Wednesday 19th March 2008
3 months in Phnom Penh
So I haven’t updated this in a while. Partly because I have been busy, partly because I have been lazy and partly because I just didn’t have much to say.
I have just finished a 3 month contract with IDP where I organised a massive conference for teachers of English in Cambodia. Held over two days, we had over 1000 participants and 170 sessions. So it was a pretty big deal. As my boss kept saying – it is a major logistical challenge in a resource poor country like Cambodia. To start with there are only two possible venues that could host such a big event and those two venues aren’t exactly the Taj Mahal, or even the outhouse of the Taj Mahal. There is no air-conditioning, a lack of toilets and no good seating. Plastic chairs, oh yeah.
Anyhow that is all over now, and I am looking for some more work. I have until the end of April until my visa runs out and if I don’t have a clear plan by then I plan on leaving Cambodia. Am thinking I might do some travelling before heading back to Sydney…I think India could be calling…
So, life in Phnom Penh is very different to the rest of Cambodia. It took me a long time to adjust and even now I still struggle with it, especially with the arrogance (of both Khmers and Expats). There is a clear pecking order and lots of small minded people happy to put others in their place. But it is not all bad – I have met some intelligent, creative and motivated people. And there are plenty of great eating places and bars.
It is possible to live here a better life than one could live at home on very little money. The international presence and influence here is dominating. In a lot of ways Phnom Penh is like living in bubble, it seems so removed from the rest of Cambodia. There is so much money floating around. There are thousands of 4WD Lexus’s driving about clogging up roads that were built for motorbikes.
In the provinces the poverty and hardship is apparent. In the city the inequality and corruption are most apparent.
Police regularly try to pull me over while I am driving about town on my moto. Not because I have done anything wrong, but just because they are looking to get a little cash from a ‘fine’. Friends of mine have been fined for driving with their lights on during the day. I still get flushed with guilt when I speed up to go past them, half expecting jump on their moto and chase me through traffic. But they don’t. That would require effort. It is quite funny a site seeing a whole row of motos dodging the cops trying to pull people over and speed off.
The traffic here is crazy. But somehow it seems to work. People just ride like there are no rules and if you don’t do the same, you get nowhere fast. I have had a few close calls and seen a few bad accidents. At night they turn the traffic lights out to save power which means everyone forces their way through intersections
The other day I saw a moto with three drunk guys, not wearing helmets, slam into the side of a van. Two were out for the count as the van sped off and crowd descended. Some guys went through their wallets and took out some cash. I thought they were stealing it, but then someone said they were taking the cash to pay for the ambulance when it arrived. Which did turn up, about an hour later.
On another day I was on my way to work and the traffic was heavier than usual. I saw a traffic cop and assumed that he was intently making the traffic go slower for no good reason or just looking for easy money. But then I saw the dead body sprawled at his feet, blood oozing from the head onto the dusty road. Road accidents are a growing market, as the streets improve and people have better cars and motos, they drive faster and take more risks.
The last few weeks I have been going to a lot of farewells. Phnom Penh is also a very transient city, especially for international workers. But of late, it has been all the guys that I came here leaving. It was sad to see them all go; I had grown quite close to many of them. But such is life. We are all off to new adventures and chapters in our lives. And there are a few hangers, so I don’t have to make a completely new set of friends.
A few weeks ago I also did my first modelling gig. A friend asked me to help out with a ‘child safe’ program which was aimed at raising awareness of child trafficking and child sex tourism. I played the role of the sexpat. They hard time finding a guy who would play the role – apparently everyone else was worried about their reputation. I am like – I don’t care. I’m not a sexpat. Anyhow, turns out I am natural – what’s my inspiration!!! They took pictures of me going into a picking up a young Khmer girl, taking her to hotel and then getting arrested and put in jail. It was kind of fun. Although it is going to be a real pain getting a tuk tuk in this town after the flyers are distributed.
I have also kept in contact with my friends in Kampong Thom. A few weeks ago my drinking buddy Mab got married and I went back for the wedding. It was a three day affair and I got to go to all the little ceremonies – the pre party, hair cutting ceremony, the outfit changing, the blessing, the main party and, of course, the after party. There was a lot of sitting around drink and talking, followed by singing and dancing. It was fun, although I think my liver is going to keel over though. Three days of solid drinking. Urgh.
So, as I mentioned, I finished up my contract last week and have been trying to enjoy Phnom
Penh a bit. I have been going out and doing the tourist things around town which has also been cool. Tomorrow I am off to Ho Chi Minh City to meet my cousin Liz and her partner Paul. I am looking forward to it. I haven’t been to HCMC for a few years – it will be interesting to see how it has changed.
I hope all is well in the world with everyone.
Erin
3 months in Phnom Penh
So I haven’t updated this in a while. Partly because I have been busy, partly because I have been lazy and partly because I just didn’t have much to say.
I have just finished a 3 month contract with IDP where I organised a massive conference for teachers of English in Cambodia. Held over two days, we had over 1000 participants and 170 sessions. So it was a pretty big deal. As my boss kept saying – it is a major logistical challenge in a resource poor country like Cambodia. To start with there are only two possible venues that could host such a big event and those two venues aren’t exactly the Taj Mahal, or even the outhouse of the Taj Mahal. There is no air-conditioning, a lack of toilets and no good seating. Plastic chairs, oh yeah.
Anyhow that is all over now, and I am looking for some more work. I have until the end of April until my visa runs out and if I don’t have a clear plan by then I plan on leaving Cambodia. Am thinking I might do some travelling before heading back to Sydney…I think India could be calling…
So, life in Phnom Penh is very different to the rest of Cambodia. It took me a long time to adjust and even now I still struggle with it, especially with the arrogance (of both Khmers and Expats). There is a clear pecking order and lots of small minded people happy to put others in their place. But it is not all bad – I have met some intelligent, creative and motivated people. And there are plenty of great eating places and bars.
It is possible to live here a better life than one could live at home on very little money. The international presence and influence here is dominating. In a lot of ways Phnom Penh is like living in bubble, it seems so removed from the rest of Cambodia. There is so much money floating around. There are thousands of 4WD Lexus’s driving about clogging up roads that were built for motorbikes.
In the provinces the poverty and hardship is apparent. In the city the inequality and corruption are most apparent.
Police regularly try to pull me over while I am driving about town on my moto. Not because I have done anything wrong, but just because they are looking to get a little cash from a ‘fine’. Friends of mine have been fined for driving with their lights on during the day. I still get flushed with guilt when I speed up to go past them, half expecting jump on their moto and chase me through traffic. But they don’t. That would require effort. It is quite funny a site seeing a whole row of motos dodging the cops trying to pull people over and speed off.
The traffic here is crazy. But somehow it seems to work. People just ride like there are no rules and if you don’t do the same, you get nowhere fast. I have had a few close calls and seen a few bad accidents. At night they turn the traffic lights out to save power which means everyone forces their way through intersections
The other day I saw a moto with three drunk guys, not wearing helmets, slam into the side of a van. Two were out for the count as the van sped off and crowd descended. Some guys went through their wallets and took out some cash. I thought they were stealing it, but then someone said they were taking the cash to pay for the ambulance when it arrived. Which did turn up, about an hour later.
On another day I was on my way to work and the traffic was heavier than usual. I saw a traffic cop and assumed that he was intently making the traffic go slower for no good reason or just looking for easy money. But then I saw the dead body sprawled at his feet, blood oozing from the head onto the dusty road. Road accidents are a growing market, as the streets improve and people have better cars and motos, they drive faster and take more risks.
The last few weeks I have been going to a lot of farewells. Phnom Penh is also a very transient city, especially for international workers. But of late, it has been all the guys that I came here leaving. It was sad to see them all go; I had grown quite close to many of them. But such is life. We are all off to new adventures and chapters in our lives. And there are a few hangers, so I don’t have to make a completely new set of friends.
A few weeks ago I also did my first modelling gig. A friend asked me to help out with a ‘child safe’ program which was aimed at raising awareness of child trafficking and child sex tourism. I played the role of the sexpat. They hard time finding a guy who would play the role – apparently everyone else was worried about their reputation. I am like – I don’t care. I’m not a sexpat. Anyhow, turns out I am natural – what’s my inspiration!!! They took pictures of me going into a picking up a young Khmer girl, taking her to hotel and then getting arrested and put in jail. It was kind of fun. Although it is going to be a real pain getting a tuk tuk in this town after the flyers are distributed.
I have also kept in contact with my friends in Kampong Thom. A few weeks ago my drinking buddy Mab got married and I went back for the wedding. It was a three day affair and I got to go to all the little ceremonies – the pre party, hair cutting ceremony, the outfit changing, the blessing, the main party and, of course, the after party. There was a lot of sitting around drink and talking, followed by singing and dancing. It was fun, although I think my liver is going to keel over though. Three days of solid drinking. Urgh.So, as I mentioned, I finished up my contract last week and have been trying to enjoy Phnom
Penh a bit. I have been going out and doing the tourist things around town which has also been cool. Tomorrow I am off to Ho Chi Minh City to meet my cousin Liz and her partner Paul. I am looking forward to it. I haven’t been to HCMC for a few years – it will be interesting to see how it has changed.I hope all is well in the world with everyone.
Erin
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