Outside of work, Chris and I have found plenty of interesting things to do. We recently went to a Khmai wedding and enjoyed observing over two days the Buddhist ceremony in all its parts. It was my lovely Volunteer Assistant Channa getting married so we did a long bus journey to his beautiful bride’s house in another Province. There were maybe a hundred guest invited who were given food and drink over the two days of the ceremony. We took part in the hair cutting ceremony and observed many things and noted, as far as we could tell, there was no point at which they were pronounced man and wife!

We were told when at the celebration meal and dance in the evening they are accepted as being married.

VSO Volunteers enjoying Channa’s Wedding

 The cost of the wedding is met by the guests each putting money in their official wedding invitation envelope and then handing it in at the wedding at the appropriate time in the ceremony. We believe a minimum of $10 per person is expected and quite a bit more if you are well acquainted with the bride or groom.

Both Channa and Sovanns family made us feel really welcome and the experience was excellent.

One of many set piece ceremonies to make up the Wedding.

Next day, on the Sunday we travelled further North to the border with Thailand to visit the sacred site of the Temple of Preah Vihear which is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This temple is the site of recent fighting between Thailand and Cambodia over ownership of the Temple and the conflict made World news and was followed by our family and friends back in the UK. The situation is still sensitive and the Cambodian soldiers seem to have a permanent presence amongst the Temple ruins along with their wives and children. It seemed strange to watch young children playing on the ancient tumbled down stones whilst the father/soldier laid his machine gun bullets out in a long line to clean and oil them in the sun, and the tourists gazed at the ruins.

Chris at the entrance to the first of four temples

Chris is busy teaching English at the local university and also working at a local NGO helping them with their work running an Orphanage amongst other things.