Some anecdotes and the week that was

A couple of anecdotes to start this weeks blog:

On helping to correct the English on the minutes of a meeting for one of my workmates I couldn't’t help but have a chuckle to myself at this final sentence: “the meeting finished at 11.30am of the same date and year with productive meeting”

This must have been a short meeting, I don’t think I’d like to attend those that cross into a new date or god forbid, new year. Mr Khun Another sweet piece of Cambodia: Khun asked me what you call it when a bee touches you. I told him it was “sting”. He then shared with me a lovely Khmer saying. When you’ve been waiting for someone a long time you say “I’ve been waiting so long my eyes sting” From someone who is (hopefully) reformed from always keeping people waiting I thought this was a really cute saying.

My hips and lower back felt like I’d gone three rounds with Costa Zoo, who would have thought yoga would make you so sore? Definitely belong to the school of “if it hurts, it’s got to be good for you though and it wasn’t anything an hours massage couldn’t put right. That was Monday and Tuesday I was back at the gym. Rode over to Mara’s hotel to pick her up and we rode the 10mins to the gym – everything is so close now I’ve got my lovely bike. We followed up the workout with dinner at the Boddhi Tree which is a lovely wee sanctuary opposite the scene of one of Cambodia’s worst moments in history. The Toul Sleung museum and venue for the 1000’s of executions performed by the Khmer Rouge in the 70’s. Putting that aside, dinner was lovely in a setting of tables and chairs dotted amongst trees and climbing vines. Unfortunately the mosquitoes also thought it was a lovely spot and dinned on us while we ate quickly and left. Unfortunately, a nice dinner was followed the next day by another bout of the dodgy tummy. Managed to make it through the rest of the day at work but crashed on getting home and had to put off dinner with another friend. The dodgy tummy syndrome is so common and everyone is used to people not being able to meet up or having to head home early and quickly as those nasty bugs play havoc with our unaccustomed belly’s. I haven’t heard of anyone being really ill here yet, although one of the AYADs did develop malaria not long after arriving in Phnom Penh and post a trip out into the provinces. Not a nice thing to have but soon sorted with readily accessible drugs.

Thursday was made more interesting at work as Michelle came to visit. We talked about an organizational review document she’s pulling together for her NGO and then went and had lunch. There’s really nothing of any interest in Toul Kork, the suburb I work in but it just so happened a café had opened up last week near by so that’s where we headed. It is hilariously a Starbucks rip-off with the full Starbucks colour scheme and logo, only this one if called Terrace Cafe. The menu was all in Khmer and although they had pictures we still weren’t sure what we were ordering. Mine ended up being chicken with peanuts and about 3 stalks of thickly chopped lemon grass. Once I managed to remove all the debris it was actually tasty. Returning to work I had some work to do as I went with the office manager to measure up the venue they’ll be using for the AGM in March. I produced a seating plan and exhibition lay out which kept me amused for a few hours.

Thursday night I finally put my exercise ball to use and followed one of those cringe inducing American instructional DVD’s complete with fake tans, boobs and teeth all on prominent display. I used to pay $17 to do Bikram yoga in Brisbane which is held in a specially heated room to aid suppleness and encourage detoxification. Here, I only need to workout in my living room! Friday was spent being a participant in an interview panel for the Trainer/Coach position at my NGO. As well as normal interview questions, the participants had to read a English article from the Cambodian Daily and explain to us their understanding of the context of the article. They also had to do a written English test on a computer of at least 200 words in half an hour. I got away at 6pm excited about the long weekend ahead with one of the 25 annual (government recognized) public holidays set for Monday. Yuan took me straight to the Australian Embassy where I’d missed the BBQ but where embassy staff were ready and waiting for my order behind the bar. The crowd was low key and a mix of volunteers, UN staff and friends. In one of those “it’s a small world” moments I got introduced to a Cambodian girl called Nim which happened to be the name of the Khmer language tutor I had contacted during the week via the Expat Advisory Service website. And yes, it was the same girl.

Carel, me, Cara and Leila at the Australian embassy

Pajamas have become the latest trend amongst fashion conscious Khmer woman. No longer are these brightly coloured ensembles with cute little animals and cartoon characters to be kept hidden away at home for bed wear. Now they can be seen, shopping at the mall, riding on motorbikes or walking down the street. I’m really envious, how comfortable to be able to hang out in your Jim jams all day! And so when some of the Ayads got invited to a Pajama part on Friday night they had no trouble finding the perfect outfit. After the Embassy, we headed to an awesome pub across the road called “Elsewhere” which is rumored to be shutting down. (It’s a bit like those carpet shops at home from what I understand.) The venue is what looks like a colonial house with big front yard dotted with trees and palms and a centerpiece swimming pool.

Balinese type platforms with cushions to laze around on are dotted around the pool and as we were early we managed to find one free. About 10/11pm this place gets really busy and there’s just about standing room only – not too close to the pool though unless you want to get wet. Of course drunk boys are going to take off their shirts and start doing bombs – it’s only natural! I was hungry so decided to get my evening carbs in the form of a cocktail. Banana, coconut, lime and vodka! My gosh, it was sooo good. A traveling Canadian brother and sister duo joined our platform and it was interesting to hear their experiences and views on Cambodia from the day and a half that they’ve been here. Unfortunately the stand out for them is that all Tuk-Tuk drivers are crooks and the whole country is full of people trying to rip them off. Oops not good, hopefully that will turn around for them in the time they have left.

Saturday was spent shopping including checking out a supermarket I hadn’t been to before, lots of goodies from home like Bega cheese. I did get a bit carried away with my purchases and then had the challenge of trying to load all the stuff onto my bike (see photo) Caught up with Cara and Leila for lunch at a café called Nature & Sea. It’s up three flights which is effectively the roof of the building. There’s more platforms with cushions and a beautiful breeze. It’s times like this, when you’re chatting with friends in a different but amazing scene that you truly appreciate being away from home and all that is familiar to you.

Michelle and her Tuk-Tuk driver, Tinny, come and pick me up and we head out of town a ways to the Northbridge school and venue for an Expat touch rugby team. It’s a beautiful spot out here, so green and lush with little pollution and best of all no noise! It’s so peaceful I really want to curl up in a hammock and go to sleep. We watch for a hour or so then both decide we really need to get home for a nana nap before dinner tonight. I get an hour’s shut eye but no sleep and then “glam up” for the first time since being here. This equates to putting on make-up, wearing a maxi dress, doing something “up” with my hair and wearing my “bling” Haviannas. On coming out of my gate I am rewarded for my efforts by my neighbor saying “owww, beautiful”, “you go to party” I explained I was going to a birthday party and he said he also was going to a birthday party later – the governor of Phnom Penhs birthday party.

Dinner and the venue, Khmer Serin were really lovely with a big crowd having turned out to wish Cara a happy birthday. The crowd splits after dinner as some people head to a party and we head to “Pontoon” where it’s hip hop night. What a brilliant night, I haven’t danced so much in years. A hip hop crew performs some exhibition dancing and they are amazing. It truly is unbelievable how agile they are and how they just seem to completely disregard the laws of physics. They’re trying hard for that American look with baggy, baggy pants hand held clasped at the crutch and head gear in the form of baseball cap or grid iron net. $4 Mojitos are the order of the night and if you’re not dancing there’s always entertainment in the form of people watching as the crowd is a real interesting mix. “Pontoon” IS actually a pontoon on the river and we have to climb the gangway up to the street when we leave at 2.30am. The Vida recommended Tuk-Tuk driver has an uncanny knack for knowing when to turn up and at what venue and we all exclaim our relief and delight when we see “Mr Jim” waiting for us. Cara texts me the next morning saying they are laying around the pool and it takes me a further half an hour to get the gumption to actually get out of bed. I feel wrecked after my big night of dancing and have the luxury of being able to blame my age. Cara has discovered a great wee oasis of a hotel for her friend Leila’s visit and I join them for sun baking and dipping. The staff let you use the pool if you’re not staying at the hotel as long as you buy some drinks or food and I think this could become a refuge in the hot days to come.

The tailor at the Russian Market has forgotten that she said she’d have our clothes ready today and asks us to come back at 5pm. We shop and have a vegetarian lunch then shop some more. Finally 5 o'

clock comes and our new outfits are ready. It was actually worth the wait, as the tailor had done a really good job. By this stage I am completely exhausted and fall into the first Tuk-Tuk I see. I have one of my many cold showers a day and flop onto my couch. I think I’m out for a good couple of hours and awake to find text messages on the phone that was sitting right beside me and went completely unheard. Arrr, the sound sleep of the completely wrecked.

My saving grace is Monday is a public holiday and I wake up refreshed after an early night and head to the gym. I’m the only person there at 7.30am and I watch with shock CNN and the horrific news from home, the Victorian bush fires and all their devastating carnage. I try Skyping Mum when I get home but my Internet is down. Mike picks me up and we head out of town along the river to go to a factory that makes furniture out of water hyacinth, a similar look to Rattan. Ikea have discovered it apparently so you’ll probably see the products in a venue near you soon. I give into temptation and buy a chaise lounge and pouffe as well as a massive vase type ornament (it stands about 4ft) and a storage container all for $100. Now I just have to work out how I’m going to get it home to Australia. Their products are all made by hand and I ask to take a photo of the ladies who are working at making some containers. They chuckle and grin and are happy to have their photo taken. One elderly lady removes her hat especially and gives a beautiful wide grin. It’s 12 o’clock and they all down tools and punch their cards into the time keeping clock. The elderly lady turns to say good-bye as she leaves and reveals a mouth of absolutely no teeth. She is gorgeous this little old lady with her beautiful grin. (see photos)