Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hello all! Updates on my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We found out we had two days off of work for International Women's Day so right away we tried to see where we could fly to cheaply! The final selection: Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

Shae, Leigh and I headed out last Thursday and wound up in an amazing, contrasting, bustling but pretty relaxed city! After a quick flight from Phnom Penh, we arrived at our charming guesthouse. It was really more like a house with guest rooms and it made the experience so wonderful! We shopped and explored the city. To have malls! And Starbucks! It was nice to treat ourselves to the comforts of home.

Friday we headed out early to explore Chinatown, which looked a lot like any Chinatown and a lot like any market, but was enjoyable all the same. We also saw the twin Petronas Towers, which used to be the tallest structures in the world, apparently. And now, of course, a massive mall is situated between them. Needless to say, we explored the area closely ;)

Friday night we met up with a friend of Shae's who is Malaysian and lives in KL (Kuala Lumpur). She took us out and showed us some good nightlife! They have amazing clubs and bars in KL! It was so much fun to be in a big, busy, exciting city at night.

After a late night and sleeping in late, we trudged over to the oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur. It was quite the experience. We had to wear the robe and full head covering to enter the grounds. At first we felt silly, and then just unbearably warm in the hot, humid climate. Then we sort of accepted we were wearing it. The I guess interesting part of wearing the clothing was taking it off as we were leaving the mosque. In my jeans and tank top, I suddenly felt entirely exposed. It was a strange and jarring feeling.

We cut over to the National Mosque for another round of sweating in borrowed robes and headdresses. The architecture inside the prayer room (which we could see but could not go inside) was stunning. Then we met our friend from Cambodia who is studying abroad in Malaysia for dinner. Korean BBQ! KL has amazinggggg food!!!!

And today, Monday, we left. It was a fabulous trip full of already priceless memories. I would for sure go back to Malaysia. The people were friendly, the city was easy and fairly clean, and we had a blast. I could not have asked for a better trip.

Through all the trials of living here in Cambodia, and through all the times I have questioned choices I have made and my surroundings, I have to say, I truly feel like I am living a fantasy dream life. In what life but a dream life is one able to send one's self around the world by plane on a whim because of a work holiday? No stress, no obligations, no doubts, just get on the plane. What life is that? I guess it is mine. And even in this awful heat and tiring job, I know deep down I can't complain. I am 22 and am seeing the world.

One month until Burma with Mom!!! Really, is this my life?! Happy right now. Tired but happy.

Until next time homies :)

Singapore!

Hello all! Lots to update! I just got back from four days in Singapore. I gave myself a holiday and took two days off of work. I visited my friend Chris, who is Singaporean and last year studied abroad at UCSB. He is also a theater major and we met in a playwriting seminar last year. It was so amazing to experience life through someone who lives there. It is always a better experience to visit a new city or country with someone who is resides there. Anyway, so I don't carry on, waxing poetic about a city-state that has quickly risen to my list of favorite places I've ever been, I'll outline what I did during my jam-packed trip:

Thursday:
I arrived in Singapore late Thursday night after work. I checked into my nice hostel and caught up with Chris.

Friday:
Chris was a bit busy during the day, so, with his crucially clear instructions, I explored a bit of the city on my own. First stop, of course, McDonalds, Starbucks, and Forever 21. The comforts of home!!!!! After some shopping, I headed to the gorgeous Botanic Gardens. Singapore is pristine, and the gardens were a perfect example of the order and beauty of this place. I was able to ride the MRT trains around easily. Singapore might be one of the easiest places to navigate that I've ever been to. Signs and clear instructions are everywhere! There is such a sense of order to this city. I responded openly to this, given the complete lack of order in my current residence, Phnom Penh!

After the gardens, Chris and I met up and I went with him to a cold reading of a new play by a Singaporean playwriting student. Theater people! So nice to be around my people ;) After the reading and discussions, we went out for drinks and clubbing! A real night life with current music! Oh, Phnom Penh, you try so hard, but I'd forgotten how a "real" bar or nightclub can be. I also forgot how expensive everything is, especially drinks! No 50cent beers to be had here. Hmm... maybe Phnom Penh has something going for it in that sense!

Saturday:
Despite a late night Friday, Saturday we were up and moving right away. I made my way on the train out to Chris' neighborhood and was able to see his family's home and eat at a local breakfast place. Then, we headed back into the proper city and I saw the National Library. We then saw a movie with one of Chris' friends. A real cinema that was playing current movies that weren't all just blockbusters! Quite exciting for me! I watched "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," which was spectacular.

Next, I was lucky enough to join Chris at a rehearsal for an upcoming performance he is involved with. Everyone I met was so welcoming and excited. Despite the fast-paced, rushed, even, pace of the city, I did not find the people rude, dismissive, or rushed in their interactions with me. A rare aspect to an international city!

The day seemed to go and go and go! We rushed off to a play at the Singapore Fringe Festival. It was a German play performed by a Russian company. The play was called, "At the Ark at Eight." We were beyond tired after our busy day and headed home.

Sunday: On Sunday we headed to the Skypark. The Skypark is a... structure that looks like a ship or spaceship sitting on top of three tours. For a fee, you can go up and walk around an observation deck. What's really crazy about this view is the deck is open-air, so you sort of feel like you're just... in the sky. It was surreal to say the least. After some window shopping, we headed to the HIGHLIGHT of my trip, seeing the musical "Wicked." It was the Australian production of the Broadway musical. It was divine. I said I wouldn't wax poetic, right? I'll leave it at divine. Thrilling. Wonderful.

Then, we headed to a delicious Thai food dinner with some of Chris' friends. After some relaxing and chatting, it was time to head home to my hostel. I wasn't ready for my last day to end!

Monday:
Today, Monday, Chris escorted me to the airport for my quick flight home to Phnom Penh. I usually feel bittersweet at the end of a trip; not wanting to leave, but at the same time, ready to go home. This time, this was simply not the case. I didn't want to leave at all! I already have a list going of all the sights to see on my next trip over there. I sort of fell in love with the place! The food, the people, life, civilization, culture, need I say more? It made me miss the "life" I suppose you could say I "left behind" when I came to Cambodia. I am going to appreciate the time I have here in the "less-developed" city of Phnom Penh, but it sure was nice to join the "developed" world, if only for a few nights.

Until next time :)

Angkor Wat International Film Festival

Hey, all! For a quick update, last weekend I was lucky enough to be able to go up to Siem Reap for Cambodia's first international film festival, the Angkor Wat International Film Festival! It was small and the first of its kind, but I was impressed by the films I saw. A few were made in Cambodia, most international, almost all Asian, Southeast Asia, or political in theme. The festival was small and well-staffed enough that they did not really need volunteers, but of course, I was somehow able to still be a volunteer and announce a few of the film titles before they were screened. It was held at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort Siem Reap which was mind-blowingly pristine, elegant, and gorgeous.

The films I was lucky enough to see were:

AMONGST WHITE CLOUDS, directed by: Edward A. Burger
BORN SWEET, directed by: Cynthia Wade
CLIMATE REFUGEES, directed by: Michael P. Nash
DREAMLAND, directed by: ÞORFINNUR GUÐNASON & ANDRI SNÆR MAGNASON
FJORD, directed by: Skule Eriksen
READY MADE, directed by: Bingjian Zhang
SILENCE, directed by: Ava Lanche
TAYLOR CAMP, directed by: Robert C. Stone
THE TRIALS of HENRY KISSINGER, directed by: Eugene Jarecki

Not bad for only a three day festival that, due to my, ya know, day job, I was only able to attend about 50% of! Every single film I saw was wonderful in its own right, and I can honestly say I have never attended a festival where I felt that way. Cambodia is full of surprises, isn't it?

In other news, off to Singapore for a quick mini-vacation. I've taken 2 days off work because I NEED it! I will be seeing a good friend who lives in Singapore and seeing the Australian production of the musical "Wicked," so I couldn't be happier! Just to be in a real CITY, a place where things are moving, fast, and exciting... my Thursday flight couldn't come fast enough!

Until then... I'm sure I'll have a lot to report on my adventures in Singapore ;)

February in Phnom Penh

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?

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 :)

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?

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.