The ducks of Phnom Penh

"Quack, quack. Quack, quack." That's the sound of the recyclers of Phnom Penh, who walk the streets looking to buy plastic and metal from residents. To attract their attention, the recyclers call out or honk horns. If only they bought paper too!

Or is it Dispatches from Street 97?

At first glance, the Phnom Penh street grid seems logical: north/south streets are odd numbered, starting from the east, and east/west streets are even numbered, starting from the north. However, the system is not completely logical, as 1) occasionally, the same street will have different numbers (as is the case with our street, which is street 95 where we are but street 97 up the block and both from the house in the photo) and 2) house numbers are not unique--house numbers will restart at 1 every so often, so different houses will have the same number.

I wouldn't find this so bad if I could just explain that I was on Street X between Streets Y and Z. However, the concept of cross-streets seems to be foreign to Phnom Penhites. Instead, they pinpoint a location by reference to the closest temple or commune, which is smallest unit of municipal organization in Cambodia. So, in the end, it takes a village to find your place in the city.

En Route to SFO

First, let me apologize for not writing sooner. I have had serious internet troubles over the last few days since I arrived in Bangkok (Tuesday) and I wanted to hold off making comments on the election until the NGOs presented their feedback.

I am about to board my flight to SFO, waiting in the Phnom Penh airport. Derek left a few days ago from Bangkok, and I just enjoyed 2 amazing days there of mostly R&R before starting this long journey. I will fly 4 hours to Taipei, and then 12 hours to SFO.

A brief update on the election: Derek and I were very impressed by the voting process itself, but we were quite disturbed by what we saw outside the voting booths. The voting went quite smoothly, with the one strange fact for me being there were five party observers in the room, and each person had to dip their finger in indelible ink after they voted to ensure there was no double counting.

The disturbing findings, echoed around Phnom Penh, were the large number of people who were not on the voting lists at all. It is hard to know how severe this problem was...but when you are bombarded with people (we met over 100 people between us in just a few hours) upset because they voted for years and now cannot vote, it seems large enough worth investigating. Almost every family seemed to have a few members who could not vote. We took names and sent them to our observer organization. They reported their concerns to UNDP ultimately, but on the whole, according to another observer I met in the airport who attended the UNDP briefing, people felt it was a fairly smooth election. The European Union Election Observation Mission called the 2008 election "showing some progress but falling short of key international standards."

I wonder if the UN staff feel like I did on Sunday - impotent, and wondering what was the value in my recording the problems when it was unlikely anything would be done about them. I am glad I participated in the process, but I hope, for the US elections, whoever observes will also speak up loudly and attempt to rectify any irregularities that occur during the day.

Packing up with Project Runway (and election countdown)

I am packing up my bags right now getting ready to head back to the US (next Friday) and watching a bootlegged copy of Project Runway from the market.

I am reviewing my materials in preparation for being a foreign observer tomorrow. I need to be mindful of any opinions I share about the political process on this blog because we are not supposed to come across as supporting or against a particular party. We met our translator today for coffee, and we will be meeting him at the NICFEC headquarters tomorrow at 6 am. Today is much quieter than yesterday in Phnom Penh. Last night was the close of the campaigning period.

One thing for those of you following the Preah Vihear dispute over where the border is surrounding a UNESCO site between Thailand and Cambodia: I read in the Phnom Penh Post today that most of the soldiers on the Cambodia side are former Khmer Rouge soldiers, one of whom said, "I spent years listening to American bombs drop near me and being shot at by Vietnamese, who were the best trained, so why should I be afraid of these Thai soldiers?" Seems history continues to haunt us.

Derek and Mary Jane Sign up to Observe

This morning I investigated the possibility of being a foreign observer of the elections this Sunday. The US Embassy referred me to the local NGO NICFEC (partly funded by the National Demoncratic Institute which is chaired by Madeleine Albright). NICFEC is responsible for managing the local observers and accepts foreign observers. We were too late to be one of the formal poll observers registered with the National Election Commission, but we can still participate. We will be doing mobile observation of polling stations, including noting whether political parties have signage within 100 meters of the polling station, and interviewing NICFEC Cambodian observers as part of their own monitoring process. We will be doing things like verifying whether the NICFEC observers were trained, have their manuals and whether the monitor seemed competent. Tomorrow morning we meet the translator who will be joining us (and we will pay him) because most Cambodian observers do not speak English. We will write each day for the next several days to keep you informed.

Why don't foreigners count the ballots?

Sunday is the election, the 4th since the UNTAC peacekeeping forces repatriated Cambodians from Thailand and monitored the first election in 1993.Tthe person installed by the Vietnamese in 1979 after they expelled the Khmer Rouge from (parts of) Cambodia is still in power, and this is after four elections. A few weeks ago, a journalist Khem Sambo who worked for the opposition's newspaper was mysteriously killed (along with his 21 year old son).

A Cambodian I know here asked me "why don't foreigners count the ballots?" He says people are afraid to speak out about the current situation and the only option he sees is foreign monitoring. I am looking into being a monitor, and will let you know what happens.

A few details about the election (from UNDP):
Total number of voters: 8.1 million (53% female)
Total number of polling stations: 15, 254
Total number of international observers - 256 so far (US Embassy - 95, EU - 80...)
Total number of national observers: 15,642 (In 2007 there were 19,121)
Official results announcement: Aug 13 - Sept 7

Please pay close attention to this election, and hope that my Cambodian friend will no longer feel he "was born at the wrong time."

UNAFF a resounding success!

I wanted to report back that the First Traveling UNAFF Festival Phnom Penh was a grand success. The first night, even with torrential downpours, filled the house with about 45 people, many of whom were truly inspired by the films, including one person who wants to translate Digital Dump into Khmer. The second night, with a film about UN leader Sergio, attracted over 65 people, including 10 people who stood for the entire film. The film stirred a range of emotions, from sadness among those who knew him, to resentment among those who felt the film over-glorified his life.
PHOTO: On a Tightrope & Post-film discussion.

The buses stopped, the signs remained

I was encouraged by this sign: someone had the idea to try out a bus service in Phnom Penh, and with signs with decent graphic design to boot (more on this in a later post).However, I was discouraged too: not only did the experiment not work (there is no bus service now), but no one has bothered to remove the signs, 7 years later.

From what I've heard, this is not atypical: projects are started, but there is not enough follow up, so they wither and die. As to why they die, I'm not sure. Was it a good idea with not enough funding? Was it a good idea but with poor implementation? Or was it an idea that would be good elsewhere but didn't fit the context of Phnom Penh? Or maybe just the time wasn't right, and it should be tried again---the streets of Phnom Penh are starting to getting clogged as most people have traded in their bikes for scooters and would like to trade their scooters for cars. If that's the case, maybe it's good they left the signs up.

Feeling at home with Cambodian Kettle Corn!

I have been in Cambodia since the end of May and I have to admit I feel homesick at times. I have adjusted to the heat (takes about 6 weeks), to the moto drivers (bought a helmut so I can commute on the back of a motorcycle) and the music (well, not really!). But I do have certain foods that make me feel at home, so you can imagine my glee when I discovered Cambodian kettle corn. I do not know the heritage, but these popcorn stands sell 2 sizes - small and large, and they have a subtle salty sweet taste, like kettle corn but not as much sugar. Absolutely perfect!

Getting ready for UNAFF Phnom Penh!

Film is definitely on my mind, and Meta House is my favorite film venue in Phnom Penh. It is an open air rooftop screening area and bar. They screen films 5 nights a week, from rarely seen German films (the owner is German) to contemporary social issue feature films. Friday night I saw a film called Burma All Inclusive that included footage of attacks on the ethnic minority Karen, and tonight I watched legendary French filmmaker Bertrand Tevalier's film on adoption in Cambodia called Holy Lola.
(PS - This photo is a picture of an election flier. Just a reminder we are in election season here - July 27.)

July 18 and 19 I will be bringing my favorite film festival - the UNAFF festival - to Phnom Penh. We will be presenting three films relevant to the Cambodian context - Digital Dump, on the disposal of computers, On a Tightrope, about Muslim minorities in China (Cambodia has a Muslim minorty) and En Route to Baghdad, about the UN peacekeeping force and the UN leader Sergio who died in a bombing in Iraq. If you know anyone in Cambodia, encourage them to come to Meta House for the screenings!

Angkor Wat photos

I've posted photos from Angkor Wat at http://picasaweb.google.com/derek.gurney/AngkorWatAndArea. You'll also see a few floating in the slideshow on the right.

Obsessed with pepper!

Derek and I spent our weekend by the seaside,and developed a frightening addiction to fresh green peppercorns (see picture). Before your pepper is dried, it was once upon a time fresh and delicate with such a mild pepper crunch it could be enjoyed whole. Put these green peppercorns into a steak sauce and you have died and gone to heaven! Kep is also home to crab, so peppered crab is a specialty here. Derek and I spent a day with a pepper grower and I hope to share stories or give a talk about the whole experience when I return. A few interesting discoveries -- before the Khmer Rouge Kampot pepper was famous in France, and was grown primarily by Chinese. The Khmer Rouge wiped out the Chinese and the pepper plants...left untended the fields will go wild. Families in Kampot (such as the family of the gentleman in the photos) have only started rejuvenating this amazing crop by finding elders who knew the old practices.

Synchro-cow-city

A few months ago while I was in Canada I opened the front door to find two students from the local high school canvassing for Heifer International. I donated $20 and purchased a flock of ducks for a family.

Then, a few weeks ago, in my first walk around our neighborhood, I noticed the distinct logo of Heifer International among the NGOs in our neighborhood (more on their abundance in Phnom Penh in an upcoming post).

And this morning I opened my browser to read one of my favorite columnists, Nicholas Kristof, and found that his latest column was on the impact of Heifer International on a woman from Uganda and, by extension, her village.

So, on Monday, I'll walk around the corner to Heifer International to see if they can use my services.

Dude, where's my Camry?

Look closely at this California plate...in Phnom Penh! Yes indeed, California cars are coveted here, and Derek and I suspect many of them are stolen. The most popular are Toyota Camry's and Lexus'. Our driver, Mr. Honn, mentioned to us that he wanted to come to California to see the cars. He said Cambodians only want to buy cars from California. At least they are buying cars that have met higher smog emissions! Derek and I are off to Kep for the weekend for my bday. Will share some beach photos soon.

Is it dengue season?

As you can imagine, this sign, in front of a Siam Reap Children's hospital, was somewhat disturbing to me. Dengue fever season is upon us in Cambodia. It arrives after the first rains which bring with it mosquitoes attracted to the standing water. \ I was about to blog on it on my official InSTEDD blog since it has been over a month since I have written on in my official blog. There are so many interesting things happening here, but because we are working closely with the government and relationships and information is sensitive, there is very little I can say publicly. Yes! I could blog about something -- dengue. I could write about how there was an epidemic last season, and how international aid focuses on 'cool' diseases like HIV, malaria and TB and dengue gets neglected. This photo provided a perfect entree.

Luckily, I held off for a few days, and mentioned to one of my World Health Organization colleagues how surprised I was that, on the road to Angkor Wat, there would be a huge sign warning of a dengue epidemic. It seemed like it would scare away tourists. She said, "oh, that sign has been there for years." Dengue season is here, but I guess that sign is used to get funding for the hospital, and it works quite well. Friends and family - don't worry! Derek and I are in good health, and dengue is not a serious health risk for a healthy Western adult with access to good medicine. Photo: Ta Prohm at Angkor Wat

P.S. Last night I saw an incredible documentary at my favorite hang out spot here - Meta House (art work/lounge/films). It was an early 1970s documentary called Vietnam: The Quiet Mutiny by journalist John Pilger. The images looked so contemporary, you felt like you were watching our soldiers in Iraq. It was the story of how the 'grunts' were rebelling against the 'lifers' (officers) in 1970, and were the real reason the US would not last in Vietnam. It had an unsettling scene with a group of American Red Cross women with bouffont hairdos doing dances to cheer up the men. Seek it out if you can or buy it from his website! (And if I can open my documentary screening space someday, I will show it.)

Angkor Wat revealed

Yes, we finally saw the grand-daddy (or sexy grand-daddy - since there are thousands of lingas about) of them all: ANGKOR WAT.

Okay, those who know me know I love little things, and Angkor Wat is anything but little - so I had to show you my favorite rendition -- an Angkor Wat cookie! Discovering this cookie was more bizarre than anything I have experienced. I walked into Madamsachiko's cookie place and was greeted by a chorus of Cambodians saying "Konichiwa!!!" Apparently I had arrived at the same time as a tour bus of Japanese, and these Cambodians had learned Japanese (as well as Korean). Koreans, which I believe is the ethnicity of Mrs. Sachiko, are the largest group of tourists to Cambodia, with the Chinese edging out Korea for the most destinations from Phnom Penh (to Shanghai, Beijing and Guangxi).

Now on to the real deal. Derek I hope will be publishing some of his amazing photos soon. It is hard to put into words the experience of Angkor. First, for those who were ignorant like me, Angkor Wat describes one of over 50 temples built by the Khmer rulers over their 500 year reign. The temples cover over 100 miles, so it is hard to comprehend the vastness.

I will start by describing only Angkor Wat, built in the early 1100s as a massive temple-mount to the Hindu god Vishnu. To be honest, when we drove up on a tuk tuk, I was a little underwhelmed. The entrance to Angkor was to my left, and all I saw was a line of dark stone with a 50 foot stone walkway. But Angkor Wat revealed herself in her mystical glory. Once through the gate, I felt like I had entered another world...the buildings pulsed with the beat of the jungle, amplified by screeching crickets. The conical towers pierced the sky, and I thought I saw the sea churning at the bas relief "Churning of the Sea of Milk." The bas relief describes a "Hindu myth in which Gods and humans cooperate to churn with a massive snake the primordial ocean in order to produce amrita, or the elixir of immortality" (from Art and Archeology).

Suffice it to say Angkor Wat is one of the MUST SEE experiences of a lifetime, to which I would add seeing the gorillas in the wild (March, 1994) and the Taj Majal (January, 2008).

Our Neighborhood

For the Google Map aficionados (like me), here's a view of our neighborhood and a few of our haunts, so far. You may have to zoom out one level to see the images.

I found it interesting that Google Maps doesn't have a street map for Phnom Penh, but it does have satellite images. More technology leapfrogging in action!

Wireless World

One of the reasons that Mary Jane is here in Cambodia is to facilitate the use of wireless phones in disease prevention.

So, it seems fitting to make this first post to our blog from a wireless phone, sitting on a balcony overlooking Street 95, our home base in Phnom Penh.

A lot is happening on Street 95: new houses are being built, cars are being repaired, tuk tuk

drivers are plying their trade. A constant among these activities is the mobile phone. When we want our tuk tuk driver to pick us up, we send him a text message. When we want our landlord to talk to the construction workers about starting at 6 am, we send him a text message. And if we had a car that needed reparing, we'd send a text to the body shop.

And because it's a wireless world, we'll be able to post every couple of days. Look for posts through the end of July.