Highs and Lows and the bits in between!!!

Nearly a month has passed dear bloggers since my last entry and much has happened here in Cambodia now do I start with the lows and finish with the highs or the other way around?
I'll start with the highs I went to a TEDx event here on Saturday 5th Feb it was held in an international school on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

Here are my fellow TEDx pals setting off (photo's pinched from Sam/Gilly's blog!) It was held in a very posh school and as we went through the gates I thought I 'd entered a parallel universe what a place see below just one of the playgrounds and a an olympic size swimming pool! any way back to the script.

 The TEDx event comprised inspirational speakers from the fields of technology entertainment and design on the theme of building bright futures for Cambodia.There were some truly remarkable people taking part including Teth Sambath famous for his documentary film "Enemies of the people" and Kung Rai a folk singer and national treasure who entertained us at the beginning.My favourite though was Ploen Prim who movingly described his work in bringing back to life Cambodia's traditional arts and crafts through ensuring that the young generation are taught the skills before they die out

The web address if you are interested in finding out more is http:/tedxphnompenh.com .
It was a truly great day and I met some remarkable people.
Also this month I went to my first classical concert by mistake I might add I was supposed to be seeing a film about the damming of the Mekong river but happened upon this trio of  Cello violin and flute and  with Bach and Haydn on the programme which would you have chosen?The musicians were German and visit Cambodia to teach music here to young musicians they were fab.
Talking of music most of you will know that I love singing and belong to a choir Vocal Expressions (Hi Girls!)at home and really miss it well I have found a choir its called the international choir and it truly is.They rehearse on Tuesday evenings in the Japanese school and have 2 concerts a year the next one in May which I hope to sing at.The range of music is very similar to what I am used to and the people are very friendly so I am a very happy bunny on Tuesdays
The lows well work is not great my beloved midwives are also very elusive and have very little time to support CMA business so I am doing very little capacity building just keeping the office ticking over.
On the plus side though I am helping the Cambodian Midwives Council albeit informally at the moment and I am planning to set up a network of maternal health professionals who are working in isolated posts for peer support and learning.
Also I have been back to the mother and baby clinic which I love we had a 77 year old lady turn up last week with the blackest teeth I have ever seen she had painful hips but roared with laughter when we asked her if she was pregnant. We gave her some paracetamol and vitamins and she hobbled off happy enough. It could only happen in Cambodia.
Another low has been David and Sally postponing their trip due to David's mother being ill but fingers are crossed for a May reunion.
So all in all many more highs than lows who can ask for more?

I love this building and took it for any lawyers who may tune in as it is Phnom Penh's Ministry of Justice

Not me Lea Howei
Kath