Hello everyone! It's been about a month since I've updated... I really don't know where time goes. It sounds so silly and cliche, but I really lose track of time out here like I never have before. Maybe the routine of a full-time, 7:45-4:30 job makes the time go faster, too.
Anyway, as I sit here thinking about what has happened since my last post, where I went to a Khmer wedding, I realize a lot has happened that I suppose is "blog-worthy."
Trips-wise, I have only done one quick weekend trip to Sihanoukville, the beach-resort-party town a few hours out of Phnom Penh. It is always a blast there. I miss the ocean so much here in the city. The riverfront is just not the same!
The big news is future-related. For the last few months, I've been trying to decide where to go next. My contract with my teaching job ends in September of this year. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go, or if I wanted to stay in Phnom Penh. I knew for sure that I didn't want to teach at my current school, but that was about the only thing I was sure of. Until, all of the sudden, it hit me what I should do. My friend Shae who I live with here in Cambodia is Australian, and she will be returning to Australia in September to study at university, and, now, I will be joining her and moving to Australia! She lives an hour out of Melborne, and has invited me to stay with her. I can easily get a work visa and work a job in the beach town she lives in. I'll probably work at a cafe or restaurant and begin my slow and painful return to the Western world. The minimum wage in Australia is quite good, so the plan is to lie on the beach and save money for a few months. After Christmas 2012, I shall finally finally make my way back to LA. I can officially announce this as more than just scheming because Shae and I booked a one-way ticket for September so I am sure leaving! We'll hit Bangkok and also Bali on our journey to Melborne. I am so beyond excited at the new adventures ahead. And now, with a solid plan and a flight booked, I can bask in the beauty around me here in Cambodia. I've got a lot to do before that September flight.
This weekend has been a blast because I got to visit with an old friend. At my high school we had Japanese exchange students, and, after they studied with us at RHP and then went home, I was able to meet up with 2 of them back in 2007 when I went to Tokyo. This past weekend, one of the girls was backpacking through Southeast Asia. Luckily I saw a post of hers on facebook and we were able to meet up while she was in Phnom Penh! She stayed with me and I got to show her our "expat way of life." I was so happy to share this city with her. For most tourists, Phnom Penh is either really great, or a place they can't wait to leave. I'm always glad to convince another visitor that this is a great, relaxing, crazy, and just altogether amazing city.
I think that's all for now, although that was quite a bit, wasn't it?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Khmer Wedding
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 :)
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 :)
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.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Good Luck
So today, a Saturday, I woke up early (I think it might be the first Saturday morning I've seen since I landed in Cambodia) and hit the Russian Market. I'd never been there early on a Saturday morning, and it was amazing! This city is so full of life so early!
Anyway, I had a list of things I needed to buy, and quickly, as I had somewhere to be at noon. It always takes sooo long to find things and buy things in the Russian Market so I was hoping to be able to purchase everything on my list in an hour or two. The Russian Market seems impossibly crowded, impossibly confusing, impossibly hot. Every shop looks the same, you can literally get lost inside of it, and the smell itself is enough to make the strongest shopper turn around and head for the relative comfort of Central Market. So no matter where I am dropped off at the Russian Market, I always try and find my way to my DVD shop. It is my home base and frame of reference. If I can find this one particular shop, I feel okay. I feel comforted in a way, every time I see this shop. Maybe it's because my first week here, waaaaay back in August--which feels like years ago--this DVD shop became the first place in Phnom Penh that I felt sane, helped, and even happy.
I was completely lost in the Russian Market that Saturday in August so long passed, and I stumbled upon this DVD shop. The girl working was about my age, and I had just had a near mental and emotional breakdown, trapped inside the sweltering heat and confusing aisles of the market. I saw this girl who looked so friendly and just told her everything. I told her I didn't know where I was, had just got here, and I didn't have any money on me. She helped me find an ATM, sold me the complete series of Mad Men, and just listened to me. She was one of the first people here I felt was my friend. Now, I will never buy a DVD anywhere else. I just look for that shop and feel like things will be okay.
Today I needed Christmas music for my students. (We're having a Christmas recital and they are going to sing and dance to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.") I went to my DVD shop, which also sells CDs. I told the girl working, my friend, that Mom will be here to visit me in a few days, and she was so happy for me. She asked me how long I had been here now and could not believe it was almost 5 months! She said she remembered that first time I walked into her shop, anxious, scared and terribly confused. I said I remembered that day, too. She pulled up the various new releases I had requested last time I visited the shop and put them in a bag for me. She remembered every DVD I asked for, (movies still in the theaters in the US), and has even started to suggest titles she thinks I would like! Even though in all reality I am just a customer, she and I are friends. She could not possibly know what she did for me that day in August. The good luck and blessings I feel at that shop put me in a great place, and I went on to make a new friend at a shop around the corner. The woman working there ran around collecting things for me, and even added that she was so happy to help me because she'd seen me before and I was always so friendly. I actually don't think anyone has every called me "friendly" before (probably because in the US, I'm NOT). Another girl at a different shop gave me the price I asked for on a small bracelet without contesting or bargaining simply because, as she put it, I was her first customer and we will give each other good luck today. I left the Russian Market in under thirty minutes, having purchased everything on my shopping list, having seen an old friend and having made two new ones.
I need that good luck. We've got two more performances tonight of the Christmas pantomime (I am co-director) with the Phnom Penh Players. Have I conquered Phnom Penh? Not entirely. But I will happily give myself the small victories of successful market shopping, making friends, doing theater here, and being open to new people.
Anyway, I had a list of things I needed to buy, and quickly, as I had somewhere to be at noon. It always takes sooo long to find things and buy things in the Russian Market so I was hoping to be able to purchase everything on my list in an hour or two. The Russian Market seems impossibly crowded, impossibly confusing, impossibly hot. Every shop looks the same, you can literally get lost inside of it, and the smell itself is enough to make the strongest shopper turn around and head for the relative comfort of Central Market. So no matter where I am dropped off at the Russian Market, I always try and find my way to my DVD shop. It is my home base and frame of reference. If I can find this one particular shop, I feel okay. I feel comforted in a way, every time I see this shop. Maybe it's because my first week here, waaaaay back in August--which feels like years ago--this DVD shop became the first place in Phnom Penh that I felt sane, helped, and even happy.
I was completely lost in the Russian Market that Saturday in August so long passed, and I stumbled upon this DVD shop. The girl working was about my age, and I had just had a near mental and emotional breakdown, trapped inside the sweltering heat and confusing aisles of the market. I saw this girl who looked so friendly and just told her everything. I told her I didn't know where I was, had just got here, and I didn't have any money on me. She helped me find an ATM, sold me the complete series of Mad Men, and just listened to me. She was one of the first people here I felt was my friend. Now, I will never buy a DVD anywhere else. I just look for that shop and feel like things will be okay.
Today I needed Christmas music for my students. (We're having a Christmas recital and they are going to sing and dance to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.") I went to my DVD shop, which also sells CDs. I told the girl working, my friend, that Mom will be here to visit me in a few days, and she was so happy for me. She asked me how long I had been here now and could not believe it was almost 5 months! She said she remembered that first time I walked into her shop, anxious, scared and terribly confused. I said I remembered that day, too. She pulled up the various new releases I had requested last time I visited the shop and put them in a bag for me. She remembered every DVD I asked for, (movies still in the theaters in the US), and has even started to suggest titles she thinks I would like! Even though in all reality I am just a customer, she and I are friends. She could not possibly know what she did for me that day in August. The good luck and blessings I feel at that shop put me in a great place, and I went on to make a new friend at a shop around the corner. The woman working there ran around collecting things for me, and even added that she was so happy to help me because she'd seen me before and I was always so friendly. I actually don't think anyone has every called me "friendly" before (probably because in the US, I'm NOT). Another girl at a different shop gave me the price I asked for on a small bracelet without contesting or bargaining simply because, as she put it, I was her first customer and we will give each other good luck today. I left the Russian Market in under thirty minutes, having purchased everything on my shopping list, having seen an old friend and having made two new ones.
I need that good luck. We've got two more performances tonight of the Christmas pantomime (I am co-director) with the Phnom Penh Players. Have I conquered Phnom Penh? Not entirely. But I will happily give myself the small victories of successful market shopping, making friends, doing theater here, and being open to new people.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thanksgiving Thoughts...
Happy almost-Thanksgiving, everyone! I suppose that is the theme of this entry...
It’s been a bit of time since my last update; these things just aren’t coming as easily as they once did. It’s hard to write about what you cannot accurately explain, even to yourself. And that is my life in Cambodia… hard to explain even to myself. The best way I am able to understand it right now is… I love Phnom Penh, somehow. Somehow I am able to love everything about this place. There is just something about this city and I grow to love it more and more each day. Each second, actually. Each day here seems to be better than the last. So I guess I can write about that, but that just seems like some sort of sickening exploration of personal joy, and who the hells wants to read a long blog entry about someone’s happiness?! It’s so much more interesting when things go wrong, isn’t it? Well, as I sit here and write that, I have to realize that nearly EVERYTHING goes wrong all the time here! It’s difficult and hilarious to complete even the simplest tasks, like visiting an ATM or getting a cup of coffee. But the weirdest situations slowly become… normal. Life in Cambodia is just Life now. So that might be why it’s hard to write about it. I am reluctant to simply share my life via my blog when, to me, things are routine here.
That being said, I suppose I can update a little bit on the actual goings on around here. The Water Festival has come and passed. I didn’t catch much of it as I was sick with a nasty cold in bed most of the week, but what I did see was a scaled down version of what was once the second-most exciting time of the year in Cambodia (the first being Khmer New Year in April). Last year at the Water Festival (held every year in November), several hundred people died in a stampede. Add that element in with the highest waters Cambodia has seen in ten years, and the Prime Minister had due cause to cancel the boat races down the Mekong this year. So, because of the cancelation of the races, and because of the tragedy of last year, far less people descended unto Phnom Penh than in normal years.
School is going better, which I suppose is relative given how bad it really was in the beginning. My boss said, point-blank, she was “surprised I hadn’t quit yet,” given I am a new teacher and have the “worst class she’s ever seen in seven years teaching in Cambodia.” The principal of the school refers to my students as the “insane asylum children.” I wish I were making this up. But after a month of absolute hell, my kids are slowly realizing I am NOT someone to be messed with or ignored. They are coming around, beginning to listen in class, and are even… sort of… growing on me. ☺
My work with the theater group the Phnom Penh Players is going well. Our Christmas pantomime family show, which I co-directed, is going up at a local venue in a few weeks. It is weird to be a bit less involved in production, namely, working as solely co-director, not writer, director, producer, promoter, actor, etc, etc, of a work. I can’t complain too much, it is a fun show and I’m looking forward to the week of production. Hopefully I can get my own work up through the Phnom Penh Players later this year. We shall see where this road takes me!
I have mentioned before in this blog that I had been going out at least once a week to an orphanage in the city to volunteer. Well my roommate, Shae, who introduced me to SFODA (Sacrifice Families and Orphan Development Association), has been going out there to volunteer for over a year, and because of her long hours and our collective interest in the organization, the Chief of Child Care offered us last week a voluntary position of the board of directors for the orphanage! We are officially going to be helping the orphans find sponsors to provide medical care (many of the children are HIV positive), school supplies, and adequate food. We will also attend board meetings to make sure we feel SFODA’s (and the children’s) needs are met. I am so honored to be a part of this organization. I am so happy to be actively helping something, someone, a whole group of people! It isn’t often we can ACTUALLY be helping people directly, is it? Or maybe it is, or it should be, I’ve just never experienced it so directly before. The eight-year-old girl I’m closest with, Sabath, officially has a sponsor as of today… ME! She is an angel with the curliest hair I’ve ever seen on an Asian person! I am so humbled and excited to be able to help her on her journey… And, as I said earlier, who knows where this road can take me? I know that I will be involved with SFODA for the rest of my life now. It is a beautiful thing to commit to something like that. I realize I’ve never committed to something for essentially my whole life… WOW….
As I bask in this thought, I’ll sign off with thoughts and wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in America. I’ll be doing it Phnom Penh style. I pray I can find some decent pumpkin pie in this crazy city. I certainly have a great deal to be thankful for. I am thankful every time I dodge a near-moto accident. I am thankful every time I am able to play with the children at SFODA, and, although my students are in a completely different world than the orphans at SFODA, I am, in turn, thankful to spend time with them as well. I am thankful to have graduated from one of the best universities in the world. I am thankful to be American and to be a native English speaker. I am thankful for my family and friends, here and abroad. And I’m so thankful that I get to travel! And to do, right now, exactly, literally, completely what I want to be doing. Without doubt or hesitation.
I’ll be back with more, probably after another stint in Siem Reap for the annual Angkor Marathon. No, don’t worry, I will NOT be running, I’ll be cheering on the sidelines, sitting in the shade, with a cold beer in hand. And I’ll be avoiding the temples and the markets and simply basking in this glorious country I am so fortunate to live in. A few more weeks until Mom joins me! Really, seriously, so many things to be thankful for and to look forward to! Until then… ☺
It’s been a bit of time since my last update; these things just aren’t coming as easily as they once did. It’s hard to write about what you cannot accurately explain, even to yourself. And that is my life in Cambodia… hard to explain even to myself. The best way I am able to understand it right now is… I love Phnom Penh, somehow. Somehow I am able to love everything about this place. There is just something about this city and I grow to love it more and more each day. Each second, actually. Each day here seems to be better than the last. So I guess I can write about that, but that just seems like some sort of sickening exploration of personal joy, and who the hells wants to read a long blog entry about someone’s happiness?! It’s so much more interesting when things go wrong, isn’t it? Well, as I sit here and write that, I have to realize that nearly EVERYTHING goes wrong all the time here! It’s difficult and hilarious to complete even the simplest tasks, like visiting an ATM or getting a cup of coffee. But the weirdest situations slowly become… normal. Life in Cambodia is just Life now. So that might be why it’s hard to write about it. I am reluctant to simply share my life via my blog when, to me, things are routine here.
That being said, I suppose I can update a little bit on the actual goings on around here. The Water Festival has come and passed. I didn’t catch much of it as I was sick with a nasty cold in bed most of the week, but what I did see was a scaled down version of what was once the second-most exciting time of the year in Cambodia (the first being Khmer New Year in April). Last year at the Water Festival (held every year in November), several hundred people died in a stampede. Add that element in with the highest waters Cambodia has seen in ten years, and the Prime Minister had due cause to cancel the boat races down the Mekong this year. So, because of the cancelation of the races, and because of the tragedy of last year, far less people descended unto Phnom Penh than in normal years.
School is going better, which I suppose is relative given how bad it really was in the beginning. My boss said, point-blank, she was “surprised I hadn’t quit yet,” given I am a new teacher and have the “worst class she’s ever seen in seven years teaching in Cambodia.” The principal of the school refers to my students as the “insane asylum children.” I wish I were making this up. But after a month of absolute hell, my kids are slowly realizing I am NOT someone to be messed with or ignored. They are coming around, beginning to listen in class, and are even… sort of… growing on me. ☺
My work with the theater group the Phnom Penh Players is going well. Our Christmas pantomime family show, which I co-directed, is going up at a local venue in a few weeks. It is weird to be a bit less involved in production, namely, working as solely co-director, not writer, director, producer, promoter, actor, etc, etc, of a work. I can’t complain too much, it is a fun show and I’m looking forward to the week of production. Hopefully I can get my own work up through the Phnom Penh Players later this year. We shall see where this road takes me!
I have mentioned before in this blog that I had been going out at least once a week to an orphanage in the city to volunteer. Well my roommate, Shae, who introduced me to SFODA (Sacrifice Families and Orphan Development Association), has been going out there to volunteer for over a year, and because of her long hours and our collective interest in the organization, the Chief of Child Care offered us last week a voluntary position of the board of directors for the orphanage! We are officially going to be helping the orphans find sponsors to provide medical care (many of the children are HIV positive), school supplies, and adequate food. We will also attend board meetings to make sure we feel SFODA’s (and the children’s) needs are met. I am so honored to be a part of this organization. I am so happy to be actively helping something, someone, a whole group of people! It isn’t often we can ACTUALLY be helping people directly, is it? Or maybe it is, or it should be, I’ve just never experienced it so directly before. The eight-year-old girl I’m closest with, Sabath, officially has a sponsor as of today… ME! She is an angel with the curliest hair I’ve ever seen on an Asian person! I am so humbled and excited to be able to help her on her journey… And, as I said earlier, who knows where this road can take me? I know that I will be involved with SFODA for the rest of my life now. It is a beautiful thing to commit to something like that. I realize I’ve never committed to something for essentially my whole life… WOW….
As I bask in this thought, I’ll sign off with thoughts and wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in America. I’ll be doing it Phnom Penh style. I pray I can find some decent pumpkin pie in this crazy city. I certainly have a great deal to be thankful for. I am thankful every time I dodge a near-moto accident. I am thankful every time I am able to play with the children at SFODA, and, although my students are in a completely different world than the orphans at SFODA, I am, in turn, thankful to spend time with them as well. I am thankful to have graduated from one of the best universities in the world. I am thankful to be American and to be a native English speaker. I am thankful for my family and friends, here and abroad. And I’m so thankful that I get to travel! And to do, right now, exactly, literally, completely what I want to be doing. Without doubt or hesitation.
I’ll be back with more, probably after another stint in Siem Reap for the annual Angkor Marathon. No, don’t worry, I will NOT be running, I’ll be cheering on the sidelines, sitting in the shade, with a cold beer in hand. And I’ll be avoiding the temples and the markets and simply basking in this glorious country I am so fortunate to live in. A few more weeks until Mom joins me! Really, seriously, so many things to be thankful for and to look forward to! Until then… ☺
Friday, November 4, 2011
Siem Reap
Hello everyone!
Latest update will be about my trip to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. I decided to do this entry in the form of a "Best Of" List. Hope you enjoy!
Best Of: Siem Reap/Angkor Wat Edition.
Best Market: Night Market!!! OMG! The markets there are sooo much nicer than the markets here in Phnom Penh. The aisles are wider, there are fans and ventilation, and the markets are way cleaner. Siem Reap is set up for tourists there in a way Phnom Penh has yet to figure out. The Old Market was fun but I really like the Night Market because it had a cool vibe--like it was a place to hang out or something (unlike the Russian Market here where you want to leave as soon as possible...) Needless to say, serious shopping was had!
Best Sunrise: Angkor Wat, duh! It was amazing. I am continually surprised by my ability to be continually surprised in this country. Things have happened here that make me think, "Well, now NOTHING will surprise me after that." But then, always, things STILL manage to make my jaw drop and take my breath away. Watching the sun peak behind the clouds over the largest religious monument in the entire world was for sure a take-your-breath-away type moment. Even though you go into something like that thinking you know it will be amazing, it is always even better than your mind can possibly imagine.
Best Wat: My favorite was Bantry Srei. It was way off the beaten path, but we made sure to get out to see the "Temple of Women." It is a super small temple that is known for it's detail. The entire wat, which is literally a miniature wat, was covered completely in scenes and stories, figures and gods. I have never seen something so complex and wonderful.
Best Tuk Tuk: Any tuk tuk that wasn't the one we were riding in around the temples! It was literally the smallest tuk tuk I have ever been in, and with four people who are large by Asian standards (read: Western), we were so cramped! Our knees were touching when we were all sitting.
Best Elephant: The one we rode up to the top of a mountain to watch the sunset over all the temples! What a ride! The beast was precariously close to the trail's edge and I was terrified the entire time, but it was sooo fun and surreal to be atop an elephant! One of the things on my list was to ride an elephant--another activity to cross of my list as accomplished! :)
Best Guesthouse: Angkor Friendship Inn was where we stayed and I highly recommend it. It was clean and friendly and even had a pool! It was cheap too for what it offered (breakfast included, internet, swimming pool).
Best Nightlife: Pub Street!!!!! So much fun. It was like Del Playa in IV or something like it... I wish 51 in Phnom Penh was even half of the scene in Siem Reap. But, it's just another excuse to visit I suppose! I was happy to see people dressed up on Pub Street for Halloween. Made me a little homesick for IV Halloween.....
Best Trip: This one of course! It feels amazing to go somewhere that you have only seen in pictures. To imagine what it will be like to go somewhere and then ACTUALLY GO THERE. To live one of your dreams. It's surreal and I feel so blessed to be able to have access to such beauty in the country I live. And to be living here. Things are changing in Angkor Wat; there are signs labeled "Do Not Touch," ropes, and even guard rails on some of the stairs. I can't even imagine how much this country will change in the next 5, 10, 15, 50 years. I am proud to be here on the cusp, in the middle, of change and modernization. I am just so happy to be here, even though America is always in the back of my mind.
Best Ending to a Trip: It was King Sihanouk's 90th birthday the day we got back into the city, and as we ate at one of my favorite restaurants, fireworks went off over the river. What a place to be, Cambodia.
I'll update soon. The Water Festival holiday is coming up, but I plan to stay in the Penh and actually have a holiday where I relax and explore this city a bit more. And the next holiday after that: Bangkok with Mom and Shae! I cannot even wait!!!!!!!
Latest update will be about my trip to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. I decided to do this entry in the form of a "Best Of" List. Hope you enjoy!
Best Of: Siem Reap/Angkor Wat Edition.
Best Market: Night Market!!! OMG! The markets there are sooo much nicer than the markets here in Phnom Penh. The aisles are wider, there are fans and ventilation, and the markets are way cleaner. Siem Reap is set up for tourists there in a way Phnom Penh has yet to figure out. The Old Market was fun but I really like the Night Market because it had a cool vibe--like it was a place to hang out or something (unlike the Russian Market here where you want to leave as soon as possible...) Needless to say, serious shopping was had!
Best Sunrise: Angkor Wat, duh! It was amazing. I am continually surprised by my ability to be continually surprised in this country. Things have happened here that make me think, "Well, now NOTHING will surprise me after that." But then, always, things STILL manage to make my jaw drop and take my breath away. Watching the sun peak behind the clouds over the largest religious monument in the entire world was for sure a take-your-breath-away type moment. Even though you go into something like that thinking you know it will be amazing, it is always even better than your mind can possibly imagine.
Best Wat: My favorite was Bantry Srei. It was way off the beaten path, but we made sure to get out to see the "Temple of Women." It is a super small temple that is known for it's detail. The entire wat, which is literally a miniature wat, was covered completely in scenes and stories, figures and gods. I have never seen something so complex and wonderful.
Best Tuk Tuk: Any tuk tuk that wasn't the one we were riding in around the temples! It was literally the smallest tuk tuk I have ever been in, and with four people who are large by Asian standards (read: Western), we were so cramped! Our knees were touching when we were all sitting.
Best Elephant: The one we rode up to the top of a mountain to watch the sunset over all the temples! What a ride! The beast was precariously close to the trail's edge and I was terrified the entire time, but it was sooo fun and surreal to be atop an elephant! One of the things on my list was to ride an elephant--another activity to cross of my list as accomplished! :)
Best Guesthouse: Angkor Friendship Inn was where we stayed and I highly recommend it. It was clean and friendly and even had a pool! It was cheap too for what it offered (breakfast included, internet, swimming pool).
Best Nightlife: Pub Street!!!!! So much fun. It was like Del Playa in IV or something like it... I wish 51 in Phnom Penh was even half of the scene in Siem Reap. But, it's just another excuse to visit I suppose! I was happy to see people dressed up on Pub Street for Halloween. Made me a little homesick for IV Halloween.....
Best Trip: This one of course! It feels amazing to go somewhere that you have only seen in pictures. To imagine what it will be like to go somewhere and then ACTUALLY GO THERE. To live one of your dreams. It's surreal and I feel so blessed to be able to have access to such beauty in the country I live. And to be living here. Things are changing in Angkor Wat; there are signs labeled "Do Not Touch," ropes, and even guard rails on some of the stairs. I can't even imagine how much this country will change in the next 5, 10, 15, 50 years. I am proud to be here on the cusp, in the middle, of change and modernization. I am just so happy to be here, even though America is always in the back of my mind.
Best Ending to a Trip: It was King Sihanouk's 90th birthday the day we got back into the city, and as we ate at one of my favorite restaurants, fireworks went off over the river. What a place to be, Cambodia.
I'll update soon. The Water Festival holiday is coming up, but I plan to stay in the Penh and actually have a holiday where I relax and explore this city a bit more. And the next holiday after that: Bangkok with Mom and Shae! I cannot even wait!!!!!!!
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