Patrick Guillou, my big brother of foundation

He is my brother, he radiates big positive energy, he practices generousity everyday, and his heart is pure like that of child. "You can't make other people happy unless you are happy"

We often sees each other as a dreamer, an idealist. But recent e-mail from him made me realize that's just reflection on the mirror. After all, we ARE the same people in pursuit for the same happiness. We met on the connecting flights from Koh Samui-Bangkok-Luang Prabang in February 2006. Sharing the cab fare into town ended up spending a couple of days together and finding out lots of similarities -and differences. When i knew that i'd be coming back to SE Asia this year, I didn't think twice about getting back in touch with him and do some of the days in Cambodia together.

With Saroun by Siem Reap river. French by nationality, by heart. Romantic as a French could be. He has traveled much through many parts of the world. "There are so many places in the world that is beautiful, but some of them -not many- are also magical, and mystical." he said it as we sat and watch the sunset by the Meckon in Luang Prabang.

He has built his own bed and breakfast in Minervois, France. As i call him big brother of foundation, he gets down and works his own hands to create something from the bottom. Designs his own furniture, does his own plumbing and electrical works, cooks excellent food of any cusine, and he's a complete gadget master with his iPod and laptop. He got himself this motorbike shown above, came and rescued me in Koh Chang.

The morning i left Koh Chang, i didn't see him at Thale's bungalows but thought i'd see him at the ferry pier. Then i found out his boat would be leaving from different pier than mine, I was bummed out that i didn't get to say proper good-bye. But hey, there's a reason i call him brother, once on the mainland side, guess who drove up right behind my tuk-tuk taxi?
March 11th at Trat bus station, this is the last time we see each other, until the next rice farm tour. I'll be on my way to Koh Samui via Bangkok bus, and Patrick will continue on his motorbike jouney to god knows where.

Chey and Sophat

although they are not related by blood, chey and sophat are practically brothers. they are best friends and neighbours, do everything together, always joking around.

Chey with his 4WD, picks me up and take me to many places in Cambodia which no tourist has oppotunity to discover. And Sophat's language skill and talkative personality makes the trip always more fun.

Chey is always dressed nice. Clean collar shirt even when he's working on greacy auto engine. He's single and always looking for a chance to meet ladies. Very social, very kind person. i wish i understood Khmer laungage better so i could know him more.

Sophat's workshop

Feb 16th, I visit Sophat's field work for the red cross. As a field officer, everyday he would go to different village to educate people about health care. After piling up his moto with fruits and water for today's workshop, we take 30km of dirt road into Kabbar Kropoo village.

On the way Sophat stops at small shack and explain to me that, this is a school which villagers have built and whenever a volunteer teacher from village is available the children can come to learn how to read and write. For such remote area where nobody would willingly come to teach or even build school, this is the only way that children can get any education. The shack is empty and there's no sign of school activity.

At the run-down temple of Kabbar Kropoo village, people start gathering up. There are 6 Red Cross workers, 6 villagers, 6 village leaders, 12 volunteer workers from local organization called VHSG(Village Health Support Group), and 1 Health Center leader, all Cambodian and for many of them this is the first time to meet each other.

Today's gathering is called "Collaboration workshop". It is to what the collaboration is and how it can be achieved in the case of health care in remote village where there's no hospital or doctor. Different people from different background each get up and introduce themselves to the crowd. Sophat's friendly smile brings people together, make them feel important participating in something. After the snack and notebooks and pens are given to each of the participants, they further talk about the collaboration. Sophat brings out a small situation scripted in pieces of paper, assign the participants to act a small play in the roles of a doctor, a mother and a volunteer worker, etc.

this talent of Sophat which brings people together are amazing, and it is always helpful in my visits to Poum Steung school. he doesn't even know, but he can bring people together, make them listen, make them laugh and enjoy, make them think, and make them feel important participating in something. in Cambodia today, people don't recognize this kind of skill, but it has a strong impact on me. Sophat himself doesn't even know. but having been a teacher and red cross field officer, he surely likes to talk to crowd of people and get his message come across. i must find him a place where this skill of his will be properly evaluated.

Small but Spicy

so i take my new bike heading east of the town, to a remote village following Mark, the tuk-tuk driver who helped me getting the bike. He has a 6 month old daughter and lives in his in-law's house while he builds a new house for him, his wife and a baby. he tells me that his job as a tuk-tuk driver can earn $100-200 a month, but right now he takes many days off to focus on the baby and the new house.

his wife Lon and daughter Soknyta. just like anyone i met here his first concerns are to earn money for his family. new house will cost $2000+, and he wants Soknyta to go to collage and that's $500 a year.

yet, he refuses to take any commission fee of any sort for my getting motorbike. "I don't work for money. I work for the future. If you become my friend, that's gonna bring me 10 clients for me as a driver, then from them another 100..." Many people here are after quick dollar off the tourism, where he has a specific insight into the growth of the tourism, creating and networking his own market. and yes, with his broken street english adding extra fun to his kind and smart personality, i would recommend him to anybody who needs a driver, a tour guide or just a guy who organize your fun and needs while in Cambodia. if he picks you up at the airport where all the drivers and sellers swarm you up for your money, i can guarantee the rest of your trip would be safe and fun. As he says, like my 100cc Honda, like his new house, he is 'small but spicy'
contact him at bestdriverpp@yahoo.com
or call his mobile phone at +855(Cambodian int'l code) 12-352-698
or from Cambodia 012-352-698.

drunken interview with sewing girls

all the friends i made here, even Patrick, are all trying to find me a Cambodian wife... after their first questions of "where you from?" "How long you stay in Cambodia?" then they ask me "Do you like Cambodia?" and I would say "Are you kidding me? I love it here!" then they'd go "Do you want to marry a Cambodian lady?" hold on, slow down MetPear(friend), don't I have to know someone and fall in love with her first? if i find someone so fantastic that i fearlessly fall in love with her, i would marry her regardless of her nationality -Japanese, American, French, Cambodian, Sudanian or wahtever... I try to explain that to them but they just giggle.

With help of drunk crew Patrick and Sophat I manage to interview Savat and Bop, two sweet girls from sewing shop at the back of Chey's auto shop. It's definitely the first time anybody's ever pointing a video camera and microphone to them, they can't stand giggling, plus they see me as big-time TV producer or something (which I'm not) and Sophat here, translating, is obviously manipulating my questions.
Toshiuro: tell me about yourself
Savat: my name is Savat, I'm 24 and grew up in Poum Steung village and I'm single...
Patrick: what's your dream? do you want to get married or have children...
Toshiro: guys, stay with me. i'm trying to talk about education here...

Savat(24) and Bop(28) both grew up in Poum Steung village but it was before the poum Steung school was built with the funding by Cambodian School Project, the organization of Mr. Sarith Ou and Roger-san in Wisconsin, USA (www.khmerschool.com). So Savat went to this school with coconut leaves used as roof, and didn't finish the elementary school because she had to look after the younger in her family. Bop didn't go to school at all, for the same reason as many in this country --- to help family. now they both learn sewing from a person who helps orphans and the poor, make school uniform for the children. being asked how it makes her feel to see today's children having the uniforms she made, savat says "it makes me want to go to school but i feel odd, out of place being much older and not knowing how to read and write."
Toshiro: what was your happiest memory from childhood?
Savat: i don't remember. i was always busy taking care of my family.
Toshiro: what's your dream for the future?
Savat: i don't know. i want to be able to read and write, and i want my family to be safe and healthy.
Patrick: once you learn how to read and write and your family is taken care of, what will be your dream for yourself? Go out and have a good time with friends? travel other parts of the world? maybe have a boyfriend or get marry? (Patrick! no more beer for you!)
Savat: i don't know.
Many people here are struggling so hard for the very basic needs of the life that they are incapable of dreaming. Me and Patrick decided that should be one of the things for us to teach children in Poum Steung school. To dream own future.

more on Mr. Sopha

Mr. Sopha, our crew member of School Projects, is positively one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever met. He went to monk school for 16 years, studying accounting. father of two. works for Cambodian red cross as a field officer educating remote village about prevention of malaria, diehrea etc.

Mr. Sopha (L) and his co-worker Mr. Romania at American Red Cross, 17km outside of Siem Reap.

In the village he lives, in center of market place there's a stature of a rice-farming girl. It shows what's essencial to these people's lives here.

He pays US$10/month for this room he rents. That's 10% of his income. The rest of money goes to Battambong, a city across the great lake where his wife and two children (3 and 5 yrs old) lives


His kitchen, dining room, living room and bathroom are all outside, water is from a well some houses away. Chickens and dogs are also household members.

Children of landlord lady.

He invites me to visit his family in Battambong when he goes there next time at the end of month. He gets to see them once a month, he gets to talk to his wife on a phone once a week. He worries that he may not earn enough money to give their children what they want when they grow up. Yet, he is like Thick Nath Hanh, so pure, so clean, so happy and extremely generous.

maestro haiku

What a confidence
Share some of that martial arts,
Music and magic


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I meet Les in the guest house where I'm staying. Moment I see him it strikes me with powerful energy circling around him. Big smile, confidence, innocent child running around inside him so excited... like he wouldn't let anybody stop him from being happy. He's from Texas, then lived and recently left St. Marks, a Carrebian island. He is traveling with his fiance Peggy, about to marry her and move to France where she lives. Busker/Musician from many places in the world, has experienced many misfortunes, yet he is trying so hard to be in peace with himself and others.

never mind the T-shirt, he really is a lovely being.

our school project team personels

At my first visit to Poung Steung school, I get several ideas to help the school. So using my gesture and drawings I try to communicate them with the head teacher and two friends. Basically we want to make something for the kids that doesn't cost any money.

See, it's easy for me to buy and donate, say 50 sets of color drawing material for the kids. Or it's even possible for me to buy and donate 30 guitars. But that would be just one-time thing done by rich obnoxious foreigner, what about the kids next year? Will I come back for them?

It was my friend Desiree who suggested to make something out of recycled materials, or natural things you can find in the field. So I draw this bamboo water gun which I used to make in Summer camps in Japan when I was a kid. Now with gesture and drawings and Mr. Sopha's translation, that idea and a few others are communicated to Mr. Thai, the head teacher.

Above picture shows the headquarter of 'team', my trusty new friends who helps me with driving and translation. From left to right, Mr. Sopha works at Cambodian red cross and understand English well, and he has such a big heart and lovely smile. At Red Cross he works closely with children. He's really good at it.
Mr. Thai, a wonderful head teacher of Poung Steung, father of two, amazing energy.
and his cousin Mr. Chey, his auto parts shop is currently out of business. He brings his family and friends into this project, as well as he picks me up and drives back and forth between the city of Siem Reap and the village, about 25km each way.

then there are ladys of the friends and family. funny i had already seen their faces on Cambodian School Project (www.khmerschool.com) newsletter.

I didn't get their names yet, but they are the 'sewing ladys'who made thousands of school uniforms for the children. As asked how many she can make per day, one girl answered two sets. that must have been a long and tiring work. They also cook for us and support us in many ways.

Mr. Chey, Mr. Sopha and Reath

so i finally connect with Mr. Chey, who come to town and pick me up with his two friends, Mr. Sopha and Reath (actually Mr. Chey's younger brother) I would show my gratitude by treating lunch at their favorite Khmer restaurant just outside the town.


from L to R, Mr. Chey, auto mechanic, Mr. Sopha, a Cambodian Red Cross worker, and Mr. Chey's younger brother Reath, a tele-communication wizard and motorbike guide. Restaurant is devided into separate bamboo huts facing the rice field and you see the buffalos.


Mr. Sopha becomes my primary translator with his English skill. He offers me a position in Red Cross for USD575 of MONTHly saraly, which is WAY above Cambodian's standard. He has the happiest smile i ever seen. "My wife and two children are away in Battambang and i send all my money to them, but i have friends here and get to have good time with them every now and then and that makes me happy." he and 27 co-workers (and 2 foreign volunteers) take care of children with malaria, diaria, etc. He's aware of government's corruption as in any country, yet he has hope in the new government. Only time his smile froze when i asked what are the most important thing this country's government should take care of; "Health and Education"


Khmer Cusine!! much more on this on later postings. i can't wait to start cooking.


Buffalo digs into the mud to chew up the grass, then stirs up little fish lying under, and they swim off. So these birds are following around buffalos to catch the fish. on return the birds clean the lice off the buffalo's back. This is called Symbriosis (? am I right? -Eva, Alba, remember?) it means two different spiecies helping each other. We, humans, much less help other spieces, seem to be the only spieces who have trouble helping within each other and end up distrying themselves.


Her name is Abby. a shy waitress on our hut. After she served us all by herself, she comes back with another girl and clears our table, and i, without thinking give just her a tip; small amount but a fortune for her. and i do so in front of the other girl. Mr. Sopha later tells me the improperness of that. i feel embarrased but it gives me thinking. i have a long way to go learning the customs of this country.