon winds

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:21:00 +0000

Just last week it was hot. REALLY hot. All of the first year teachers, including myself, were lamenting the promise of cool weather in November. We are lamenting no more. It seemed literally over night that the monsoon winds changed their course, and we're now getting the cold winds from Siberia that make life here all the more pleasant. Nights are cool, days are cool. Even this morning I was wanting a sweater on my morning commute.

The time is much like Harmattan was in Benin - cold, and dry. It is, however (and thankfully) not as dusty. And, just like Harmattan it won't last too long. They say that things remain relatively cool until late January. But then the heat starts up again, culminating in April/May. Not so terrible, perhaps, as the chaleur of Benin, but humidity has never been my favorite.

learning Khmer

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:18:00 +0000

I love learning languages, so it's been a point of frustration that I haven't been able to devote myself more fully to the study of the language here. Things have gotten better in the past month. I know study for 2 hours every Saturday with a tutor, which has helped a lot. The school also has lessons the Khmer teachers give twice a week after school, but I find I'm often engaged after school... so I haven't had much time to go.

Right now I'm learning the alphabet, which is quite fun. It's nice that it's phonetic, but annoying that there are so many sounds! Mindy claims that she chose Cambodia because it's the only language in SE Asia that isn't tonal. But it may as well be! Khmer has 23 written vowels. You'd think that would be enough, but you'd be wrong. Almost all of the 23 written vowels has 2 pronunciations! It's fun, but it can be a hard language to hear. (English has between 11 and 20 vowels, depending on your accent)

But it's fun! I'm not totally blowing myself away with the progress that I've made, but if I remain constant I'll get it all eventually! I hope...

Oh yeah, blogging!

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:38:00 +0000

So perhaps my final statement in my last blog post was a bit overstated. Maybe I'm not really back.

I've been finding that I spend so much time with computers, that in my free time I'd just as soon not be with them. (that is unless it's lounging in front of them watching TV, but that's hardly the same) It doesn't help, of course, that I don't have Internet at my house. Connections are available, and I could probably get one without too much trouble. But it's another cost, and I really am not home that often. Plus, the cheap connection is $9 a month with a 400MB cap. Unlimited plans exist, but most range around $50 a month - which is something to shake a stick at when that's half what you pay for rent.

These past months have been quite busy. I've traveled a bit around Cambodia, and at the height of beauty. Rainy season makes the country green and marvelous. There isn't anything quite like green rice fields stretching out forever. Cambodia is a very beautiful place.

Mindy and I have also been, weekend freedom permitting, exploring the various tourist destinations in Phnom Penh. We've still yet to head out to the Killing Fields, but have done well in going to Wat Phnom, the National Museum and other places. We've also been exploring restaurants.

There really are some great places here to eat. Our normal fare is street food, or cheap restaurant food, but Saturdays are date night and we do quite well. We've had sushi, tacos, fine french cuisine (at fine french prices) and so much more. I'd say that my favorite find so far is either USA Donuts or 'the Vegetarian restaurant'.

USA Donuts, unsurprisingly, sells donuts. Oh, but so much more. It's a tiny store near the art deco Central Market that is like a mini USA. They have tex-mex, big burgers, American style breakfast, and everything else the ex-pat stomach might want and reasonable prices. They also have a little boutique with import goods. After finishing a plate of tacos and eating the best donut I've eaten in Cambodia I wandered over to the fridge. I'd been looking for Dr. Pepper but without luck, but there it was right in front of me. I gasped, jumped and recalled the day that Doritos came to Parakou. (Oh delicious day)

The Vegetarian Restaurant probably has another name, but that's what we call it. It's awesome. First because it's delicious. Second because it's cheap. Third because it's got a great atmosphere! They have swings hanging from everywhere to sit in. It's got an upper level (currently closed) with a suspension bridge. It's got a fountain. Oh yeah, and good food. I like the "Spicy Taste Burger". The patty is made from mushrooms, and it has the most delicious pepper sauce. Oh, it's making me hungry just thinking about it.

I've also been exploring routes to work. The traffic here is pretty terrible, especially on the main roads during rush hour. It really makes me want to die a lot of the time, so I've been figuring out the optimal routes from point to point. I think I've decided today that I only really have two options for my daily commute to work. One is shorter, but the traffic is always horrible. One is longer, but the traffic is lighter. It will probably, from now until the school moves, depend largely on what battle I want to fight: getting up early or traffic stress.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention our recent trip to Singapore. We went to visit our friends Ailin and Louis, and had a great time. We were often and generously taken out, treated to delicious food. (one night we had seafood... and I liked it! No one was more surprised than me) We also had a fair mix of local and familiar food. Carls Jr, Chili's, Quiznos, Starbucks and more all exist and differ hardly at all from their American cousins. I could have closed my eyes and ordered at Carls Jr.

We did more than eat of course. We hob-nobbed with the elite of the Singapore literary circles. We went to not one, but two poetry readings, as well as a satirical debate about the state of the merlion's good name. We went to the zoo, learned about Chinese hell and morality and Haw Par Pavilion and lots more.

Things are still busy at work and in life, but are going well. I'm spending less and less time fixing things, and am getting to spend more and more time writing curriculum and sprucing up our infrastructure and policies. It's fun, and feels less tiring than when I first got here.

Pictures do exist, and I'm still trying to figure out the best way to share. I imagine I may just push them on Facebook and share links here. We'll see, one more consideration. Plus, bandwidth is hard to come by...

Cambodia

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:38:00 +0000

I've been here about 6 weeks now. It feels like so much longer.

I don't mean that in a bad way of course, but rather in that getting life figured out in a new country sort of way. Things are coming together.

When I left Japan, I left well - but I left late. That meant things started fast. Most of the new teachers here had arrived weeks prior, and had been going through new teacher orientation for more than a week when I had arrived. I came in fresh and ready on a Monday morning from Kuala Lumpur, or at least so I thought!

I knew things would be hectic, but I didn't imagine that they'd be quite like this. I've definitely got a full plate here, between teaching and managing things on the IT end. It's definitely been very stressful at times, and I've had some very long days. The theme of the past 6 weeks though has really been God's provision.

Things have always come about just in the right time, or just in the right way. When I arrived on that Monday, I didn't have any of the stress of looking for a house or even figuring out much of life. Thanks to Mindy, I stepped into a situation fully set up for me. The first few days I commuted to school on her e-bike, (sort of an electric bike, but beefier and more scooter like) but it wasn't but a 3 days until I'd gotten my own set of two wheels. I've got a blue Honda Wave. It's just a small bike, but it gets me around.(and in and out of hectic Phnom Penh traffic)

My house is nice. I live on a quiet, but active street. There are lots of kids playing, families and the like. But I'm elevated (up on the 3rd floor) so I'm well above most noise. I'm really close to Mao Tse Tung Blvd, which is a straight shot up to the school. But I'm far enough away that none of the noise of traffic ever bothers me. I'm REALLY close to one of the nicest malls here, complete with a KFC, espresso, pizza (two for one on tuesdays!) and a large foreign goods grocery store.

Whew, yeah. So life here. Life at school has been the largest part of course. I love my students, the staff here and what I'm doing. Sometimes I get grumpy, but I only need look around to see how blessed I am. Life at school is spent running from class to class fixing things, or freezing my butt off in our server room (also my office) doing administrative stuff. Nothing too exciting, but it's challenging and fun. School does have school lunch here, and it's SO DELICIOUS! It seriously beats the pants off of Japanese school lunch.

On the subject of food, eating has been a fairly balanced mixed of expensive foreign food and food from the street. Often for breakfast I'll get pork and rice from the lady that sells at my corner for 75 cents, or I'll get fried noodles from a street cart on the way to school, or I can also hit up the Bayon Bakery for a donut, croissant, or strange hot-dog/pork floss/pastry dough combination. Lunch, as I've said, is at school. Dinner can be anything from a burger combo at Lucky Burger, to pizza, to Khmer food at the food court at the mall (only a tad more than buying on the street amazingly enough), or eating at the Russian Market near Mindy's house. Mindy and I are still figuring out a good balance of food options, but I think we're doing pretty well.

The food here is totally awesome. I really, really, really enjoy it. So much is so delicious. In other places I've constricted by the local cuisine, but here things just keep getting more and more delicious!!

Sorry, this is a bit hodge-podge and not organized. But I am alive, well and enjoying life. I'm still working on getting work-life and life-life balanced with all the things that I'd like to accomplish, but it's happening.

I can't promise daily updates, fascinating cultural insights, or anything at all really. But I do care about documenting what's going on around me, so I will be better about updating from now on.

Hello Internet world. I'm back.

The paper in my hand read...

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:05:00 +0000

皆さん一人一人にたくさん言いたい事があります。私はこの2年間皆さんと会話した事、皆さんともに/けいけんした事、全てが良い思い出になっています。ですから、今のライルは２年間前に来た時のライルとは違います。

この町で毎日何か学びました。日本語と言う新しい言葉、そしてことなる文化をとうしてたくさんの事を学びました。私は時々先生というより生徒だと感じました！本当に皆のおかげですぐ日本になれました。

倉渕町にくらしている間にいつも幸せでした。皆さんがちゃんとあいさつをしたり、元気に授業をしたり、お世話になりました。変な日本語を使う時にもていねいに教えてくれました。私はいつまでも皆さんと作った思いでを大切にしたいと思います。そしてしょうらい必ずなつかしく思い出すでしょう。

私は今までに４年間外国に住んでいます。ほかの国の文化をけいけんする時に自分の文化をもっとわかるようになると思います。私の願いは皆さんが外国に長い間に住むけいけんをしてほしいです。でも、外国に行かなくてもほかの方法があると思います。英語を勉強する事で/違う考え方を学べます。言語と文化は別の物ではありません。自分の国をよりりかいするために英語に興味を持って、上手に話せるようになってください。

いつも皆さんにお世話になりましたので、次のALTもよろしくおねがいします。そして仲良くしてください。

ここに来るのは祝福です。皆さんに会うのは祝福です。

Kurabuchi Junior High School, words can't describe what I feel for you. From the moment I first walked in and smelled the smell of the pine you're built from, I loved you. Each day you gave me new reasons to love you and grew deeper into my heart. This is a good place. This is a special place.

Students, teachers and staff - you are Kurabuchi Junior High School, and I love all of you. I want to thank all of you for the ways you make this school what it is. It seems almost cruel that each of us will only get to wander its halls for a short time. But maybe that only serves to make each day here that much more meaningful.

Students, I know that English is hard to learn. One of America's great presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, once said "Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty... " Learning a new language is all of those things. Trust me, I know. But, it's worth it. Trust me, I know.

Everyone, it's because of you that I feel how I feel. Without you this school and town would be just a spot near a river in the mountains. You make Kurabuchi Kurabuchi, and you made me a part of it. Thank you.

四年間

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:11:00 +0000

It was four years ago today that I started on the journey that took me from Benin to Japan, and now to Cambodia. I'm not usually one for big celebrations of things like this, but it is significant. Looking back on the past 4 years and seeing how much has changed in life. I mean, of course many things have changed; in outlook, in life philosophy, in strength of faith. It's strange to think though, that if I hadn't left when I did where would I be now? What would my life look like?

I'm not really one for poetry usually, but this poem has for some reason always held a special place in my heart, and seems all too appropriate on today.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost, 1915

暑い。。。

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Rainy season has started, and we're getting rain at least 3-4 days a week now. That's annoying, but what's worse is when it doesn't rain. The temperature sky rockets, and the humidity and misery as well. I know I can't be complaining too much, it'll be worse in Cambodia. But then again, looking at our temperatures and humidity levels... not very much. It's good training though!

Today is by far the worst so far, but I know that it'll soon be worse yet... we're not even in July yet!

In other news, still preparing for moving on. Buying tickets and getting dates worked out is quite the challenge. There was some snafu with the number of days of vacation I had left, so that's put an annoying twist in well laid plans. Still, my supervisor acknowledged that my count was the correct one so we appear to be back on schedule somewhat.

Beyond that, just living life. The countdown is coming quickly, and it won't be long before I'm no longer in Japan. Hard to believe, actually. Even harder to believe is that there isn't very much of the school year left! Once this week is done, just 3 weeks until the end of term. Wow. Big wow.

But then again, aren't my blog posts around times of leaving always like this? Why am I even surprised that time growing short moves quickly?

来校

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:45:00 +0000

The first bell rings just as I set my foot on school property. Pushing down the handle, and swinging wide the surprisingly light gate to the student entrance means the start of another day. The green gravel that covers the sports field is always dry and hard in summer, pocked and broken at the edges by the feet of students on a rainier day. I can already see the teachers in the staff room, preparing for the day and students going about their business in their classrooms. I edge around the tennis court, as both boys and girls tennis teams made it clear at the student council run all school meeting that "shoes other than tennis shoes, are not permitted on the courts."

Stepping under the eaves of the entranceway, the speckled pink and grey soft tiles bear still the traces of the dirt that yesterday's student cleaning crew didn't quite sweep away. I feel for them though, cleaning this large entrance with tiny little brooms is horrible work. I veer left, because it's the door near the green-public phone that's opened. I step in to the smell of pine and wet feet. The pine from the main school building - desks, paneling, window and door frames are all made from trees grown in our own school forest. The feet from the three racks of shoes in front of me, slightly obscuring the carved version of our school song that hangs behind them. My sandals come off as I reach back into the left-side pocket of my backpack searching for socks. I step across the border between worlds - the space clean and the space unclean and head for my own shoe locker.

Clad and ready for the day, I make my way loudly into the staff room (for loud morning greetings are important) and head to my desk. Unpacking and starting the complicated dance of wires and settings that makes my computer function at school. Toshimi-san comes my way with my Snowman cup, now filled to the brim with fresh green tea. It rests, cooling on an Australian souvenir coaster while the morning meetings starts. The important people each say their piece, each grade theirs and then the et cetera that brings us to the bell that means the beginning of homeroom and ten minutes until the school day really starts.

後五十日間

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:57:00 +0000

hello neglected blog. I would apologize for never updating you, but I vowed to never to that a long, long time ago.

It's been about two months, and a lot has happened in that short time. I went back to the US to see my brother get married, I got a job in Cambodia, and so much more. It's been good, very good. Now I'm in my last few weeks here in Japan, and it's really hard to believe. It's also much more difficult to say goodbye than I thought it would be.

Leaving Benin wasn't hard for me. I was ready to go. I mean, there were hard things. I didn't like saying goodbye to all of my friends, and I didn't like saying goodbye to delicious chicken, weekly tchouk market or even zemidjans and my work. I was ready to say goodbye to some things, but it wasn't so much that I couldn't have stayed - it was just time to leave. Does that make sense?

It doesn't feel like that here. Life in Kurabuchi is easy, very easy. I'm paid well, my job is fun, my surroundings are beautiful and I love where I am. The more free weekends I have to sit on my window sill and watch the river, mountains and clouds the more I think about how much I'll miss this place.

Of course it's not unexpected. As soon as I got here, I felt that this place would always be special to me. That this was going to be a place of respite, but not something that would be permanent or even as long as I might like. I knew it was going to be a place to recharge my batteries and then leave to head off once more into the fray.

This isn't lament over the decision to move on. It was bound to happen eventually, and perhaps all the better that it happens at the peak of my love for this place. These two years in Japan will always be reflected back on as a time of great (and quiet) peace and joy.

It's all a very bittersweet experience. All at once I can hardly wait to get to Cambodia, to meet my new students, to dive into Khmer language and culture, to eat some spicy and delicious food and putt around on a scooter. (Not to mention other important things!) I love the first few months of newness in a culture. I love the deconstruction and humility you experience when suddenly you understand nothing and must learn it all again. Of course it's exhausting, but exhilarating. All of that I want to experience again, and now. Even so, it seems sad to once again lose all of the comfort I've worked so hard to gain - being able to communicate and being independent and established.

So, here I am and so the countdown truly begins. From here I have 50 days left in Japan.

sweet, sweet life

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:53:00 +0000

It's spring! Sakura are blooming and the dismal temperature range has shot up into the realm of lovely. I took the blanket off of my kotatsu yesterday, people have stopped reacting to me wearing short sleeves, and the windows in the staff room are open. The only disadvantage is that the sun rises so early! Well, I guess I actually would like that if I was running still. For the time being I'm taking a break and letting my body rest a bit. I'll be hitting the pavement again next week or so.

So I'm back from Cambodia! Wow, what an awesome trip. Seeing Mindy after such a long absence was, of course, wonderful. But getting to put faces to names, and to see in person her situation. We didn't really do very many touristy things, so the are still large parts of Phnom Penh that deserve exploring - not to mention things like Angkor Wat.

I also did a little job investigating while I was there, and had interviews with a couple of schools. But that actually is probably a story worth telling...

Going to Cambodia, I had sent an email to one school that looked promising. At this point, I just sort of wanted to see what they were about. So, I sent an informational interview request and met with their elementary school principal. It was good, she was really nice and it was cool to see their operation. It was a private Christian school, K-12. Unfortunately, it really didn't look like there was going to be any opportunities for me there, which was a bit sad.

The day before, while getting ice cream, we randomly bumped into a teacher at another Christian K-12 school. I got the e-mail address of their principal, but didn't really see much time to meet them in Mindy and my schedule. I thought I might send an e-mail late in the week, or maybe even when I got back to Japan. After all, I had only a couple of days left in Phnom Penh before Mindy and I were to head off to a relaxing couple of days at the beaches in Sihanoukville before I headed home. Flash forward to Wednesday, the day before we leave Phnom Penh. It was afternoon, and Mindy was showering so I was bored. I decided I may as well send the email then. But in it I didn't really give too much indication that I was in Cambodia, or that I had any time to meet, or for that matter any contact details. I was quite surprised when a couple of hours and a very strange phone chain later, Mindy was on the phone with the school principal and organizing my interview... for that evening.

It all worked out just right. We went over to the school, met with the principal and vice principal and it all went really well. I really liked them, the vision of the school and the job on the table. It's exactly the sort of job I've been praying for: Christian, Cambodians (don't want to be in a barang bubble), teaching, computers. I'd be sort of half net admin half computer teacher. The papers aren't signed yet, but things are looking very positive.

It was really one of those crazy "God's perfect timing" moments, of which there were several during the course of the week.

The whole week really just whet my appetite for Cambodia. I have to admit I was a bit jealous of Mindy! It's so exciting; learning Khmer language and culture, seeing, eating, smelling and discovering a new place. Phnom Penh really had elements of disparate familiarity. There were things that felt Japanese there were things that felt Beninese - all in a combination that was completely unique to itself. I'm sure Mindy quickly tired of hearing about Benin, because I felt like all I did was compare Cambodia to it. But no matter what, it was really awesome to tread familiar feeling but wholly different paths. I'm really looking forward to moving over there and discovering what I can for myself.

Oh, and the food was AWESOME! So good! Oh, and there was a Dairy Queen in the airport. What the heck? We don't even have Dairy Queen in Southern California! At least I know if I'm ever hankering for a Blizzard, my hunger need not go unsatisfied.

In the mean time though, I'm concentrating on loving Japan and where I am now. Not that that is hard to do, especially in light of all of the newness. My new first year students are at school, and have the bright-eyed-full-of-hope-while-still-wide-eyed scaredness that only first years can have. I'm happy that I get to be the connecting point too. I'm the only teacher that they really know here. (since I taught them in elementary as well) It's pretty fun to see them all together. We have a whole new staff as well (basically). We had 8 teachers change schools this year, so that's roughly half of our staff. It feels like a great start to a good ending. I'm really looking forward to all that's coming next.

I'm continuing my busy life of visitors with Shane and friends. They're currently visiting Kansai, but will be coming back up towards me this weekend. It's strange having such a constant flow of people in and out of my house. Fun, and occasionally tiring but, it's cool to have segments like this. Once they leave, it'll just be a matter of days before I'm back in California for a few days for my brother's wedding. (!) Then, returning from that, just a matter of about two months before I'm back in Cambodia. Wow.

marathon wrap-up

noreply@blogger.com (Lyle) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Final time 6:16:15

Not exactly even remotely close to my goal. I learned a lot though, and I know why it took me so long.

First, I was placed in K group, in the very back of the race. It was very clumped up back there, and difficult to navigate the crowd. I didn't have a good handle on the pace I was running. I was passing people so much I thought I was actually going too fast, so made an effort so slow down. I should have paid more attention to my time and not worried about what other people were doing.

My knee held out pretty well for the first 25k. Around the 25k point it started to go down hill. The one interesting thing was that I couldn't walk! I could only run. If I walked the pain was almost unbearable - but running was well within acceptable.

I think the hardest part of this was actually physical tiredness. When I ran the practice last month, I found that it was energy that was lacking, so needed to eat during the race. I did that this time, and found that energy was around - but after 4 hours of running I was very physically tired so those last two were difficult.

But wow, what an amazing experience. I wish I could describe it all and have it be understandable. Even better, to not sound cliche and lame. Running 42.195k over 6 hours was so many things. It was so incredibly lonely, yet at the same time there was such an incredible sense of community. It was just you and the road, but the entire course was lined with supporters screaming ガンバレ！('ganbarre' - "do your best!") and holding signs like "You are a hero! Never give up!". There were high-five lines, people handing out food, and giving an incredible amount of energy. There was entertainment too. Bands, cheerleaders, all sorts of dance troupes, and much more were all there for us. This isn't to mention the thousands of volunteers who gave up their time to pour drinks, peel bananas, and make sure the event ran smoothly - all on top of keeping spirits up and supporting the runners.

It was also one of the most humbling experiences I've had. I really don't know how to describe this, but I know that there was no way I could have completed this race alone. Last Tuesday I ran just 4k, and my knee was in such a state I couldn't get up stairs. There was no way it should have taken me the whole race and not be destroyed. God definitely ran this race for me - I just moved my legs.

The weather more or less cooperated - until the last bit of the race. Around the 40th kilometer the wind was horrible and blowing against us. The rain was heavy and cold and the supporters more or less left. It was terrible. Even the last 500m to the finish line were in the same vein, and even though I picked up and was running it was... emotional. I'm glad no one I knew was greeting me at the finish line! I did not look good.

Haha, but it's all done now. I learned a lot about myself and a lot about the character of God. It was an amazing experience, and I won't soon forget it. I was really touched to hear that there were people that were watching my progress through the race. Thank you all for supporting me, it really means a lot.