Wedding

The end of the rainy season marks the beginning of the wedding season here in Cambodia. Huge wedding tents are erected, blocking streets, and loud music blasts out all day.
I attended the engagement party of one of my neighbours and last weekend the happy couple were married. The celebrations lasted two days. For me the unpleasant part was the loud music that started at 5.00 am both mornings!
On the first day, a procession bearing gifts paraded from the college to our street. The photos tell the story.

Musicians and flower bearers

Trainees in their finery joined the procession

Joints of meat carried by my colleagues

Arrival of the groom

The procession arrives in our street, the home of the bride.

Musicians

Ceremony and blessings inside the house

 The following day there was a big party in a local restaurant with over 600 guests, live band and a 5 course meal. Here we finally met the bride and groom together.

Beautiful couple

Miko and myself enjoying the food

Resource Making

One of my regular activities is to assist the tutor in charge of guiding trainees in the making of teaching resources. He speaks no English and was a bit wary of me at first but as soon as he realised my presence makes his job easier, he relaxed and we get along well. This is not really his area of expertise and he is grateful for all the help he can get. Working with trainees it's easy to forget that many of them have not had much experience with scissors and of making things in general. They are very enthusiastic but some need to be shown every step. It is also fortunate that VSO gave me $150 for resources in the earlier workshop and I was able to buy scissors, rulers and pens etc. Trainees are supposed to provide their own but there are never enough.

This made me laugh when I saw two trainees cutting the same piece of card from opposite ends. There were two lines and each was cutting a different line.

Finally, resources need to be covered in sticky backed plastic for protection and so that whiteboard markers can be used on them. Resources here are very vulnerable. Miko, a Japanese volunteer, came back after her holiday to find her music resources had been eaten by ants! She had thought they were safe in the staff room. The humidity can also cause things to be damp or go mouldy.