Some Random Stuff

This is a random post meant to explain a bunch of new pictures that I have put up on my picasa site (under Random Photos).

The “New” Flat
Although I am about five months late with these, I’ve put up photos of the flat I moved into after Christmas. I met my new roommates Mary and Heather through Erin (Mary and Erin have a mutual friend – small world) and they actually happened to live in the little “neighborhood” of my previous flat. I could probably jump from the balcony of flat #1 onto the balcony of flat #2 – they are that close. I really love the new flat and roommates (although Heather has since moved to the Philippines - we miss her very much – and Jobien has moved in). My room is huge, with big windows and a balcony. It’s been so nice to stay in the same location, which is very close to pretty much all of the places I go to on an average day.

The Gym
Speaking of an average day, I also included some photos of my trusty bicycle and my gym. V.I.P. gym is very unlike any other gym I’ve ever seen. It sits above an open-air parking garage and is one big room with treadmills, free weights, and weight machines. There is no A/C (makes exercise INTENSE in the hot season) – just many open windows, some of which look out over tennis courts. I love all of the little birds that hang out in there while I'm working out. I’m pretty sure that the floor will one day collapse – it shakes violently underneath us if there are people on treadmills. The gym also contains three fat-jiggling machines, which are in very frequent use (?!). While there are a few Westerners at the gym, the vast majority of patrons are Khmers. Within this group, most of the women present walk at a snail’s pace on treadmills, many times in dresses and heels. It’s a pretty interesting place and I love it.

School Visit with RDI
Several months ago I went out on a school trip with the RDI education group. They visit schools several times a week, using puppets, activities, and games to teach school children about hand-washing and safe water. They also provide ceramic water filters for each classroom and to each teacher (for home use) and give a training course to the teachers on proper use of the filters. Although everything was in Khmer, I really enjoyed seeing the children and how great RDI staff are with them. It also showed me the grim reality of schools in Cambodia – overcrowded classrooms, extremely underpaid teachers, and lack of safe water and basic sanitation in schools.

Khmer Wedding
My roommate Mary is a swim coach for the Cambodian National Swim Team and was recently invited to a wedding of another coach’s son. When asked if she would bring a guest, she invited me! I was thrilled – I have heard a lot of stories about traditional Khmer weddings and couldn’t wait to check one out! Weddings here are taken very seriously and have many interesting traditions. First, guests get VERY dressed up. And by this I mean…sequins and inch-thick makeup. Mary and I didn’t take it that far, but we did get our hair done at a Khmer beauty shop. The wedding took place on this road lined with wedding banquet halls. There were at least six other weddings going on at the same time, each with hundreds of people. I can’t go into all of the details about Khmer weddings - I really have no idea because everything going on is in Khmer. However, I can note a few general observations:

-When you arrive you greet the groom and members of the family and are then escorted to a table.
-Once your table is full, servers start bringing food and drinks. Tables are all at various courses in the meal and food is continuously provided. This goes on for hours.
-Women usually don’t drink alcohol, but men do. And apparently, Western women are highly encouraged to drink – they just KEPT bringing drinks to us. At one point Mary and I each had five unopened beers in front of us. The men at the table kept offering cheers, in attempt to make us drink. Thank goodness they drink beer with ice in it – the constantly melting ice diluted the drinks and provided a nice stall tactic.
-There is a least one table of naughty, rowdy, drunk Khmer boys.
-The bride and groom are actually married in a separate, private ceremony. The reception pretty much involves them appearing several times in different and extremely accessorized outfits.
-There is very loud karaoke and a live band.
-The bride and groom walk down a red carpet during which guests through flower petals at them, then spray them down with silly string.
-Hours of Khmer dancing takes place around and around the center table.

At one point, Mary and I were ushered to the head table, where we were again encouraged to eat and drink. It was kind of strange to be treated as honored guests at the wedding (we were the only Westerners present), especially because I had never met any of them before, but was also really fun. After the bride and groom cut the cake and drank champagne, they began their first dance together. As if in some strange movie, Mary was asked to dance by the groom’s brother alongside the bride and groom. A few minutes in, and I was set-up with a dance partner by the bride’s mother. For a veerrrryyy long couple of minutes, it was just the six of us up there while hundreds watched.

Laos #4

[Wow, it's kind of ridiculous that it took me almost a month to post this...]

Day 2 of the trek began with walking through landscape that started out much like the day before, but then transitioned into more mountainous and jungle-like terrain. We followed a new local guide for about 13 kilometers, winding through the jungle for a few hours. At one point we came upon a large tree with a couple of local people sitting below it. Turns out it was a mango tree, but the mangos were unlike any I’ve seen before–very small, round, and with a green rind. I assumed the fruit would be sour based on size and color, but it was the sweetest and most delicious fruit ever! One of the kids expertly climbed the tree and shook down a bunch more for us to enjoy. Bliss!

We made a stop at a village called Ban Na Kuh. Before lunch we took a tractor ride to another swimming hole. The tractor was…well I’m not sure how to describe it, but was bascially a large wooden cart pulled by a motor with two long handles for the operator (see my photos). The bumpy and dusty ride landed us at Kun Kong Lang also known as The Blue Lagoon. Wow, was I ever shocked. Tucked into the mountains, this little lake was the most striking turquoise blue and clear I have ever seen. It was almost mystical. The water was exhilaratingly cold and it was one of the best swims I’ve had in a long time (it is incredibly hot in Laos this time of year, so after hours of hiking, it didn’t get much better than this for cooling off). Afterwards, the tractor took us back to the village where we had lunch and rested a bit before the last leg of the trek.

I must interject here that I ate some ants. On purpose. At one point along the trail, we came upon a nest of huge red ants. They were literally swarming all over the leaves of this particular plant (not sure of the name). The guide stopped, grabbed a handful, and popped them in his mouth. Apparently they are a popular snack among locals. I was intrigued so I tried some too. It was weird – I could feel them moving in my mouth – lots of little legs – and they were crunchy and oddly bitter. A few escapees bit me on the arm, but I guess I can’t blame them.

After a few more hours we ended up at a river crossing and took a little wooden rowboat across. A small village of houses with tidy gardens lined the river and large mountains protected and secluded the area. It was such a peaceful environment—the air felt clean and there was just the sound of the flowing water. As I watched families bathing and washing clothes in the river, I tried to imagine their lives. Different perception of the world, different needs, wants, priorities. I found it to be a very significant time to reflect.

After a long tuk tuk ride along a very bumpy, scarcely traveled dirt road that cut through the flat scenic countryside, we emerged onto a paved road. A little over an hour later, we were back in “civilization” in Tha Khaek and they dropped us off at the Travel Lodge. I had dinner with Sandra in the Tha Khaek city square before turning in for the night.

The next morning, I met Nadia, a French-Canadian girl staying in the dorm room with me. We had a great conversation over breakfast at the Travel Lodge and since we were both heading to Vientiane that day, decided to travel together. After the local bus trip (about 5 hours this time) back to Vientiane, we checked into the Mixay Guesthouse and had lunch at a great little French café. Afterwards, we set out on foot to explore the city a little and eventually caught a tuk tuk over to Wat Sok Pa Luang, a temple famous for its herbal saunas and massage. The sauna room was on the second floor of a small wooden structure on the temple grounds. The heat was generated by a furnace below the room and was emitted upwards as steam mixed with a secret combination of herbs that smelled amazing. It was unbelievably hot (more so than any other sauna I’ve been in) and we could only take it in there for so long. Following the sauna, we had tea and a one-hour massage on cushions arranged on the covered deck. It was incredibly relaxing and I felt a bit spoiled when I handed over my $5 for the whole experience.

At the spa, Nadia and I met four Irish guys traveling together around SE Asia. We ended up having dinner with them, did a little bar-hopping, and ended up at a bowling alley, of all places, into the wee hours of the morning. It was a fantastic time, despite the fact that I will forever suck at bowling, and made especially great by the Lao people celebrating New Year all around us. I can’t tell you how many times I got powdered in the face and hair – a traditional Lao New Year’s ritual – and toasted random Lao people dancing around the bowling alley. After very few hours of sleep, I had a luxurious, sugary breakfast at the Scandanavian bakery (I’d heard from the Danish girls that the bakery was actually authentic and good) and caught a tuk tuk to the airport for my return to Phnom Penh.

Laos is one of the two least developed countries in SE Asia (Myamar is the other) and one of the poorest countries in the world. And it wasn’t until the 1990s that it actually opened its doors to the outside world. So I feel very fortunate that I was able to spend some time there. I’ve now reached the end of the Lao posts, and like any other travel experience, I can only explain what I did there, and not really how it actually felt. But it’s safe to say that overall, the trip was pretty incredible. I got to see and do a lot of things that I had wanted (although I could have used a few more weeks for Luang Prabang in the north and 4000 Islands and Bolaven Plateau in the south) and it was definitely an experience I will never forget.

Laos post #3

A tuk tuk arrived at the Travel Lodge early Friday morning for Ida and Laura (two great girls from Denmark) and me. We then picked up the other two members of our group (Sandra from Ireland and Jean-Baptiste from France) and our trip began. Our two-day trek into the Phu Hin Bun National Protected Area (NPA) was run by the Khammouane provincial tourism authority and led by an English-speaking Lao guide named Me. These trekking trips are slowly developing an ecotourism focus, with most of our costs going to local guides and for village homestays.

After a lengthy tuk tuk ride, we set off on foot. I knew immediately that this was going to be an amazing experience. The scenery was so stunning that I’m not sure I can even explain it. Day 1 of the trek involved making our way deep into the NPA via dirt paths that wound their way through and around dry rice fields. Jagged limestone mountains, initially in the distance, gradually began to surround us. It was definitely rugged landscape that was completely untouched by outsiders. Most of the ground we covered was flat. Only rarely were other humans in sight, however small wooden shelters (used for lunch and afternoon naps by rice farmers during the growing season) spotted the landscape and served as remnants of a busier time. The villagers who live within the NPA are largely self-sufficient – growing rice, fruit and vegetables, and raising water buffalo, pigs, chickens, and cows.

We also had a local guide for this portion of the trip, who led the way and occasionally stopped to show us a plant or a temple and whose words were then translated into English by Me. We stopped at a series of four caves called the “Chicken Egg Caves.” This name has something to do with mango pits that look like eggs, but we couldn’t really get a clear explanation on that. We stopped for lunch at a large cave with a nice swimming hole (Kun Nam Doon). While we swam and paddled a boat around the swimming hole and into the cave, two of the guides prepared our lunch. I was a little hesitant about the food at first, but it took just one taste of the fresh Mekong catfish grilled over an open fire to quickly change my mind. It was the most delicious fish I have ever had (and I rarely like fish!). The guides also prepared sticky rice, bamboo shoots, a spicy noodle dish with eggplant, and sticky rice with sweet coconut sauce for dessert. Amazing lunch!

After a few more hours of trekking, we crossed through a long, dark cave called the Cave of the Sandalwood Buddha. Right before emerging from the cave, we climbed a steep wooden staircase to a rock ledge with a huge Buddha statue. The altar was surrounded with all kinds of colorful ornamentation and hundreds of small Buddha statues carved out of sandalwood. The guide explained that local villagers used this area of the cave not only for praying, but also for gatherings and parties.

A little more walking and we then entered Ban Poon Tong, the village where we stayed the night. The tiny, isolated village was tucked in between large mountains and made up of a few dozen homes. The few things I immediately noticed were that the village was very tidy, almost everything was made out of wood, and there were tons of animals (including adorable baby pigs) freely roaming around. The villagers were very curious and welcoming. Although they often host foreigners on these ecotourism trips, I think we are still a bit mysterious and strange to them. Our ecolodge was basically a large room on stilts with a big wooden deck. After a quick ladel shower, we hung out on the deck for a few hours. The guides and some villagers prepared our dinner (sticky rice and veggies for me) and we enjoyed eating on the deck as the sun began to set.

After dinner, the villagers set things up for a baasii ceremony. As special guests, we sat around a pha khwan. I’m not sure how to explain this exactly, but check out the photo above. It is a cone-shaped arrangement of banana leaves and flowers. White cotton strings hang from a flower stem and the cone is surrounded by special foods (ours were cookies, bananas, and an egg). A village elder performed the ceremony on each of us, one at a time. As you hold the food in your right hand and place your left hand to your left ear, the elder delivers a series of blessings (translated by Me) while tying one of the white strings around your wrist. The string is meant to bind guardian spirits to you as you travel, start a new project, or are ill and you are supposed to keep it on for at least three days. This was followed by a shot of lao-lao (intensely strong home-brewed liquor). After each receiving a blessing from a second elder, we then performed the ritual onto villagers present at the ceremony. We weren’t completely sure about the blessings (each of us were wished a long life of 6 – 12 million years), but we wished them long lives, good rice harvest, and healthy family. After the ceremony we ate the snacks and turned in under our mosquito bednet-covered floor mats for a good night’s rest.

My attempt to condense the trip into three entries has apparently failed:) I will add a fourth and final entry just as soon as I finish it…

Laos post #2

Wednesday started off with a huge, delicious breakfast at the Luang Prabang Bakery before heading to Adam’s Climbing shop at 9 am. The manager at my guesthouse recommended this climbing company over the larger, more advertised one and I am so glad that I took her advice. There were just two of us climbing for the day – me and a girl named Gerlinde from Austria. We took a tuk tuk about 15 minutes outside of Vang Vieng and down a rocky dirt road. From there, we boarded a small boat and paddled across the Nam Song (we ended at the very last bar available to the intertubing crowd). Sleeping Wall, our first climbing spot, was past the bar and tucked behind a steep mountain. The narrow corridor contained at least 10 different climbing routes ranging from very easy to very hard. Adam lead-climbed to set the ropes up for each of the routes we did and Gerlinde and I took turns climbing. We got in 3-4 climbs before lunch. We took a long midday break, mostly hanging out on the deck of the empty bar, which was actually really nice because it had great views of the river and the tubing crew for the afternoon had not yet arrived. After lunch we did a few more climbs at Sleeping Wall and I then attempted an insanely difficult climb at the nearby Sleeping Roof. I finished up with a really challenging and fun climb at Sleeping Roof before we called it a day. I was exhausted. When we made it back across the river, Gerlinde and I made plans to meet back up that evening.

An hour later, Gerlinde and I walked around the streets of Vang Vieng just as the sun was setting, and wow, it was breathtaking over the dramatic limestone mountain backdrop. After a drink at a restaurant with a fantastic mountain view, we decided to go for a Lao massage. The place we went to looked a little shady, but I’m pretty sure they all looked that way. Lao massage is very similar to Thai massage – a lot of stretching and pushing on muscles and not entirely relaxing. But it certainly felt great on my tired body after climbing. I grabbed a quick bite to eat and got back to my bungalow to pack up and get ready for my early-morning departure the next day.

I caught the 6 am local bus back to Vientiane. It was a pretty non-eventful bus trip - I think I slept for most of it. Back in Vientiane I had almost two hours before the next bus to Tha Khaek, so I had some coffee and a small lunch and organized my trekking for the following day. After some confusion over the validity of my bus ticket at the Southern Bus Station, I finally was directed to a very old, dingy local bus that was scheduled to leave at noon. This bus trip proved to be my only bad experience in Laos, mainly because I had been ripped off into paying $18 for the ticket (should have been more like $5) and it took almost 7.5 hours to get to Tha Khaek due to the numerous stops that it made (should have taken more like 4 hours). To top it all off, NO ONE on the bus would speak to me (I was the only Westerner), despite my obvious frantic appearance as it started getting dark and I was beginning to question whether I had missed my stop. I’m not sure if I just got unlucky with the unfriendly Lao bus riders, as the vast majority of my experiences there were positive ones. I do remember thinking “this would never happen in Cambodia.” I guess I have gotten spoiled living in such an overwhelmingly friendly country.

A humorous occurrence on the bus did provide a little relief from my frustrations. Every so often the bus would slow down and pick up vendors. These vendors carried an assortment of goods for sale, including different types of cooked meat, drinks, books, and gum. They would go up and down the aisle in hopes of appealing to customers (although I’m not sure how they maneuvered as the aisle was packed with passengers on small stools). After a little while on the bus, the bus would slow down and the vendors would exit. This happened a number of times on the way to Tha Khaek. When we finally reached the Tha Khaek bus station I was very relieved and happy. I hired a tuk tuk to take me to Tha Khaek Travel Lodge, a guesthouse that the trekking organizer had suggested earlier that day. Thankfully the guesthouse had plenty of room in their dorm, a great little restaurant, and internet access. I also met with the trekking organizer who just happened to be there briefing two girls who were also going on the trek the next day. After hand-washing a few clothes and packing for the trek, I hit the sack and slept very well in my little dorm bed. In my final post, I'll describe my trekking experience in central Laos – it was something I will never forget.

One final note: I must give thanks to Judy, who gave me a lot of assistance planning my trip (she went to Laos with another friend Chris for 5 weeks last December). First, the trekking trip was phenomenal and second, she gave the great advice to only take a small pack. I packed very lightly for my 7 days in Laos – 3 shirts and two pairs of light pants, one pair of shorts, a bathing suit, small towel, a few personal items, and that’s about it! The pack I took was around the size of an average school backpack. It was SO nice not having to lug around a crazy heavy backpack all week – very liberating!

*All of my Laos photos are posted on picasa, which you can access in the upper right hand corner under "My Photos"

Laos post #1

Being in between jobs recently afforded me the luxury to do a bit of traveling! I had heard many good things about Laos and decided it was a perfect time to check it out. I will split my Laos travels into three posts – I have a lot to say about this amazing country. On the afternoon of Monday April 4 I flew from Phnom Penh to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. I shared a taxi into the city with two other travelers and immediately noticed how modest and quiet it was - not at all like the other capital cities I have visited in the region. After securing a dorm bed in the very clean and well-situated Mixay Guesthouse and booking the next day’s bus to Vang Vieng, I ventured out to one of the main streets for dinner at DaoFa Restaurant. There I had a veggie sandwich and my first Beerlao, a tasty beer that the Lao people are very proud (and fond) of. I can’t say that I was very adventurous with my eating choices – a lot of the Lao diet consists of meat, so unfortunately I ended up sticking with Western food for most of the trip. After dinner, I headed back to the guesthouse and turned in early for the evening in preparation for the following days.

Early Tuesday morning I had a delicious bagel and coffee at JoMa, a well-known bakery/café in the city. I had some time to spare before my bus departure, so decided to wander around a bit. I made my way down to the Mekong riverfront and toward the Presidential Palace. Initial impressions: the Mekong was seriously dry – I mean, almost non-existent. We are in the peak of dry/hot season right now, so it makes sense, but I was still surprised at how low it was! I really enjoyed walking along the small, pleasant streets lined with shops, restaurants, and tons of guesthouses (I was in the tourist area of the city) and definitely appreciated not having to risk my life while crossing the streets, as I have become so accustomed to in Phnom Penh. Back at Mixay, a tuk-tuk picked several of us up before heading to the Talat Sao Bus Station. I should explain Lao bus travel a little. There are a two options available: air-conditioned, fast(er), luxury buses or non-A/C, slow, local buses. The difference in price is only a few dollars, but I preferred the local buses, one, because I really don’t like A/C and two, they provide a much more genuine and entertaining experience. The scenery heading to the north was just beautiful, quickly transitioning to dry rice field after dry rice field for several hours, with the occasional small town in between. I really got a feel for just how rustic Laos is, with over 80% of the population living in rural villages.

As we continued north, the roads became more curvy and hilly and a gorgeous backdrop of mountains appeared. By the time we reached Vang Vieng, I think my jaw literally dropped open upon sight of such stunning mountains. I’m not really sure how to describe Vang Vieng, except to paraphrase the Lonely Planet in saying that most people have a love-hate relationship with it. The town is tiny, especially in contrast to the massive limestone peaks that envelope it. The Nam River winds along the edge of the town, cutting out a beautiful river valley. The air is crisp and clean and there is an overall feeling of security and isolation. That is the “love” part. The “hate” part of it (at least for me, and many others share this opinion) is the overwhelming presence of partying backpackers. I am definitely supportive of the vast array of travelers in this region (of course, as I am one myself), but for some reason Vang Vieng has become a hot-spot for the type of traveler of which I am not so fond. The main draw is the river-tubing phenomenon, which involves leisurely floating down the Nam River on a gigantic intertube and stopping at the vast array of bars along the river’s edge to drink and consume other various substances (of which there are many). The travel books describe this as a “right of passage” for traveling in SE Asia, but I find it irritating and pretty disgusting. There are also a number of restaurants in town that serve all kinds of legal and illegal substances and play “Friends” episodes 18 hours a day. Dance parties go on every night, but luckily the nationwide midnight curfew keeps that from disturbing the peace all night long. Anyways, enough of that negativity – there are just as many, if not more, positive things that the area offers!

I wandered around Vang Vieng a bit until coming upon a great little place – the Nam Song Garden Guesthouse. I checked into a rustic bungalow room right on the river’s edge and then decided to visit a local cave before it got too dark. After grabbing a banana-filled crepe and fresh mango shake from some street vendors, I rented a bicycle and rode to the Tham Chang, a large, well-known cave. I walked along the base of the massive mountain a bit before climbing some insanely steep steps to get inside. Electricity had been wired into the cave and it was lit up with some tacky multi-color lights, but regardless, it was pretty cool and had some really great views of the river valley below. Back down at the base of the cave, I went swimming in a perfectly clear blue and very cold swimming hole. You could swim about 20 meters into the cave until daylight ran out. I then swam further into the cave with some German travelers with my headlamp serving as our only light source. It was pitch black without the light (I turned it off to check – um scary) and the water was DEEP – resting involved just hanging onto the cave walls. It was so refreshing! Once back in town, I booked my climbing trip for the next day and some bus tickets before having dinner at the Organic Mulberry Farm Café, owned and supplied by a local farm. I had a most excellent yellow coconut cream Harvest Curry with sweet potatoes and other veggies followed by their specialty – mulberry tea from leaves picked and dried daily.

So in Laos, things are cheap, and I mean CHEAP. The average cost of my guesthouse accommodation was around $5 (usually dorm rooms with multiple beds and shared bathrooms) and meals were around $3. If you are willing to put up with even fewer luxuries, you can do it for less (I have friends that did!). This was great news for me, as it allowed me to spend more on activities! Even including semi-expensive climbing and trekking, my entire 7-day trip was less expensive than the airfare to get there! More on those things next post…

A New Chapter

Today marks a milestone in my professional and academic career – work on the project for which I came to Cambodia has ended. I have worked with my professor (an incredible scientist and inspiring human being) on and off for almost nine years, so this marks the end of an era in my life. In August of 2000, just a few months after graduating from Emory and Henry College, I began work in his environmental microbiology lab as a Master’s student. After almost two years into the program, I decided to forego the Master’s degree and instead pursue a PhD using and expanding on my already completed laboratory studies and coursework. In April of 2003 I moved to Christchurch, New Zealand to work as a Junior Scientist at ESR performing molecular biology studies and also applying them (in my spare time) to my PhD work. I returned to UNC in mid-2004 to continue with my studies and defended my doctoral dissertation in April 2006 before taking some time off from academics. I once again began work with my professor in September 2006 as a post-doctoral research associate. As a post-doc I have been so fortunate to gain experience and move in a different direction with my scientific career. This position has taught me so many things: experimental design, working with students (I really love the students), disinfection studies, design of a field trial. It also has allowed me to present data at a number of domestic and international scientific conferences and ultimately has sent me here to Cambodia to further my experience.

I am definitely sad that this assignment with UNC is over, but it has been an amazing journey and I’m excited about what’s next. I am in negotiations to do contract work on household water treatment with The World Bank for a few months here in Cambodia until I find work back in the States. Ideally, I’d like to work for the CDC or a large NGO (such as PATH), so please keep your fingers crossed for me! I am very excited to get back on familiar soil, but still have a few things left here in Cambodia that I’d like to accomplish first.

Mickey Sampson

*Thank you to those of you who have commented. I will pass your messages along to RDI staff.*

I was at RDI yesterday morning when we received the news of Mickey's death. It was one of the worst days I have ever experienced. We are all still numb and in complete disbelief of this tragic loss. I want as many people as possible to know about this amazing man.

The photograph above is taken from an online tribute page dedicated to Mickey. The following was just posted on the RDI-C website:

Bulletin: Death of RDIC founder-director Mickey Sampson

Resource Development International-Cambodia is grieved to report the death of Michael Lynn (“Mickey”) Sampson, RDIC Founder and Country Director.

Sampson, 43, had been experiencing health problems. He flew March 18 from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to Bangkok, Thailand, for evaluation by a specialist. His untimely death occurred in the early morning of March 19. His body was found at the Bangkok house where he was staying. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack.

Arrangements are being made for returning Dr. Sampson’s body to Cambodia for funeral services. He is survived by parents Jimmy and Diane Sampson, one brother James Sampson, his wife, Wendi, and their children, Michal, Madelyn, Isaiah, Zach, and Datelyn, their Khmai daughter.

Resource Development International-Cambodia would not exist without Mickey Sampson’s vision, dedication, and devotion. He lived and worked in Cambodia with his family since 1998, concentrating most of his efforts on improving drinking water and sanitation for the Cambodian people. One in twelve Cambodian children dies before age 5, primarily from diarrheal disease due to contaminated water.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Sampson received a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Louisville and taught as an assistant professor of chemistry with the University of Kentucky college system.

He first saw the struggle of Cambodians for clean water in the 1990s while teaching chemistry in Cambodia during a sabbatical year from the University of Kentucky.

One day his wife called Mickey into their bathroom in Cambodia while she was giving their children a bath. The water was only three inches deep, but it was so murky she couldn't see the bottom of the bathtub. “She said, ‘You know, you're a chemist. Can't you do something about this?’” He told a reporter years later, "It was a turning point in my life." Many others also told Mickey that he should use his skills for helping with the water needs of the poor.

The Sampsons moved to Cambodia permanently in 1998. He worked with other non-governmental organizations to improve water quality. Eventually, however, he started Resource Development International-Cambodia to address Cambodia’s health and development problems in holistic ways. The organization provides education, water testing, water filtration systems, and construction, among other community-development initiatives.

Under Sampson’s leadership, RDIC established a ceramic water filter manufacture and distribution system (manufacturing 25,000 filters in 2008), produced a Cambodian television series for children to promote literacy and healthy living, and worked extensively to alert Cambodians to the risks of drinking arsenic-laden groundwater. RDIC also has developed and implemented agricultural, water, health and educational programs in villages throughout Cambodia.

Mickey believed Cambodian communities would not be transformed for the better without behavioral changes on all levels. The results have shown his methods worked. After two years of using RDIC’s water filtration pots, participating Cambodians were 49 percent less likely to have diarrheal disease than their neighbors without the filters.

Sampson co-authored a number of publications and supported research in partnership with international universities through RDIC's water research laboratory. He also was a member of the technical working group for the Cambodian government concerning how to address the UN’s “Millennium Target” to halve the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015.

Mickey was widely known and respected in the international development and academic communities. His work with RDIC has been highlighted by a number of news and media outlets. National Public Radio (NPR) featured his creative campaign to educate Cambodians about unsafe drinking water via karaoke videos in a Jan. 27 profile: Karaoke Videos Teach Safe Water Techniques : NPR

Friends say "Mickey's faith made him compassionate for the peoples he loved and deeply cared. Countless lives have been touched by this expression of love in their lives."

Mickey Sampson will be mourned and deeply missed by his many friends and colleagues, his family – and the thousands of Cambodians who now live healthy lives because of his work.