Sideways Perspectives and Other Observances: Sitting in the back of the class

It’s difficult really to change what you’re dealt
So buckle your shoes and tie up your belt
I’d learned that it’s all about doing lip service:
But I wish I could speak it without being nervous

KEP, CAMBODIA

June 17, 2008

Today was an interesting day. The morning was spent in the hospital, listening to a talk from a representative of Health Unlimited, Khou. I actually got a chance to walk to the hospital, which was great, even though most of the students decided to get a ride Bunthoeun. We didn't make it in time, because we left late (because people were LATE), and Bunthoeun ended up having to come pick us up halfway and get us to the hospital. Which was annoying, because we ended up starting late (as expected) and we could probably have finished our walk just fine.

Anyways. TH and I decided to walk back to the guesthouse, and take pictures of the abandoned colonial houses, grab lunch, and make photocopies for our respective projects along the way.

Kep is really so interesting. There’s this big statue of a crab along the shore. Not really sure why it’s there, but its ridiculousness warranted a picture. Of course. And I can pretend to be a crab.

There’s also a statue of a naked lady (a.k.a. the White Lady) along the way. Which also warranted a picture, alongside the shoreline.

In looking for a real Cambodian hot spot for a real Cambodian lunch (I'm now thoroughly convinced that they don't exist in Kep. For a pretty sleepy, out of the way tourist destination, it's super touristy), we ran into the two guests from U of T who were visiting CIH Cambodia, Doc T and Doc P. They were awesome. Apparently, Doc D asked Doc P to incorporate CIH Cambodia into Doc P's program at U of T, and he'd come to check out what we've got going on here. So Doc T and Doc P invited TH and I to have a drink with them and talk about the program. They were both totally down to earth, which was great, since it gave both TH and I the opportunity to really criticize CIH and analyse the goings-on here, in a really candid manner. The two of them were very realistic about our observations, and about global health research in general. I was glad to openly criticize CIH, but Doc P reminded us that these criticisms need to make their way eventually to Doc D, and he's right.

The problem here is that there's a real opportunity to do something impactful, but since we lack the support and continuity that should be available within an established program that has been active for the last six years, the CIH is sorely lacking that. There are no missions, visions, or even areas of focus (unless you call health an area of focus...but that's a little broad in my opinion). And I know that some people have suggested collaborating with PhD's or established researchers, but I feel like one of the mandates of the CIH is to give students with little or no research experience the opportunity to lead, develop and carry out a project -- something which I see as valuable (not to mention commendable). However, there's also the issue of ethically doing work which can have real impact on the community from which we're gathering data. And to do that, we need focus and we need leadership. We can let students develop their own projects, but there have to be some confines: areas of health in which CIH is most interested; a slew of longitudinal projects, smaller parts of which could be developed and managed by students; opportunities for projects that aren't just research-based, but involve community building as well. Anyways...enough of that.

After that, I was starving and as TH apparently doesn't trust street food on account of her GIT, we did the photocopying we needed to do, and headed back. But not before I bought some street food (YES! Finally got street food in Cambodia!). I thought it was grilled bananas. It was bananas in bread, rolled in salt and then grilled. Not the best thing I've ever eaten, but then again, certainly not the worst, and it killed the hunger pains. Don't they look like bananas though?!

After lunch, we were sitting in the dining room when a tuk tuk selling drinks arrived. Rath insisted that I try something and insisted further on paying for my drink. So...I was sort of forced into drinking a coffee drink out of a bag. There was a little trepidation on my part but you know, it was pretty good, though it was probably the sweetest thing that I've ever tasted in my life. It was like someone had dissolved three kilograms of sugar into 250 mL of water. Plus there was a little black something floating in it. But I drank it anyways. It was gift.

And then we relaxed the rest of the day. But...we did have Kimly for dinner. Surprise, surprise: Kampot pepper shrimp and MORNING GLORY. That makes day four at Kimly, in a row, eating the same thing. Love it. Here's our favourite dinner (not TH, the food in front of her):

We met up with the others at Veranda to grab some gelato (oh MAN it was good -- I had chocolate in a homemade waffle cone). A tried to hug TH, who is a self-proclaimed non-hugger. I quite enjoyed that. Quite.