We knew that today was going to be exciting when we saw both an elephant and a park full of monkeys on our morning run.
The hospital where we will be for the next few weeks is run by the Center of Hope Worldwide. It offers the only free healthcare for adults in the country. The building was larger than I expected. It has 2 operating rooms, an ER and surgery room with 10-15 beds in each room, a new x-ray machine, and even an air-conditioned lab. The staff warmly greeted us, and were very excited to see the return of Ms. Taplin, who acted as the head of nursing for 2 years. We spoke with the staff to see where they needed our help, and it seems like we will be doing a bit of everything. Tomorrow we will put in a full day at the hospital and will really see what it is like.

In the late afternoon, we traveled to Toul Sleng, or the S-21 Prison. Brief history – in the mid to late 1970s, civil war broke out in Cambodia. Pol Pot headed what is known as the Khmer Rouge and began taking control of the country. Their communist agenda was to move people out of the cities and into the rural areas. The genocide that followed killed almost 2 million Cambodians. S-21 Prison was an school transformed into a building of torture. People were tortured until they agreed to sign documents claiming they committed crimes against the government. They were then taken to the Killing Fields about 15km outside of the city.
To see the pictures of the men, women, and children who were tortured and killed in that very building was quite moving. Many of the cells where they were chained in were only a few feet wide. I find it interesting that a mass genocide that happened only 30 years ago is not more well known. Everyday people in this country lived though the Khmer Rouge. We were at the hospital today and one of the workers shared his story of the Khmer Rouge. He was separated from his family at the age of 14. For 3 yrs, 8 mo, and 20 days, he worked to build a dam, receiving only one bowl of rice soup a day. This strong, successful man is now only in his early 40s. It was amazing to hear such a story straight from the source. We all admire his strength and bravery for surving and sharing his story with us.
Today was an educational, eventful day. We learned much about the culture and history of this country. Tomorrow should bring more knowledge and excitement….

We arrived to Phnom Penh late afternoon yesterday after a fun stop at the Bangkok airport. We were greeted at the airport by our hotel bus and then we checked in to the Golden Gate Hotel.

(click images for larger version) For our first night in the city, we went to a local theater and saw a native drum performance. It was really fun and great to see a part of Cambodian culture. The performers also did a traditional “monkey dance” which was hilarious. At the end of the show, Stefani, Anson, and I got on stage and showed off our amazing drum playing skills 🙂 This morning we took a tuk tuk to the Russian Market which was a really unique experience. There was everything from sapphires to dinner plates to food. We all enjoyed it a lot and got some cool stuff but after a few hours we were ready for some refreshing lime soda. Delicious. I think we’re all very happy to be here and are making the most of this experience. Tonight we plan on going to church and then dinner before bed. Tomorrow will be our first day at the hospital for a tour and to get started working. Woo Hoo!

By the way, thank you all so much for your comments. Your support means the world to us. 🙂

Today our journey of Chaing Mai continued. We were off to and early start at 8:30 am with a full day ahead. Our first stop was at the orchid garden and butterfly farm, both of which were breathtaking.

(Click images to view larger size) We then moved on to the adventures with the elephants. This to say the least was amazing. We were all in awe of these incredible creatures that are not seen in Tennessee unless you visit the zoo. When we arrived the elephants were bathing and the river and began to playfully spray the crowd with water. We all received muddy elephant kisses and then watched the elephant show. The show consisted of elephants dancing, painting, and playing soccer. It was quite amazing and funny.

We then took an ox and wooden cart ride to a village were we then rode the elephants to our destination of lunch. We all loved riding on the elephants for we knew this is a once in a lifetime adventure. After enjoying another wonderful Thai meal we went on a thirty minute bamboo raft river ride. This was quite relaxing and a wonderful way to see the beauty of Chiang Mai. We each had a turn at steering the raft though I think Anson and Susan were by far the best. We left the river and headed to the Long Neck Village.
The Long Neck’s get their name from the women who wear medal rings around their necks, which lengthen their necks. They originally had theses ring put on because it was believed that the women were weaker than the men and would be unable to fend off a tiger attacking them. Therefore, the rings would protect their necks from tiger bites. However, they are worn today for decoration. Beginning at age five a ring or so is placed on the neck until age twenty. We learned about these people and and watched as they made beautiful and woven scarves.
Our time here in Chiang Mai hasflown by and we have enjoyed every moment of it. I sent in some pictures today so I hope they went thru okay and make it up. We are headed to Cambodia in the morning and we will keep everyone posted on the rest of our journey. Thanks again for all of your thoughts and prayers.

Greetings from Thailand! After a long journey (almost 40 hours on planes and in airports), we have arrived safely in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This is the first stop on our itinerary that takes us to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and a Cambodian village. After stopping in the Hong Kong airport, and a seven-hour layover in the Bangkok airport (sleeping on cold floors is not too comfortable!), we finally stepped on Thai ground around 8am yesterday.

After reaching our hotel and taking a short nap, we attended a Thai cooking class. Our instructor led us through the markets, where we learned about traditional Thai ingredients. Then, at her kitchen, we prepared various Thai dishes, such as spring rolls, green curry, and sticky rice with mango. The names of some of the other dishes I don’t know how to pronounce, much less spell, but luckily we each received a cookbook with the recipes. Now we can cook Thai for you guys back home when we return!
Today we had a very “interesting” trek through the hills around Chiang Mai to visit a hill tribe. The guide had promised us that it would be “easy,” but this was definitely not the case!. It was very steep and very long–eight and a half hours! There was lots of mud, sweat, a few tears, and pouring rain involved, but in the end we all agreed that it was a great time. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous! Tomorrow we have a day planned with elephant riding, rafting, waterfalls, and much, much more. We will definitely keep everyone updated, and we hope to get some pictures up!
Thank you all so much for your thoughts, prayers, and all your comments here! Halfway across the world, it means so much to stay in contact with you all!

I am going on this trip because I want to develop a deeper appreciation of the Cambodian culture. By opening my eyes and learning to respect the culture, people, and health care system, I will become a better physical therapist. Through cultural exchange, I will bring my knowledge to the Cambodian physical therapists, while they will teach me far more than I can imagine.

…Personal Thoughts on the Journey

I am going to Cambodia hoping to gain better insight into a complex culture. I love traveling and learning about different ways of living and different perspectives. I hope to gain some experience working in a health care setting much different than those in the United States. Because I dream of traveling as a health care professional, this study abroad trip is really a wonderful opportunity for me to get a taste of my future. Also, Cambodia is such an interesting country, with so much history and culture, I am really excited to get to see it and learn more about the people.

The team arrived safely in Hong Kong this morning and is currently waiting on their flight to Bangkok. Hopefully, the team will be posting on their own soon… ‘just a couple of small technical details to take care of first.

A printable (PDF) version of the Cambodia team’s itinerary is now available for those who wish to follow their schedule: Trip Itinerary (PDF)

Pictured here (left to right): Diane, Stefani, Julia, Susan Tapin, Anson, and Sharon Dowdy.
(click image to view larger size)

This year’s mission team to Cambodia started their journey early this morning at the main terminal in Nashville’s airport. Some did not get any sleep last night and some were up early wrapping up last minute details, but all arrived with time to say their good-bye’s to family and friends before heading to the departure gate.
Internet access for the group will be limited for the next few days. Live posting of stories may not begin until sometime Wednesday. If you would like to receive an email notification when new stories are added, use the subscription form.

Well, we are getting ready to head out to Cambodia early Monday morning. We will first stop in Thailand to visit Chaing Mai which is one of Thailand most cultural villages. We will stay there two days and hike the water falls, visit the night bizzare, see a butterfly garden and possibly ride an elephant. We are so excited about this trip for many reasons. We will see old friends, do some hard work, learn about a new culture, withstand the heat and meet new friends.
One of the most exciting parts about this year is our village trip. We have connected with Kari Grady Grossman, author of “Bones That Float” (www.bonesthatfloat.com) which is one of our required readings for the trip. We will be visiting the village that she has been working with to provide some nutritional teaching, nutritional evaluations, provide a medical clinic for 500 children,and meet with village leaders to help plan for a long term goal of having a medical clinic. The village is about 120 KM from Phnom Penh but it takes 4-5 hours due to road conditions.
We will get a first hand experience of what it is like to live in a village. The village is a typical Cambodian village in the country where rice is the main staple. There is no electricity (lights can be run for short periods off a generator
or car battery)or running water. We will sleep on bamboo beds in the school and get a taste of what it is like for the majority of Cambodians. This trip occurs the last weekend before we head back, so be sure to read our blogs and send lots of prayers our way. The rest of our time will be spent at the Sihanouk Hospital Center of HOPE (www.sihosp.org).
We will be ready to come home to our families and friends when this is over, but we are sure to leave a part of our
hearts in Cambodia.