“When Angkorian society began, Paris and London were not much more than elaborate villages. Europe was crawling with barbarians, and here were the Khmer engineering sophisticated irrigation systems and constructing the biggest temple in the world.”
― Kim Fay, The Map of Lost Memories

HELLO

  My name is Lou Cappiello and i would like to welcome you to the Blog site and the team for the March 2014 Habitat for Humanity build in Siem Reap Cambodia. Cambodia is a land of enchantment and magic,beauty and hardship. I have come to both know and love Her people

  This will be my first Habitat for Humanity trip as a team leader.  I have participated in three previous Habitat builds two in Cambodia and one in Vietnam over the previous three years. Since 2006 I have participated in over 10 medical mission trips to both Cambodia and Vietnam working with an organization called Vets With a Mission (vwam.org) .

  I live in northern Maine with my wife Connie and work as a Pharmacist at a medical center nearby.

  I look forward to meeting and working with all of you and experiencing the beauty of this fascinating country and the warmth of its people.

WELCOME TO THE BLOG SITE FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BUILD IN SEIM REAP CAMBODIA MARCH 2014

TORIN WONG

Hi everybody my name is Torin Wong. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California and have been a NorCal native all my life having attended college at the University of California, Davis. This will be my first trip to Southeast Asia and my first volunteer experience with Habitat Int'l. I've worked in Finance for the past 6 years and this trip will be the beginning of a break in my career to do some long awaited traveling. Some of my interests include motorcycles, sports (go Niners!), going to concerts, and volunteering. I can't wait to meet you all and it looks like we have a great group of volunteers. Safe travels!

THOMAS SMITH

Hello, my name is Tom Smith and I live in the Simi Valley, CA, which is just outside of Los Angeles.  I’m semi-retired having worked in the motion picture industry for the last 25 years doing visual effects.  Originally from Michigan, I studied photography and printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute and lived in the Bay Area for 14 years prior to moving to LA.

I have traveled through Southeast Asia and Europe but this will be my first visit to Cambodia and also my first HFH build internationally.  I look forward to meeting all of you and getting my hands dirty.

CRISTAL DRAKE

I was bit by the Habitat bug on my first build in Brazil in the summer of 2011 but when I went to Thailand in January of 2013 for my second build, I fell in love with the area. I am so excited to be a part of an amazing team in Cambodia and am looking forward to working hard, meeting new people and making a little difference. I am a Realtor® from Fullerton, CA loves enjoys travel, people that inspire me, awesome friends, my amazing husband and son and learning more about the world we all share.

CHARLES KEEPING

Hello. My name is Charles Keeping and I live in Winnipeg, Canada. I have been married to my wife, Carol, for 18 years and we have an amazing nine year old daughter. I am an independent software consultant and have worked in numerous locations in Canada, the United States and Europe. I am an easy to get along with and I enjoy a good laugh. I love photography, jogging and hockey (maybe that is implied because I am Canadian).

Second only to my family is my love of traveling and exploring the world. I travel every chance I get; often solo. In the last few years I have developed a goal to see the world wonders. So far I have made my way to The Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal. It was during my trip to China in 2012 that I first made by way to Cambodia to see the Angkor temples. Spending only a total of two days in Cambodia, I realized I had short changed myself, and Cambodia, as it was the highlight of my entire trip. It was this experience that now drives me to return to Cambodia through Global Village to do what I can to help its families and children.

JULIE LE

 Julie Le, 30, female, Born in nha trang, vn. Moved to fort smith Arkansas when I was 9 &1/2 with my parents & siblings. They moved to us to Tacoma, Renton, & Seattle after that. Always been trying to search for my purpose in life. Haven't found it yet but hopefully soon. 

JIM AND MARCY GRAY

 

We are Jim and Marcy Gray, originally from Iowa, but for the last 20 years, we call NE Colorado "home."  Retiring in 2004,  we spend the winter in Arizona with time for traveling, and summers in Colorado.  Life is good.

 

Our overseas adventures include London and Europe, Sydney and Tasmania, Australia, New Zealand, and SE Asia.  This will be our third trip to Asia, but our first time in Cambodia.  Since we love this area, we will be traveling and trekking in Thailand and Laos February into March, and then exploring Cambodia prior to and after the build.  This will be our first experience with Habitat for Humanity, and we're very excited to participate. 

 

Looking forward to meeting everyone.  Safe travels all........  

 

TINA WHEELER

My name is Tina, and I have spent many years living in Germany, Africa, and England, but I have called Virginia my home for the past 25+ years. I work in IT and am currently pursuing an IT degree. I have 2 rescue dogs that I adopted from shelters. I have traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia, and have lead or participated in Global Village builds in Mongolia, South Dakota, Egypt, and Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand, I also participated in a conservation effort in Machu Picchu, Peru....which was amazing.

I fell in love with Cambodia and the people on an HFH build in Phnom Penh a few years ago, I'm so excited to get the opportunity to go back. I can't wait to meet everyone on our team, the local staff, skilled construction workers, and our family/ community that we will be working with. See you all in Siem Reap!

RATHNA RAO 

Hello Everyone!  My name is Rathna and live and work in Silicon Valley, California.  I have been on two Global Village builds in New Zealand and Argentina and have enjoyed those experiences a great deal.  I have not been to Cambodia and look forward to building with all of you, as well as exploring Angor Wat and the local color in Siem Reap.  See you in late March!

 

 

 

LANDON WALLER

I have lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area all of my life. For the past several years I have worked as a tax accountant and previously I worked in the mutual fund industry. I have participated in several Global Village trips and I have loved each one of them. My interests include, watching documentaries, boxing, watching ultimate fighting, and hanging out with my little brother from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. I am very excited about this trip to Cambodia and to meeting and working with all of you.

JOHN SNYDER

Greeting fellow team members. Until recently, I would have said I was representing the beautiful Pacific Northwest, having been born and raised in Spokane, Washington, graduated from Washington State University (go Cougs) and living in Portland, Oregon for 37 years. That’s now changed, after working at the same company (a national mail order firm) for 36 of those years, in several different positions (copywriter, Creative Services Director, and finally Print & Production Director), I recently opted for an early retirement in June 2012 and moved to the beautiful blue skies and sunshine of Placitas, New Mexico (just north of Albuquerque). This will be my ninth Global Village trip, having participated in builds in Honduras, New Zealand, southern Thailand (Phuket and Rayong), northern Thailand three times (Chiang Mai) and soon Nicaragua (in Nov. 2013). Another volunteer adventure from my past included an Earthwatch Expedition to Barbados to work with sea turtles (which was amazing!). I appreciate the great outdoors, having climbed all the major Northwest peaks in my younger years, and I always look forward to ski season. Aside from trying to do a Global Village build at least once or twice a year, I love to travel for pleasure as well, usually taking an annual trip to somewhere in Europe, although I’ve now come to appreciate the convenience of cruises, having done Alaska, Mexico, the eastern and western Mediterranean, the Baltic and Panama Canal. I’m looking forward to yet another rewarding trip to Cambodia and working with a great group of like-minded and fun people.