An earlier blog post already talked of my first reunion with Paula and her family. The following Monday her mother had traveled home from Malaysia, where both of Paula’s parents are working as street vendors. I was invited back for a celebratory lunch. Dan drove his tuk tuk with myself and a local nursing friend … More Quick Cambodia Visit: Paula
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that affects polio survivors years after recovery from an initial acute attack of the poliomyelitis virus. Most often, polio survivors start to experience gradual new weakening in muscles that were previously affected by the polio infection. The most common symptoms include slowly progressive muscle weakness, fatigue (both generalized and … More Quick Cambodia Visit: Joe
So many things happened in my recent whirlwind 13 day visit to Cambodia, only 2 months before I return there to live and work. There was no time to write about it while I was there and I barely know where to start now. I’ll post a series of chapters covering most of what happened. … More Quick Cambodia Visit: Kim
Three weeks in Timor Leste in 2012 did something new and weird to my hair. When I returned to Australia, I attended my hairdresser and the conversation went: “What have you been up to?” “I’m not long back from three weeks in East Timor” “Oh, how was that?” “Well it was amazing, but look at … More For The Term Of Her Natural Hair
I’m getting ready to resign, sell up and move on. This morning four neighbours held a lawn sale together. A last minute decision, I only had time to grab a couple of things and dash over the road. Three hours later I walked away with $10 profit. We are planning another more organised effort sometime … More Selling Saturday
Almost every weekend I spend time chilling in front of the TV with Restoration Man, Grand Designs, Escape to the Country or one of many variants on the same theme. Cameras and a host follow a couple or family through their journey of building, buying, restoring or renovating a home in places like Australia, UK, … More Harsh Realities and Half Truths
A couple of weeks ago an almost-12 year old Weetbix came over to hang out. We were both tired. We spent some time picking mulberries, playing with the neighbour’s chooks and dog, watching cartoons and catching up on life. When it came time to head to the gym together for a class, Weetbix assumed he … More Pitfalls of Privilege Part 1
Theodor Seuss Geisel aka Dr. Seuss, died 25 years ago today. Of all the great memories I have of his books, the best by far is from the days when “Miss Twelve” lived with me. She was thirteen but obsessed about being twelve, hence the nickname. From her first night here, Green Eggs and Ham … More Time Has Flewn
In 2003, days before the Allied invasion of Iraq, Natalie Maine was performing on a London stage as lead singer of the Dixie Chicks. She is quoted as saying to the audience, “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that … More Blackened Swans
If I had to pick a pivotal milestone during my daily experiences in Cambodia, I would probably pinpoint the boat trip with Mum and Ruth in January 2014. It was my first holiday, three months into my assignment with Medecins sans Frontieres. Since landing in Phnom Penh I’d been bombarded by sights which did not … More Rocks and Hard Places
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