A visit from Jim and Sarah

The big news this week is that Mars bars have arrived, with which we are well pleased. They came accompanied by Jim and Sarah who are spending three weeks in Cambodia. They were in Mondulkiri for most of last week, which was lots of fun although a bit of a setback for my attempts to stave off alcoholism. In between drinking, we visited waterfalls, went for walks, tried to expand Tak’s music collection (he mostly listens to things that Ken Bruce would be ashamed to play), and also had a lovely evening at a place called the Sea Forest, so-called because the forest is so expansive it looks a bit like the sea.

While they were here Jim and Sarah grew fond of our cat Tony Blair. (Tony was christened by Tak about six months ago for unknown reasons, although I sanctioned the name as I felt a similar mixture of affection and hatred as I used to feel for our former PM). Jim and Sarah are not the only friends Tony has been making, though – we were quite excited last week to meet Sarah Brown, his girlfriend who is quite a lot older than him. Closer examination, however, has revealed that Sarah has testicles. Tak was a bit shocked, but I think he loves him just the same. I might hide all the sharp implements though just in case he attempts surgery.

We’ve also been learning new skills. Jen has been learning to ride a motorbike and is doing very well, and I’ve been learning how to chop trees with an axe, and am doing less well, with lots of nasty blisters. The trees are coming down though. I’ve been drafted in as cheap foreign labour to clear the land where Tak and Eng are going to build their house, which is a beautiful area a few kilometres out of Sen Monorom.

As for work, the schools have reopened so we’re trying to do as much as we can before the following set of public holidays next week, which coincide with a visit from Mum, Dad and Lucy (not here as imported labour but coming for a holiday). There are just a few more months before the end of the school year, and we’re going to try to support the Grade 6 students as they move up to secondary school, to ensure that as many as possible stay on. We’ll also try to help schools organise end-of-year celebration days to try to make children and their parents enthusiastic about education and the achievements it can bring. Finally, some good news from Pu Trom Chah school which has finally built their library – in the end it took just a few hours and we hope to give them their books as soon as they’ve built and painted bookshelves.