When being inspired is better then inspiring....

The last month has been pretty tough.  As the holiday season approached I found myself becoming more homesick and yearning for my moms cooking, family and friends.  While most people prepared to spend the holidays with those closest to them I prepared to dress up like Santa Claus for our Christmas party.  There would be no celebrations with family this season but instead festivities would be with new friends here in Cambodia.  I truly do love my life here and if you have spoken to me in the last few months you know the honesty in this statement.  But, at the same time, I have begun to miss a lot of things from my past life...

The one thing that has been constant during this last month has been my students.  Somehow they always manage to put a smile on my face, even when I am really feeling down.  I have been working for the last 5 months to inspire them to "reach for the stars" and work hard to become the best person they can be.  However, it is my students, and not me, who have been doing the inspiring this month.  

Allow me to share with you the writing of one of my oldest student.  This passage is from his writing section of the December monthly exam.  The question was: 

Write 12-15 Sentences about your favorite celebrity.  Write about who they are, why they are famous, when they became famous, etc.  Also tell me if you would, one day, like to become famous.  What would you like to be famous for? 

Here is the response: 

My favorite celebrity is Plato.  Plato is my hero.  He is the person that I studied about twice in three different courses.  He is a famous philosopher with many great theories.  He became very famous for his theories and most of them work very well in the real society.  One of his famous theories is Plato's Cave.  This theory became well know and popular in many societies.  I think he is the greatest person in the Greek period.  I believe he was doing well to help other Greek people of that time.  

If one day I become famous, I want to be popular in economics of political theory.  The reason is that it may help a lot for development and peace in the world.  Also, many students will know my name as well as they know Plato.  

When I read this to grade it only one thought came through my head: "Holy Crap."  Here I was expecting to read a passage about a Cambodian pop singer or Psy (the singer of the popular song Gangam style) and instead received an incredibly well written piece on Plato.   

Inspiring.  

Here is a list of words I received from a 15 year old student who asked me this: 

"Teacher Ian, I was doing some extra reading and don't know how to make sentences with these words.  Can you help me?" 

• California
• Tan
• Connect
• Hanging 
• Advertisements 
• Success 
• Portray 
• Image
• Afford
• Relax
• Seek
• Promote
• Expose
• Local

After writing sentences and going over the words with her I thought I was done.  Later that day I received a note that said: 

"Dear Teacher Ian, 

Thank you for helping me with my new words.  Learning them will help me have better success in the future.  You are a great teacher! 

Love, 

(name omitted)" 

Inspiring.  

While visiting a students house during our bi-yearly site visits (read last post for more information) I was informed that one of my older students voluntarily uses his stipend from TGC to pay for his younger brothers education.  His mother never asked him.  His father never asked him.  His brother didn't even ask him.  He just does it.  No one recognizes him for using the small amount of money he receives every week to pay for books, pencils, notebooks and school fees for another family member.  Instead, he simply made a decision, as a 16 year old teenager, to put his brother through school. Even if that means he can't spend money on himself. 

Inspiring.  

Sometimes, when things get dark, you need to focus to see the light.  Luckily for me, I have 23 shinning lights that help me get through those darker days.  It is them, not me, who are the inspiring ones.  

Santa Claus came to town, and DJ'd  all night long...

Saying Thank You

She sits across from me on the floor with her legs neatly placed to her left side.  Her back is perfectly straight as if her spine is a solid piece of wood. 

 Her face is weathered.  It tells a story. Each wrinkle and dry crack in her skin acting as a different chapter, providing us with insight in to the past.  

Her eyes are powerful but also tired.  Bags hang beneath them like an unbearable weight.  

The flies are attracted to her.  She doesn't notice.  They have become a part of her movements as she slowly shifts her feet.  

There is a 1 year old baby.  He sits in her lap trying to understand the world around him.  He examines his grandmothers hand.  His fingers disappear in the her muscular grip that has been sculpted by decades of hard work.  

She breathes deep and takes her time to speak.  Each word rolling off her tongue with equal importance.  

She pauses the conversation.  Her mind is working hard attempting to discover something. 

She turns to me with those powerful eyes.  She has found what she was looking for.  

"Thank you" she says in almost perfect English...

I am sitting in a one room shack.  It is the home of one of my students.  I am accompanied by the principal and assistant principal of TGC.  We are completing another home visit to check up on the parents and guardians of our students and inform them of their child's progress.

This visit is much like the last.  Upon arrival we are always welcomed with great enthusiasm.  The families welcome us to their homes and some even provide drinks or snacks.   Sometimes we are greeted by one family member.  Other times a crowd of people gather to hear us sit and talk about the students academic and social progress.

Visiting the homes of my students is always very interesting.  Seeing the environment that they spend time in when they are not at TGC has provided me with further insight in to who they truly are.  After meeting parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and dogs I have a better understanding of what makes each of them tick.

Let me be extremely blunt about this.  My students live in conditions that most of you would consider to be absolutely awful. When I visited many of these homes for the first time 4 months ago I was placed in this world of poverty.   Although it was only for a few hours, the experience left a large impression on me.  During my initial visit I wasn't completely shocked but instead my eyes were opened to the true reality of Cambodia.  Away from the restaurants, bars and temples are a group of people struggling to get by.  Away from the Tuk-Tuk's, markets and five-star hotels are human beings living in terrible conditions.  And away from all of this are my students.  

My second round of visits last week only added to my first experience. Not only did it remind me about who my students are but it has also provided me with another opportunity to be reminded about what I am doing here.

..."Your welcome" I say back in my awful Khmer.  

What is she thanking me for?  What did I do?  She is the one who is taking care of nine grandchildren by herself.  She is the one working so hard to help her grandchildren survive.  She is the one who is inspiring, not me. 

And yet, she is the one saying "Thank You."  

Maybe she is thanking me for helping her grandchild with English.  Maybe she is thanking me for teaching him some new football skills.  Maybe she is thanking me for reaching out to him when he wasn't feeling well.  

Or maybe she is just trying to make me smile....

True Life: I'm a Teacher in Cambodia

When I was growing up there was (and possibly still is) a TV show on MTV called True Life.  The premise of the show was fairly simple.  The producers picked a topic, chose people who fit this topic, and followed them around filming their every move.  The shows varied from extremely serious topics like True Life: I have a traumatic brain injury, to more comical things like True Life: I'm an Urban Cheerleader.   Regardless of the topic, the show did an excellent job at portraying the lives of other people.  Many people have dismissed this show as more MTV garbage (most of the shows on MTV are indeed worthless), but I often found it very interesting to watch because of the way it allowed you to examine someone else's life.

When chatting with friends and family I am most frequently asked:  "What is your life like over there?"  It isn't always easy for me to answer this question as my current life is constantly changing.    Sometimes I simply answer by saying "life is good" while other times I dive deeper in to the complexities of my daily routine.  While reviewing my past blog posts I have realized that my writing has been more about observations and bigger events than the normal everyday stuff.  In fact, the other day my mom (hi mom!) recommended that I open up my world to my readers.  My mom is always right.  So, here it goes.

Welcome to my episode of True Life: I'm a teacher in Cambodia.

(Based on the events of Wednesday December 5th, 2012)

The sound of my small Nokia phone begins to play in the back of my dreams.  Eventually realizing that the jingle is real, I turn over to check if the noise is a text message, phone call or my alarm.  When I realize it is my alarm I ask myself why, after 5 months, I continue to use the same tone for all three things.  I immediately hit the snooze button giving myself 10 more minutes of rest.  I don't necessarily fall back to sleep but instead lay in bed in the half-awake, half-asleep state that most people are familiar with.  Ten minutes goes by pretty quickly and I now begin to force myself out of bed.  It is 7:10am.

My feet hit the smooth tile floor of my apartment.  I stand up and fully come back to reality.  It is time to get going.  My morning routine has become fairly standard:  bathroom, turn on my computer to check email and facebook (it is always lovely getting messages first thing in the morning), eat breakfast and get ready for school.  I pack up my backpack and pick out my teaching outfit for the day. This part is pretty easy.  My choices are: tan or grey pants and a short sleeve button down shirt.  No socks needed.  I fill my 32oz water bottle, brush my teeth and head out the door.  It is 8:00am.

Leaving my apartment I am greeted by a beautiful landscape, the sound of roosters, and a magnificent sun.  I'm immediately warmed by the rays, which remind me that I will not be seeing cold weather anytime soon.  After slipping my flip-flops on I head down the stairs to the bike "garage."  Most mornings I am greeted by my landlord and some part of his family who sit on their porch drinking tea.  If I am really lucky, my landlords grandson will hobble over, say hello and give me one of his toys to play with.  I particularly enjoy the sword.  It makes a swoosh sound when you swing it and if there are fresh batteries inside it will even light up.

After morning play time is over I unlock my bike, grab my helmet and head off to school.  The ride to school takes bout 5 mins if you pedal slowly.  I enjoy the short ride as it truly gets my blood flowing. I pass two other schools with students flocking in to study, many of which say hello to me.  During the short ride I assess which part of my bike is squeaking today and try to determine if there is anyway to fix it.  It is 8:15.

My bike ride ends at TGC's iron gate where I locate my keys, slide my arm between two of the posts and unlock the door.  I always feel awkward undoing the lock but thankfully TGC recently moved the gate lock higher (not sure if it was for me) which gives me better access.  I enter the small school yard and park my bike and hang my helmet.  With my bike safely locked up, I walk towards the entrance of TGC, stopping to carefully take my shoes off and place them on the designated shoe rack.  It is very interesting to enter your place of work without shoes.  I have grown to love it.

My first encounter of the day is usually with Mov Po, who is TGC's care taker and cleaner extraordinaire.  She takes care of the students health, keeps TGC spotlessly clean and looks after the students at the Woodhouse (our house for students who board). Her English is not very good but we always manage to have the same wonderful conversation everyday.

MP:  Good Morning! 

Ian: Good Morning, How are you? 

MP:  I am fine, you? 

Ian: I am good! 

It may be brief but it is special.  More importantly, she always has a huge smile on her face which really helps me start my day.  I walk upstairs and head to the teachers room to find Sopha, Chaylon and Chanthy.  A similar exchange takes place with lots of "how are you's" being thrown around.  It is 8:25.

By 8:30 my computer and books are unpacked and I am settling in to my seat at the work table.  I open my agenda to see what is on my to-do list for the day.  First item of business is lesson planning. I grab the books I teach out of off the shelf and open up Google documents.  Thankfully, TGC allowed me to move our entire lesson planning system for the English language department over to Google Docs.  Not only do we save paper (yay environment) but we now can share access from anywhere with an internet connection.  It has made life a lot easier!

To be honest, lesson plans are somewhat annoying while simultaneously really useful.  It gets quite tedious filling out the same sheet over and over again.  Some days I teach 5 or 6 classes and each one needs a plan.  On the contrary, these documents help me to stay on track with my master syllabus and guide me through the 50 minute class period.  It usually takes me 1-2 hours to complete all lessons plans and prepare for all of my classes that day.  It is now 9:45.

My first class begins at 10:00am.  I will be teaching English to 9 girls between the ages of 12-14.  Today, we are discussing Unit 4 of the book New Headway Elementary.  The unit is called "Take it Easy" and discusses different ways to relax.  The class begins with the usual and proper greeting from the students:

Students:  "Good Morning Teacher: 

Teacher: "Thank you"

Students: "Thank you teacher"  

After this is out of the way, we begin by going over the homework and then transition in to the lesson for today.  Today's lesson included vocabulary picture matching, sentence making, role playing and distribution of new journals for writing practice.  I have learned that fifty minutes goes by pretty quickly and it is hard to accomplish everything on the lesson plan for the day.  Class ends in a similar way to how it begins.  The students stand up and thank me for the lesson.  It is now 10:50am.

Ten minutes is all I have to get ready for my next class. At 11:00am I teach the two oldest students at TGC, Ratha and Pisey.  This class ends at 11:40 and I quickly change in to my gym outfit and bike to the woodhouse.  Here, I lead a 30 minute physical education class before heading home for lunch.  By 1:00pm I am back at school getting ready for my afternoon classes as well as  attempting to get other work done.  Often it is the side work such as proposal writing, filling out reports, and doing tasks for Joe To Go restaurant that keep me busy during the day.  It is also these items that often add large amounts of stress to my life as deadlines quickly approach.

In the afternoon I teach a news class to Ratha.  We focus on international relations and business and often read articles from the Cambodia Daily.  Ratha and I frequently get off track and begin discussing different issues within Cambodia.  I don't mind doing this as these conversations are more useful than some of the articles we read.  When the bell rings to end this class at 3:50, I return to the teachers room to continue working on crossing off items from my to-do list.  It always feels good to put a check next to one of these tasks!

At 5:00pm the end of the day bell rings and most of the students leave school to head home.  Instead of mounting my bike to ride back to my apartment, I sit down with Marot and Piron for our English class. We work hard until 6:00pm and then the school day is officially over.  Marot and Piron return to the woodhouse for dinner and to do homework and relax.  I bike off in the opposite direction for my apartment where I too eat dinner, do homework and relax.

By the time 9:00pm rolls around, I am exhausted.  It has been a long day of teaching, typing and concentrating on different projects.  I work hard on a regular basis to be the best teacher I can be while simultaneously creating reports and proposals that I can be proud of.  There is nothing better than closing your eyes after a busy day and realizing that you have used your day to the fullest. It is important for me to try and make every moment of my day count in a productive manner.

At 10:00pm I am happily sleeping, recharging my batteries for the next day...

Of course, it is impossible for me to provide every detail of my day in this synopsis.  This is a general overview of what I do and how I do it.  What I have mostly left out is the integral role my students play throughout these days.  For any working person, it is easy to go to work day-in and day-out and do the same exact things; ultimately falling in to a boring pattern.  I will be completely honest here and say that I too have had those days.  I've come to TGC and simply gone through the motions of teaching.  To me, this is normal when you are repeating the same schedule every week at the same time on the same day.  Luckily, I have something that keeps me from falling in to this pattern on a regular basis: my students.  When you work so closely with 23 students you are bound to experience something new each and every day.  Whether that experience be a positive one, like a student finally understanding how to use a vocabulary word in a sentence, or a negative one, like a student becoming regularly ill because their home life conditions are horrible, you learn as a teacher that each and everyday will present itself differently.  Between major accomplishments, minor roadblocks and everything in between working directly with students provides an excitement that most other jobs can not match.

Throughout the day I have some major things to get done.  Teaching and working on different projects are just some examples.  However, throughout the day I also have the minor events to be a part of.  From chatting with Marot and Piron about movies and music to fixing the printer in the teachers room each part of my day is equally important.

This is my life.  It is a life filled with responsibility and deadlines.  It is a life challenged by changing events and new things.  It is a life that aims to support the lives of my students while simultaneously having those same students return the support.  This is my life...

It is the life of a Teacher in Cambodia.

The Update...

It has been over a month since my last post.  Although all of you, my followers, may not be so happy about my lull in posting, I must say that the only reason I haven't posted is because I have been too busy!! After a rough start with my health, I am finally feeling great.  More importantly, I have consistently been feeling well, enabling me to be fully active in all parts of my fellowship.  Many wonderful things have happened in the last month and it would take me a very long time to re-cap everything that I have been up to. So, I am going to share an abbreviated list with you  of all the happenings of the last few weeks.  After that, please continue to read as I will share some  more detailed thoughts.  First, lets take a picture break: 

I can totally give a piggy back ride to three people at once.  

*Please note, these are in no specific order.  I am simply rattling them off as they come to mind: 

• 10 day vacation to Thailand stopping at: Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Ao Nang, Railay Beach, Ton Sai, Phuket, Bangkok 
• Lot's of rock climbing on the above trip, most amazing climbing I have ever done 
• School trip to the Baray
• Angkor Wat Temples at night with a light show and fire works display 
• Twenty-Two+ hours of regular teaching per week 
• Finalization and implementation of the new Mentoring Outreach Program 
• Visit from our fearless leader and one of the most incredible people I have ever met: Judy Wheeler 
• Halloween Shenanigans with students at school and friends during the annual pub crawl (dressed up like Grease!) 
• Discovered the cheapest and best gym in the world: 30 cents/time with lots of friendly Khmai people! 
• Countless miles/km logged for my marathon training 
• Launching of my marathon fundraiser
• Incredible support of friends and family who donated to this fundraiser! 
• Celebration of random Cambodian holidays with days off 
• Night bike ride with my two older students
• Day bike ride with two friends who are training for the 100km bike race! 
• Actual visit to Wat Svay Primary School for the first part of the Mentoring Outreach Program (watched 6 students who I trained teach about First Aid, Nutrition, Hydration, Hygiene and Lice Removal) 
• Received a wonderful package from home 
• Got out eat in a pizza eating competition at Pizza Company Restaurant by one of my female students! (Thanks for taking all of us Judy!) 
• Girls Soccer Tournament, 2nd place! Lost in the finals during a penalty shoot out...
• And, most recently, played the part of both the Pilgrims and Indians in a wonderful Thanksgiving re-enactment! 

As you can see, my life has been full of new and exciting things.  Everyday brings new surprises, new excitement and new challenges.  This is my reality, and I love it! 

And, another picture break...

Temples with lights!

Some more serious thoughts: Air Force One has landed...

For those of you who watch the news, you probably know about President Obama's recent visit to Southeast Asia.  In fact, our newly re-elected President has chosen to come to Cambodia for the Asean Summit.  In doing so, Obama is the first in office U.S. President to visit the country.  To say the least, it is a pretty big deal.  

One of the classes I have been teaching for the 2012-2013 academic year is called News.  It is a one-on-one class with Ratha, the oldest male student at TGC.  Ratha also studies at university hoping to gain a degree in International Relations.  For this reason, we focus heavily on international and business news.  However, for the last few weeks, as Obama's visit approached, we have shifted our concentration to national news in order to follow the excitement and inevitable conflict surrounding such a momentous visit.  

Initially, the news wasn't very exciting.  As we read through the Cambodian Daily, a local English publication that combines its own pieces with that of major news sources around the world, provided little information about the visit.  Occasionally an article would pop up discussing the need for Obama to put more pressure on the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.  Luckily, in the last week and a half things have become much more interesting.  

Besides the articles about security precautions and road closures, the Cambodian Daily has done an excellent job at covering the story of local Cambodians who are protesting about land evictions.  There are two parts to this story.  The first is the land evictions that were already happening prior to Obama's visit.  The second part involves people who the government deemed living to close to the airport and thus posed a security threat.  The members of the second group is responsible for truly starting the major controversy.  In an act of defiance and to show how unfairly they were being treated, those who lived near the airport decided to paint S.O.S on the roofs of their shacks with a large picture of Obama next to it.  These people knew that he probably wouldn't see the mural when he landed but they did realize it would stir up some discussion.  In fact, the government decided that this act was illegal and arrested 8 people who participated.  The government then painted over the roofs and evicted the people living there.  Since then, the people have been released.  More importantly, painting over their signs did not stop other people from beginning to protest.  The government is doing what it can to stop these people from spreading their S.O.S message but it seems as if the country and even the worlds eyes have turned to Cambodia to see what will happen next.  

The S.O.S signs stand for a lot.  They represent peoples frustrations with their government while simultaneously showing President Obama and the rest of the delegates at this Summit that although Cambodia is progressing it is very far from perfect.  

It will be interesting to follow what happens for the rest of this evening and tomorrow.  Will President Obama actually put pressure on Hun Sen about topics such as human rights?  Or will Obama just simply pass through Cambodia on his way out of the Middle East?  The atmosphere within the country is electric with conversation about this visit.  Most people here who are comfortable enough to talk about politics and government are hopeful that Obama will help to alter the current "forced" equilibrium of the Cambodian country.  

I must honestly say that being here at this time is a wonderful experience.  Although my email request to the embassy to have a meeting with President Obama went unanswered, I am confident that his historic visit will yield some results.  The pressure now will be on Hun Sen.  I can only hope that he realizes it is time to listen to the people.  

I hope this post has caught you up a little bit on what my life has been like.  I will absolutely work on blogging more but always feel free to email me at ian.p.schwartz@gmail.com.  

Before you go, don't forget to check out my marathon donation page at: gofundme.com/1fx8t4

I am only $275.00 away from reaching my goal! View the page.  Read my story.  Donate.  That is all you have to do to change a life.  

Check back soon for more updates and thoughts! 

Coming soon to a blog near you...

Check back soon for a new post with lots of information, updates and pictures! Lots of pictures!

Apologies for the blogging hiatus, life is beautifully hectic and blogging time is limited.

New Beginnings...

**I need to begin by apologizing for my blogging hiatus.  A few weeks ago I came down with dengue fever, which put me back in the hospital for a few days.  Although I am not going to dwell on the illness because I do not want to re-live it nor bore you with the story of me sitting in a hospital for 5-days, I will let everyone know that my health is back to normal and I am hoping that this was the last of my health related issues for a long time...Now, for the good stuff!* 

In the beginning of September I was talking to some close friends from Union College on Facebook about how strange it was that we were not returning to school for a new trimester of learning and fun.  I think that most of my friends who had graduated with me a few months earlier were battling with this phenomenon.  In fact, from what I gathered from talking to different people, the beginning of September truly solidified the fact that college was over, graduation was real, and it was time to move on. Most of my home and school friends acknowledged the beginning of September but continued on with their lives, focusing on their new jobs or new schools. For me, the beginning of September seemed to linger in my mind...  

The beginning of September has always been about new beginnings for me.  Since I can remember, the first weeks of September have represented so many things.  Here is just a short list I came up with that ranges from kindergarten to college: 

-New pack of 64 Crayola Crayons, perfectly sharpened
-A brand new first day of school outfit that I always very carefully picked out with freshly purchased shoes to match the outfit! 
-New classes
-New dorm room
-New Friends 
-New session of Hebrew school
-Start of Cross Country Season 
-First party weekend at Union 
-Jewish High Holidays 
-The extremely important new planner that the school gave out
-Sharing stories from summer
-New goals
-Seeing old friends and making new ones 

The list goes on, but you get the point.  September is about new beginnings and a fresh start. It's about getting use to that new seat in your 4th grade class. It's about figuring out how to use your locker on the first day of high school.  It's about saying goodbye to your parents as you embark on the journey called college.  September, for me, has always been one of the best times of the year.  

This year, there was no beginning of  September.  Sure, September came along as normal, right after August, but the days went by without new crayons, new outfits and the first big parties of the year.  This was hard for me. It was difficult not because I love opening a new pack of crayons (which I do) but because it reminded me of how far away home is.  So far, I have not been too homesick.  However, the beginning of September definitely gave me my first taste of truly missing home.  And then I got sick and had to go to Bangkok.  And then I got dengue fever and was out of commission for another week and a half.  

So, here I was, struggling mentally as my head tried to understand the absence of the September transition while my body simultaneously struggled to survive two awful rounds of illness.  It was an interesting situation. I was fighting two battles, both of which took energy to win.  I can say that I have won the dengue fever battle as I am now fully recovered from the worst sickness I have had.  On a mental level, that battle was not won until just a few days ago...

It is now October. And finally, that fresh start feeling I yearned for in September has arrived.  On October 1, 2012 the official academic year kicked off at TGC with a graduation and congratulation ceremony. (For those not familiar with the Cambodia school calendar the official academic year runs from October-July, with summer school happening from July to October.)  The ceremony was wonderful.  The morning was spent preparing the school for the festivities and the afternoon was spent listening to speeches, handing out awards and certificates and watching as brave students preformed songs on the piano and guitar in front of the large crowd or students, parents, and staff.  For the students, this was a day of celebration.  They worked hard last year and deserved the recognition they received for this work.  Moreover, this was their September. 

As I watched each student collect their certificate and smile for a picture I slowly realized that this year, October is my September also.  On October 2nd, 2012 I arrived at school for my first day of new classes.  This consisted of a 10:00am English class with Group 3 (nine girls), 2:00pm English class with Group 3 (nine girls), 3:00pm English News Class with Ratha (a university student), 4:00pm Joe-to-go staff English class, 5:00pm English class with Piron and Marot (two of the older boys).  It was a busy first day, but it was a good one. 

More importantly, the first day back solidified the idea that new beginnings aren't confined to a specific time period.  Instead, new beginnings are attached to the acceptance of a fresh start.  The graduation ceremony will forever represent at new start for me.  Even better I now have some other things to add to the list from above.  Here are some updates: 

-Students signing at graduation
-Ratha and I arguing about whether Heineken beer should enter the Asian market (he is an international business major at University, so this was appropriate) 
-4 hours of teaching in a row all made worth it by 
-Piron and Marot battling to get more points in a reading competition 
-9 girls fighting to write on the board during a sentence creation exercise 
-Moving almost every piece of furniture with Sopha (assistant principal) before graduation started

As I reflect on the last month here in Siem Reap I think that there is only one way to sum up how I felt and how I now feel.  Interestingly enough the words come from a new song by the Dave Matthews Band that came out in early September....

Don't give up
I know you can see
All the world and the mess that were making
Can't give up
And hope God will intercede
Come on back
Imagine that we could get it together
Stand up for what we need to be
Cause crime won't save our feet or hungry child
Can't lay down and hope no miracles change things
So lift up your eyes
Lift up your heart

Singing mercy will we overcome this
Oh one by one could we turn it around
Maybe carry on just a little bit longer
And I try to give you what you need...

I had a lot to overcome this September with my health but now I am back and ready to once again make a difference doing the work I have come to love.  Here's to a new start! 

That one time I went to Bangkok...

“You look really weak, would you like to stay here with us?” asked the Emercency Room doctor at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. It had been over a week since I started feeling sick and I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough. The previous week had been quite the health adventure. In the span of 7 days I lost ten pounds, dehydrated my body and struggled to find the strength to walk from my bedroom to the bathroom, a distance of less than 10 feet. Before making a decision to go to Bangkok to seek further medical assistance, I attempted to get some assistance from the Cambodian health system. There are two options here: clinics and the Angkor International Hospital. I tried one of the clinics first, but was met with a very long wait and staff that spoke poor English. Worried, painfully sick and thus very impatient I moved on to the Angkor International Hospital (AIH).

Located near most of the major resorts in Siem Reap, AIH is an impressive looking building both inside and out. Unfortunately, as I would soon find out, their medical care doesn’t exactly match the décor. I went to this hospital twice: once in the beginning and once before I decided to go to Bangkok. During my first visit the doctor and ran a number of tests and eventually figured out that I had some type of bacterial infection. The doctor asked me (note that he did not tell me) what kind of care I wanted. This is very typical of medical care in this part of the world and is very startling at first. Did I want an IV? Did I want medication? Did I want to stay in the hospital? I asked for the medication and went on my way, hoping that the 4 meds would work magic and heal me. At first, I thought they did. Two days later, I felt great. I was finally able to go more than 5 feet from a toilet (I will leave details out here for the sake of everyone reading) and I returned to TGC.

Have you ever heard the expression “the calm before the storm?” Well, that is what the one day back at TGC was for me. Essentially, my body was just taking a day off so that it could really have some fun. The next day I woke up feeling extremely tired. Not tired as in I needed to sleep, but tired as in every step was a struggle. Biking to school was even worse. I consider myself a pretty decent bike rider who has logged a number of miles on both roads and trails. The bike to school takes 3 minutes if you pedal slowly. I barely made it their in ten minutes and was so exhausted and sweaty I may as well have just run a marathon. I taught one class from 11-12, biked home for lunch (just as slow) and instead of eating collapsed on my bed. I didn’t plan on going back in but somewhat stupidly decided to anyway. I couldn’t even teach my next class. I put on the movie Tomb Raider (because of the Cambodian setting in much of the movie) and sat there motionless. I knew something was wrong.

8 Hours later I was back at AIH, getting an IV and some more medication for nausea. The next two days were nothing short of awful. Finally, with the help of Tom McEvoy, my parents, Amanda and an expat friend Deb I decided it was time to go to Bangkok and check in to the Bumrungrad International Hospital. But first, I had to get there…

Tuk-tuk rides are fun. You are in an open, chariot style vehicle that whizzes through the city and navigates its way over bumps and potholes past restaurants and shops. Tuk-tuk rides when you have been vomiting for the last three days are on the same playing field as listening to heavy metal rock music when you have a migraine. It wasn’t really the bumps that got to me as the road to the airport is fairly smooth. Instead, it was the smells coming from restaurants and homes as people sat down for dinner. At this point I had not eaten a full meal in six days, and getting stuck by a Chinese Buffet restaurant while waiting for a light to change was not my idea of a good time. Luckily, I got to the airport. At the airport I was too weak to stand in line for my ticket or even walk to the airplane. Thankfully, I had Amanda with me and she very patiently waited in line for our boarding passes. Bangkok Airways was nice enough to give me a wheelchair, which promotes you to VIP status in the world of airline travel. I was literally the first person on the airplane. When we arrived in Bangkok I was taken off the airplane, put in a private van and wheeled straight through the VIP Diplomats line at customs. From there I was taken to the Bumrungrad Hospital kiosk, where a private car was arranged to the hospital. Even though I was extremely sick, this was still pretty fun. After being check out by the ER doctors and nurses at Bumrungrad I was admitted to room 861.

For those of you who know me pretty well you know that in the last few years I have spent an above average time in hospitals. More specifically, I was not a stranger to Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY and more recently to Albany Medical Hospital. These hospitals are wonderful medical institutions of the upper NYS area. They helped me out whenever I got my fingers slammed in a door or got hit by a rock while riding my bike. Bumrungrad hospital was on a different level. Upon entering my room I was extremely confused. Is this a hospital or a five star hotel? Boasting wood floors, a couch, spacious bathroom, full kitchen with a microwave from the future, 42inch flat screen TV, and an integrated electronics system that allows you to control every part of the room from a remote, this room was not your average hospital set up. The bed was also really, really comfortable.

Almost immediately, a team of nurses came in to my room to make me comfortable. I put on a wonderful hospital outfit , turned on the TV, and relaxed as I waited for the doctor. I had already been hooked up to an IV and was extremely happy to have fluids pumping in to my body. The night doctor came in and we discussed my symptoms, etc. He was extremely intelligent and began running numerous tests to ensure that all possible diseases were accounted for. He told me that he would have an infectious disease doctor come check me out as well as review me in the morning. To make a fairly long story short I was diagnosed with two bacterial infections: Salmonella and Plesiomonas Shigelloides . The doctor put me on proper medication and I spent five days recovering at Bumrungrad. I watched tons of movies, read some great books, and enjoyed watching my appetite come back. I also got really bored. No one likes to sit in a room for 5 days watching tv and reading when they were very recently living an extremely active lifestyle. However, the important thing here is that I got better. I received the proper care from doctors who knew what they were doing. I will be forever grateful for the nurses, doctors, cleaners, food staff and customer service people at Bumrungrad for helping me get through this rough period.

Chilling in my hospital bed

Eating my first meal after a long week of no eating.  You will notice that the food company Sodexo supplies this hospital. It also supplies Union College.  

Being sick isn’t fun. No one enjoys it. It is especially hard when you are in a foreign place. The last two weeks were definitely tough for me and I will be the first to admit that being sick for an extended period of time caused some serious unhappiness. I tried my hardest, as I always do, to keep things in perspective. First and foremost, I got the help I needed and was lucky enough to be able to do that. Besides the fatigue and exhaustion, my hardest internal battle was coming to terms with the fact that most of the people I now teach, live and work with now would never be able to get this type of help. If they get sick they don’t have the opportunity to travel to another country and seek medical assistance. I am privileged to have this comfort, and will now, more than ever before, appreciate my access to medical care. There are many injustices in the world, but as I lay in my hospital bed in Bangkok I couldn’t stop thinking about this uneven balance.

Today, I am feeling much better. Although I am still weak and will have to go “slow” for the next few days, my energy levels are increasing. I have returned to TGC and could not be happier. Returning back to my students was so wonderful. They greeted me with smiles, hugs and laughter. I am quickly falling back in to a routine and look forward to the days ahead when my strength increases enough to continue running, playing volleyball and working out with some of my older students. For now, I will settle for getting to the bathroom without struggling and biking to TGC without feeling exhausted.

There is no way I could write this post without stopping to thank of few people who helped me greatly during this rough patch:

I must start with Tom McEvoy who not only convinced me to go to Bangkok but also provided me with everything I needed to get there safely. Your support and guidance throughout this entire fellowship has been incredible, and I especially thank you for being here for me while I was sick.

To my parents, I can’t really imagine how hard it must be to have a child on the other side of the world who calls you and says “Hey, I am really sick I’m going to fly to Bangkok to get some help.” Thank you for not freaking out too much and for keeping me positive throughout my healing process. I love you both very much and am excited to see Bangkok with you when I am healthy and you visit in January.

A large, huge thank you goes out to Deb Schaap. I’ve known you for less than two months but yet you were amazing enough to bring me food, send me messages of support, make me smile and even come to AIH with me. I know it was the first time you were there so I am glad I got to show you something new instead of you always showing me new stuff! Thanks for all the Gatorade, crackers, water, and awesomeness.

Alexa Cawley, Katie Persichelli, Jenna Meltzer, Lauren Shenfeld, Tim Riddell, Zach Rittner, Mike DeWolfe and my other friends from home: While I was longing for the comforts of America during this, all of you kept me connected to the life I use to have at home with stories and words of encouragement. It was so great to know that you were all there for me. I miss you guys a ton!

Last, but absolutely not least, Amanda Greenberg, my fellow fellow. While most people just heard about me being sick, you were lucky enough to live it. I cannot thank you enough for buying me food and water during the first week. And of course, there is nothing I could say to show how much I appreciated you coming to Bangkok. I would not have been able to get there without you. Moreover, you sat around in the hospital room with me when you could have been out in Bangkok or back in SR teaching and enjoying life. Thank you for all of the trips to Au Bon Pain once my appetite came back and for being so great throughout this entire thing. You are a great support system.


So, the last two weeks have been pretty eventful. I got sick, I got sicker and now I am better. I very much hope that this is the last time I get very ill while here in Siem Reap. I am looking forward to how much more eventful the next two weeks will be as I adjust back to normal life. If there is one thing that I have really learned during the last few weeks it is that I love Siem Reap and more importantly the people who are apart of my life here. Glad to be back!

(pictures from the hospital coming soon!)