Ex Libris

After weeding the non medical books and audio visual materials I have boxed up 25 cartons of books, 4 bags of cassette tapes, and binders and binders of medical slides. We can't offer them to other libraries or put them in the recycle bin until they are marked "withdrawn". A week ago I requested that a stamp be purchased and am  I am still waiting. Chamroeun, the "librarian" says he is working on it and until then the boxes line the stacks and the hallway. I have written up a report about the condition of the library, what I did, and what needs to be done. Hopefully my hard work, recommendations, and the library contacts I made in Phnom Penh will get the library back on the right track.  

On the table you can see two of my favorite books removed from the collection: The Sports Books with a real astroturf cover, and From Patient to Payment that teaches medical office staff how to bill Medicare and Blue Cross Blue Shield. The library had multiple copies of each title. Orher gems I found recently include The Dictionary of Military Termonolgy, Manual of Deep Sea Diving, Medical Spanish, The Guys Guide to Cooking, and  The Idiots Guide to Feng Shui.

Boxes are marked American Elementary School Text books, College Text Books, Art and Design, Poetry and Literature, and non fiction. 

On Tuesday I played hookie from the library and spent the day with Patty who was recovering from her appendectomy and waiting for her flight to be rebooked to Boston. We  took a boat ride to the Silk Island that Ed visited on his bike tour. On the way to the river the tuk tuk passed this demonstration. The women were protesting the arrest  of 21 workers, union members and  activists who  were arrested last month during protests/ and  have been denied bail. 

We visited a temple. The boat owner who gave us our tour told us that he had been a monk when he was a child but left at 21 because he liked girls. Poor families send their sons to become monks so they can get an education.

The monk's kitchen. 

This women had just finished washing the dishes and started preparing the rice for the monks lunch. They don't eat dinner.

A Hindu shrine

We visited the island's state run supposedly free elementary school. There are 700 students who range from 6-12 years old.Students attend either a morning or afternoon session and classes were very large (over 50 students) Teachers only need a high school diploma and  are so poorly paid ($75 per month) that they make the parents pay bribes. If you can't pay the bribe you can't go to school. The children buy bags of these tiny shell fish which come from the Mekong river for snacks. Two baggies cost 25 cents and shells litter the grounds of the school. 

The school

Classroom

On Ed's lunchtime walk

Alley behind hospital

Hospital courtyard plant