Two blogs in two days? Both incredibly random? I know, I know, I'm just full of surprises.
I forgot to mention something else interesting and random in my last entry. Last week I was able to go to an art exhibit opening for a Khmer artist based in Battambang. It was incredible. Not only is she an amazing painter, but she sculpts too. She sculpts with toilet paper believe it or not. Its a painstaking process in which she rolls the toilet paper (which she sometimes steals from restaurants she gleefully told us) with glue and then proceeds to wrap it either around objects, or sculpts with it on its own. Man, oh man, I wish I had even a smidge of the artistic talent this woman possesses. After the art exhibit, we went to a fantastic Malaysian restaurant (although they were out of the crispy spring roll things I like). We also accidently bumped into the car of someone who I can only assume was a gangster, which was pretty exciting, but ultimately uneventful.
Onto the baby part. I'm pleased to announce that my neighbor T.'s sister (who also happens to be my neighbor) has just had a baby boy (5 days old now). T. brought the little fella to my apartment yesterday. I got to hold him at which point she also tried to convince me to take him with me when I go home, along with all of the other children that are giving her a hassle (she was just joking guys, come on). I still can't figure out if he has an English name or not (which is what it sounded like), but he's cute as a button and I just thought I'd share. The visit was brief because baby got hungry and I probably smelled really foreign to him.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Neighborly Love and Royal D
Sorry, this will be a kind of random post, just felt like an update was called for. The cultural differences between Cambodia and the U.S. never cease to amaze. A couple weekends ago, I brought some work home and was working with A. in my apartment. Now, granted, I am not the tidiest of people, but I've really been making an effort here. (Although my parents won't believe me, its the truth! I clean!) Unfortunately, when my neighbor T. stopped by with children in tow as per usual, I had neglected to sweep or take out my trash for about a week (all right, all right, maybe it was more than a week). Seeing this, T. took it upon herself to clean my apartment.
Needless to say, I was horrified. Horrified!! Despite all my protestations she persisted. It was the most uncomfortable experience, but she kept saying that she wanted to do it for me (seriously, it almost turned into a fight). All I could do in return was give the children some candy and dried mango.
Let me just tell you how much I love my neighbors--Every morning I come down the steps and if one of the regular moto drivers are not there, they help me flag one down and actually bargain with the driver for me. One time when I was coming home from a particularly rough day at work and the moto driver was giving me a particularly rough time, T. full out yelled at him. Completely balled him out. It was shocking (and amazing) and I could do nothing in return but give her a big hug. (Although, I have to say that it is less of a pleasant experience when I'm the one getting admonished for not turning on the stair light or for smoking too much.)
Whereas other people quickly give up, T. actually tries to communicate with me (despite the fact that I speak next to no Khmer). Between the tiny bit of English that she speaks and the tiny bit of Khmer that I speak, most of our communication happens to through mime (which can be pretty amusing and I'm beginning to prefer it to speaking). I also suspect that it was T. who took my laundry in one day when it was raining (although I do question how exactly she got access to my house when it was locked).
While I don't always get the privacy that I became accustomed to in the U.S. (excluding freshman year of college), I think that I will truly miss the children banging on my gate, screaming "BONG ROS-EY!" at the top of their lungs. ("Bong" is a polite way of addressing someone that is older than you, and I much prefer it to "Baraang," the word for foreigner. The basic English equivalent is "Miss Rosie" although "bong" is used in different ways as well). I'll also miss them banging on my back door and running away and laughing. They are so incredibly sweet and rascally and full of youthful mischief.
On a less happy note, I finally got my first bout of sickness here over the Khmer New Year (so much for getting a lot of work accomplished). I'm definitely lucky that this was the first time, considering I've already been here for almost 4 months . . . didn't have to go to the doctor or anything. I'm ok now, and I have to say, one of the positives of getting sick was that I was introduced to this marvelous elixir called Royal D.
Royal D tastes exactly like Tang and is a powder that you mix with water so that you can rehydrate, full of electrolytes and awesomeness (much better than the rehydration stuff I brought with me from home which tastes like vomit). I bought a big box and have at least one every day b/c its so freaking hot here that I'm sweating constantly (yes, a very attractive image I know). I wish I could take 5 cases home with me, but I'd probably get stopped at the airport . . . the charge, you ask? Smuggling deliciousness.
List of Other Things I Wish I Could Smuggle Home:
* White Rabbit candy.
* All the dried mango I can find.
* The entire fruit market next to my apartment.
* Cambodian iced coffee with the sweet milk, often served in a plastic bag with a straw.
* The masala dosa and vegetable biriyani from my new favorite Indian restaurant.
* A moto (but not one of the fancy shiny motorcycles, I'll take an old school moto any day) or a tuk tuk . . . these items might be kind of hard to fit in my suitcase though.
* Oh yeah, and a palm tree, a monkey, and an elemaphant.
Needless to say, I was horrified. Horrified!! Despite all my protestations she persisted. It was the most uncomfortable experience, but she kept saying that she wanted to do it for me (seriously, it almost turned into a fight). All I could do in return was give the children some candy and dried mango.
Let me just tell you how much I love my neighbors--Every morning I come down the steps and if one of the regular moto drivers are not there, they help me flag one down and actually bargain with the driver for me. One time when I was coming home from a particularly rough day at work and the moto driver was giving me a particularly rough time, T. full out yelled at him. Completely balled him out. It was shocking (and amazing) and I could do nothing in return but give her a big hug. (Although, I have to say that it is less of a pleasant experience when I'm the one getting admonished for not turning on the stair light or for smoking too much.)
Whereas other people quickly give up, T. actually tries to communicate with me (despite the fact that I speak next to no Khmer). Between the tiny bit of English that she speaks and the tiny bit of Khmer that I speak, most of our communication happens to through mime (which can be pretty amusing and I'm beginning to prefer it to speaking). I also suspect that it was T. who took my laundry in one day when it was raining (although I do question how exactly she got access to my house when it was locked).
While I don't always get the privacy that I became accustomed to in the U.S. (excluding freshman year of college), I think that I will truly miss the children banging on my gate, screaming "BONG ROS-EY!" at the top of their lungs. ("Bong" is a polite way of addressing someone that is older than you, and I much prefer it to "Baraang," the word for foreigner. The basic English equivalent is "Miss Rosie" although "bong" is used in different ways as well). I'll also miss them banging on my back door and running away and laughing. They are so incredibly sweet and rascally and full of youthful mischief.
On a less happy note, I finally got my first bout of sickness here over the Khmer New Year (so much for getting a lot of work accomplished). I'm definitely lucky that this was the first time, considering I've already been here for almost 4 months . . . didn't have to go to the doctor or anything. I'm ok now, and I have to say, one of the positives of getting sick was that I was introduced to this marvelous elixir called Royal D.
Royal D tastes exactly like Tang and is a powder that you mix with water so that you can rehydrate, full of electrolytes and awesomeness (much better than the rehydration stuff I brought with me from home which tastes like vomit). I bought a big box and have at least one every day b/c its so freaking hot here that I'm sweating constantly (yes, a very attractive image I know). I wish I could take 5 cases home with me, but I'd probably get stopped at the airport . . . the charge, you ask? Smuggling deliciousness.
List of Other Things I Wish I Could Smuggle Home:
* White Rabbit candy.
* All the dried mango I can find.
* The entire fruit market next to my apartment.
* Cambodian iced coffee with the sweet milk, often served in a plastic bag with a straw.
* The masala dosa and vegetable biriyani from my new favorite Indian restaurant.
* A moto (but not one of the fancy shiny motorcycles, I'll take an old school moto any day) or a tuk tuk . . . these items might be kind of hard to fit in my suitcase though.
* Oh yeah, and a palm tree, a monkey, and an elemaphant.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Sua Sdei Chnnam Thmey
Happy Khmer New Year!! Just thought I'd share . . . I'm not sure when the official dates are, but everybody at the office has started saying it already and we are supposed to get Monday and Tuesday off, but a lot of people are taking the entire week.
I, of course, will be at the office (or else I won't be able to finish everything by the time my internship is over - no worries, I plan on traveling later!). Working over Khmer New Year is actually a blessing in disguise because traveling during this time is really really expensive and the city basically shuts down so there would be nothing to do. I will tell you however - they will rue the day that they decided I (of all people) was supposed to in charge of developing a budget and contract! Rue it. Boo to math and anything else that is beyond my technical abilities. Although, really, it's a new challenge and learning experience from which I hope to gain.
Anyway, so, may you have a wonderful new year with prosperity, joy, lots of babies, and no hair loss.
PEACE
I, of course, will be at the office (or else I won't be able to finish everything by the time my internship is over - no worries, I plan on traveling later!). Working over Khmer New Year is actually a blessing in disguise because traveling during this time is really really expensive and the city basically shuts down so there would be nothing to do. I will tell you however - they will rue the day that they decided I (of all people) was supposed to in charge of developing a budget and contract! Rue it. Boo to math and anything else that is beyond my technical abilities. Although, really, it's a new challenge and learning experience from which I hope to gain.
Anyway, so, may you have a wonderful new year with prosperity, joy, lots of babies, and no hair loss.
PEACE
Monday, March 31, 2008
Bamboo Island and Notes on Development
So I've arrived refreshed and invigorated from my brief time in Sihanouk Ville. The workshop went really well (apparently nobody could tell that I was a nervous wreck during my presentation . . . and I wasn't even wearing my presentation dress), and I decided to take Friday off and continue my stay in Sihanouk Ville as I was in no hurry to return to the hard streets of Phnom Penh.
On our much needed day off, A. and I, decided to go to Bamboo Island. Wading out into the water, we climbed aboard a small boat and took a 40 minute ride to the island. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the sight of small thatch-roofed huts, clean white sand, lush vegetation, and pretty much nothing else. Joining the rest of tourists, I plopped down, and mentally prepared myself for a day of blessed relaxation.
The majority of the day was spent swimming in the beautiful and clean water and napping in the sand. Needless to say, I arrived back in Phnom Penh completely sunburned. We ate a fantastic lunch of amok (delicious Khmer food that uses a delightful curry/coconut sauce. . . usually cooked with fish and served in a banana leaf) and fresh salad and then swam and napped some more.
The only thing that put a kink in the day was that we traveled with a man who was (how shall I put this) . . . slightly racist. And by slightly--I mean full on. He also openly admitted to using prostitutes but claimed that "I mean, its not like I'm not a pedophile, I always check their ages first." Mmmkay. I think the term "dirty old bugger" is particularly apt here. After we managed to ditch the DOB and made it back to the mainland, we ate at an awesome restaurant called "The Holy Cow". While it was mainly baraang food, it was still spectacular and I have to say that there is nothing like a good meal after a day spent playing in the waves. Blissfully exhausted, we headed back to the guesthouse and passed into much needed slumber.
A NOTE ON TRAVELING IN THE PROVINCES:
Rent your own moto or bicycle. We rented a moto (I of course did not drive . . . ever heard the phrase "accident waiting to happen?") and I totally don't regret it. Having your own form of transportation makes it much easier to explore (and isn't that the point of traveling and having small adventures?), and at the end of the day it costs a lot less money than if you hired a moto or tuk tuk driver. So if you're traveling on a budget, this is definitely the way to go.
A NOTE ON DEVELOPMENT:
I don't know what lies in store for this little town, and I'm afraid to say that development, if not done conscientiously, could destroy all the beauty that Sihanouk Ville possesses. While I will never make the blanket statement that tourism is completely horrible (this town is financially dependent on it), it does bring the negative with it. Already land is being bought up, small shops are closing down, and beaches are not what they used to be (according to sources that have been here before). In addition, there was a publicized case about a Russian businessman who bought an island off the coast and was recently convicted of pedophilia. There are also plans to build a casino on one of the islands, with added airport so that businessmen from the city, Thailand and other Asian countries can just fly right in. Tourism brings jobs and money, but it also brings brothels (which means it brings in women trafficked for sexual exploitation), forced labor, and the destruction of the natural habitat. What is the solution?
I also worry about the kids that come up to us on the beach and that are incredibly over-affectionate (touchy feely, lots of hugs, lots of playing with our hair). We try to tell them that they shouldn't be so friendly with strangers and that "some baraangs are nice and some are not so nice." They smile and nod, but I am always disappointed to see that they run off to another group of baraangs and do it again. Of course there are Child Safe Tourism billboards/flyers around town in addition to NGO groups that walk the beaches and educate the children, but its not enough. Most of these kids speak some English (some speak better English than I do), and are incredibly business savy (they know exactly what to say to get a sale), but undoubtedly, this is not something that they enjoy. After speaking with several, many said that they would much rather be in school. (Oh, how I used to take school for granted.)
It is a complex world, this development business. I struggle daily with the idea that we may be causing more damage than good and the fact that, while it may sound romantic to some, the development world can be treacherous. Do we have to settle for the tiniest bit of incremental change, or is there a better way to do development work? Why are people drawn to the development field? Is it truly altruism? Does true altruism exist? Are the people who are drawn to development unprepared for the compromises that they will have to make or are these people that are coming in too willing to make compromises? Anyway, just something for me to think about, and perhaps you as well.
PEACE
On our much needed day off, A. and I, decided to go to Bamboo Island. Wading out into the water, we climbed aboard a small boat and took a 40 minute ride to the island. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the sight of small thatch-roofed huts, clean white sand, lush vegetation, and pretty much nothing else. Joining the rest of tourists, I plopped down, and mentally prepared myself for a day of blessed relaxation.
The majority of the day was spent swimming in the beautiful and clean water and napping in the sand. Needless to say, I arrived back in Phnom Penh completely sunburned. We ate a fantastic lunch of amok (delicious Khmer food that uses a delightful curry/coconut sauce. . . usually cooked with fish and served in a banana leaf) and fresh salad and then swam and napped some more.
The only thing that put a kink in the day was that we traveled with a man who was (how shall I put this) . . . slightly racist. And by slightly--I mean full on. He also openly admitted to using prostitutes but claimed that "I mean, its not like I'm not a pedophile, I always check their ages first." Mmmkay. I think the term "dirty old bugger" is particularly apt here. After we managed to ditch the DOB and made it back to the mainland, we ate at an awesome restaurant called "The Holy Cow". While it was mainly baraang food, it was still spectacular and I have to say that there is nothing like a good meal after a day spent playing in the waves. Blissfully exhausted, we headed back to the guesthouse and passed into much needed slumber.
A NOTE ON TRAVELING IN THE PROVINCES:
Rent your own moto or bicycle. We rented a moto (I of course did not drive . . . ever heard the phrase "accident waiting to happen?") and I totally don't regret it. Having your own form of transportation makes it much easier to explore (and isn't that the point of traveling and having small adventures?), and at the end of the day it costs a lot less money than if you hired a moto or tuk tuk driver. So if you're traveling on a budget, this is definitely the way to go.
A NOTE ON DEVELOPMENT:
I don't know what lies in store for this little town, and I'm afraid to say that development, if not done conscientiously, could destroy all the beauty that Sihanouk Ville possesses. While I will never make the blanket statement that tourism is completely horrible (this town is financially dependent on it), it does bring the negative with it. Already land is being bought up, small shops are closing down, and beaches are not what they used to be (according to sources that have been here before). In addition, there was a publicized case about a Russian businessman who bought an island off the coast and was recently convicted of pedophilia. There are also plans to build a casino on one of the islands, with added airport so that businessmen from the city, Thailand and other Asian countries can just fly right in. Tourism brings jobs and money, but it also brings brothels (which means it brings in women trafficked for sexual exploitation), forced labor, and the destruction of the natural habitat. What is the solution?
I also worry about the kids that come up to us on the beach and that are incredibly over-affectionate (touchy feely, lots of hugs, lots of playing with our hair). We try to tell them that they shouldn't be so friendly with strangers and that "some baraangs are nice and some are not so nice." They smile and nod, but I am always disappointed to see that they run off to another group of baraangs and do it again. Of course there are Child Safe Tourism billboards/flyers around town in addition to NGO groups that walk the beaches and educate the children, but its not enough. Most of these kids speak some English (some speak better English than I do), and are incredibly business savy (they know exactly what to say to get a sale), but undoubtedly, this is not something that they enjoy. After speaking with several, many said that they would much rather be in school. (Oh, how I used to take school for granted.)
It is a complex world, this development business. I struggle daily with the idea that we may be causing more damage than good and the fact that, while it may sound romantic to some, the development world can be treacherous. Do we have to settle for the tiniest bit of incremental change, or is there a better way to do development work? Why are people drawn to the development field? Is it truly altruism? Does true altruism exist? Are the people who are drawn to development unprepared for the compromises that they will have to make or are these people that are coming in too willing to make compromises? Anyway, just something for me to think about, and perhaps you as well.
PEACE
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