Where the Streets Have No Name:: Flying Plates, Running up Mountains, and Halloween Khmer-style

Last weekend my dad ran his first marathon at the ripe age of 55! He raised over $3,000 for HALO Trust Cambodia! Check out this article of my dad, the "internet star!" http://www.halotrust.org/media-centre/news-press-releases/another-race-clear-landmines.

Half a day before my dad made his way over the starting line in Washington D.C. I crossed the starting line of the first ever Bokor Mountain International Marathon in Kampot (southern Cambodia) - running a mere 10K with my friend Sam. I was pretty unprepared for running at higher altitude and on a surface that was far from flat, but it was quite cool to be a part of history, to be running in spirit with my dad, and to be surrounded by most Khmer runners - running is not very popular here.

starting line in the mountain mist

view of the old casino from the course

new friend pushing the downhills

happy at the end of the race with Sam :)

In other exercise news... my friend Jared, whom I met during the Phnom Penh Ultimate Frisbee Hat Tourney last February, recently came to my community to help me do an Ultimate clinic/workshop. With 12 discs we taught the basics of throwing (flick and backhand) and catching with thirty-some 10th and 11th graders. Joel, PCV an hour east, also came to help out. Unfortunately the field space was limited as the soccer field is swampy for a good majority of the year. (The school director is pushing for a sports court...) But the resourcefulness of Peace Corps Volunteers, Ultimate players, and Khmer kids combined is an amazing thing. By the end discs (or flying plates - chaan haa) were everywhere! Great fun!

Last week I headed into PP to help out with a diversity training for the PC staff. I presented a brief history of American diversity (very difficult to break down such a complicated topic!). I started with an activity where I had groups of 5 Khmer staff try to order events in American history chronologically. It was fascinating to see the staff work together. Fellow PCV and friend Ryan presented on supporting volunteers doing activities like identity mapping, social conditioning, and prejudice responses.

Ryan presenting

identity mapping

prejudice and labeling

Halloween has come and gone. This year I donned my Angry Birds pjs and headed to market to buy 5 kgs worth of pumpkins, 5 bags of candy, and a bag full of scary masks. I spent the afternoon with my host cousins and siblings cutting out construction paper pumpkins, bats, and ghosts to hang around the living room. We also made ghost puppets out of cotton balls and old sheets, carved the pumpkins and roasted the pumpkin seeds. Halloween night the kids put on their masks and knocked on my bedroom door with plastic bags after I taught them to say "Trick or Treat!" Afterwards we sat out in the front yard and illuminated the pumpkins. It was a great night and now it is November already where is time going!