LANGUAGE
Khmer is the official language. French is also spoken, but English is fast becoming popular with the younger generation.
CUSTOMS
Permission should be sought before taking pictures of people, particularly monks.
Avoid touching someone on the head as it is considered the most sacred part of a person's body.
Women should wear modest clothing, preferably a long skirt or loose-fitting trousers.
When visiting religious sites, shoes should be removed, and shorts not worn.
A traditional greeting in Cambodia is a bow, bringing together the hands at chest level (similar to hand position for prayer). With foreigners Cambodians sometimes convert to the handshake. The simple rule is to respond with the same greeting you were given.
Developing a personal relationship in Cambodia is important before any business can be discussed, which includes talking with local construction workers on the site, especially the supervisor. Never cause a Khmer to 'lose face', but use tact and an indirect approach to business.
On introductions, the most senior in the group will be introduced first, and visitors are advised to do likewise so that the hosts understand the hierarchy of the group; the highest-ranking person on both sides should greet each other first and perform the introductions. For example, the team leader(s) will introduce the team to the local workers, starting with the older team members. A bow, with hands together, is appropriate response when introduced.
In Cambodia people are addressed with the honorific title 'Lok' for a man and 'Lok Srey' for a woman followed with the first name or both the first and surname.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
More on Health & Safety
HEALTH
Malaria and dengue fever are common in Cambodia. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for all areas. Dengue fever, transmitted by mosquitoes, is prevalent especially in the heavily populated areas. Insect protection measures should be taken throughout the day.
There have been outbreaks of bird flu with four deaths in Cambodia, and although the risk of contracting the disease is slight, travellers should avoid contact with domestic, wild and caged birds and ensure that all poultry and egg dishes are well cooked.
Main water supply is not suitable for drinking but bottled water is widely available.
Avoid uncooked meat, unpeeled fruit, salads and food sold by street vendors, and don't drink beverages with ice.
Medical facilities are poor, except for a few expensive private clinics in Phnom Penh. Treatment must be paid for with cash and health insurance is essential.
SAFETY
Cambodia remains one of the most heavily land-mined countries in the world. Visitors should travel with a local guide and never stray off the main paths. It is not advisable to travel anywhere at night.
Caution should be taken in the capital, Phnom Penh, especially at night, as street crime is a problem, and there have been several incidents involving foreigners walking in the streets as well as around popular tourist nightspots in Phnom Penh. After dark there is also a risk of violent crime in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. Visitors should be aware that bag snatching is becoming an increasing problem on tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis and while walking in the main towns.
Malaria and dengue fever are common in Cambodia. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for all areas. Dengue fever, transmitted by mosquitoes, is prevalent especially in the heavily populated areas. Insect protection measures should be taken throughout the day.
There have been outbreaks of bird flu with four deaths in Cambodia, and although the risk of contracting the disease is slight, travellers should avoid contact with domestic, wild and caged birds and ensure that all poultry and egg dishes are well cooked.
Main water supply is not suitable for drinking but bottled water is widely available.
Avoid uncooked meat, unpeeled fruit, salads and food sold by street vendors, and don't drink beverages with ice.
Medical facilities are poor, except for a few expensive private clinics in Phnom Penh. Treatment must be paid for with cash and health insurance is essential.
SAFETY
Cambodia remains one of the most heavily land-mined countries in the world. Visitors should travel with a local guide and never stray off the main paths. It is not advisable to travel anywhere at night.
Caution should be taken in the capital, Phnom Penh, especially at night, as street crime is a problem, and there have been several incidents involving foreigners walking in the streets as well as around popular tourist nightspots in Phnom Penh. After dark there is also a risk of violent crime in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. Visitors should be aware that bag snatching is becoming an increasing problem on tuk-tuks, motorcycle taxis and while walking in the main towns.
Electricity, Money, Climate
ELECTRICITY
220 volts, 50Hz. Travellers should be aware that power cuts are frequent and, outside the capital, electricity is generally only available in the evenings.
MONEY
Riel (KHR) is the official currency and is divided into 100 sen. Foreign currency is difficult to exchange with the exception of US Dollars. Most transactions require cash. US dollars and Thai Baht are accepted, although smaller transactions are usually done in riel. A torn US dollar note renders it useless. (make sure all the US cash you bring is in good condition - no writing, not torn)
Credit cards are only accepted in a limited number of tourist-orientated hotels and restaurants in Phnom Penh and larger towns. There are a few ATMs in Phnom Penh, but they shouldn't be relied upon as a source of money; travellers cheques in US dollars or sterling can be cashed at a limited number of banks and larger hotels, though travellers cheques are not recommended due to limited acceptance.
TIPPING
Tipping for food in restaurants, for scheduled transport and for scheduled activities is covered in your fees. What is not covered is when you go out for a meal on your own, personal services in the hotel, an personal activity you schedule on R&R, etc.
Tips are not expected, but are welcomed for personal services, as salaries in the country are very low.
CLIMATE
Cambodia's climate can generally be described as tropical with seasonal monsoons. There are two distinct seasons, the rainy and dry. Temperatures during the rainy season, between June and October, average 81-95°F (27-35°C). The dry season is characterised by cool months, November to February, with temperatures averaging 63-81°F (17-27°C) and hot months, from March till May, which sees temperature range between 84-100°F (29-38°C).
220 volts, 50Hz. Travellers should be aware that power cuts are frequent and, outside the capital, electricity is generally only available in the evenings.
MONEY
Riel (KHR) is the official currency and is divided into 100 sen. Foreign currency is difficult to exchange with the exception of US Dollars. Most transactions require cash. US dollars and Thai Baht are accepted, although smaller transactions are usually done in riel. A torn US dollar note renders it useless. (make sure all the US cash you bring is in good condition - no writing, not torn)
Credit cards are only accepted in a limited number of tourist-orientated hotels and restaurants in Phnom Penh and larger towns. There are a few ATMs in Phnom Penh, but they shouldn't be relied upon as a source of money; travellers cheques in US dollars or sterling can be cashed at a limited number of banks and larger hotels, though travellers cheques are not recommended due to limited acceptance.
TIPPING
Tipping for food in restaurants, for scheduled transport and for scheduled activities is covered in your fees. What is not covered is when you go out for a meal on your own, personal services in the hotel, an personal activity you schedule on R&R, etc.
Tips are not expected, but are welcomed for personal services, as salaries in the country are very low.
CLIMATE
Cambodia's climate can generally be described as tropical with seasonal monsoons. There are two distinct seasons, the rainy and dry. Temperatures during the rainy season, between June and October, average 81-95°F (27-35°C). The dry season is characterised by cool months, November to February, with temperatures averaging 63-81°F (17-27°C) and hot months, from March till May, which sees temperature range between 84-100°F (29-38°C).
Friday, June 19, 2009
Cambodian (Khmer) Foods
Khmer food of Cambodia includes tropical fruits, rice, noodles and various soups.
Khmer cuisine is noted for the use of prahok, a type of fermented fish paste, in many dishes as a distinctive flavouring. When prahok is not used, it is likely to be kapǐ instead, a kind of fermented shrimp paste. Coconut milk is the main ingredient of many Khmer curries and desserts. Many rice varieties are available in Cambodia, including aromatic rice and glutinous or sticky rice. The latter is used more in desserts with fruits like durian. Almost every meal includes a bowl of rice.
Cambodian cuisine also uses fish sauce widely in soups, stir-fried cuisine, and as dipping sauces. Curry dishes, known as kari shows the ties between Indian and Cambodian cuisine. The many variations of rice noodles show the influences from Chinese cuisine. Rice noodle soup, known simply as Kuyteav, is a popular dish brought to Cambodia by its Chinese settlers. Also, Banh Chiao is the Khmer version of the Vietnamese Bánh xèo.
Typically, Cambodians eat their meals with at least three or four separate dishes. Each individual dish will be either sweet, sour, salty or bitter. Chilli is usually left up to the individual to add themselves. In this way Cambodians ensure that they get a bit of every flavour to satisfy their palates.
Cambodian History, Government and Politics - and a Map!
Early History
The first evidence of an advanced civilization in present day Cambodia are artificial circular earthworks estimated to be from the
After a long series of wars with neighbouring kingdoms, Angkor was sacked by the Thai and abandoned in 1432 because of ecological failure and infrastructure breakdown.[16][17] After Angkor was abandoned, the buildings were swallowed up by jungle creating a myth of a hidden lost civilization. The court moved the capital to Lovek where the kingdom sought to regain its glory through maritime trade. The attempt was short-lived, however, as continued wars with the Thai and Vietnamese resulted in the loss of more territory and Lovek was conquered in 1594. During the next three centuries, the Khmer kingdom alternated as a vassal state of the Thai and Vietnamese kings, with short-lived periods of relative independence between.
Modernity and French Indochina
In 1863, King Norodom, who had been installed by Thailand, sought the protection of France from the Thai and Vietnamese, after tensions grew between them. In 1867, the Thai king signed a treaty with France, renouncing suzerainty over Cambodia in exchange for the control of Battambang and Siem Reap provinces which officially became part of Thailand. The provinces were ceded back to Cambodia by a border treaty between France and Thailand in 1906.
Cambodia continued as a protectorate of France from 1863 to 1953, administered as part of the colony of French Indochina, though occupied by the Japanese empire from 1941 to 1945. Cambodia gained independence from France on November 9, 1953. It became a constitutional monarchy under King Norodom Sihanouk. When French Indochina was given independence, Cambodia lost official control over the Mekong Delta as it was awarded to Vietnam.
Independence and Cold War
In 1955, Sihanouk abdicated in favour of his father in order to be elected Prime Minister. Upon his father's death in 1960, Sihanouk again became head of state, taking the title of Prince. As the Vietnam War progressed, Sihanouk adopted an official policy of neutrality in the Cold War. However, Cambodians began to take sides, and he was ousted in 1970 by a military coup led by Prime Minister General Lon Nol and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak, while on a trip abroad. From Beijing, Sihanouk realigned himself with the communist Khmer Rouge rebels who had been slowly gaining territory in the remote mountain regions and urged his followers to help in overthrowing the pro-United States government of Lon Nol, hastening the onset of civil war.
Between 1969 and 1973, U.S. forces bombed and briefly invaded Cambodia in an effort to disrupt the Viet Cong and Khmer Rouge. Some two million Cambodians were made refugees by the war and fled to Phnom Penh. Estimates of the number of Cambodians killed during the bombing campaigns vary widely, as do views of the effects of the bombing. The US Seventh Air Force argued that the bombing prevented the fall of Phnom Penh in 1973 by killing 16,000 of 25,500 Khmer Rouge fighters besieging the city. However, journalist William Shawcross and Cambodia specialists Milton Osborne, David P. Chandler and Ben Kiernan argued that the bombing drove peasants to join the Khmer Rouge. Cambodia specialist Craig Etcheson argued that the Khmer Rouge "would have won anyway", even without US intervention driving recruitment.
As the war ended, a draft US AID report observed that the country faced famine in 1975, with 75% of its draft animals destroyed, and that rice planting for the next harvest would have to be done "by the hard labour of seriously malnourished people". The report predicted that
"without large-scale external food and equipment assistance there will be widespread starvation between now and next February ... Slave labour and starvation rations for half the nation's people (probably heaviest among those who supported the republic) will be a cruel necessity for this year, and general deprivation and suffering will stretch over the next two or three years before Cambodia can get back to rice self-sufficiency".
The Khmer Rouge reached Phnom Penh and took power in 1975. The regime, led by Pol Pot, changed the official name of the country to Democratic Kampuchea, and was heavily influenced and backed by China. They immediately evacuated the cities and sent the entire population on forced marches to rural work projects. They attempted to rebuild the country's agriculture on the model of the 11th century, discarded Western medicine, and destroyed temples, libraries, and anything considered Western. Over a million Cambodians, out of a total population of 8 million, died from executions, overwork, starvation and disease.
Estimates as to how many people were killed by the Khmer Rouge regime range from approximately one to three million. This era gave rise to the term Killing Fields, and the prison Tuol Sleng became as notorious as Auschwitz in the history of mass killing. Hundreds of thousands fled across the border into neighbouring Thailand. The regime disproportionately targeted ethnic minority groups. The Cham Muslims suffered serious purges with as much as half of their population exterminated. In the late 1960s, an estimated 425,000 ethnic Chinese lived in Cambodia, but by 1984, as a result of Khmer Rouge genocide and emigration, only about 61,400 Chinese remained in the country. The professions, such as doctors, lawyers, and teachers, were also targeted. According to Robert D. Kaplan, "eyeglasses were as deadly as the yellow star" as they were seen as a sign of intellectualism.
In November 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia to stop Khmer Rouge incursions across the border and the genocide in Cambodia. Violent occupation and warfare between the Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge holdouts continued throughout the 1980s. Peace efforts began in Paris in 1989, culminating two years later in October 1991 in a comprehensive peace settlement. The United Nations was given a mandate to enforce a ceasefire, and deal with refugees and disarmament.
In recent years, reconstruction efforts have progressed and some political stability under the form of a Constitutional Monarchy, multipartide, and democratic (1993). However, Cambodia's natural resources, particularly its valuable timber, are still being exploited by interests from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, while Khmer Rouge were still active in some areas, often supporting illegal timber operations until 1999. At that time, travel by land and river was still precarious.
The stability established following the conflict was shaken in 1997 by a coup d'état, but has otherwise remained in place. Cambodia has been aided by a number of more developed nations like Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, the United States and Great Britain. Cambodia is moving past its war torn history and focusing on national reconstruction. In recent years, the country has seen double digit economic growth, and seeks foreign business investment to modernize the nation and eliminate poverty. Especially since Thailand is in political chaos, Cambodia is a regional alternative for business investments.
Politics and Government
The politics of Cambodia formally take place, according to the nation's constitution of 1993, in the framework of a constitutional monarchy operated as a parliamentary representative democracy. The Prime Minister of Cambodia is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system, while the king is the head of state. The Prime Minister is appointed by the King, on the advice and with the approval of the National Assembly; the Prime Minister and his or her ministerial appointees exercise executive power in government. Legislative power is vested in both the executive and the two chambers of parliament, the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate.
On October 14, 2004, King
In 2006, Transparency International's rating of corrupt countries rated Cambodia as 151st of 163 countries of their Corruption Perceptions Index.
Huge issues that plague contemporary Cambodia include human trafficking, deforestation and forced evictions
The Economy of Cambodia
The economy of Cambodia has seen rapid progress in the last decade. Per capita income, although rapidly increasing, is low compared with most neighbouring countries. The main domestic activity on which most rural households depend is agriculture and its related sub-sectors. Manufacturing output is varied but is not very extensive and is mostly conducted on a small-scale and informal basis. The service sector is heavily concentrated in trading activities and catering-related services. Reuters has reported that oil and natural gas reserves have been found off-shore. Production of oil could potentially have a great effect on the future of the economy.
During 1995, the government implemented firm stabilization policies under difficult circumstances. Overall, macroeconomic performance was good. Growth in 1995 was estimated at 7% because of improved agricultural production (
After four years of solid macroeconomic performance, Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-98 due to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting. Foreign investment and tourism fell off. Also, in 1998 the main harvest was hit by drought. But in 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms and growth resumed at 4%. The long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Recurring political instability and corruption within government discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. On the brighter side, the government is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors. So long as political stability lasts, the Cambodian economy is likely to grow at a respectable pace.
Meet the Team!
This space is for the biographies and pictures of each team member. These will be posted as they are received. Enjoy meeting each other!!
Members: Bob Bell, Leslie Bell, Jessica Burns, Britt Cosgrove, Ricky Crawford, Stan Duda, Weezie Duda, Erica Duke, Natalie Hawwa, Kathy King, Patty North, Jessical Pilarczyk, Marshall Royer, Vicky Royer, Robbie Serwetz, Skye Sturm, William Svoboda, Suzanne Weinert, Jim White, and Martha Shortlidge White.
Stan Duda – I live in Vermont with my wife Weezie and have two grown children, Matt and Alyssa who both live in the Baltimore/Washington D.C area. We are still t
rying to understand how two children raised in a rural town in Vermont consisting of 800 people have adapted so well to the big city life. Either we have two secure and independent children or they are tired of hanging out with us. We recently moved back to Vermont after having to relocate for employment for 3 years in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
I have spent the past 35 years involved in the construction business and used that knowledge when Weezie and I did a Habitat trip in El Salvador and later in Honduras. My most recent Habitat trip was this May on a test build to Chiang Mai, Thailand as prep for the Carter Hope project. This was my first time in this part of the world and my first build with team leaders Ma and Pa Bell. I enjoyed the country and my time with Bob and Leslie so much that my wife and I decided to join the upcoming build to Cambodia. I am looking forward to connecting with some of the test build team who will be on this trip also.
For those of you who have not been on a team with Bob and Leslie, a few tips I picked up along the way are to give any leftover food to Bob and feed Leslie plenty of ice cream. I have been a fire chief, zoning administrator, youth group leader, college trustee, father, and super husband. I enjoy music, mountain and road biking, racquetball, a good beer, seeing the Red Sox win, laughing with friends and most recently cooking Thai meals learned most recently while in Thailand.
Louise (Weezie) Duda – Though born a Jersey girl, I’ve lived in Vermont since 1969, most of that with my hu
sband Stan and our family on a small horse farm in Shrewsbury, Vermont. Now partially retired after teaching middle school for 26 years, I am passionate ( Stan would say fanatic) about teaching riding and training horses, and feel fortunate that I have been able to follow my dream to do so. Although I enjoyed a few years relocation to the White Mountains in nearby New Hampshire, I am happy to be home in Vermont again. I never could feel comfortable with “Live Free or Die” on my NH license plate and love waking up to Vermont Public Radio again!
This will be my fifth Habitat trip after fantastic trips to Florida, El Salvador, Honduras, and Brazil. My very first team leader was none other than Bob Bell in 2003, so I guess I’d have to admit he was partially responsible spreading the addictive “habititis “to me. I have really enjoyed getting the chance to immerse myself in other cultures, working with local communities to build their homes, and see the world without feeling so much like a “tourista”. When not riding or traveling with Habitat, this empty nester enjoys the outdoors – be it shoveling waist deep snow like this morning so I can shove that wheelbarrow to the manure pile, or gardening and enjoying the hiking or cross country skiing that is right out our door. I enjoy hanging out informally with friends – thus the photo of me at our Cambodian dinner fundraiser – fashionably dressed with apron from cooking, and boots and jacket from running around outside lighting sky lanterns from Stan’s Thailand trip for everyone. After retiring from teaching, I have taken on several different part time jobs – several related to horses of course, but 2 years with Americorps doing PR projects with Neighborworks of Western Vermont and presently leading activity programs in a nursing home. I am apprehensive about having to sit still on this long flight to Cambodia, but look forward to breaking my stereotypes about Asia!
Marshall & Vicky Royer: Don't know that we will be the oldest team members, but suffice it to say, we do have a "few" more years of experience than a lot of you! We have participated in 4 Global Village builds previously, 3 in Alaska and 1 in New Zealand. This however, will be our first experience in a non-English speaking country. We are parents to a boy and girl, all grown up now, and we have a 5 year old granddaughter. Marshall is semi-retired and Vicky still works in the office in our business, a machine shop. In our spare time Marshall enjoys fishing, hunting, and wood carving. Vicky enjoys reading, counted cross stitch and puzzles. And, of c
ourse, we both love spending time with our granddaughter Dylan. We are very excited about about this new adventure and look forward to meeting all of you.
Hi everyone! My name is Jessica Pilarczyk and although my hometown is To
ronto, Canada, I rarely spend much time there. I am finishing up the last year and a half of my doctorate degree in earth sciences. Most of my research involves tsunami prediction, which gives me the opportunity to travel to many beautiful coastlines around the world including Central and South America, and the Arabian Peninsula. Although my one and only hobby right now is finishing up my dissertation, normally (i.e. when I’m leading a more balanced life!), I like to be outside as much as possible; hiking, SCUBA diving, camping, traveling, etc. This will be my first Habitat for Humanity experience and I am so excited to meet and build with all of you!
Hi Team!My name is Natalie Hawwa, and I was raised in Gates Mills, Ohio and currently live in Manhattan. I have spent the past 4 years working as a photo editor for Self Magazine, but am getting ready to move to Beirut, Lebanon to pursue a graduate degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic. My hobbies include reading, running and dancing, hanging out with my friends and family and baking! I am beyond excited for Habitat trip, especially because I will be sharing the experience with my best friend of 22 years, Britt Cosgrove. I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone and bonding over our build!!
Kathy King - I am a retired High School history teacher who survived 32+ years of teaching in the Seattle area where I was born and raised. I love the Northwest and enjoy
most of the outdoor activities here: hiking, camping, sailing, kayaking, biking, birding, etc. But I also love 'to travel, having taken student groups on 16 trips, mostly to Europe, then continuing personal travel to fascinating places aaround the world. Over the past 8 years I continually gravitated to New Zealand where I now spend most of my winters. That's where I first discovered the Global Village program and afterwards convinced my friend Patty to join me on a build in Bangalore, India. She then signed us up for another build in Katete, Zambia...definitely cases of "Habititus" ensued. I look forward to my first visit to Cambodia and embarking on another wonderful and challenging cultural adventure with all of you.The photo is at a cooking class in Udaipur, India....making chapatis.
Hello everyone! I'm Skye Sturm and I was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. I graduated from the University of
Colorado -Boulder with an Architecture degree in May, and moved back to Fairbanks for a job and an adventure. I love the winter here and am excited to experience it in my tiny backwoods cabin with no running water. When I am not busy with my job, I love to design and build furniture that works in a tiny space like mine. My other interests include exploring Alaska (and the world!), historic preservation, hiking, camping, skiing, snowboarding, cycling, dancing, reading, and learning about cultures and languages. I love doing things with my hands and especially love being outside while working hard, so I can't wait for our Cambodian experience. I've known Bob and Leslie since I was very young and I am definitely looking forward to seeing them again and to meeting everyone on the team!
Hi all – I’m Britt Cosgrove. I was born and raised in Hunting Valley, OH (a suburb of Cleveland), went to college in Vermont and now live in Manhattan. I previously w
orked in fashion PR and after four years decided to go back to school for fashion design. This build is my graduation present upon my completion of school in December. I went on my first Habitat build last summer to Malawi. This trip I will be traveling with my best friend of 22 years, Natalie Hawwa. I can’t wait to get dirty in Cambodia building a home and exploring the country!
Hello! My name is Jessica Burns, a Colorado native and recent Habitat enthusiast. Just over a year ago I went with Leslie and Bob through Habitat to Mozambique...what can I say, now I'm hooked! In terms of trying to sum myself in a paragraph, well...here it goes. Since graduatin
g with a mostly useless but highly informative and interesting in Zoology in 2008, I went back to school a second time to obtain my certification as an EMT - a profession that requires nothing more than a high school education and results in a pronounced pay cut. But what can I say is that I feel more on course than I have in ages. Hypothetically speaking, should the seas part on my command, and pigs grow wings to fly; I will be granted access into a doctorate program in medicine and one day will become a doctor. In the mean time, I spend most of my time working on an ambulance during the week, teaching emergency medicine during the evenings, working at an emergency animal hospital on the weekends and providing pet sitting services on the side. What remaining time I'm afforded is spent with with my beautiful Husky Hailey and my fantastically supportive and tolerant boyfriend Luke. This is what occasionally fills the rest of my life: bowling, roommates, hiking, dog parks, sunsets, running, snowboarding, classical piano, climbing, camping, traveling, friends, concerts, expensive ethnic dinners, movies, and bbqing. So, that pretty much sums me up in a nut shell...at least for right now. I absolutely cannot wait to see Bob and Leslie again in a new and exciting place, and to meet everyone else on board!
I'm Patty North, and I
live in Seattle Washington. For 30+ years I taught in a high school alternative program that served a very diverse population. Never a dull moment! Now I'm retired for the second time. (The first try didn't take.) Married, no kids, one dog that needs therapy. Interests include bicycling, hiking, bird-watching, traveling, sports, reading and volunteering. I'm a veteran of two previous Global Village trips; to India in November, 08 and Zambia in May, 09. I love the cultural immersion, teamwork and hands-on nature of these Global Village builds, so I'm definitely a candidate for "habititis."
Bob and Leslie - pictured in 2008 in Cambodia on a personal trip. It was on that trip was we decided we needed to bring a GV team to this beautiful country.
We currently live in Oregon, after returning from 2+ years assigned in Asia Pacific for Habitat for Humanity, developing the GV program in 14 countries. Prior to that we volunteered at HFHI in Georgia in the GV department. Before being infected with Habititis, we lived for 30 some years in the most beautiful place in the world, Alaska. We taught school in Homer - Bob in a Russian Old Believer village, and Leslie in 8th grade at the Middle School in town. Very opposite experiences that were unique to compare when we got home at night. Our three sons spent most of their school years in Homer. Prior to Homer we lived in Fairbanks for 13 years. Bob is originally from Michigan, Leslie from Florida. Both of us left our families and home states when we were about 18 for Fairbanks, Alaska, although we didn't meet each other there for 10 years!! Two sons, Lars & Anders, and one daughter-in-law, Leslie, and our new granddaughter, Iris Peace, all live within a block of us, which is a blessing. Middle son, Matt, and wife, Nicole, live on the Big Island of Hawaii, which is a great place to visit! We have a great passion for Habitat, especially the Global Village mission. We look forward to meeting new people, renewing old friendships, learning and sharing about a new culture, and working side-by-side with people that have amazing stories and life lessons to teach us all. We look forward to working with each of you!
Members: Bob Bell, Leslie Bell, Jessica Burns, Britt Cosgrove, Ricky Crawford, Stan Duda, Weezie Duda, Erica Duke, Natalie Hawwa, Kathy King, Patty North, Jessical Pilarczyk, Marshall Royer, Vicky Royer, Robbie Serwetz, Skye Sturm, William Svoboda, Suzanne Weinert, Jim White, and Martha Shortlidge White.
Stan Duda – I live in Vermont with my wife Weezie and have two grown children, Matt and Alyssa who both live in the Baltimore/Washington D.C area. We are still t
rying to understand how two children raised in a rural town in Vermont consisting of 800 people have adapted so well to the big city life. Either we have two secure and independent children or they are tired of hanging out with us. We recently moved back to Vermont after having to relocate for employment for 3 years in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
I have spent the past 35 years involved in the construction business and used that knowledge when Weezie and I did a Habitat trip in El Salvador and later in Honduras. My most recent Habitat trip was this May on a test build to Chiang Mai, Thailand as prep for the Carter Hope project. This was my first time in this part of the world and my first build with team leaders Ma and Pa Bell. I enjoyed the country and my time with Bob and Leslie so much that my wife and I decided to join the upcoming build to Cambodia. I am looking forward to connecting with some of the test build team who will be on this trip also.
For those of you who have not been on a team with Bob and Leslie, a few tips I picked up along the way are to give any leftover food to Bob and feed Leslie plenty of ice cream. I have been a fire chief, zoning administrator, youth group leader, college trustee, father, and super husband. I enjoy music, mountain and road biking, racquetball, a good beer, seeing the Red Sox win, laughing with friends and most recently cooking Thai meals learned most recently while in Thailand.
Louise (Weezie) Duda – Though born a Jersey girl, I’ve lived in Vermont since 1969, most of that with my hu
sband Stan and our family on a small horse farm in Shrewsbury, Vermont. Now partially retired after teaching middle school for 26 years, I am passionate ( Stan would say fanatic) about teaching riding and training horses, and feel fortunate that I have been able to follow my dream to do so. Although I enjoyed a few years relocation to the White Mountains in nearby New Hampshire, I am happy to be home in Vermont again. I never could feel comfortable with “Live Free or Die” on my NH license plate and love waking up to Vermont Public Radio again!
This will be my fifth Habitat trip after fantastic trips to Florida, El Salvador, Honduras, and Brazil. My very first team leader was none other than Bob Bell in 2003, so I guess I’d have to admit he was partially responsible spreading the addictive “habititis “to me. I have really enjoyed getting the chance to immerse myself in other cultures, working with local communities to build their homes, and see the world without feeling so much like a “tourista”. When not riding or traveling with Habitat, this empty nester enjoys the outdoors – be it shoveling waist deep snow like this morning so I can shove that wheelbarrow to the manure pile, or gardening and enjoying the hiking or cross country skiing that is right out our door. I enjoy hanging out informally with friends – thus the photo of me at our Cambodian dinner fundraiser – fashionably dressed with apron from cooking, and boots and jacket from running around outside lighting sky lanterns from Stan’s Thailand trip for everyone. After retiring from teaching, I have taken on several different part time jobs – several related to horses of course, but 2 years with Americorps doing PR projects with Neighborworks of Western Vermont and presently leading activity programs in a nursing home. I am apprehensive about having to sit still on this long flight to Cambodia, but look forward to breaking my stereotypes about Asia!
Marshall & Vicky Royer: Don't know that we will be the oldest team members, but suffice it to say, we do have a "few" more years of experience than a lot of you! We have participated in 4 Global Village builds previously, 3 in Alaska and 1 in New Zealand. This however, will be our first experience in a non-English speaking country. We are parents to a boy and girl, all grown up now, and we have a 5 year old granddaughter. Marshall is semi-retired and Vicky still works in the office in our business, a machine shop. In our spare time Marshall enjoys fishing, hunting, and wood carving. Vicky enjoys reading, counted cross stitch and puzzles. And, of c
ourse, we both love spending time with our granddaughter Dylan. We are very excited about about this new adventure and look forward to meeting all of you.
Hi everyone! My name is Jessica Pilarczyk and although my hometown is To
ronto, Canada, I rarely spend much time there. I am finishing up the last year and a half of my doctorate degree in earth sciences. Most of my research involves tsunami prediction, which gives me the opportunity to travel to many beautiful coastlines around the world including Central and South America, and the Arabian Peninsula. Although my one and only hobby right now is finishing up my dissertation, normally (i.e. when I’m leading a more balanced life!), I like to be outside as much as possible; hiking, SCUBA diving, camping, traveling, etc. This will be my first Habitat for Humanity experience and I am so excited to meet and build with all of you!
Hi Team!My name is Natalie Hawwa, and I was raised in Gates Mills, Ohio and currently live in Manhattan. I have spent the past 4 years working as a photo editor for Self Magazine, but am getting ready to move to Beirut, Lebanon to pursue a graduate degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic. My hobbies include reading, running and dancing, hanging out with my friends and family and baking! I am beyond excited for Habitat trip, especially because I will be sharing the experience with my best friend of 22 years, Britt Cosgrove. I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone and bonding over our build!!
Kathy King - I am a retired High School history teacher who survived 32+ years of teaching in the Seattle area where I was born and raised. I love the Northwest and enjoy
most of the outdoor activities here: hiking, camping, sailing, kayaking, biking, birding, etc. But I also love 'to travel, having taken student groups on 16 trips, mostly to Europe, then continuing personal travel to fascinating places aaround the world. Over the past 8 years I continually gravitated to New Zealand where I now spend most of my winters. That's where I first discovered the Global Village program and afterwards convinced my friend Patty to join me on a build in Bangalore, India. She then signed us up for another build in Katete, Zambia...definitely cases of "Habititus" ensued. I look forward to my first visit to Cambodia and embarking on another wonderful and challenging cultural adventure with all of you.The photo is at a cooking class in Udaipur, India....making chapatis.
Hello everyone! I'm Skye Sturm and I was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. I graduated from the University of
Colorado -Boulder with an Architecture degree in May, and moved back to Fairbanks for a job and an adventure. I love the winter here and am excited to experience it in my tiny backwoods cabin with no running water. When I am not busy with my job, I love to design and build furniture that works in a tiny space like mine. My other interests include exploring Alaska (and the world!), historic preservation, hiking, camping, skiing, snowboarding, cycling, dancing, reading, and learning about cultures and languages. I love doing things with my hands and especially love being outside while working hard, so I can't wait for our Cambodian experience. I've known Bob and Leslie since I was very young and I am definitely looking forward to seeing them again and to meeting everyone on the team!
Hi all – I’m Britt Cosgrove. I was born and raised in Hunting Valley, OH (a suburb of Cleveland), went to college in Vermont and now live in Manhattan. I previously w
orked in fashion PR and after four years decided to go back to school for fashion design. This build is my graduation present upon my completion of school in December. I went on my first Habitat build last summer to Malawi. This trip I will be traveling with my best friend of 22 years, Natalie Hawwa. I can’t wait to get dirty in Cambodia building a home and exploring the country!
Hello! My name is Jessica Burns, a Colorado native and recent Habitat enthusiast. Just over a year ago I went with Leslie and Bob through Habitat to Mozambique...what can I say, now I'm hooked! In terms of trying to sum myself in a paragraph, well...here it goes. Since graduatin
g with a mostly useless but highly informative and interesting in Zoology in 2008, I went back to school a second time to obtain my certification as an EMT - a profession that requires nothing more than a high school education and results in a pronounced pay cut. But what can I say is that I feel more on course than I have in ages. Hypothetically speaking, should the seas part on my command, and pigs grow wings to fly; I will be granted access into a doctorate program in medicine and one day will become a doctor. In the mean time, I spend most of my time working on an ambulance during the week, teaching emergency medicine during the evenings, working at an emergency animal hospital on the weekends and providing pet sitting services on the side. What remaining time I'm afforded is spent with with my beautiful Husky Hailey and my fantastically supportive and tolerant boyfriend Luke. This is what occasionally fills the rest of my life: bowling, roommates, hiking, dog parks, sunsets, running, snowboarding, classical piano, climbing, camping, traveling, friends, concerts, expensive ethnic dinners, movies, and bbqing. So, that pretty much sums me up in a nut shell...at least for right now. I absolutely cannot wait to see Bob and Leslie again in a new and exciting place, and to meet everyone else on board!
I'm Patty North, and I
live in Seattle Washington. For 30+ years I taught in a high school alternative program that served a very diverse population. Never a dull moment! Now I'm retired for the second time. (The first try didn't take.) Married, no kids, one dog that needs therapy. Interests include bicycling, hiking, bird-watching, traveling, sports, reading and volunteering. I'm a veteran of two previous Global Village trips; to India in November, 08 and Zambia in May, 09. I love the cultural immersion, teamwork and hands-on nature of these Global Village builds, so I'm definitely a candidate for "habititis."
Bob and Leslie - pictured in 2008 in Cambodia on a personal trip. It was on that trip was we decided we needed to bring a GV team to this beautiful country.
We currently live in Oregon, after returning from 2+ years assigned in Asia Pacific for Habitat for Humanity, developing the GV program in 14 countries. Prior to that we volunteered at HFHI in Georgia in the GV department. Before being infected with Habititis, we lived for 30 some years in the most beautiful place in the world, Alaska. We taught school in Homer - Bob in a Russian Old Believer village, and Leslie in 8th grade at the Middle School in town. Very opposite experiences that were unique to compare when we got home at night. Our three sons spent most of their school years in Homer. Prior to Homer we lived in Fairbanks for 13 years. Bob is originally from Michigan, Leslie from Florida. Both of us left our families and home states when we were about 18 for Fairbanks, Alaska, although we didn't meet each other there for 10 years!! Two sons, Lars & Anders, and one daughter-in-law, Leslie, and our new granddaughter, Iris Peace, all live within a block of us, which is a blessing. Middle son, Matt, and wife, Nicole, live on the Big Island of Hawaii, which is a great place to visit! We have a great passion for Habitat, especially the Global Village mission. We look forward to meeting new people, renewing old friendships, learning and sharing about a new culture, and working side-by-side with people that have amazing stories and life lessons to teach us all. We look forward to working with each of you!
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