hi all,

first of all sorry for the late update but I didn't really feel like writing something so...

For the rest they have a 220 MHz pc with 64 Mb memmory and a few laptops which all are not working...

I'll have some work, because they had some requests of which I never heard and had no clue how to do it. Most of it was a software list and all pc's had to run xp. The two 'good' pc's wheren't that hard but I had to do it slowly because they wanted to learn how to do it. And they only have one windows xp cd so we had to wait a lot. The last day when I came there for the finishing touch I got to hear that one of the screens exploded. So we took the screen from the old pc and that is working now. The laptops are way beyond fixing: one of the laptops' screen isn't working, the other one has an ancient model of a hard drive of barely 1.5 Gb and the keyboard has a lot of characters missing. They said it's ok when I told them that that's not worth fixing. 

Lundy (the one that teaches computer class) was really satisfied and he can now install windows + the software that I put on the pc's.

thursday in the evening I had a conversation class, which means that I had to teach them how to make small conversations. The first group were kids of 17 till 21 years old and it went pretty well however the girls were really shy and didn't dare to ask a lot of questions. With the necessary laughter the class ended. The second class was identically the same however with smaller children: 5 till 16 years old, their pronounciation is a lot better and they listen very carefully. After half an hour the class was suspended due to a power cut in town. I was left in the dark classroom without any means of light and bumped into almost everything while making my way out the door. Overall the experience was amazing! The children are so respectful, I will never forget this school!

I completely support the project, I've been there for quite a few days, sometimes without appointment so I know the way they work. They teach the children English, computer, Khmer, ... but most important is that they teach them values. In a school in Cambodia morals are not taught, but this school takes that task: they teach the children to think about their future, to clean up the littering, to create a sustainable environment,...

If you want to help them, I know that they can use it and it will be totally appreciated! You can check out there website: http://www.helpthecambodianchildren.org/?q=goodwill 

so today I had to get up at 6.30 which really hurt after the beers of last night, but anyway I told them I would be there and it is an hour drive from the guesthouse. On the way I had a delicious breakfast, it was rice with grilled vegetables, crispy pork and steamed tomatoes. I wanted to get another one but time was running out so I continued, after 5 minutes I got of the map so I was going with my memmory. From time to time I was doubting and I didn't think I would make it but then I saw the house and I was still 5 minutes early. These 5 minutes I used to drink some ice tea and to sweat, I was as wet as 2 days before but this time it wasn't from the rain... The youngest boy lead the procession as we followed trail after trail but then it seemed that we were further than he had ever been so I asked and they said he'd been here once before. The oldest now took the lead but the road was broader so we could walk next to each other, he also put some music on: the most popular English song here in Cambodia, I know you want me from the pittbuls. I know it by heart by now and still have 2 weeks of Cambodia left... We stopped at an old structure that was overgrown by nature and they explained it's one of the remains from Pol Pot. Seems like nature is finally trying to grow over the cruelties...

We continued past some rubber and tree plantations while they were treating me all kind of fruits and explaining me some herbs that they use in their daily life, I had to repeat the Khmer name and then adapt their pronounciation of the English name. It was a nice walk and back at my bicycle another meal was awaiting our presence. I wasn't allowed to pay anything, they said it was an honour to talk to me and guide me around the hills, it was a bit uncomfortable but they are oh soo nice!

On the way back I stopped to take a picture of the men beating the stones, this scenery is everywhere in Sihanoukville province. In the afternoon I went to another beach and in the evening I got a very nice spot for sunset and met some local students who were enjoying their sunday fishing.

An exciting day!

The 18th I got up with a lot of energy at 7 am so I went for breakfast in town (everything is sleeping and closed until 9-10 am). I drove randomly up some dirtroads and around until I hit dead end after dead end. I was getting tired and thirsty so it was really nice when I heard: 'hey mister, you want beer?' If I wanted a beer, of course I did, I had been driving for 2 hours in the hills and it was bloody warm. The people at the shop/bar/restaurant were very friendly and we started a basic conversation in their best English. Since we got stuck pretty soon, we both took our phrasebooks (mine = english-> Khmer, theirs Khmer -> English) and pretty soon we were teaching each other. Time flew by and they asked if I wanted to join them for lunch, I gratefully accepted the offer and together with the boys I started eating. Every person got 2 plates of rice and there was a bowl of soup with some bitter vegetable stuffed with pork, there was a plate of fried fish and there was this meat that isn't meat (gebakken boterhamworst). The girls were allowed to eat the leftovers as soon as we were finished. Our conversation was so nice that they invited me to come back tomorrow morning (8 am) to go somewhere. I didn't understand where they wanted to take me, but they were so friendly and didn't look like people who would rip me off that I decided to come back. In the evening I went to town and found some different beers than pils, I found stout which is a nice variation. Back in the guesthouse I couldn't sleep because of the music which is always very loud until 3 am, the internet wasn't working and beer is just 0,25 $ put this together and you know that I was at the bar...