Last weekend on Sunday, I attended the wedding of one of my Khmer co-workers, Teacher Kim. It was a traditional Cambodian wedding, from mid-afternoon until as late as you can go! It was similar to a Western-style wedding in a lot of ways, but, of course, strikingly different. The first difference I noticed was that guests pretty much showed up at any time they felt like it. Things picked up later in the evening for the ceremonies, but for the dinner, we arrived as we pleased and sat wherever we could salvage a chair in the outdoor, devilishly-hot tent on Teacher Kim's street. Another difference was that female guests wore whatever they pleased (except black, the only color off-limits). They wore dresses that were not concerned with taking attention away from the bride, were of a ridiculous array of colors, and of varying lengths, patterns, sequins, cuts, everything. And then, of course, there were the guests in the ubiquitous Khmer pajamas. I wore a more "Western-style" dress (read: sequin-free). The food was amazing and unlimited, as were the sodas and beers. Almost everyone I work with was there, including some of my students! It was fun to look nice at an event with my co-workers since I am usually at school in whatever clean clothes I can salvage, wearing no makeup and, of course, covered in sweat. My students were excited to see me outside of school.
The best part for me was realizing the similarities between "Western" weddings and Cambodian weddings. They are both simply expressions of love, family, wealth, joy, and culture. The bride looks stunning, the groom looks overwhelmed and shocked, and the parents look happy and proud. The guests look full, happy, and drunk. The ceremonies were confusing and came fast, but seemed similar to ours (as far as I could read them). The parents of the betrothed presented some sort of something--I think it was a fruit--the bride and groom walked in circles around a pile of fruit (okay maybe that one's not so similar), and walked through the crowd as we threw flower petals on them (as opposed to rice). Teacher Kim seemed so happy and deeply in love with her new husband, and it was so wonderful to be there to share it with all the people who know and love her!
I am happy to have experienced a Khmer wedding while I am here. It is not an event to be missed. I can't wait until my next one--a true Cambodian seems to attend one once a month (especially in December and January, lucky wedding months)!
Now, just working, working, working, trying desperately and inefficiently to plan the future, and getting ready for small and large trips ahead. Until then :)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Kep and Rabbit Island
Welcome back from a beautiful weekend at the beach! A couple of girlfriends and Mom and I all grabbed a taxi to Kep, a soon-to-be-completely-developed beach town two hours from Phnom Penh. It is heaven on Earth, an when the French were here, it was their resort town. Deserted colonial structures stand ominously amid shanties, reminding you of the Khmer Rouge's anti-Western path of destruction in the area just a few decades ago.
From our cute guesthouse, we hopped onto a wooden boat and floated to Rabbit Island, which locals say looks like a rabbit from above, although I really don't see it.... It was fairly deserted, except for the wealthy Khmer families on weekend holidays. One group decided to splash us while we were wading in the bay's clear water. Hilarious....
Doing absolutely nothing and laying in a hammock in the sun--perfect Saturday! On Sunday, today, we went to a Kampot pepper farm (Kampot is just around the corner, is a bigger beach and a little more developed and is my next destination!). We also saw some caves, weird statues, and got pedicures. In a nutshell, a fabulous weekend! It just felt so good to be near the water. Phnom Penh is the farthest I've ever lived away from the water and it wears on me. The water relaxes me. It's not the Pacific Ocean, but Kep's bay was wonderful. I loved watching little Khmer boys fly kites on the soft sand over a perfect sky and clear waters. Life doesn't get much better than that. And did I mention the crab?
From our cute guesthouse, we hopped onto a wooden boat and floated to Rabbit Island, which locals say looks like a rabbit from above, although I really don't see it.... It was fairly deserted, except for the wealthy Khmer families on weekend holidays. One group decided to splash us while we were wading in the bay's clear water. Hilarious....
Doing absolutely nothing and laying in a hammock in the sun--perfect Saturday! On Sunday, today, we went to a Kampot pepper farm (Kampot is just around the corner, is a bigger beach and a little more developed and is my next destination!). We also saw some caves, weird statues, and got pedicures. In a nutshell, a fabulous weekend! It just felt so good to be near the water. Phnom Penh is the farthest I've ever lived away from the water and it wears on me. The water relaxes me. It's not the Pacific Ocean, but Kep's bay was wonderful. I loved watching little Khmer boys fly kites on the soft sand over a perfect sky and clear waters. Life doesn't get much better than that. And did I mention the crab?
Monday, January 2, 2012
2012
Hellllooo all!
Just realized it's been almost a month since my last post... I have no idea where the time's gone. On that note, happy 2012! I know it is going to be a great year.
Right now I am just enjoying having my Mom visit me in Phnom Penh. She came mid-December and got to see my classroom, spend time at SFODA Orphanage, and see my house and every day life here. It is always incredible to see your life anew, from an outsider's point of view. It has only furthered my feelings of complete awe and confusion as to my life here in Phnom Penh. It's easy to become immune, to see extraordinary things as normal, here, but having a visitor reminds me to appreciate the bizarre aspects of life in Cambodia. I'm reading a great book, "Off The Rails in Phnom Penh," which was written back in 1998, but so far is an accurate portrayal of the normalcy of the abnormal of life in Cambodia.
But, ANYWAY, the Christmas party at Sacrifice Families and Orphan Development Association (SFODA), went amazingly well. We raised enough money to support a fantastic party. All the children had the best time! It was so wonderful to see them all so happy. Mom also brought a whole suitcase of clothing donations from various sources in Long Beach, so those items were also appreciated. SFODA has a facebook page which we are operating, so if you want to see photos from the Christmas party or any of our other events, check out the facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001951694077
Right after the party at SFODA, and numerous celebrations in my classroom, Mom, Shae and I jetted off to Bangkok, Thailand for our Christmas holidays! It was soooo amazing!!! The first thing I did when we landed in the Bangkok airport was, obviously, eat a Subway sandwich. It tasted exactly the same, in case you were wondering. Bangkok is everything Asia but with things like flush toilets, Subway, Starbucks, McDonalds, English speakers, and prices to boot. As much as it is crazy, overcrowded, and has traffic that makes LA traffic seem minor, I really enjoyed my time in Bangkok. I felt inspired to see busy, city people in their fashion and quick step. I really realized how much I miss that fast-paced, excited, inspiring albeit stressful, lifestyle. I also saw how much Phnom Penh, the capital, differs from Bangkok, Thailand's capital. How can two neighbors, of deeply similar cultures, differ so much? Well, I know the reasons, namely the country's respective histories, governments and leaders. But that is a whole other story.
After a Christmas filled with shopping, Tom Yum Kung (a spicy, sour shrimp soup that I ate literally every meal), and a movie (THE MOVIE THEATER IN THE MALL IN BANGKOK IS CINEMA HEAVEN OMG), we headed off to Chang Mai. Wait, let me go back and give the Pargaon Cineplex the praise and devotion it deserves... my goodness it is an entire floor of the mall! It has an IMAX screen! A "Popcorn Bar!" Everything is electronic, even the standees advertising movies! There is a convention center area inside the movie theater, which on Christmas hosted a dog show. And, the most interesting part, before every film, the National Anthem (along with highly-produced video clips) plays to honor the King. It was an experience that makes even a movie at the Arclight in Hollywood seem dull.
Anyway, we were off to Chang Mai in the North of Thailand. It was actually pretty cold and we got to see some other aspects of the culture, including exposure to different ethnic groups, a lot of the same groups who inhabit Laos and Burma as well. We, of course, shopped and ate our way through Chang Mai in the same manner we did in Bangkok! In Chang Mai we booked an elephant trek that took us to this elephant camp that rescues, cares for, and even trains elephants! It was surreal and beautiful. The elephants, many of whom have escaped elephant-work-factories or other mistreatments including drug-addiction, have been trained to perform in a wonderful show! They all smile wildly as they show their fans how they can dance, lie down, play musical instruments, shoot basketballs, kick soccer balls, and, most impressively PAINT! Suda, the elephant artiste, literally understands color and paints by her own free will, without vocal commands from her Thai trainer. She holds the paint brush in her trunk and paints what she feels. One of the volunteers at the camp told us that the other day she worked on a mural for four nights straight without any trainers guiding her. They knew she wasn't finished because she hadn't curtseyed, expecting her applause (she's quite the diva artist), but on the fourth day she finished her mural and curtseyed. It was astonishing and powerful and beautiful--an animal can express something through painting just the way a person can. I have pictures on my facebook of Suda's masterpiece. It was a wonderful day.
The next day we went zip-lining through the forest! It was so scary and fun! The forests are so green and the air was so clean--a far departure from Phnom Penh.... The rest of our time in Chang Mai was devoted to sleeping, resting, shopping, drinking and eating! The trip of a lifetime.
And who could forget a New Year's Eve spent on Koh San Road in Bangkok?! 2011 saw me graduate college after completing a senior thesis honors project. This year also brought me advancement in my writing, including the completion and even production of several plays. I visited Las Vegas multiple times and also went to London and all over Greece. Then, of course, I moved to Cambodia, where I've become a kindergarten teacher, directed a play, visited Laos and Angkor Wat and now Thailand. And I also turned 22. And then watched thousands of people scream and throw streamers in the air as we rolled in 2012. Not a bad year in the least. But, based on my New Year's Eve, and based on the way things went in 2011, 2012 will only be better. Sounds good.
Just realized it's been almost a month since my last post... I have no idea where the time's gone. On that note, happy 2012! I know it is going to be a great year.
Right now I am just enjoying having my Mom visit me in Phnom Penh. She came mid-December and got to see my classroom, spend time at SFODA Orphanage, and see my house and every day life here. It is always incredible to see your life anew, from an outsider's point of view. It has only furthered my feelings of complete awe and confusion as to my life here in Phnom Penh. It's easy to become immune, to see extraordinary things as normal, here, but having a visitor reminds me to appreciate the bizarre aspects of life in Cambodia. I'm reading a great book, "Off The Rails in Phnom Penh," which was written back in 1998, but so far is an accurate portrayal of the normalcy of the abnormal of life in Cambodia.
But, ANYWAY, the Christmas party at Sacrifice Families and Orphan Development Association (SFODA), went amazingly well. We raised enough money to support a fantastic party. All the children had the best time! It was so wonderful to see them all so happy. Mom also brought a whole suitcase of clothing donations from various sources in Long Beach, so those items were also appreciated. SFODA has a facebook page which we are operating, so if you want to see photos from the Christmas party or any of our other events, check out the facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001951694077
Right after the party at SFODA, and numerous celebrations in my classroom, Mom, Shae and I jetted off to Bangkok, Thailand for our Christmas holidays! It was soooo amazing!!! The first thing I did when we landed in the Bangkok airport was, obviously, eat a Subway sandwich. It tasted exactly the same, in case you were wondering. Bangkok is everything Asia but with things like flush toilets, Subway, Starbucks, McDonalds, English speakers, and prices to boot. As much as it is crazy, overcrowded, and has traffic that makes LA traffic seem minor, I really enjoyed my time in Bangkok. I felt inspired to see busy, city people in their fashion and quick step. I really realized how much I miss that fast-paced, excited, inspiring albeit stressful, lifestyle. I also saw how much Phnom Penh, the capital, differs from Bangkok, Thailand's capital. How can two neighbors, of deeply similar cultures, differ so much? Well, I know the reasons, namely the country's respective histories, governments and leaders. But that is a whole other story.
After a Christmas filled with shopping, Tom Yum Kung (a spicy, sour shrimp soup that I ate literally every meal), and a movie (THE MOVIE THEATER IN THE MALL IN BANGKOK IS CINEMA HEAVEN OMG), we headed off to Chang Mai. Wait, let me go back and give the Pargaon Cineplex the praise and devotion it deserves... my goodness it is an entire floor of the mall! It has an IMAX screen! A "Popcorn Bar!" Everything is electronic, even the standees advertising movies! There is a convention center area inside the movie theater, which on Christmas hosted a dog show. And, the most interesting part, before every film, the National Anthem (along with highly-produced video clips) plays to honor the King. It was an experience that makes even a movie at the Arclight in Hollywood seem dull.
Anyway, we were off to Chang Mai in the North of Thailand. It was actually pretty cold and we got to see some other aspects of the culture, including exposure to different ethnic groups, a lot of the same groups who inhabit Laos and Burma as well. We, of course, shopped and ate our way through Chang Mai in the same manner we did in Bangkok! In Chang Mai we booked an elephant trek that took us to this elephant camp that rescues, cares for, and even trains elephants! It was surreal and beautiful. The elephants, many of whom have escaped elephant-work-factories or other mistreatments including drug-addiction, have been trained to perform in a wonderful show! They all smile wildly as they show their fans how they can dance, lie down, play musical instruments, shoot basketballs, kick soccer balls, and, most impressively PAINT! Suda, the elephant artiste, literally understands color and paints by her own free will, without vocal commands from her Thai trainer. She holds the paint brush in her trunk and paints what she feels. One of the volunteers at the camp told us that the other day she worked on a mural for four nights straight without any trainers guiding her. They knew she wasn't finished because she hadn't curtseyed, expecting her applause (she's quite the diva artist), but on the fourth day she finished her mural and curtseyed. It was astonishing and powerful and beautiful--an animal can express something through painting just the way a person can. I have pictures on my facebook of Suda's masterpiece. It was a wonderful day.
The next day we went zip-lining through the forest! It was so scary and fun! The forests are so green and the air was so clean--a far departure from Phnom Penh.... The rest of our time in Chang Mai was devoted to sleeping, resting, shopping, drinking and eating! The trip of a lifetime.
And who could forget a New Year's Eve spent on Koh San Road in Bangkok?! 2011 saw me graduate college after completing a senior thesis honors project. This year also brought me advancement in my writing, including the completion and even production of several plays. I visited Las Vegas multiple times and also went to London and all over Greece. Then, of course, I moved to Cambodia, where I've become a kindergarten teacher, directed a play, visited Laos and Angkor Wat and now Thailand. And I also turned 22. And then watched thousands of people scream and throw streamers in the air as we rolled in 2012. Not a bad year in the least. But, based on my New Year's Eve, and based on the way things went in 2011, 2012 will only be better. Sounds good.
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