Eyes Wide Open: Cambodia & Vietnam Pilot Tour

2010-02-01T01:50:00.001-08:00

Hi intrepid travelers. Following your blog. Looks like you didnt waste any time getting stuck into things. I hope you are all enjoying the amazing experience. Will follow with interest. Be safe and have a wonderful time. Sue Foley

2008-12-26T04:23:00.000-08:00

We are sitting at KL airport feeling pleased with what we have accomplished over the past 10 days for Eyes Wide Open and Rotary.

This research trip has confirmed in my mind the impact Rotary can have on current and future generations of people all over the world through Eyes Wide Open trips.

Rotary has an opportunity to educate people by giving them first-hand humanitarian experiences and hopefully inspire them to contribute in some small way to those living in need in developing regions of the world. By introducing more people to the outstanding work of Rotary, we can spawn the next generation of humanitarians and Rotarians and see more people join the organisation as a result of a compelling and meaningful experience with Rotary.

Our group managed to touch the lives of many in an albeit small amount of time. In return, we were all touched by the bravery of these people whose daily struggles we can't begin to comprehend. Having read the team's blogs, hopefully you have some idea of how this trip has started to affect their perspectives on life and desire to become more involved in service-orientated work.

There have been countless positive outcomes from this trip; some which will reveal themselves in time as our youngest team member reaches her adult life.

I hope those who have read our blog along the way can see the value Eyes Wide Open will bring to those communities we visit, to Rotary and its future relevance and to participants who immerse themselves in Rotary's humanitarian work.

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Melbourne South for being so far-sighted as to see the long-term benefits of Eyes Wide Open. It's time to start engaging more people in the work of the world's largest humanitarian organisation and Eyes Wide Open is one way to achieve this.

We are looking forward to showing you the photos and documentary from this trip.

-Lena

my second last word on the matter...

2008-12-26T04:09:00.000-08:00

WELL! what now???

I speak for myself when I say that I am a little sad to be coming home so soon, although I am looking forward to seeing my family for a belated Christmas and seeing in the new year at home. What we are leaving behind will be thought about a lot over the coming days.

I believe that this trip is just the beginning and encourage everybody to get behind Lena and do what you can to see the Eyes Wide Open dream rocking along...

Anyway, there will be opportunities to view the entire photography portfolio and there is a short film to come from me yet.

Until then stay safe and know that I am really proud to have been a part of the first EWO trip (if only my teachers at school had told me research could be this much fun!)

Speak soon,

Jungle Jim

Untitled

2008-12-25T02:06:00.000-08:00

Twisted limbs and broken souls remain,
Coloured by the poisonous orange
That ravaged a nation,
Distorting children's endeavour
With enduring rage.

Man's destruction lies dormant
In fields that bore witness to battle
While generations unknown to war
Live with its burdens
Of body and mind.

It bled its toxin into a people
That yearn for liberty and peace.
And it is only with new life
That hope arrives
For a future absent
From the horror that preceded.

-Lena

A post from Michael

2008-12-25T01:35:00.000-08:00

Hi there it's Michael, the international man of mystery. As usual I haven't blogged yet but its only because the others have been doing such a great job. :) It can be hard for me to articulate exactly what it is that I want to say and how I feel but here goes...

The Eyes Wide Open slogan "see the world, make a difference" is a good reflection of how I feel about this trip. For me, it has been very much along those lines. I have ventured outside my comfort zone completely. This is my first time to what you would call a developing country, but it has just been one surprise after another, from the growth of their cities to the amazing beauty of the country side and the grandeur of the Ancient Temples. The trip has been a total immersion into the culture of these countries, the way of life, the people, customs and of course the food.

For me, being from a building background, being able to watch the construction going on and the restoration of the Ancient Temples has been for a want of a better word delightful. All of the temples I have visited are breath taking, from there sheer size, the design and the craftsmanship, to the wonderful masonry carving on every wall and every square inch of the the Temples.

But there has also being the other part of the trip - the humanitarian side - which has honestly caught me a little bit off guard. With the team we have visited quite a few orphanages, an unwed mothers home and street kids' homes. The orphanages are what have gotten to me the most, being able to interact with the kids, read books, sing songs and of course play time. Their bright faces and disarming smiles really got to me. Even at the earliest of ages, these kids understand that education is their way out and their way forward. The children have a way that connects with you straight away and for me it is a little weird; they just come up to you hold your hand and just start to ask you lots of questions. It gets harder every time we have to leave. It's been a very humbling experience and I must be honest with you that it has bought this man to tears during one of our debriefs.

These places that we have been visiting are not asking us to take control or run anything, they are simply asking for a little bit of assistance to help make life a little better for the people that live there. If you ask me did i make a difference in these kids' lives, I would have to say yes, just a tiny little bit, for I know that for at least one afternoon I was able to provide them with an outlet of fun and laughter which to a little kid is priceless, and I know for me they have given it right back ten-fold.

Eyes Wide Open has given me a very unique opportunity to be able to discover myself and explore possibilities of another country. I am ready for the next trip and will be telling others about this experience.

Merry Christmas.

-Michael

2008-12-24T21:37:00.000-08:00

Wheelchair distribution

2008-12-24T21:33:00.000-08:00

Jorji Explains

2008-12-24T21:21:00.000-08:00

So it's Christmas Day, I hope everyone's enjoying themselves!
This morning we completed our final project for this trip, the wheelchair distribution.
There were a few locals waiting for us and once we'd handed over the chairs, talked with them about their needs and lifestyles we got to see their grateful faces.
We jumped back in our taxis and followed Sue Mckinney's jeep to a little house not far off to deliver a wheelchair to an elderly woman who had suffered a stroke and had since been lying in bed receiving full time care, unable to venture outside at all.
While there we met a young girl of twenty three who has what seems to be catarax so we're going to try and see what we can do.
We've just arrived back at our hotel and said our goodbyes to Adam and Marie who are now on their way back to Cambodia.
I hope everyone has an amazing day while we're off to stake out a fitting place for a Christmas lunch in Viet Nam.

- Jorji

In the spirit of Christmas...

2008-12-24T16:43:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all who have been following our blog. We have appreciated your thoughts and support from afar.

The team is about to undertake a distrubution of wheelchairs to victims of landmine accidents and other paralysing diseases spawned from the use of agent orange during the Vietnam War. One of the wheelchairs has been donated by the Rotary Club of Melbourne South at a cost of US $165. We are very pleased to be making this contribution. The remainder of the chairs have been sponsored by an American professor.

It is with a great deal of pride that undertake this activity on Christmas Day; not for our own self-gratification, but for spirit of giving that surrounds Christmas and forms the core of Eyes Wide Open.

Merry Christmas,

Sue, Jorji, Michael, James and Lena.

pics of 24 Dec 08...

2008-12-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

Rotarians: Lena, Sue, Robin and Sue

Jorji Explains

2008-12-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

...So after the museum everyone headed back to the hotel while Marie came with me to get my second rabies shot. (an encounter with a Gibbon in phnom penh, don't worry it was just a scratch!)
We had lunch at a great cafe/restaurant called Ciao, freshened up at the hotel and then jumped in to a mini van to go to the market for supplies to bring to the women at the Unwed Mothers Home of Ho Chi Minh City run by Sister Pascal.
Michael had wrapped some soap donated by Rotary in some gorgeous tissue paper which the girls there absolutely loved as well as our donation of fresh fruit.
When we arrived at the Unwed Mothers Home we talked to Sister Pascal about her help centres and were introduced to the ten women that were staying there, after which we bought some of the trinkets that the women had made (silk quilts, money purses, bracelets, keychains etc) and then went on a tour around the buillding.
We left the home at around 5 and headed to Sue Mckinney's Christmas dinner where we met some rotarians and got a chance to look around Sue's home and see some of the amazing pieces she's colleted.
Our mini van picked us up at 8.30 pm and took us back to the hotel, after which we had a refreshing drink at Ciao (as we've become quite fond of the place) and now we've just got back to get ready for bed and an early start tomorrow to donate wheelchairs.

Merry Christmas everyone!
We'll keep you posted and will be seeing you in a few days!

- Jorji

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2008-12-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the typo! it was late after a huge day...

Merry Christmas :)

Jorji Explains

2008-12-24T06:35:00.001-08:00

This morning we woke bright and early to have breakfast before heading over to the war remnants museum.
When I first entered the building and saw the horrific photos of mutilated bodies lying in streets and the disfigured children that had been affected while in the womb from napalm blasts etc I was absolutely mortified.
The Viet Nam war isn't actually fully taught in Melbourne schools other than to depict Australia's brief involvement (well at least that's from my personal experience), so what I haven't read about of my own accord was right there in front of me.
The saying that a picture says a thousand words is completely appropriate.
I looked on at the photos in complete horror as the complete truth was finally revealed to me.
I probably would've stood there for hours, just contemplating the cruelty in the world and how man can stand to commit these terrible acts, if a school group hadn't asked to have their picture taken with me.
Just as they were asking me what Eyes Wide Open was, an officer came up to us and told them (rather aggressively) that they weren't allowed to talk to foreigners.
That shook me a little more than I had been from the effects of the museum, the fact that some of these kids simply aren't allowed to find out more about a person and what they stand for simply because they were born in another country...

American Remnants Museum

2008-12-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

It doesn't matter what side you are on or what spin you want to apply - war is ugly. Our visit to the American Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) was in stark contrast to our other group projects during our tour with Eyes Wide Open. Whereas Green Gecko, Future Light, Sunrise projects are all about people caring for those less fortunate, respect and compassion, the Remnants Museum demonstrated the horrors that humans are capable of in times of war and occupation. Whilst this particular museum had an agenda to push, which was very obvious, the same pictures could easily have hung in the Cambodian Genocide Museum or the Holocaust Memorial or the Displays from Changi Prison- just the faces would have been different. A strange experience on the day before Christmas but I guess it just underpins the importance of the humanitarian work that is ongoing in the world which is a counter-balance to the atrocities of war in any country.

-Sue

Gift of Music

2008-12-23T02:16:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

First time blogger here - it seems these countries provide ample oportunities for new experiences!

I haven't tried my hand at this new fangled way of communication but I have been making notes in my trusty note book - but I decided I had to tell you all about the chance I had to donate the guitar I brought with me from Australia.

Before leaving Australia I had emailed my friends and family asking if they would be interested in donating some funds so that I could purchase a guitar, strings, music books etc to take with me to Cambodia. I thought it would be fun to sing a few songs with the children we were visiting and then eventually leave the guitar where it seemed most appropriate.

For those of you that know me are probably thinking what did those poor children do to suffer my guitar playing - harsh..... but fair! However it all went very well as the photos show (sound not included luckily). I was surprised that Christmas songs seemed the most popular - a rousing chorus of Jingle Bells was unexpected but great fun. I was starting to worry a little that I wasnt going to find a suitable place to dontate the guitar - as I wanted to give it to someone that understood the instrument and could change strings and tune it - otherwise it would just have been a waste.

As it turned out I need not have worried because when we visited the Sunrise Childrens Village one of the first things we saw was a guitar student and his teacher having a lesson with one guitar between them - problem solved. After we had a jam near the childrens play area - many Khmer folk songs ensued. I explained that I intended to leave the guitar with them and the music teacher was thrilled as it now gave him an oportunity to show his student chords without having to share the one guitar. I was really pleased that the idea has such a great outcome and I want to take this oportunity to thank everyone who donated some money to the guitar and to also let you know that I raised 100USD more that I needed for the instrument so I have donated 50USD to the Future Light Orphanage and will donate the other 50 USD at one of Vietnam projects where it is most needed.

Christmas is just around the corner and I can assure you that the gifts donated and the money donated have helped to brighten the world of some wonderful children. Whilst I'm thanking people I would just like to than Barry Dorr from Jo-Jo's publishing for the great Childrens books which have been enthusiastically received, Steve Berry for the great T-Shirts (featured in many of the shots) and finally to my great parents, Jen & Kev, for their financial support and also for the colorful recorders - which the kids just love.

One of my most humerous memories so far is seeing one of the boys from Green Gecko leaving on the back of a motorbike with one of his family, orange recorder in hand. So now we are off to discover Ho Chi Mhin City so I hope you are all enjoying the blog and our adventures. Have a wonderful Christmas - see you when we get back!!

Sue.

Jorji Explains

2008-12-23T02:04:00.000-08:00

So we arrived here in Ho Chi Min City at 2.30 pm after crossing the border in a coach. The trip took us 6 1/2 hours from Phnom Penh.
There is an amazingly vast difference between Cambodia and Vietnam, Vietnam is so much further developed - It's crazy!
The whole city seems to always be in a rush, streets are crowded and shopkeepers are selling you their wares at every turn.
It's scary when you make an attempt to cross the main roads, even at the pedestrian crossings, so much so that as soon as I got to the other side I patted myself down and yelled, "I'm alive!"
We've had the afternoon off to explore and it's an experience in itself trying to make your way around without getting lost, although I have to admit that Sue and I did walk a bit far and had to get a taxi back to the hotel.
I miss Cambodia but I think once I get used to it, Ho Chi Min City will begin to appeal to me.

That's all for now,
We'll keep you posted!
- Jorji

Sunrise Children's Village - Monday 22 December

2008-12-23T01:28:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know Adelaide ex-pat Geraldine Cox from her book, "Home Is Where The Heart Is", or from her publicity on 60 minutes, or from newspaper photos featuring her unmistakable red hair that is always tied in a high bun. She is the founder of Sunrise Children's Village which is located about 25km outside of Phnom Penh.

Although we did not get to meet Geraldine, (she is in Australia on holidays), we met over 50 of her children who are living testament to her commitment to bettering the lives of Phnom Penh's poorest children.

The orphanage cares for over 130 orphans whose mostly only have one parent, usually too poor to care for them. They arrive as babies or toddlers and spend the rest of their childhood in the care of the live-in nannies. They take it in turns to cook and do chores around the orphanage. They of course go to school and undertake extra curricular activities such as dance lessons and sport. SUnrise is located on a magnificent 4 hectare property which is managed on a voluntary basis by a former Echuca dairy farmer, Michael. He and his wife have lived in Phnom Penh for three years and as Michael says, "Mowing lawns and putting a smile on these kids' faces is far better than milking cows at 5am in the morning"!

Michael has a special relationship with one young orphan. He was brought to Sunrise at eight-months of age after both of his parents died of HIV. He developed a special bond with Michael because most of the staff were too scared to touch him. As it turns out, the young boy, now three, is actually HIV negative. Apparently the test results can show up either way when children are very young.

I met with Chamreon, one of Sunrise's senior staff members. He is looking forward to more Eyes Wide Open groups visiting in the future. There are many ways groups can interact with the children: there are tennis courts, open fields to play soccer or AFL, a music room, classrooms for English teaching and a library for story time! There is even a playground which was built by Rotary Clubs in District 9800! In fact, many Rotarians from the 9800 District sponsor children at the orphanage. I can report that their contributions are guaranteeing these children will have opportunities to learn and develop, hopefully educating them to the point that they can earn a good income in their adult life thus breaking the cycle of poverty within their communities.

The pictures James took speak for themselves.

Lena

2008-12-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

2008-12-22T16:11:00.000-08:00

Jorji Explains

2008-12-22T16:09:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we had the morning off so we decided to check out the markets to find some good presents for our loved ones back home.
After meeting back at the hotel we jumped into the mini-van and ate our lunch on the way to the Sunrise Children's village.
As soon as we got there we were asked for our passports so that they could be scanned and then led on a tour.
However some of us didn't make it around the whole tour as we were dragged off by children who wanted to show us their friends and favourite parts of the village.
When the tour (with not many of us left after the children were through) finished, we made our way to the dance/music hall to watch all of the gorgeous younger children tell us stories of romance, hunting and joy through traditional dance.
The kids came down of the stage rather excitedly and surrounded us, playing with our hair and telling us as much about themselves in english as they could manage.
Everyone then hurried to the playground where we played with the children until near exhaustion - they have so much energy!
Sue donated her guitar to them (they had an amazing music program with a few guitar students so they really enjoyed it)
When it was time to head home we were all a little bit upset as the children were rushing to say their goodbyes but we thoroughly enjoyed making them smile.
When we got back to the hotel we had 15 minutes to freshen up before our sunset boat cruise over the Mekong, after which we headed to an american diner for some food to remind us of home.
We are now on a bus ride to Vietnam, will post when we get there.

- Jorji

2008-12-22T16:08:00.000-08:00

King of the Kids

2008-12-22T16:03:00.001-08:00

King of the Kids

2008-12-22T16:03:00.000-08:00

Jorji Explains

2008-12-21T05:28:00.000-08:00

21/12

This morning we left in the mini-bus from the hotel at 9am to go to the Future Light Orphanage.
Unfortunately Jim was feeling sick from his encounter with the spider so he had to stay behind.
Although we took a few wrong turns by accident, the sight that we encountered when we drove through the large red gates was definitely worth it.
The orphanage was truly an amazing example of a great woman's ambition and just how much of a difference Rotary's involvement has in order to bring an ambition to fruition.
We were taken on a tour through the establishment, stopping to take in classes such as Japanese (which Lena shone in!) and music.
Our tour ended at the library where the children rushed to great us with an overwhelming amount of requests to read to and spend time with them.
It felt great helping these gorgeous kids to better their understanding of the english language and giving them the opportunity to listen to their favourite stories through a new voice, It seemed to soothe them and help brighten their day.
After the library we made our way across to the music area in the courtyard and sang christmas songs and urged the children to sing and play us some of their traditional songs.
A lot of the kids held on to us at any opportunity they got and to see the grins on their faces after even just a tiny bit of affection such as holding their hand was simply breathtaking.
While Lena, Sue, Adam and Marie went to talk to the woman that set up the orphanage, Michael and I set off to lunch with the children.
Michael was handed rice re-filling duty while I talked to some of the older kids who were in their final year of school.
It was interesting to see how different and yet similar their schooling system is.
Michael and I eventually headed back to the rest of the group with great reluctance and just as we were nearing the van I heard a tiny voice call out my name, a little girl who had become quite attatched to me during our time there was running full pelt towards me to give me a final hug goodbye.
It was immensly heartwarming and I look forward to visiting again as soon as I get the chance, just to see her gorgeous smile, I only wish we could have stayed longer.
The group piled in the van and we made our way to lunch which was on our way to the animal sanctuary.
It was great seeing all of these gorgeous creatures close up, my favourites would definitely have to be the otter and the lions. (thankfully enough they were in separate enclosures!)
The only thing I found upsetting was the elephant dancing in time to the music looking extremely scared as her trainer stood close by with a metal pike. It hurt to imagine how the poor animal had been trained.
Michael and I had been away from the group with a make-shift guide for some of our time in the sanctuary who then tried to rip us off when it came to payment time, he must have known in the end that he only got $20 because of the meat cleaver strapped to his bicycle.
When we got back to the hotel we had a brief break to freshen up before dinner, after which we headed to a bar close to our hotel in order to write our blogs, check emails etc because the internet connection at the hotel is so slow at night you think you're about to expire while waiting for a page to load.

That's all for today,
Expect a good fill tomorrow!

- Jorji

Future Light Orphanage of Worldmate - 21 December

2008-12-21T05:14:00.001-08:00

Our day began with a visit to the Future Light Orphanage of Worldmate which is 90% funded by various Japanese Rotary Clubs and the Sunrise Club of Honolulu.

The orphanage was established in 1986 by killing fields survivor Mrs Nuon Phaly. She is a two times Noble Peace Prize winner for her humanitarian work throughout Cambodia. She established the orphanage out of desperate need after the Khmer Rouge war; accepting orphans from many districts within Cambodia. With the immediate demand to care for war orphans over, she now cares for children whose parents have died of HIV or landmine accidents. There are 262 children living at the orphanage and 100 others living in nearby villages who are still supported by the orphanage. Nuon has cared for over 600 orphans since the establishment of the facility and has many grandchildren!

The site is set on four hectares and contains boys and girls living quarters, a library built by the Sunrise Rotary Club of Honolulu, a dining hall, outdoor music hall, offices for the 27 staff and classrooms. The children go to the local public school but on weekends attend computer, English and Japanese classes. I was able to speak Japanese with many of the older students. Most could converse in English which is a credit to their teachers.

When we first arrived at the orphanage, we were greeted with some faint "good mornings" from some young girls working in the front garden. They curiously followed us on our tour. We soon had over 5o curious and bright-eyed children affectionately hanging on to our hands eager to talk in the language they study. We spent some time in the library reading to the children and in turn listening to them read 'Thomas The Tank Engine' and 'Spot'. They loved asking questions like, "Where are you from" and "How old are you?". One four-year-old girl asked Michael where he was from and promptly pulled a book off the shelf titled "Australia". A beautiful drawing was to follow featuring a boomerang, kangaroo and some Khmer symbolism.

At the end of our tour of the facility, we met with Nuon to discuss bringing Eyes Wide Open groups into the future. Given the size of the property, it will be easy to facilitate groups partaking in English teaching, art and craft activities, library lessons, games of basketball and music activities. Nuon asked that when groups come, they bring art materials such as paints, crayons and colouring books. She also told us about some of her orphanage's needs such as a new generator. She is also trying to fundraise to take a group of her students to France on a cultural exchange. I may be able to put her in touch with a Rotary contact in France to help facilitate this visit. In this way, Eyes Wide Open will form a conduit between projects in need and Rotary.

One final way we can help this facility is to sell their cultural wares via the Eyes Wide Open website. Nuon runs an ethical weaving workshop for women and helps other groups of women sell their handicrafts. Part of the money goes to the orphanage. We can sell these items via our website opening doors to a global audience of buyers. Purchases of silk scarves and handbags, for example, will make a big difference to the lives of many. Gifts that give...

The looks in these kid's eyes reminds us of why we are here, why I joined Rotary and the impact Rotary is having around the world.

Jorji - Personal Encounter

2008-12-21T05:14:00.000-08:00

Being the first overseas trip I've been on except for a two-week band comp in NZ when I was in year 7, I expected to be completely overwhelmed.
However in that expectation I told myself to expect the unexpected, so now instead of being overwhelmed I'm overjoyed to have this amazing opportunity and experience the beatiful culture and ambience here in Cambodia.
After such long flights to get over here It's taken a while to fully realise where I am in the world, of course i'm not blind or ignorant but I think it's just surprising for me to finally be here, like I've gone from having hopes and dreams of life goals and I've just taken a giant leap towards them.
Being here on the Eyes Wide Open tour has done just that, and since being involved my eyes become wider every day.
Most of the time I'm in awe of my surroundings but I'm also constantly inspired.
For example, The Green Geko Project and the stilt village; At Green Geko there were so many of these young children that, even so early on in their lives, knew what it was like to have nothing while they were orphans living on the street - and yet when I interacted with them I saw how joyful and courageous they were even with the burdens they once, and still do, carry.
While at the stilt village I first saw the devastation but, because my eyes were open, I also saw the children playing happily on their way home from school, as well as the drive and determination of the village to survive.
That's what inspires me to move forward, to drive myself closer to my goals.

- Jorji

How to interact with the team

2008-12-20T18:14:00.000-08:00

We have a email address if anybody would like to send a message to the team. Perhaps you have a question or comment you would like to make but are not signed up to the blog site.

eyeswideopen.rotary@gmail.com

The Killing Fields & Genocide Museum - Saturday 20th

2008-12-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

The group boarded the mini van to head to Phnom Penh which is a 2.5 hour drive from Kampong Cham. The sights along the way represented typical scenery of the Cambodian country side: bullocks working in the rice fields, children happily playing by the side of the road, motorcyles sharing the road with bullock or pony-drawn carts, the sun fighting its way thtough the hazy skyline, pegodas scattered amongst fields and food markets selling local produce.

At one of our stops along the way, Jim sampled some of the local cuisine - fried Tarantulas. Yes, with a bit of peer pressure, he bit the furry leg of a large, black spider which would send shivers up th spine of most westerners. Sue stayed in the van at the thought of the unfried spiders still running across the market floor while the rest of us giggled at the thought of what seems a delicacy to Cambodians. The body of the spider contains eggs and Jim even had a bite of that part of the snack. Our driver happily finished off the spider along with a fried cricket.

After lunch, we were quickly sobered with a visit to the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum. The Killing Fields are about 20km out of town and are the location of mass executions under Pol Pot's regime. Remaining are the holes of the mass graves where men, women and children were told to kneel or squat before they were beaten across the back of the neck with an iron bar and sliced across their throats with a knife before being tossed into a mass grave. Clothes and bones still poke out from the ground, a sickening reminder of the human atrocities that occurred during this period of our history. Tourists from across the globe come to remember in silence and hope that history does not repeat.

The Genocide Museum is contained within one of the main prisons the Khmer Rouge used to detain, torture and kill prisoners. They executed the educated, the wealthy or anyone they suspected of betrayal of the regime. If a man had a large belly, he was considered well-off and killed. The faces of thousands of innocent Cambodian prisoners are displayed throughout the museum. Their eyes tell the story. There are faces filled with fear, faces of defiance, faces of defeat and faces of confusion. It is impossible to walk through this place void of emotion of some kind.

The prison cells, the torture equipment and the gallows are a visual reminder of the abominable acts of genocide that were commited at this prison. It is aptly located on a site called Toul Sleng which means poisonous hill in Khmer.

Reflections of Angkor Wat

2008-12-20T07:37:00.000-08:00

And so they come

Drawn as ancients once were

To darkened site

Of mans ambitious attempt to touch the divine.

Hushed, the sun-worshipers gather

Oblivious to the watchful moon

Cloaked in half luminescence

Silent, in amused sentry.

The faithful stand

And await the golden brilliance of her appearance

Over the ancient monument

But the elements swart the glorious ascendance

And still the moon shines

Illuminating the backs of the disappointed throng.

The reverent mood fades

The people drift from the waters edge

Embarrassed by the primal call of the new dawn

Only the moon, once worshipped like the obscured sun

Is reflected in the deserted pool.

2008-12-20T07:27:00.000-08:00

2008-12-20T07:22:00.000-08:00

Killing Fields photos

2008-12-20T07:18:00.001-08:00

Images from the Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum Phnom Pen.

Why Cambodia

2008-12-20T06:34:00.001-08:00

Hi there,

Okay, I've not had all that much to say from my own perspective yet but let me try...

Have to say, so far, Cambodia is a kaleidoscope of contrast where although you know there are many patterns and colours to come when they are actually revealed there is a surprise, a BLAST of unexpected scenery or a moment with the people, a smell or snack (read a fried tarantula!) that catches your eye. Technically I don't fancy myself as a descriptive writer but I hope the images are starting to speak in volumes on all of our behalves.

There has been a point on this trip where I realised that I probably now know more about the history of the Cambodian (Khmer) people than my own town, Victoria or Australia for that matter. When it comes to opening your eyes, the best place to start might be in your own neighborhood. My neighborhood, West Footscray, has challenges with graffiti, needles being left in playgrounds and public spaces, drunks, mentally ill people without support, a major freeway due to start construction, an overcrowded hospital, loads of refugees finding schools, more and more wealthy developers scooping up rundown miners cottages and converting them into double-storey subdivisions squeezing every available airspace out of the blocks... okay, chill, I know!

But, seriously it is a wonderful thing to visit. Visit the countries you wish, take sometime to checkout your own town. Whatever you do I'd say DO tour Cambodia with Eyes Wide Open . It is a typical south-east asia country with a couple of exceptions:

a. the people will melt your heart

b. it is rather easy here

We thought Cambodia would be challenging, remote, difficult or at least awkward but there goes the collision of colour and spirit that has made this a beautiful experience so far.

I have many pictures yet to come to show you. There is a limit on uploads to the blog unfortunately. We will share the album with you but be warned you might just be inspired to give it a go.

Speak soon,

Jim

The Stilt Village

2008-12-19T15:48:00.000-08:00

The photos Jim has posted are a brilliant reminder of our visit to a rural village built on stilts called Kampong Plok. The village consisting of about 300 houses has been built on wooden stilts to accommodate the flooding river which is also the lifeblood of the community. Of the 300-odd families living in the village, 95% are fisherman.

To reach the village, we took a 3km walk and a boat. As it currently the dry season, the water which usually flows underneath the houses has receded allowing the children to walk to school. The river bed is covered in litter and debris. The villagers lack education about recycling and there is no infrastructure to allow for garbage collection. There was a program recently instituted by the government aimed at encouraging community members to recycle their plastic bottles. They are paid for bag fulls of bottles. Years ago, Khmer food was wrapped in banana skin and could biodegrade. It is now wrapped in plastic but there is no understanding of the difference.

The village had a striking visual impact on the group. The photos tell part of the story of this amazing place.

Stilt Village photos

2008-12-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

Hi there,

Here a few snaps of our visit to the Stilt Village. The village has been my highlight so far. I was shocked and amazed at the living conditions and the resilient villagers that have modified their way of life to make the most of the wet season that brings massive flooding and the dry that leaves the village suspended amongst the tree tops.

I could have taken photos there all day!

Jorji will post some more on this adventure later.

Speak soon,

Jim

Angkor Children's Hospital - 18 December

2008-12-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

The group visited the Angkor Children's Hospital in Siem Reap. The hospital is funded by Rotary Clubs in Japan, Singapore and Canada and provides much needed emergency and health care to over 450 patients every day.

We were taken on a tour of the hospital by the Director's secretary, Seng Siupheng. She showed us the various wards including the maternity ward, emergency, dental clinic, low activity ward and intensive care. Many of the areas are outdoors, such as the emergency waiting area and the play area for siblings. The quality of care is as good as can be with the limited resources available to administer care. The hospital accepts various volunteer doctors from around the world.

There is a vegetable patch in the middle of the hospital aimed at teaching families about growing nutritional vegetables and adding them to their diet which predominantly consists of rice and meat. The hospital sees many cases of children who have fallen sick from malnutrition. Pollution, dust and cooking with wood stoves is also a cause of respiratory problems in children. Asthma and bronchitis are common in Cambodian children. The cities are extremely dusty and smoky.

Whilst touring the hospital, we met Dr Lyda, a radiologist who is also a member of the Siem Reap Rotary Club. He was delighted when he spotted the familiar Rotary logo of our caps and wanted to know all about our program. He will be a good contact for future programs in Siem Reap.

Our tour concluded with a meeting with the Director of the hospital, Dr William Housworth. He is an ex-pat American who has taken on the directorship of the hospital for two years. The ways in which Eyes Wide Open groups will be able to contribute in the future are:

Providing donations of blood. Blood is desperately needed at the hospital and it does not exist in Cambodian culture to give blood on a regular basis.
Organising play activities for the siblings. At present, the siblings of sick children watch TV in a basic outdoor area. There day could be brightened with stories and art activities with EWO groups.
Special projects as directed by the hospital - for example - painting or landscaping.

Group sizes would have to be managed as the hallways, already full with crying babies and anxious mothers, are very narrow and could not accommodate large groups.

Dr Housworth is very keen to introduce the hospital to more people from across the globe.He is even keener to collect our blood! Don't worry, sterile needles are the norm and the hospital is considered the best in the country. Again, the Angkor Children's Hospital is an outstanding example of how Rotary funds are providing a vital service for the people of Siem Reap. Our group members witnessed the work of Rotary first hand and yes, their eyes are starting to open as to the ways we can all make a difference.

Angkor Children's Hospital Photos

2008-12-18T17:36:00.000-08:00

Hi there,

Thank you to all of those that have sent us emails and SMS. We are having a brilliant time. Today we leave Siem Reap and head toward Phon Pen. Yesterday was Lena's 32nd birthday which, trust me, we celebrated in style! needless to say a day of leisurely driving and a boat ride will be a nice rest for the dancing legs!

Enjoy the photos of our adventure yesterday. Our highlight was visiting the Cambodia Children's Hospital. Lena will write more on this at a later stage.

Jim

Green Gecko Project - 17 December

2008-12-17T16:18:00.001-08:00

The Green Gecko Project was initially established in 2000 with private funding from Australia and Canada to provide a much needed service for the street children of Siem Reap. As Jorji explained in her blog, Green Gecko cares for 60 children ranging from 3 to 16 years old. The facility provides these 60 children with food, shelter, education and lots of love and care administered by the staff who are mostly Australians.

The Project is now supported by Rotary, in particular, the Rotary Club of Frankston. The Rotary Club of Frankston raises funds each year to help fund the centre's special needs. They recently paid for Green Gecko's solar power system, have undertaken landscaping and several members sponsor children at the centre for an annual fee of $365.

The children are extremely well cared for, polite and eager to get involved in new activities. Sue Foley had the children giggling with joy as she taught them "How Much Ïs That Doggy In the Window" whilst Jorji, Michael and Lena helped in the libary with reading time. The day ended with more dancing, singing and a rigorous game of volleyball. James captured it all on camera and gave several curious boys a lesson in photography. They were fascinated with the big camera lens and of course their own faces looking back at them on the digital camera.

Claire Coxon, an Australian ex-pat is the Development Coordinator of Green Gecko. Her job is not only to oversee the progress of the children's health and education, but also to ensure that funds are secured for years to come. Rotary has provided much needed support to this facility and as we witnessed, this funding has resulted in the removal of 60 children from Siem Reap streets where their lives consisted of begging, hunger, no security and no education. The children visit their families every Saturday, but as we understand, many of their parents are victims of landmine accidents and cannot provide a stable environment for their children.

We are pleased to say that Eyes Wide Open groups will be welcomed into the future to add value to the lives of these children and open more eyes as to the ways in which small efforts can contribute to solutions towards a better world.

Jorji explains

2008-12-17T03:19:00.000-08:00

A 4.30 alarm and wake up call had us all buzzing for our first Cambodian sunrise of the trip. Adam and Marie picked us up with our guide, Rith, at 5 am where we were taken to our mini-bus to Angkor Wat Temple.

Unfortunately the clouds were looming but we still got some great footage during our tour of the amazingly beautiful temple, which even the most extravagant of adjectives cannot begin to describe.

After the tour, we settled down to a buffet breakfast back at the hotel before heading to our next destination the Bayon Temple. After an elephant ride around the outskirts of the temple we were lead by our guide through the temple.

The pictures carved in the walls told amazing stories; each corner we turned to led to tales more interesting than the last, as hard as that seemed.

A quick break back at the hotel was followed by lunch at another cambodian restaurant after which we all jumped back into the min-van to our major destination of the day, the Green Gecko Project.

We were greeted by Claire, a Melbournian who's been the development manager of the project for two years.

The Green Gecko Project houses and schools 60 street kids and orphans who once roamed the streets of Siem Reap.

There was a brief introduction before we all got stuck in with assisting the children with reading, writing and colouring books as well as sitting in on lessons such as art and science.

It wasn't long before a guitar was brought out and a sing-a-long was started thanks to the musical stylings of Sue Foley.

The kids absolutely loved it and when our voices started to crack we decided to head outside and play some sports with them.

Volleyball, Soccer and Basketball were thoroughly enjoyed while James managed to acquire himself a miniature photography/cinematography protege.

We finished the day with an interview with Claire and headed back to the hotel for another quick rest before dinner.

Some Photos from Green Gecko Project

2008-12-17T03:14:00.000-08:00

The Green Gecko was unforgettable!

We have ARRIVED!

2008-12-16T19:04:00.000-08:00

Hi there,

What a journey to get here! We arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia yesterday afternoon at around 8pm your time, 4pm Cambodia time. We travelled on 3 planes, took one aero train, a tuk tuk and a bongo van to get here! Suffice to say we are now a well oiled traveling team.

Jorji will post a brief later this afternoon after we have visited the Green Geko Street Kids Program.

Here are a few photos from our sunrise visit to one of the seven wonders of the world Ankor Wot to keep you busy in the meantime.

Speak soon,

Jungle

Eyes Wide Open is off to Cambodia & Vietnam!

2008-11-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

I am excited to be leading this team on behalf of Eyes Wide Open and the Melbourne South Rotary Club. We are looking forward to visiting and participating in six Rotary supported projects in Cambodia and Vietnam as well as enjoying the cultural wonders of these two fascinating nations.

Keep an eye out for our posts as we see the world and make a difference.

Lena

Where did I put my camera?

2008-11-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

I am excited to be a member of this team!

Hi all I am James, or for those that love pictures as much as I do, call me Jungle Jim.

We are just a little over four weeks away from stepping on to the plane to Cambodia. I am looking forward to getting to know the other team members and preparing us for the visual wonders of people helping other people.

Jim