Friday, Day 13: From Toilet King to Shopping Malls

Well, my teammates ended up needing to do work today so I was the solo act at the latrine ceremony today. Yes, that's right, toilet dedication. Where does one even begin with that? We were invited last week by the social work department of Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE (actually called the Home Care Team - they work with HIV/AIDS/TB patients... more on that later.) - anyway, we were invited to attend the dedication of 100 latrines being donated to a community of displaced families outside of Phnom Penh. I arrived in the morning and was offered a sweet pork and egg yolk rice bun and helped load the van with water and bread to give to the community members. Our guests of honour: the donor of the toilets (who we now lovingly refer to as the King of Thrones) is a mid-thirties finance geek from Hong Kong, raised in Toronto. He's actually a pretty cool guy, laid back and funny. He was talking with one of his friends who had been telling him about this community over wine one night and how they desperately needed sanitation services and he just said, Why don't I just buy them toilets?! The friend was with him on this trip, Eunice Olson... also known as Miss Singapore - not a cute nickname, actually Miss Singapore. She was with two of her other friends who are producers in Singapore - they have been coming to Cambodia to research the creation of a film about the sex trafficing industry. While here they got to know this group of people who were kicked out of their land (a very low income area with poor sanitation) for developers to raise new condos... on the lake... Don't think this is So Cambodia... it happens in the US too... Anyway, there are now 3 settlements of families in Oudong, the most recent of which have only been resettled since December. A missionary group and series of NGOs have been assisting them to purchase land so that they can start creating more permanent homes because until then they are technically squatters and can't access many resources or feel very secure about their new homes either. Many are still living in tents but Habitat for Humanity and other groups have helped them establish more secure structures and are helping to rebuild a sense of community empowerment and self governance and long term economic stability including the purchase of farm land to provide local income generation - many of the families are broken up since they have to return daily or for extended periods to Phnom Penh to work. 

So... we show up at the community and I quickly embarrass myself. I was helping unload water and bread and start walking toward the ceremony tent when I realize I am walking down a reception line of little kids... who all start clapping and cheering for me... thinking I'm the donor... the problem with being a white guy. I immediately start waving NO and step out of the line and walk behind houses to get to the main tent... thankfully they all got theidea who they Should be clapping for when the King and Miss Singapore came walking down. I was forced to sit next to them in the front of the ceremony though... awkward, but awkward is sort of the standard now so I a just taking things in stride. After, we took pictures of the ribbon cutting and of people on toilets. I spoke with Country Directors and Hospital Directors and Program Directors about projects and funding and social justice implications for practice models... there are some people doing some really good work here... and some people who are doing very well to facilitate Cambodian's do really great work with and for themselves. Oh, the drive out was with a guy named Michael from NY (via Chicago and SF) who is married to Shelly from the hospital... hmmm... important part: new friend - we are having dinner, maybe Saturday?! He's a musician and the videographer for the hospital too. Anyway, we visited a couple of communities, saw kids on bikes that the donors also bought them so they can get to school, and then had lunch at a local market... cooked fish, fish soup, ... dessert: sticky rice balls coated in sweetened rice powder... so good. While we ate some local boys came to ask for money, some with stuff to sell, others with charm to pander. Instead, we traded tricks... I tried to teach them how to snap their fingers and whistle... they showed me magic tricks and showed me a different way to whistle that was WAY louder!!! They were great... we're friends now too... no dinner plans though. 

After lunch, Mit took me hiking up to this stupa (Buddhist shrine) on the hill. It houses bones of the Buddha that were stolen from Malaysia - I'm sure they're happy about that. It had a very good view of the valley and the tent city below... in the shadow of mansions. Just like home! Mit was a wonderful hiking companion - he shared a lot about his work with HIV patients and his heartbreak seeing this community be forced to rebuild lives after already living in such poverty before being displaced. But, also his joy in the spirit of the people. Even hearing the speak - joke even - about not needing to go the fields to defecate and risk getting bit in the butt by a snake... there was humour even in the most desperate situations here and people who are always willing to share when they have so little and a genuine smile even when asking for help. Not to romanticize, just to honour the strength that Cambodians hold... the spirit. 

Anyway, Mit (who wants to leave the city to raise cattle - and now I picture him living in Montana) and I walked back toward the group and encountered MONKEYS along the way. SO MANY MONKEYS!!! They were quite friendly too (don't worry mom, I didn't try to pet them). But... we did toss our water bottles to them and they picked them up and drank from them... So freaking cute!!! 

We stayed under the hut for a while as the rain POURED down and watched Chhavelith lose money in a card game.. then it was time to head home. We stopped a the home of an HIV+ husband/wife and their 3 children, all negative. The Home Care Team met the Mr when he was near death and now they have helped him get healthy, find work, build a home, and see that his children get an education. They really do amazing work -= stuff that my HIV org in Bellingham does that is considered progressive for the states. Capacity building is NEVER from scratch. The end of the day came with some sadness (and an invite from the hospital director to go dancing with her and Miss Singapore...). The Home Care Team has made me feel so welcomed - "You're a part of the family..." and it is a great family to have. 

Ok... so... after all that... ... I maybe got a pedicure. I know that is a stark contrast to the rest of the day but wait... it gets worse. Actually, the best part of the pedi (besides the fact that it was the best pedi I've had) is that the power went out (as it does here) and I got to hold my phone flashlight for her to finish working. It was kinda sweet. It was a nice balance compared to the bitchy woman next to me who treated her technicians like slaves... sad for her. Our group and the staff joked about Princess after she left... So, what does one do after a pedi?! They go to an art gallery opening downtown... it was a cool show, actually. The theme was Freedom and there were maybe 10 artists with work being shown. Proceeds from some of the sales were going to pet projects - friend of a friend was giving her sales to a school she helped start in a northern province. We stayed a while, I read statements about freedom of speech, environment, love, and all things in between. Then we wanted dinner but didn't know where to go. We were with our friend Saveun and his son (SO CUTE) who is almost the same age as my nephew. 

Trying to find a place that would work for him too... we ended up at the mall. Yes, PP has malls... they used to be empty buildings where locals came for air-con and to ride the escalators but in a few short years they have become a vestige of modern capitalism as anywhere else. Food was ok - baby played in the play area - we got ice cream. After making it home, Borpha and I grabbed a drink at a neighborhood bar with some white dude with dredlocks spinning... it was funny to watch backpackers break it down. We didn't stay long. I was happy to find sleep and contemplate a very busy, very diverse, very contradictory day. I do like being a gemini... and also reflecting on my privilege, generally and in the context of my current situation. How to use my resources, live to my means, and understand the impacts of the systems that have won me those privileges. Guilt isn't useful, but responsible action is.... dissertation to come.