A Request

One of the sports teachers at my school, Long Serum, invited my co-teacher, Sun Sereyvuth, and me to his house during a certain Bon, or festival. There was going to be a party with all types of games and activities at his local wat. His commune, Tram SorSor, is the next big town about 7km north of my commune, Touk Meas. Both are still in Banteay Meas District.

My Co-teacher told me that we would meet at my house at 6am since I would be riding my bike... peace corps doesn't let us ride motos. So naturally, I think he arrived at around 7am. I knew that I would not get through the day without some coffee so we stopped in a local cafe and I was able to get some liquid energy in preparation for the ride and having to speak a lot once I got there. One thing I have learned is that my speaking skills really go up after the 3rd cup of coffee...

We were on our way. I don't get to ride too much north in the early morning so I stopped a lot and took pictures. Sereyvuth got a little annoyed, I think... he said something about me making us late and I ride so slow... so I said something back, I can't remember now but I'm sure it was very witty and smart. But anyway, we arrived at Mr. Long Serum's house... just in time to wait another hour before going to the festival. So yes, my co-teacher was afraid we would be late to our 'sitting and waiting and doing nothing' time.

We had some Nom Man Jok with curry sauce and I met another sports teacher from Dong Tung District. We opened a few coconuts and had a pretty good time. Long Serum's son was pretty good at English and I enjoyed speaking with him a little bit... it always eases me up when there is another language learner in the crowd because they tend to be more understanding of my language abilities or lack there of. After visiting with his family, the four of us teachers and the children headed to the Wat. The party was really fun and there were all types of games for everyone to play... but I forgot my money so I couldn't play... my favorite game at these types of events is the Throw the Dart at the Balloon game, my least favorite is the Pay Us Money and We Will Give You a Number, and IF the Number is on the Board You Win (DISCLAIMER: IN MY EXPERIENCE THE NUMBER IS NEVER ON THE BOARD)! game. I walked around and then decided to leave before the sun got too hot to bike. I said goodbye and left.

Biking through a new town is always... an experience. People love the new strange person and the kids love screaming the few English words they know... "HELLO BARANG (white person)!!! WHERE YOU GO???" My reply is usually, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING!!!" Slow and steady. On the way out of Tram SorSor, a kid biked up along side of me and started biking at the same speed. He said hi, I said hi. He said my name is, I said my name is. Then he asked if I could help him. I kinda smiled to myself with satisfaction... yet another young student who wants my expert help in learning English... assuming he meant he wanted me to teach him English... "No," I replied, "I can't help you, I am very busy and I live far away." He looked a little confused. "Can you help me?" he asked again. "Please 5 Dollars?" I was embarrassed. Not only did he not want me to teach him English but he called my bluff, here I was being a 'barang' and I only had 35 cents in my pocket... what a failure, haha. My volleyball coach in high school taught me to never assume after I made a bad call on where I thought the ball was going... because "you know what they say about assuming" she said "it makes an ass out of you and ___." Maybe I should have passed that lesson on... but instead I just popped it up a few gears and left the kid behind... I didn't want to burst his bubble that not all barangs have money, maybe he'll have more luck with the other people. Plus I was a little hurt that he didn't want me to teach him, a minor blow to the ego on an otherwise lovely day.

Karaoke Culture

So in Cambodia, a common pastime for the young and old alike is karaoke. There are karaoke bars and rooms where you can go and sing (I haven't been because I know it would just be a disappointment from the norre-bongs of Korea). The bars are popular with the menfolk because they usually are places for latenight mingling with the hostesses, more commonly referred to as karaoke girls. Some of the teachers at my school told me that they call them Srei OK, or OK woman. They told me this after I nicknamed another teacher at my school as Mr. OK because he always wore the OK (planning for happy :) families) baseball hat and because I think he likes to 'sing karaoke'. OK is a popular supplier of condoms and birth control around Cambodia... so it all kinda fits together. Not to say that all Srei OK's are working girls but the industry has made a sort of reputation for itself. But to be fair I have had pretty much no firsthand knowledge of any of it.

But also, many households have karaoke systems, including my old host family's house. It was pretty common that many of the teachers would meet there to have dinner, drinks and a little loud karaoke time. It didn't take long until they realized that I can really not sing. Like I really can't sing... I want to be able to, but I just can't... choir maybe, with a few hundred other singers to drown me out. But they still think it is funny to watch me try. Since I was fair to the karaoke girls I will be fair to myself... the only english language karaoke disc they have has like no songs I think anyone would know, except for some carpenters song and the tears from heaven song (which would just make me cry and not even Celine Dion would sound good when she is bawling about a man losing his son). Still, karaoke is pretty fun.

Going back to the karaoke bars, I was at school one day talking to a few other male teachers about going to karaoke bars and karaoke in general. Most of them would say that they enjoy karaoke, listening if not actually singing... this is mostly because karaoke is just a time to forget about your problems and hang out with friends. That said, I asked Teacher Piseth who is one of the youngest teachers at my school, if he liked to sing karaoke. I had asked him in Khmer so his response back in English just made his answer even more hilarious... "No," he answered "I prefer to recite poetry." Well played, Piseth, well played.

well i wasn't great at posting

So it's coming to an end and I think that I made a total of 3 posts... so whoops. I'm going to try to be better at it starting... now.

Teaching has been a challenge. There are so many things here that are different from the States and it is frustrating to see them day in and day out and not be able to help as much as I would like. I have a great relationship with my Counterpart/co-teacher which has made the hard days much easier. Sun Serivuth is his name. He has a beautiful wife and three gorgeous daughters. I'm trying to think of something to leave him, like a present or gift of some kind to express my gratitude of his patience with me over the last two years... it's going to have to be something very big, haha. I have learned alot, however. I learned some patience... what's that saying, 'Lord, give me the strength to change what I can, the patience to accept what I can't, and the wisdom to know the difference..." that's not it but you get the point...

One success: my environment club. It was a great experience and I really can't believe how it took off. I have learned that when things seem so much bigger than you are and you start to doubt that you might not be able to do anything, to just relax and trust that people are there to help you if you just get them started. The harder any one individual works alone struggling against the current, they'll get nowhere... but create a group to face the tide together and you can accomplish anything... wow, I'm really proud I guess...

ok. that's a start. I'll update with more about what has happened here and about the environment club and our activities... stay tuned (even though I know you probably tuned out 2 years ago... )

no internet

so internet has not been very accessible so far and my computer broke on the trip from japan to here... boo. I was planning on just writing a bunch of posts and copy pasting them to my bloggie, but that won't be happening any time soo... so sorry for not being the best at doing this blog thing... besides that, i have been pretty busy with language classes and training and nothing too exciting has happened... i will start a journal and add to the blog whenever something i think you might like to read happens... otherwise keep your chins held high... and email me if you feel like it... also my town that i'm going to doesn't have internet either and so i will only get it if i go somewhere that does have it... later gators.

Made it

I made it. I haven't prepared a post yet and i'm not sure what to write in the short amount of time that i have... so let's just say that it's good. Ít's hot. Khmer is fun. I'm sweaty. People are nice. Other PC people are fun.

Soon we will be splitting up into 3 smaller groups, but for the last few days we have all been together so it has been nice to be around everyone before we go off on our own. Everyone seems to have some talent except for me... so note to self, take music/ art lessons when i get home.

we have been staying in a guesthouse while the national elections are taking place, they happened yesterday and everything seems to have gone smoothly. In the next few days we will be getting bikes and moving in with our host families! so until i write again... take care...

Countdown

The countdown has begun. I only have two more nights at home and I still feel like there is so much to do! But I have done as much as I can as far as preparing... if I try to do any more I will lose my mind.

Also, after about five years, my phone finally died. It gave a good run in its last few days and I will always remember it fondly. I'm sorry if I didn't get some of your phone calls telling me goodbye... I know that there were probably millions of well wishes... but know that I appreciate the effort. To be honest, it was nice to have some seclusion from the world.

Thanks to everyone who took time out of their day to meet me for lunch, dinner, drinks, etc... I really want to let everyone who went out of their way for me that it really meant a lot to be able to see you before I go... and to all of you who didn't! Shame on you... just kidding. Life gets pretty crazy and so you'll have to pencil me into your calendars for two years from now.

Now I'm going to my reflexology appointment.

Until later.

Getting ready

So, Shirin told me to update my blog...

Right now, I am trying to get a good idea about what I want to bring. I think that less will probably be better because I figure I'll be able to buy whatever I really need when I get to Cambodia. When I went to Korea, I took two large suitcases and one travel back-pack... that was okay... but I ended up not even touching half the stuff until it was time to pack up and send it home. So I think that this time I will only bring what I will need for the first four months... and then once I get an idea about what I need, I'll buy it or have you send me it from the States... thanks in advance.

Books... I think that I will be reading alot over there... or at least I hope so. When I come home you all will be so impressed about how smart I've become. That's my goal. So if you ever want to mail me a book... feel free! Or send any little note telling me that you care...

PCT Emily Olson
P.O. Box 2453
Phnom Penh
Cambodia

Games... I kinda want to bring travel scrabble... so if anyone has that and wants to get rid of it... send it my way.

What else... oh, and I will be teaching English there... I believe to high school kids. But actually, I'll wait to write about what I'm going to be doing, because who knows... it could change. Alright.

Pretty boring stuff I'm sure... but still it's something.