SPEND TIME WITH THOSE WHO NEED YOU..SAID the Lady

This afternoon I spent a delightful time with the representative of The Island and his wife..There is no other country in the world where friendships can be cemented so quickly..we had a very friendly and warm talk..about the future we all face in the island that we love.. an optimistic one, of course.
As I was leaving, the customary hugs and kisses, the usual, aqui tu tienes su casa.. the lady said to me:


Spend time with women who value as a person; and spend time with those who really need you at this time, even if they cant express it.. Dont overlook beautiful moments of your life..


I nodded to her and said, Thank You. I am trying to do that recently and I promised her, I will try not to be away too long from those who value me and love me!


Gracias, como siempre..

Adieu Royaume udu Cambodge

what a lovely day this has been..
the thunder has arrived, they probably want to say good bye.. I called Kuching to say good bye to some friends there ...
Went with Maurits to Takeo province.. and I could observe his bargaining skills at display. The hospital and the administrators wanted to use the organization as an agent .. whereas Maurits wanted as much service as possible for his patients. He was able to wrangle out of them promises for initial check up ...of the eyes.. and some concessions about follow up and treatment.
As they say in the Indian country, if you keep the patient's welfare as a first priority, you would always win..If you are keeping yourself as a priority, then you have no role in the business of helping others whether you are in Cambodia or USA..
A quick lunch after the hurried trip back to PNH, in the company of Ran, the lead Peer to Peer Diabetes Educator...at Sydney which is more like a Food Court.. but the Chicken and noodle soup and papaya juice filled the need.
The highlight was meeting with OUR ambassador to Cambodia who happened have worked with my Mother for many years..
what a delightful afternoon with him and his wife in the chancellerie the entrance warmed by the presence of Palma Real... Ah Well.. that island of ours is just special.. that is all..
Now waiting to have a nice dinner with wine at the Le Rits Guest House, run by women who were rescued from danger in this society and a french chef had come and taught them to cook, so I look forward to a French Khmer cuisine.. with my friend Mauritis..


Salut!

MINGALARBAR IN PHNOM PENH.. CAMBODIA

The Night falls very quickly here in Phnom Penh, the din and rush of the day disappear. Street 240 lay quiet, at No 71 is Le Rit's Boutique Hotel, an excellent place to stay, run by a Cambodian (and French) NGO  NYEMO, www.nyemo.com. They do have a French (Khmer) resto adn I have eaten there and would recommend it.. But! in just a few days I will be back in Paris, so Khmer food is the choice for the night.
Mother in Law's House, Maurits had recommended. I started walking towards the distant bright light (about 300 metres away), past some tipsy moto driver who jokingly offers to drive me there for 2000 riels, but in return, I offer him 3000 riels, to which there is no answer!
A huge wall photo adorns the shop on my right.. it portrays The Lady of Burma  Aung San Suu Kyi! What? is my first response.. then I look at the shop, a catering business, appropriately called Rangoon Foodstuffs. 
What an unexpected pleasure , and like most unexpected pleasures, it turns out to be more pleasant than expected! The young couple are from Yangon, she is a teacher at a private school here in Phnom Penh. We have some friends in common, not the least of whom is my brother, Ko Maung Maung the proprietor of The Mandalay Inn (.com, in Siem Reap). They offered me a cup of tea, sweet and creamy and reminiscent of Le Paye in the Rangoon Tea shops..
A very human and sincere interaction. How quickly one becomes friends with the Burmese, the sweetest people in all of Asia! now the doors of that prison is open, The Lady is out and the people are enjoying the fragrance of freedom since 1962..They talked about two of their friends, M and C, good people, foreigners, who want to go to Burma to volunteer, work and help Burma. Je su tin ba de, M and C!
I am sure I will run into them again..
La Shanah Haba'a Yangon...
Next year in Rangoon..

LESSONS FROM MAURITS, THE PERSPICACIOUS PURVEYOR OF DIABETES IN LOW INCOME COUNTRIES

There are things which are bigger and more important than yourself, dedicate yourself to that cause , you need family, friends, society to support you. Then untold pleasures would arrive at your doorstep. It is neither a payout or a reward, but a recognition of your being a good person.
Avoid conflict of interest, whether with your moral principles (dont work for KPMG even fi they give you a high salary if your ethics are contrary to theirs), work (dont take money from drug companies in any form if you are looking after sick people, because they may subconsciously dictate your actions) or your culture or tribe(unsure identities).
When your life is beyond your control, such as these conflicts would generate, you have no control over the personal devolution and depression in your life. Then there would be no room for your spiritual development, since your time is not being prioritized for important things in life.
Decide what is important in your life and follow your dreams.
When you are unwell it is not your job or colleagues who will look after you, it is your loved ones and your family. So you better look after them when you are able to ..
It is certainly a privilege for me to be with Maurits in Cambodia, today that pleasure added by the presence of two visiting doctors interested in Geographic Health from University of Washington in Seattle...

PEER TO PEER CARE OF DIABETES : the excellence in Cambodia

A lot of credit must go to Maurits for his untiring work to show that Type 2 Diabetes can be taken care of at the point of contact between the patients and those who are slightly more educated than them in this disease.. he has shown that best results can be had for a small fraction of the cost .. Listen Malaysia.. You can learn from Maurits.. Your diabetes care is so far behind but you talk too loud.. and it would be a pity if these doctors are allowed to go and teach the providers in Myanmar or Cambodia.  Little bit of wealth is sometimes dangerous to the health of others.
I will write more about Peer to Peer, it would be so nice to do a Peer to Peer in Kuching with the help of Dr P and others .. and of course with the help of sister Mena, I would like to try this among her tribe in Mexico..
Maurits is truly inspiring.. India Malaysia singapour all have to learn from him...

Meet the Bidayuh Artist NARONG DAUN

What strikes you when you meet Narong is her enthusiasm of the context of her life. She is an artist. She is resident on her own space under the benevolent eyes of the Local Culture Vulture: Mr Nelson Tan. She does not have to trumpet her Bidayuh heritage, it is her pincels and in her face.
Years ago, I had read about her in a magazine, about her unique style. and to see her amidst her works, the gentle colours of Sarawak being illuminated by her bright enthusiastic face. She is the Artist to meet if you are wandering around the Street in downtown Kuching.
While Nelson lords over the crowded interior of the downstairs gallery (possibly the best place to buy antique Borneo related matters), Narong sits upstairs in her comfortable and calm space... Nelson would get you a cup of tea, take it upstairs and spend a little time with Narong.
this is what I plan to do on my next visit to Kuching

Kuching! I will Miss You So..

In just three hours I have to wake up to go to the airport to catch a flight to KL and then Cambodia... there is a sweet feeling in my heart.. for this tolerant , sweet city of people of such melange.. malay/melanau, melanau/chinese, christian moslem and budhist in the same family... a very knowledgeable Customer Service Manager at the Executive Floor.. tapas and sauvignon blanc.. nice breakfast .. A lovely Dyak meal with some lovely people.. new friends and surprisingly an old friend popped up.. I will write another entry about the artist Narong Daun..A sweet Korean Lady..
I hope to see you all soon enough..