Race Pics

My first race!

I have been training for the Angkor Wat Bike Race which is happening this weekend and I am competing in the 30km mountain bike event. I've been cycling on the weekends and getting up some mornings at 5:30 to train... which I have really enjoyed. It has been wonderful getting up and seeing Khmer people, who get up daily before the sun rises, going about their morning routines. There are kids biking and walking to school, Buddhist Monks in bright orange robes being offered breakfast at the side of the road (did you know that they do not make their own food and only eat breakfast and lunch?). The traffic is not so bad on the road that I ride on, but there are plenty of dogs, chickens, and cows that I have to watch out for. I cycle towards the Tonle Sap Lake, about 15km from my house, where there is a 200m tall hill jutting out. I cycle up a gravel road that winds around and enjoy the cool breeze and the low rising sun. There is a temple on top and I can hear the sound of traditional Cambodian music echoing from houses below.

The race is happening around the temples of Angkor Wat, a world heritage site around 1000 years old. Super excited for the race, and even more excited for the brunch after!

I've been taking pictures in the morning with my film camera, and post some when they are developed.

Benjamin Coming on PEPY Ride 4!

As many of you know, I have been working here in Cambodia for the past 3 months for PEPY, an educational NGO that works in a small rural village and also organizes educational adventure tours which financially support development initiatives. The organization strives to bring social change through grass roots development initiatives and facilitating education for tour participants.

My time here so far has brought out a wide range of emotions in me that I was expecting, but could never really be prepared for. Cambodia is a poor country, still recovering from decades of war and genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970's and 80s. In recent years, an incredibly corrupt government and irresponsible foreign investment has created serious environmental and social problems for the country. Sadly, children are the most affected. Malnutrition and easily preventable diseases are common resulting in 1 in 4 children not surviving till their 5th birthday and of those who survive, more than one third live below the poverty line. Half the country's population are kids and many have little access to a poor educational system, with most working from a young age to support themselves and their family.

It is hard to imagine for most of us, who have never gone hungry, and have always had education and health care, but the sad reality is that these things which we consider a right, are not available for a large percentage for Cambodian children.

Cambodian people are among the friendliest and most genuine I have ever met. They always greet you with a smile and "hello" or "suasudai" in passing. They have a wonderful sense of humour and love to laugh. I swear they have more teeth in their mouth than we do, as their smiles are enormous!

It has been difficult getting my head around the enormity of the problems here, yet I remain positive. I have seen through PEPY, and other organizations that we work with, that it is possible to make a difference. I am inspired on a daily basis by the amazing people that I work with, in particular our amazing Cambodian staff who have overcome huge obstacles and have a vision to improve their country. I have seen first hand, the difference that education can make in the life of a child, and the opportunity it gives them for a better life. Through this experience I have learned much more than I ever anticipated, and continue to learn every day.

PEPY's programs have a positive impact on so many people, from staff who have learned new skills, to children who have stayed in school with PEPY's support. It is a self-reflective organization, as it is always improving the way it works within the local community. Among the many successful initiatives, my favourite is the Child-to-Child Program, where students have made clubs and act as leaders, identifying problems and enacting solutions. If you're interested, check out all of PEPY's Programs, as they will surely inspire you as they have inspired me.

From December 21st to January 11th, my girlfriend Lucky and I will be leading a 3 week bicycle tour across Cambodia with 12 participants coming from around the world. This tour, in its fourth year, focuses on education. Tour participants with learn first hand of the environmental and social problems that exist here, and through visiting NGOs will learn of solutions and inspiring work being done to help as we cycle over 800km across the country.

I am very lucky and excited, as my older brother Benjamin is joining the tour. He is a science student, working his way towards a degree in medicine and is also an avid cyclist and overall socially conscious person. Each participant is responsible for raising $1500 U.S. on top of their tour fee as a donation to PEPY literacy initiatives. 100% of the money raised goes directly to PEPY programs, as our overhead is covered by a generous donor.

He has done a great job of fundraising, but has not quite met his goal yet. If you are in a position to donate to PEPY on Benjamin's behalf, it would be greatly appreciated, both by my brother and the community that you will be supporting.

Please see Benjamin's blog for how to donate. Thank you for taking the time to read about my experiences here in Cambodia. If you are interested in more information about PEPY, check out www.pepyride.org.

We will be sending updates from the tour and you can follow along online with us here.