The Best Day Ever (Michael's 10th Birthday)

Michael Reporting

My birthday was on March 28, 2009. I turned 10 years old. My party was at Kean Svay. It was Mom’s birthday party too even though her birthday was the next week. There were tons of friends and family who live in the village. All the kids there were wearing party hats. There was confetti, music, and dancing. Uncle Kosal was the DJ.

I wanted to open my presents, but Mom said wait, so I waited. It was time for us to cut the cake! The kids had sparklers, and when we blew out the candles, they came back on fire again! When we finished, they sprayed silly string on us and made a big birthday mess! One cake was fancy, one cake was plain, and one cake was ruined. Then it was time to eat. I had pizza while the others had noodles.

Then it was time to open my presents. I got a big watch, piggy bank, 3 boxes of chocolate coins, vehicle building set, military vehicle set, 3 dollars, a pirate ship, clothes, Lego Star Wards The Complete Saga (Wii Game), Lego Indiana Jones (Wii Game), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull DVD.

I felt so happy. It was the best day ever! 

Going to Kdei Ta Koy Primary School

Catherine Reporting

Kdei Ta Koy Primary School is in Vielsbow Village. It is a small school. The 4^th grade classroom I visited It had no a/c or lights, so it had big windows. There were 4 rows of wooden desks that hold 2 people each. It had an old chalk board with a curtain on it so when the teacher writes the answers for the questions, she can cover them up.

The lesson was about the water cycle. It was all in Khmer so I only understood a little big. Since I couldn’t understand, a girl in front of me gave me a picture to color. When the teacher calls out on a row they stood up and read the board in a funny voice. The teacher brought in a bucket full of dirty water and all the students came up to look. Most of the students worked in groups.

Recess time! At recess, there were 3 sections I went to: the garden, the playground, and to the Chinese calendar animals. The playground had little play equipment, like 4 swings, 2 chin-up bars, 1 slide, and some tires. I played on all of them. Then we named all of the animal statues in Khmer, and my favorite one was the “damrey” (elephant).

This school is way different from Scobee (my school in America) because Scobee is big and has like 4 classes for every grade. I like the school in America because it is more easy, but I still like the school in Cambodia.

The End

Shadow Puppets - Jeffrey

Jeffrey Reporting

On Tuesday, we went to make our shadow puppets. Shadow puppets are used in Cambodia and in other Southeast Asian countries. It was kind of easy to me. First, we get a hammer and a wooden circle, so the stage won’t get ruined and metal tools to make the shape. It was hard work. I chose the frog for the shadow puppet. The people at the shadow puppet place had to mark the places, with red marker, what shape to use and where to hammer. It was kind of hard, but I did it. After I’m done, we painted certain places of the shadow puppet. It was easy, but I have to cut it out first, which was tough, because it’s made out of leather.

 After I’m done with my shadow puppet, dad said “Good job, Jeffrey!” The others were not done, so I have to wait. Dad let me borrow his IPod Touch for games. When we were all done, we went home and showed mom our shadow puppets. She felt surprised at this!

Making Shadow Puppets - Michael

Michael Reporting

It was March 10, 2009. We went to a shadow puppet theater called Sovanna Phum. We made shadow puppets.  It was hard work but I had help from the workers. I was making a bird, so I pounded it with a mallet on the black outline on the wooden surface. The puppet is leather, that is, made out of cowhide. When I finished pounding the holes, I painted the outline of my bird. Then the workers put it on a stick and my shadow puppet was finished! 

They have had this theater for 15 years. They still show shows. They have shows every Friday and Saturday. We saw one called the “Story of the Dog.” It was based on a soldier with his brave dog, his wife, his mother, an assassin, and a ghost. It was a good story. After the show they let us go back stage and try the shadow puppets. And there was a store where you could buy and make shadow puppets. Come to Cambodia, and visit Sovanna Phum!

The Most OFFENSIVE Market

Jeffrey Reporting

Note: This is Jeffrey's perspective on this very traditional Cambodian Market (Boueng Trabek Market in Phnom Penh). Its really not that bad, and Jeffrey doesn't realize most fo the food he eats that Mom cooks comes from here. But you can see how a market such as this would be

 such a shock to a young teenager used to markets like HEB, Vons, Ralphs, etc...

In the market we went to on 3-16-09, it was very stinky & offensive. There were pig noses, bad eggs, live fish, live chickens, and butchers and meatpackers showing off! It's like the strangest market ever! I think there should be a law that people 18 and older can only enter these kind of markets!

For shade, they use umbrellas. Then, on the other side is merchandise. Clothing, music CDs, toys that are actually thingies, it's like boring to me! I give this market a 2%! I hate this market! And I bet the U.S.A. will ban those kind of markets in their country! However, this turns upside down at night! It turns into the only fair in Cambodia! However, it's pretty small and pretty cheap. that's all!