So, I am once again long overdue on getting something blogged on here. And my time before lunch is running short, but here's a few tidbits about what it's like to move to Cambodia. This will sum up my first two weeks here for your reading enjoyment! More pictures and info and hopefully a few video clips will be coming, hopefully before too long.
What it's like to move to Cambodia....
*You spend your first week living in a hotel while you look for places to live. American style quarters are available, but pricey and removed from the Cambodian people. A good option are pteah-la-vangs, combo apartment/townhomes. Or, you choose a third option--renting a room with a Cambodian family in a traditional wooden home. In my case, I have a room with one of the FH staff and her sister. Her brother's family and an Australian lady also live in separate residences on the same property. Picture:
*You start attending services at a Cambodian church on Sunday mornings and an international English-speaking church on Sunday afternoons.
*You realize the city of Phnom Penh has plenty of Asianized Western food available (pizza, bagels, burgers, ice cream, etc.) for prices that are cheap compared to the US but expensive for Cambodia. Cambodian food is much more affordable, and quite good--now you just need to figure out what exactly are the best ways to access this food...
*After three language tutoring sessions, you learn to recognize, pronounce, and write all 33 consonants and all but 7 of the 21 vowels. At least you learn all this in theory.
*You also in theory have learned how to drive a motorcycle. Now to get good at it and also learn how to drive it in some interesting traffic....
*You got to celebrate Thanksgiving with a full-blown traditional feast and some other Americans!
