Week Eleven in Cambodia....

Welcome to our blog,
Last week we purchased sewer boots so we would be prepared for the inevitable "flash flood". This week we  had an occasional insignificant sprinkle. Our boots are all shined and ready to roll. Maybe this week will prove sewer boot worthy.

Monday was the highlight of our week. Elder Oaks held a special meeting for the Missionaries. Hopefully there will be a group photo to share with you in the near future. If any of you see articles about Elder Oaks' visit to Cambodia let us know. We do not get the Church News and have not received an Ensign. I suspect something will be published since there were photographers and reporters on site last week covering Elder Oaks' visit. Those that accompanied Elder Oaks and his wife were Donald L. Hallstrom and his wife a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, Dean M. Davies Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric and his wife, Gerrit W. Gong and his wife from the Hong Kong Area presidency, and Elder Pon an Area Seventy for Hong Kong.

Mondays meeting was special. Elder Oaks had all the native Cambodian missionaries stand and addressed them as "the noble Cambodians". He directed his comments to them exclusively. It was really wonderful. A new group of missionaries had just arrived to begin their missions and this was a big event for them. Elder Oaks' emphasized to these young missionaries that they are the examples to the Cambodian people forever. Those of us from other countries will be here for a time and then we will return to our homes. The Cambodian missionaries are here to stay. They are the strength of the Church in this area. They will be the leaders, the teachers, the trainers for the future of the Church here. We that have come from afar can for a time help them grow in the gospel. But in the end they will lead and build our Saviors kingdom here in Cambodia. Elder Oaks told them that the Lord had a work for them to do. He said they have been given some great resources. They were reminded that where much is given much is expected. He then had them sit down and then proceeded to deliver a powerful message to us all.

From Tuesday on our week was not eventful. I didn't even get a "khmae photo" of the week. I will share some photos and just make some short comments. We spent most of our week in the office trying to contact our PEF students. That can be discouraging. We are suppose to make a personal contact with them every month. We have 175 students. That is a lot of calling for two people. Dale claims our students "change their phone numbers as often as we change our socks". I do get tired of the "We're sorry the number you are calling is 'unawailable' at this time". When we do make a contact on the phone the conversation is a challenge. We muddle through.It is a real incentive to work to learn the language. It isn't easy.

Tuesday morning on route to the office we came to the last intersection we cross to get to work. We were surprised to see the build up of cars. As we approached the intersection we discovered a huge procession coming. It is campaign time in Cambodia. The Prime Minister Hun Sen is running for office again. Here are some photos we shot Tuesday morning:

It will be interesting to see what Phnom Penh is like this weekend. That is when the voting takes place. We are planning to attend Tuol Tom Pong Branch. We hire our tuk tuk driver, Sam Ol, to take us there. He said that there would be no problem because he was going to be in town. He said many  people go to the provinces during the voting. I do not know for sure why they do this. We are not suppose to talk politics on our mission so I'm clueless.What else is new?

Thursday we went to lunch with the senior Senior Couple, Elder and Sister Spencer. Presently their status is the senior couple that has been in Cambodia the longest. Our mission president and his wife have actually been here the longest since they are coming to the end of their three years of service.

We ate at the Sofitel Hotel. This was the hotel Elder Oaks stayed at. It is huge and very beautiful. You do not see much green grass or grass at all in Phnom Penh. The grounds around the hotel are very green. There is a huge swimming pool surrounded by  potted plants. From the restaurant we ate at we looked out over the pool which overlooked the city.  There are several different restaurants inside the hotel. It would be similar to the Skamania Lodge only a totally different style of architecture. It is very clean and refreshing. You forget that you are in Cambodia when you enter. People that know me know that I am a "sewer boot" type of girl and so was a bit out of my comfort zone. We ate at La Coupole, a buffet style restaurant. The restaurant is divided into areas for meats that are cooked and brought to your table, a fruit bar, a salad bar, a soup and precooked dish area, and of course breads and desserts. I wasn't sure what I was eating nor was I sure what I should choose to eat. I ended up getting fresh fruit, some veggies and a kabob of pork. For dessert I chose a few little custard cups, a chocolate covered strawberry and a small scoop of mango sherbet. It was called  sherbet, but it was ground up mango slightly frozen...rather odd. I forgot when I chose it that I have decided to stay clear of mangoes. They and I battled it out about a week or so ago. The mangoes won. I ate two bites and stopped. I didn't want history to repeat itself.

Today we attended Kean Svay Branch. It is the furthest of our branches to attend. I tried to shoot photos from our tuk tuk. It was a cool, breezy morning. We loved it. I said I loved it and Sam Ol asked if liked the cold.  I have been told that when the temperatures get into the 70's some older people get very sick and even die because they do not have blankets to keep them warm.

There is always somebodies Moto  broke down on the side of the road. The Moto is so important to these people.We have a PEF student that I feel so bad for. Her Moto is very unpredictable and she can not afford to buy another one. Her commute home is not safe at night when she leaves her classes. If it were safe she would use a regular bike. Her problem is that without transportation next year she will not be able to go to school. I just want to buy her a new Moto but I can't do that. The problem is that she is not the only person with this scenario. We have been told not to give people things. If one person gets something  the other people get really offended and expect to also get the same thing. We were told if you give a baby gift to one family you give a baby gift to all families. All we can do is encourage them, pray for them and be on the look out for solutions where they can help themselves.

Not the best road for riding bikes.

Driving School

We see a lot of these throughout town.

Weigh in Day

 Moto Gas Station up front with the green barrel. Pumps for cars and trucks are modern. Notice that  above the green barrel with the yellow band is a glass container similar to a giant IV bottle. This has a hose to fill up gas tanks. Another option is using a funnel to pour gas from a  Pepsi bottle into Moto tank. It is the rainy season. A high demand item to sell are disposable rain coats. They are the pink and blue and yellow bags hanging on pole above bottles. They sort of look like bagged cotton candy. This is typical Cambodia.

 We are looking forward to beginning another week in Cambodia.

 Keep smiling and we will too.

Sewer Boots are in...

Hello faithful followers,
This past week was crunch time at the South District Center where our office is. Members were every where doing last minute touch up painting, etc. in preparation for Elder Oaks visit. Elder and Sister James and Elder and Sister Rhynes had active parts in the coming event. Elder And Sister James took photographers around Phnom Penh to shoot footage of  the area. The photographers used the 14th floor of our apartment to get some good shots of the area. They lucked out with sunshine because our days are routinely visited by rain storms. Elder and Sister Rhynes made welcome goody baskets for all the out of country visitors. I believe they assembled 6 baskets. The Rhynes were also in charge of ordering flowers for the Chapel. There efforts paid off. The Chapel was beautiful. The meeting was well attended. The young Elders took a head count. There were 1022 people at the meeting. It lasted from 4:30-6:00. The Cambodian members were told that in order to have a Temple in Cambodia the Saints need to commit to paying their tithing. Sister Oaks shared that she was a convert to the church and when she was first taught about tithing it was as if she had mud covering her eyes. With time she understood the importance of the principle of tithing. As she lived this principle she received the promised blessings. Elder Oaks taught the people of living righteously and avoiding situations that would cause them to stumble. The topic of the importance of the family was addressed. Other speakers spoke on the importance of husbands and wives loving each other and setting the proper examples for their sons and daughters. When their children marry they will respect their spouses and children. The choir was wonderful. One of the young Elders played the violin to accompany them.

This week was vacation time for many in Cambodia because of the Kings Birthday. We worked most of the week but decided since no one was coming in to see us we would take half a day to do some touring. We got a tuk tuk at 7:30 in the morning. The Rhynes went with us.We chose to go to The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center better known as "the killing fields.

This is the Memorial Stupa where the remains of the Choeung Ek's victims are reverently preserved.
The Stupa contains skulls, bones, teeth, and clothing  of the victims found in the killing fields. These remains are on shelves enclosed in glass. One shelf has all clothing, one all skulls, and it continues on each level in this manner. The entire Stupa is filled.
From our ticket: Choueng Ek Genocidao Center is an unique and special place which reflects the most barbarous cruel crime committed by the Ultra Communist Khmer Rouge Regime during 1975-1979. Here about 20,000 people including foreigners were executed and murdered. Obviously, 129 mass graves and about 8,000 human skulls at the site bear testimony to this unspeakable crime.  In order to remember the spirits of victims at the site and as well as over 3 million victims throughout the country, a Memorial Charnel was built in the center in 1988.

The audio tour is well done. We were able to hear the testimony of many people who witnessed these crimes first hand. We also heard testimonies from some who discovered these mass graves. One man was planting potatoes and as he was digging the soil to his horror he discovered one of the graves. There are several areas where remains have not been unearthed. Because of the rains in this area the soil is constantly giving up remains. On the path we were walking it had rained and I looked down and saw teeth that had been uncovered. We were told to expect such things and to respect the dead and leave them lay where they are. We were given a map of the grave sites which are spread throughout the provinces of Cambodia. This area where we walked is a major mass grave site, but not the only one.

 We said farewell to Elder and Sister Snyder who served as the office couple for 23 months. Elder Snyder is in the top photo and Sister Snyder is the sister on the right in the bottom photo. What great people. They were our connection with Cambodia when we first received our calling. They sent us the 101 most asked questions from senior couples anticipating living in Cambodia. They set up our Skype appointments with President and Sister Smedly. They found our apartment for us. They took us shopping for groceries and household goods when we first arrived here. They took us to several restaurants so we would know safe places to eat. They took us for our first tuk tuk ride and helped us understand how to bargain with the driver. We also were taught how much and when to tip people. They helped us understand khmae money. (Dale does anyway.) They showed us where to get shoes repaired, where "home depot" is, where the hospital is and the Bank of Canada ATM. Elder Snyder after hearing that I wished I had a compass and pocket khmae language book surprised me with both. They also kept us informed of all the current events that we were suppose to know about. They took us many places until we felt comfortable to go solo. We will be forever grateful.

Thursday and Friday this week we taught our second Career Work Shop for missionaries getting ready to go home. In fact these Elders were flying out Friday evening. I do the introduction to the Workshop and Dale does all the rest. He does a really good job and the missionaries report they learn lots and feel it is beneficial.(Elder Sanford, Elder Nebeker, Elder Vanfleet, Elder Nicosia, Elder Frank Elder Meier and Sister Meier)
Elder Vanfleet is from Cedar City, Utah. His mother is khame and lived through the Pol Pot Regime. Her story is recorded is in the book "Out of  the Killing Fields into the Light". When her son was called to Cambodia she was really worried because of her memories. Elder Vanfleet said he was shocked because he didn't even know there was a mission in Cambodia. His mission has been a blessing to him and his family. His family is in Cambodia right now. They chose to pick their son up in the mission field and tour Cambodia. Sister Vanfleet still has relatives here. We saw Elder Vanfleet in action in the Provinces. He dug dirt side by side with the khmae and did several other service projects. He is a great guy. Career Workshop is a highlight of our mission. Is so fun to work with people so full of life. A great two days this week.

What would our week be like without the rainy day experience. We were actually in Elder James' car. His car stalled and as these cars went by we could feel the car begin to float.

 Five boys came to our rescue and pushed us to higher ground. Elder James gave our heroes $5. They were so excited.

When Elder James tried to start his car he blew great puffs of exhaust into the face of the tuk tuk driver positioned directly behind us. He didn't seem to mind. I guess it is all in a day in Cambodia.

Saturday we visited Wat Phnom well known for monkeys. We thought we'd get some fun photos to share.

This is what we found....OO..EE..OO!

Cambodia...Cambodia...Cambodia...I'll let the photos do the talking.

These are called "sewer boots". Dale and I purchased them from our local market. It is not appropriate to share with you what went floating by me the other day when walking home in the rain.  I was highly motivated to make this fashion statement after my close encounter of the grossest kind.

Where we will go after dinner at Gasolina.

As we speak with the people here we each speak the "phrases" we learn in the respective languages. Tonight I said good night to the guard at our apartment. He in turn replied back "good night Madame and have sweet dreams". So until next week may you also "have sweet dreams".

The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up...

The streets become rivers when it rains. These photos were taken from our tuk tuk. In an hours time the water is flowing into store fronts. The children love to play in it. It is like when it snows in the states and the kids take over. The temperature cools and after an hour or two the rain stops and the streets begin to drain. The pattern seems to be, clouds rolling in about 3 in the afternoon with lightening and thunder. At about 3:30 - 4:00 the wind starts up and the clouds dump rain.  As we passed gas stations all the motorcyclists were waiting out the storm under the covered area. People ran into whatever shop they could find for shelter. Everyone just waits. Of course there are people who "just can't wait" and they are the ones that after the storms you seem them smashed up against a barrier. Just like when we have ice storms or snow storms in the states and are advised to go out only if you absolutely have to. Rain protection in usually a thin poncho like the disposable kind that can be purchased as emergency gear for a buck. As far as color choice...they really don't care. We see lots of guys wearing pink.

It rained one evening when we had to go to the mission home. We usually walk, but chose to stay dry. Our tuk tuk was completely enclosed with these tarp wall.  A bit of air came through which I was grateful for.

Standing on the streets of Phnom Penh  in the rain.

Dale was on the hunt for a bike pump,and a replacement rod to adjust his bike seat. With the help of our tuk tuk driver Sam Ol his mission was accomplished. Got his bike ready to go...oh no a flat tire! The tube valve was broken. Walking to work we approached a street vendor that services motor cycle and bicycle tires. Dale bought a valve for $1. It was a rip off, but supply, demand and convenience won over Mister Thrifty. He calculated what it would cost to hire a tuk tuk to go back to the bike place pictured to the left. One dollar is pretty good when factoring in that option.

On Monday of this week we went to dinner at Elder and Sister Tuck's home in Ta Khmau. It is a distance from most of the other branches in Phnom Penh. The Tuck's originally were living in our apartment. We were able to rent our place because they moved closer to the members they serve. They are renting a huge place. It has 5 nice bathrooms. Very western in style. I believe there were 3 or 4 bedrooms, a study, a huge kitchen and formal dining room, a laundry room, a full outdoor kitchen and patio for BBQ entertaining, a huge food storage area....it is pretty amazing. They feed the missionaries serving in the area once a week. I believe she said she feeds 4 sets of missionaries. Sister Tuck enjoys cooking and entertaining. She also has many hobbies and the responsibilities that come with their home suit her wonderfully. She is responsible to keep the plants alive of which their are many hanging baskets and potted plants around the property. They have a fish pond which they are required to buy fish food and feed the fish. They were also required to purchase a Cambodian Flag and have been asked to fly it during the holidays.  It is flying most of the time because it seems every other week there is some kind of holiday. This week is the Kings birthday. We have to put PEF loan approvals on hold while everyone takes the days off. It can be frustrating when we have deadlines to meet. Nothing can be done without approval from a committee. The committee is unavailable. Or as the operator on the telephone said, " Sorry the number you are trying to call is 'unawailable' at this time".

Pictured above is Sister Tuck, in the blue shirt. Next to her is Sister Rhyne and Elder Rhyne. Elder Rhyne was mission president in Russia about four years ago. The Rhynes are over the Family History program in all of Cambodia. Next to them is Sister and Elder James. They do public affairs. This is a new position in Cambodia so they are inventing their calling as they learn about the country. Sister James has visited one of the orphanages in the area. It was established and is managed by two LDS sisters who lived through the Pol Pot Era. Dale has been helping the James' with their laptops. The "blue screen of death" has threatened them several times. Next at the table is Sister and Elder Westover. They are replacing the office couple. They make sure our visas are current, keep track of missionaries, find missionaries homes, help purchase furniture for our homes, make sure our rent is paid on time, keep us up to date on calendaring events and much, much more. Dale is on the end. I am behind the camera and Elder Tuck walked out of the room. We had a wonderful dinner. Even when the power went out the company was great.We ate by flashlight and drank plenty of water to replace the fluids that were pouring out of us due to the lack of power to the fans and air conditioners. It was refreshing to walk outside and board the van for home.

We attended a Young Single Adult Conference this week. These young adults are ages 18-30. We were able to meet with several of our PEF students. It was great. There were spiritual moments and just fun times too. Above shows one of the games they played. They had to keep a balloon between their heads. They were given commands like jump, move in a circle clockwise, move in a circle counter clockwise, dance,etc. If the balloon came dislodged from between them they could catch it with their heads and continue on. If the balloon hit the ground they were disqualified. When it was down to 3 couples they had a bump your opponents elimination where the couples would move towards their opponent and bump them with their hip, etc. until there was one couple still standing. It was quite clever and funny. They were pretty good and it lasted for some time. Tough competition.

Food was prepared for about 300 people. As you can see getting the prepared is not up to USA code, but it smelled good while it was cooking. What would outdoor cooking be without  flies?  Dale and I had water, pop and a roll. Before I could say anything a Sister put a bowl of curry in my hand. I dipped my roll in it and ate some. It tasted good, but I was worried. I only ate a little. I really don't want to get seriously sick on this mission. My one consoling thought is that the food was brought to a hot temperature.

Outdoor cooking at its best. Oh the days of dutch ovens and reflector ovens! Where is the brown paper bag, slice of bacon, egg and a stick when you need them? Cambodia is hot...try standing around this big pot in the middle of the day. HOT! HOT! HOT!

Everyone was so happy working together.

Many of our PEF students from Kampong Cham are in the above picture. We have visited their province twice. They are young and amazing. The members here hold several callings + attend school + have jobs + take care of family members. 

The Young Single Adults love to sing and dance. I got in on the dancing. They hired professional singers to sing and play dance music, but quite a bit of the night the members had the mike in hand and everyone was dancing to them. A lot of the dancing is just as groups. Girls with girls, girls with guys, guys with guys, and what ever other combination there might be. They came to have fun and they made it happen.

Mixing up the dancing partners I have no problem with. What I didn't think was so great was the men/women bathroom. Sitting on the stool looking down and seeing guy feet in the stall next to me was alarming. Waiting in line for my turn to wash my hands with guys and girls in the same bathroom was as my grandson Owen would say, "awkward". But then again.... it's Cambodia. 

There has been lots of painting and fixing up of the church buildings in Phnom Penh.  I believe three General Authorities are scheduled to visit and train the members in Phnom Penh next week end. The members are very excited to have them visit Cambodia. Elder Oakes will be one of the visiting General Authorities. He has done a lot in Cambodia in the past. Maybe Cambodia will be in the Church News or Ensign soon.

I began with rain and I will end with rain. 

This is the parking lot of the building our office is in. 

We want to share this news with you. Our daughter and husband are wanting to adopt another child. If you know of any birth parents looking for a loving family please direct them to their blog.  Hoping to Adopt: Adoption is a miracle from God's arms to your ams to ours.

adoptionslovestuartandjenni1.blogspot.com 

Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers and mothers to be. And to everyone have a wonderful week.

"After this next big Lexus go!"

Once again I sit at the computer to record for family and friends and for memory sake the events of our doings in Cambodia. I believe we are beginning to "be one" with Cambodia. We have become part of our neighborhood. As we walk to the office there are people that we greet and they greet us with a cheery "hello" and "have a good day".  There are people that at one time would try to persuade us to use their tuk tuks. Now they stay nestled in their tuk tuks either napping or greeting us in khmae,"We know, you walk". There are certain events that happen like clock work. We awake each morning to the sound of the garbage collector squeaker (similar to a rubber ducky). When we leave our  apartment there is always a gathering of people at the In and Out store (similar to 7 Eleven with no gas station). Just a few feet from the entrance to our apartment garage is a mobile food stand that serves breakfast to the same people day in and day out. We pass an elementary school and hear children playing and the daily announcements being broadcast over a loud speaker. Motorcycles, cars, tuk tuks, bikes, carts and pedestrians weave in and out and round about each other all working towards their final destinations.The intersection just before we get to our office seems to be the whirlpool where everyone converges. Dale usually surveys the situation and calls out the plan... "after this next big Lexus go!".  At this cross road there are usually five or more police officers. Occasionally they will stand in the center of  traffic and blow their whistles and use their hands to orchestrate a great traffic dance which moves us all forward and to where we want to be on time and unscathed. Every day we are greeted at the Church gate by the gatekeeper. He and Dale joke with each other and we are on our way into the building, up the stairs, through the gymnasium, down the musty, humid hall and into our office. Once we enter Dale clicks the power button to the air conditioner remote. We power up the computers and begin our day. About one o'clock we take a break and while the khmae are eating their rice and noodles somewhere on the streets of Phnom Penh we sit in our air conditioned office downing PBJ sandwiches, apples and water. What a life! 

This past Monday the Senior couples held FHE together. As we left Elder and Sister Snyder's apartment I was able to get my khmae photo of the week:

Yes, this is the hole that the apartment dwellers can toss their garbage down. It is lovely, convenient and the instructions for its use are clear. At our apartment we have to use the dumpsters in the garage. Perhaps some day we too will get a Trash Hole. We can only hope.

This week we visited the mission office to turn in our expense report for our trip to the provinces. We also had planned to pick up a bicycle left behind by  Elder Ellingson's. (We replaced the Ellingson's as the PEF missionaries). We were told the bike needed some tender loving care. Dale is the perfect person to nurture an old bike back to good health.

It's a beauty don't you think? The basket is a feature that in Cambodia is a must. Also the bell will get Dale through rush hour traffic in record time. There are only a few problems. The back tire is flat. The chain is rusty. The kick stand plops down if you run over the slightest bump. Mechanic Dale to the rescue. We went to the local Cambodia Home Depot...a hole in the wall...lots of different types of holes here in Cambodia. He bought a wrench and was eager to get his new project completed. While adjusting the bike seat the seat bolt broke off. I believe the bolts are made in the same factory where my mop, bunny broom and duct tape were produced. If it looks like a bolt it must be a bolt..or perhaps only a bolt wanna be. Same with the bike tire pump...it looks like a pump. If you just want to look good it works great. Now we have a dead bike in our apartment garage. Where is a Bike Trash Hole when you need one? I don't think Dale has given up yet...after all the bike was for free and we haven't spent the usual $$$ it costs when we get free bees. 

 

This is the front door to the mission home and office. I am not sure if it was transfer day or a conference day  The missionaries from all over were congregating in the foyer. Shoes are on the stairway and bikes are parked outside.

There were bikes parked in every nook and cranny. This is only one grouping of several bikes.

When we went to pick up Dale's dream bike we had been given keys to unlock it. Like everything else, the key did not work. We had some young workers at the mission home cut the chain. We were sorry to have to destroy what appeared to be a fairly decent chain and lock. The day was extremely hot and these poor guys were really sweating as they took pliers and an ax to hack and twist the chain until Dale's bike was finally freed.

This is a big transition time for Senior missionaries in our area. The office couple leave this month. They are Elder and Sister Snyder. They have helped us get settled into our calling. They have been absolutely wonderful. Elder Snyder served in the military during the Vietnam War. They are touring Vietnam this week. The Snyder's are very important to all of us as they make sure our visas are up to date. They secure housing for us, and make sure our rent is paid. They keep our calendars up to date. They make sure new Senior couples are greeted at the airport and are well cared for when they begin their mission. Their calling is for 23 months. Their replacements are Elder and Sister Westover. The Snyder's trained the Westovers for about a week prior to leaving for Vietnam. The Westover's did their first solo day Saturday. We are all impressed with Elder Westover's driving skills on the crazy streets of Phnom Penh. He and Sister Westover have worked hard to learn khmae and are doing great. Saturday morning Elder and Sister Jones from Rigby Idaho flew into Phnom Penh (pictured above). They will be serving in Vietnam. The church can not proselyte in Vietnam. The Jones' will not be allowed to wear their name tags.They are member leader support under the umbrella of charities. They requested a difficult mission when they applied. They got what they requested. Just a warning to family and friends that plan to serve future missions. 

 

This week I finally ordered a coconut drink. I have learned that"it looks cool" to drink from a coconut, but I really do not like coconut milk. This is the first and last coconut I will be drinking in Cambodia. Please note I love coconut meat and things made from coconut milk. 

 

We went to Kean Svay Branch today. We visit three branches. Kean Svay is our branch that is the furthest from our home. It takes over 30 minutes by tuk tuk to get there. The branch members are great. Two young girls were baptized after the three hour block meetings. After the baptisms we went to the Elder's home to do their monthly inspection. 

Today was fast Sunday. Dale bore his testimony in khmae. He did well. I spoke in khmae to members before the meeting began. People are very kind as I attempt to communicate. I keep listening and studying and praying that I will have a break through in my understanding and speaking. During the week we are not  exposed to the language as we would like to be. It is pretty much Dale and I together. We do have students come in. Many speak broken English and we likewise speak broken khmae. As a result our sentence structure is weak.

Dale shared with me that in Priesthood today a discussion arose concerning Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;..

The discussion arose concerning the fact that some people have never experienced snow. It was brought up that in Africa instead of   "as white as snow" it was "as white as the inside of a coconut". It works!

Have a wonderful week.