Mozzeenet

I had some sad news this week - my grandmother who lived in NZ died on Wednesday. I felt sad but also happy because she was 94 and had had dementia for a number of years. The funeral was yesterday and they were expecting a lot of people. She was close to her family and made a lot of friends, coming from a farming community then being involved in a lot of community activities.

She was my Mum’s mother but my Dad went over to represent Mum at the funeral because Mum is visiting my brother in Africa so couldn’t make it back in time.

She was a very kind, generous lady always making an extra place at the dinner table for visitors and as a grandmother, reading us stories and having fun.

She liked writing letters and knew a lot about current affairs, politics and geography even though she had to leave school at an early age because her father died when she was 13 and she had to help her mother look after the other 4 children.

* * *

Work was quite busy this week doing this and that. I’m almost finished the computer assessments and virus updates for the centre apart from a few which couldn’t be updated due to incompatible software or hardware so that is satisfying.

I also started planning the website project. I am beginning with the basics like getting a web strategy in place. I also began reviewing the current website which is quite rudimentary but not the worst I’ve seen.

The plan was to go down the coast this weekend but Ana wasn’t feeling well so we decided not to go. Instead, Sonia and I did a day trip to Kirirom National Park in Kompong Speu province.

It was a good day although I was counting the kms until I could get off the motorbike at the end of the day (they had those signposts every km saying how many kms to PP - I think that made it worse because I was reading every sign until it got too dark to decipher the numbers). You get decidely saddle-sore after a couple of hours riding.

We hired the big bikes again and two of our regular moto drivers drove us there.

The best part was in the National Park where the trees and jungle are thick up to the road-side. The road was paved all the way so it was easy driving, peaceful and very quiet apart from the occasional bird call. The national park is in a mountain area, the start of the Elephant mountain range I think. On the way, I could see the blue-hued ranges in the distance.

We stopped for lunch at a picnic area beside the river where there are some small rapids and waterfalls. There were lots of Khmer families there as well picnicing, swimming in the river and relaxing.

Lunch was a cooked chicken and rice (seems to be the usual fare in these places). After lunch, Sonia and I decided to go on a walk - someone had told Sonia that there was a loop walk which took about an hour.

We walked along wide and narrow tracks through pine tree plantations - there was jungle nearby. The best part about it was it was so peaceful, nothing around at all.

We walked for an hour and then began to get concerned that the path was not going to lead back to where we had started. We couldn’t see any sign of the picnic area and had become a bit disoriented. After a while longer, we decided we couldn’t risk it and had to turn back.

The bikes had to be back at Lucky Lucky Motorcycle at 6pm, latest 7pm when they shut and it was now 3.30pm with a 2 hours drive back to Phnom Penh and another 1 hour back the way we had walked.

We power-walked back, my feet were starting to get blisters from my shoes and the clock ticked on. Sonia was ahead of me then she stopped.

It was a fork in the road, 3 paths and we couldn’t remember which way we had come. We started to get a bit panicky envisaging a night in the Cambodian jungle without water, cooler temps because we were in the mountains and all the creepy crawlies (I had already disengaged 2 leeches from my legs), not a good predicament. Pretty stupid actually.

One of the paths was quite narrow - Sonia started walking down it to get a feel for it because the other paths didn’t look familiar. I had remembered going through a narrow part and the hill on the right looked like the hill we had circled on the way.

We decided the narrow path might be the one at the last moment. Before that, we were tossing up between the other two paths. It was luckily the right path and we soon saw our footprints in the muddy parts. We were very relieved.

We hurried back (my feet have two big blisters today) and quickly gathered our stuff to leave. Being very hot from the 2 hours walk, Sonia had a quick dip in the freezing water and I put my sore feet in which was nice then we headed off.

Close to PP, we realised we weren’t going to make the 7pm deadline so we gave them a call and they were nice enough to wait for us - we got there around 7:30pm.

I looked a wreck when I saw myself in the mirror at home. Sonia and I then went for dinner - we had a steak for sustenance after the tiring day and then went straight home and crashed in bed.

Today my butt and legs are rather sore, not as bad as I thought after how I felt last night. I am tired but a nice, relaxed tired.

I met up with my friend, Natalie, this afternoon at Mith Samlanh (”Friends”), the restaurant set up by a French guy and which is run by street-kids. It is a very successful org doing a lot of good work.

I had a divine chocolate cake, tastes like it is made from real chocolate and is really moist and not too rich. I also had an orange mandarin, lime and mint freeze - also fantastic. I think that may constitute my dinner for tonight!

Went to pick up my clothes from the tailer today but my dress has to be altered, it was too big so that is disappointing. I can pick them up in the morning. I also had a shirt made from black chiffon-type material to wear over another black top - it fits well and looks quite nice.

Ruth e xx
Miss Phnomer in Cambodia

More viruses this week at work which kept me busy. We got the SoBig virus on the email computer. I was able to clean it up pretty easily using the Symantec removal tool.

I have to be really careful how I approach these kind of things with the staff. If I’m not careful, they are likely to panic.

I try to explain what has happened and that we can fix it quite easily so they don’t get too worried. They start to think every problem with the computers is because of a virus.

They also jump at any reports in the media or emails abou viruses which are often sensationalised or hoaxes. They then talk to other staff it ends up in rumours spreading which is detrimental for promoting a sense of control of their technology and processes.

Two of the email sessions this week were cancelled which was disappointing, both due to staff being busy. I held two on Tuesday and they went well. It was a pretty easy workshop to run.

Kanha, from WMC who has been assisting me with some of my work so I can transfer skills and knowledge to her, and I this week we went round to the departments and updated the computers with the latest anti-virus software updates. I was pleased with the progress there.

Thursday and Friday nights were good - for Sonia’s birthday. On Thursday, Sonia and I had a manicure and pedicure then we met Ana at a French restaurant with a great atmosphere. As usual I am amazed at the abundance of excellent places to eat in PP.

Friday night - we started off at the Elephant Bar at the classiest hotel in PP, the Le Royal (Raffles) built in colonial and modern style. It is a gorgeous bar and has a cocktail happy hour every afternoon, two cocktails for the price of one. I tried a Black Russian, hadn’t had it before, delicious.

We followed the drinks with a fantastic dinner at The Riverhouse restaurant, an upmarket place by the river. I had a steak with potato mash and blue cheese sauce, divine. Steaks are such a luxury here, the few times I have had one, I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

I’m off to Seeing Hands in 20 mins. Being very lazy today - hoping to go and eat corn later this afternoon.

Ruth e xx
Miss Phnomer in Cambodia

Now, it just isn’t funny that it is already 9 days since I last wrote. That’s shockingly shocking.

I had a very fruitful week at work - a few breakthroughs after a bit of a hard slog the last few weeks while recovering from the flu and reaching a spiky point in my assignment.

My manager was on holidays so I was able to do some work on the computer which is used for email. I removed McAfee virus scan and installed Norton but it wouldn’t install properly - kept closing down so I couldn’t scan for viruses and there was a problem with email scanning.

Last week, I had found out how to download the updates to Norton manually with floppy disks from the web so I had those.

After a bit of Internet research and trial and error, I installed the updates and was then able to scan the computer. It came up with 12 viruses, 8 which it could repair and 4 quarantined. I recognised the names of them as the ones people had mentioned on the Internet to others who were having the same problem.

I was mighty pleased I’d got the updates. When Sarayeth returned I explained it to her and it was a concrete example for her to see why it is so important for WMC to get an Internet connection.

The outcome was that she decided to get an Internet connection for the email PC. I was really pleased about this - it will mean a lot for them and is a big step. It was something I wanted to achieve before I left.

I will help them install it and train them on using the Internet as well as downloading the updates for Norton.

A couple of other things - the training on using email has been confirmed for next week - 12 trainees and 4 sessions. We have to hold them around the email computer so no practicals next week - difficult but better than nothing I guess, not many more options.

I’ve started planning another project to do desktop training sessions with each department so they get some intensive assistance and practice as well as an opportunity to organise and clean up the computers (badly needed).

I have been writing up the report for the Excel and PowerPoint training this week. Positives were that most people said they could complete each of the tasks I surveyed and said they understood more and felt more confident with the software. But most said the training sessions were too short, not enough time to practice.

It is good they are keen to learn more and I have made some suggestions about future training in the report.

Speaking lots of Khmer at work with my colleagues - happy with my progress, can even say whole sentences now, feels very satisfying.

I picked up my hand-made shoes yesterday. They are fantastic - I love them, turned out exactly as I wanted. I am going to enjoy wearing them and am keen to get some more made.

Planning some travel later in the year to North-eastern Cambodia (indigenous tribes), Southern Laos and Vietnam. I can’t believe we have been here for 5 months now.

Found a new bar on Fri night, Teukai which I mispronounced at first - Hean corrected me and told me it means gecko in Khmer. It had a great atmosphere - tucked out of the way, excellent music and cheap drinks so will probably receive some repeat business from us.

Last night, pretty stuffed so went to bed early. Have been getting through a swag of book. Ana got some from a friend so I have been working my way through those. Some I don’t think I would have read if I had the choice but ended up being quite good - Rilla of Ingleside (!), Bridget Jones’ diary and currently, Pied Piper (Nevil Shute). Room with a view before that was excellent and How to be alone - Franzen, not sure of first name - very good.

Today spent Interneting and thats about all of note.

Looking forward to this week - Sonia’s birthday and we’re going out on the town on Friday night and having a quiet girls’ night on Thursday night (her actual birthday). I get to wear my new shoes on Friday and we’re going for a manicure and pedicure on Thurs - can’t wait!

well signing off here as I’ve been here at this internet cafe way too long.

Adios and farewell.

Ruth e xx
Miss Phnomer in Cambodia