Maryknoll Retreat and Meetings 2014

Travel from Phnom Penh to Bangkok
6 January 2014

On January 7 buses leave Bangkok filled with Maryknollers traveling south to Hua Hin to the Salesian Retreat Center. Many of the group come to Bangkok a day or two early for medical exams and treatments not available in their mission countries. I headed to Bangkok this evening to have time to work there on Tuesday morning before the bus trip. It was a busy day before departure time, though.

Sign language committee at DDP Krousar Thmey and DDP have a joint project to develop a common sign language for Cambodia. Today Hervé Roqueplan, the director of Krousar Thmey, came to DDP for a meeting about the funding received from NTID in the United States. After the meeting we visited the committee working upstairs.

Srs. Luise and Janice After the Krousar Thmey meeting, Sr. Janice McLaughlin (R), the president of the Maryknoll Sisters, came to visit DDP with Sr. Luise Ahrens, Maryknoll Cambodia's country representative. Janice will go to the meetings in Hua Hin with us.

Phnom Penh traffic Bangkok is known for its traffic. Phnom Penh is beginning to rival Bangkok with huge traffic jams in the morning and evening. The government is basically incompetent and uncaring. All the vehicles to the right of the two men riding double are on the sidewalk.

My supper restaurant When I get to the Phnom Penh airport, if I am early, one of the things I like to do is to get something to eat at one of the street vendors on the highway in front of the airport. This woman is preparing my supper of fried noodles and a little beef and a little green vegetables. It cost $1.00.

Maria Montello at airport Maria Montello, a Maryknoll lay missioner who arrived last January, was on the flight to Bangkok with me. There were no lines at immigration tonight--probably because of the decrease in tourism because of the political crisis in Thailand—and we got to the baggage carrousel in record time.

A Bangkok street vendor I went with Maria to the Christian Guest House where she was staying and then tried to catch a taxi to the Maryknoll office. Four taxis refused to use their meter and wanted to charge way more than the trip should cost so I ended up taking a bus for one tenth of what the drivers were asking. This is one of Bangkok's trademark food vendors from the bus window.

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	Krousar Thmey and DDP have a joint project to develop a common sign language for Cambodia. Today Hervé Roqueplan, the director of Krousar Thmey, came to DDP for a meeting about the funding received from NTID in the United States. After the meeting we visited the committee working upstairs.
	After the Krousar Thmey meeting, Sr. Janice McLaughlin (R), the president of the Maryknoll Sisters, came to visit DDP with Sr. Luise Ahrens, Maryknoll Cambodia's country representative. Janice will go to the meetings in Hua Hin with us.
	Bangkok is known for its traffic. Phnom Penh is beginning to rival Bangkok with huge traffic jams in the morning and evening. The government is basically incompetent and uncaring. All the vehicles to the right of the two men riding double are on the sidewalk.
	When I get to the Phnom Penh airport, if I am early, one of the things I like to do is to get something to eat at one of the street vendors on the highway in front of the airport. This woman is preparing my supper of fried noodles and a little beef and a little green vegetables. It cost $1.00.
	Maria Montello, a Maryknoll lay missioner who arrived last January, was on the flight to Bangkok with me. There were no lines at immigration tonight--probably because of the decrease in tourism because of the political crisis in Thailand—and we got to the baggage carrousel in record time.
	I went with Maria to the Christian Guest House where she was staying and then tried to catch a taxi to the Maryknoll office. Four taxis refused to use their meter and wanted to charge way more than the trip should cost so I ended up taking a bus for one tenth of what the drivers were asking. This is one of Bangkok's trademark food vendors from the bus window.