khmer

things that i like about the language

1. Its in a normal order. Subject Verb Object. Unlike Tibetan which makes me all confused.

2. Its one hundred percent gender neutral. He/She/It are all the same.

3. There is no past tense. There is no future tense. There are no TENSES!!!!!!!! If you want to say I WENT to the store. Then you say I go to store yesterday. Its awesome

4. Although they have the verb "to be" it is rarely used.

5. No articles...unlike french which has gendered articles.

A not-so-great update

meaning that this update is unexciting. still in phnom penh. HAVE to get to Siem Reap during the next week. I am just waiting to make sure that no one wants to come with me. because i have had many an offer.

i don't like siem reap. i think this is why i am putting off the trip. not to mention that its going to be an expensive trip! and i won't get paid until after my articles are finished. and its a work trip. so i won't be there to hang out and meet people. i will be there to get 'er done. I have five articles now that they want written about Siem Reap. Oi.

i am starting to miss school. how ridiculous! missing school.

never settled in one place. never.

go figure.

i have spent a lot of time thinking about graduate school. with only a sememester of school left this is something i actually have to ponder. its something i actually have to buckle down and think about. its hard to think about something that you aren't sure you want to do yet! well i know i want to go to graduate school. but where? studying what? not to mention that my grades aren't exactly what they need to be in order to be a candidate for the big ones.

i really don't like reality.

Much needed respite

I am leaving the hustle and the bustle of the city of Phnom Penh for a few days. I am headed to Siem Reap to do some work for a local travel guide. Siem Reap is where Angkor Wat is located. I will not be visiting Angkor Wat on this trip, but I will indeed be visiting many a bar and restaurant to write four articles. After that I might head to the beach for a few days to write the actual articles or go dolphin searching in Kratie. Which is difficult because its high season and they are apparently hard to see in high season.

I will be a published travel writer in a matter of weeks. I have to say that I haven't been this excited for quite a long time.

Tonight is a friend of mine's birthday. He owns my favorite cafe, the Alley Cat. I walk in last night to find out not only is there going to be a party but its going to be a free BAR-B-QUE and SANGRIA party. FREEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Ribs, Sangria, Potato Salad...Its almost like being in Texas on a ranch. Only. not. I not sure if cambodia or a texas ranch would smell worse. Thoughts?

How to pretend you live in Cambodia when you don't

1. Walk around your local downtown wearing a sign that says "yell things as me". Listen to the jeers. Realize you sure as heck don't fit in.

2. Wash all of your clothes in a bucket. Soak them for a few hours. Then wring the heck out of them. Hang them up in your shower stall to dry. Take a shower. Leave them dripping in that shower. Wait a day. Take another shower. Finally take them out of the shower and put them in the sun. Smell the mildew. Welcome to rainy season.

3. Light three mosquito coils in your room. Everyday.

4. Go try to find a market that sells only water and eggs. Purchase both daily.

5. Go walking in your local super market. Throw rotten food on the floor. Turn on the heat. And break down the walls. Pleasant huh? Add a mass of load people arguing about prices.

6. Imagine that everywhere you go people are yelling "Moto" "Tuk Tuk" and various other things as you walk down the street.

7. Bargain with your fruit seller at King Soopers or Stop and Shop. Tell them that the grapes should not be that price and you are only willing to pay x price. Stomp away angry when they disagree.

8. Take a shower and go sit in a steam room. Do this for three full days.

9. Go to a local bar. Replace the men's girlfriends with 18 year olds. Then realize most of them are actually prostitutes.

10. At four pm stand outside with a hose over your head in a bucket of sewage. When the water in the bucket is to your knees, stop. And imagine trudging around in that.

11. Look both ways before you cross the street. 10 times. Even on a one way street.

12. Buy some fish. Put it in the sun. Add camembert cheese. Leave it in the sun for three days. Smell it. Mmmmmm Pra Hak.

Oh yeah. This is the life. Or something.

Strange and Bizarre Days

ON Saturday, here in Cambodia, I had the strangest day of my life. I woke up. Watered my plants. Then suddenly it hit me...my neighbors were playing It's the time to Disco at the loudest possible level.

Then I ended up at the nicest hotel in Phnom Penh at a press conference. But not just any press conference. It was a press conference with the Minister of Commerce and the Ambassador to Cambodia FROM PAKISTAN!!!!! I was asked by a friend of mine who runs a local newspaper to go and be the talking head. I did as I was told. And after was asked to stay and have a drink with the Minister of Commerce. He said the following: You are articulate enough and smart enough. I have someone you should talk to. In waltzes in some guy who runs a pharmaceutical company. He offers me a job after graduation because I am articulate and speak french. A very good job....With a driver and a flat with 24 hour security. IN PAKISTAN????????????

Anyways. it was freaking bizarre.

Oh and it turns out that my dad (HI DAD) is famous. I met an ad exec who works for Bates here in Cambodia and asked me what my dad did. I told him, gave him his name, and the guy said....He was quite the big deal blah blah blah. HYSTERICAL!!! HEY DAD YOU ARE FAMOUS!! Imagine that.

Shameless plug

To all of those of you who read my blog!

The Cambodian Children's Fund is currently searching for more sponsors, as the growth the organization has seen is immense. When I was here last time, we provided education and housing for 60 students at one school. We now have over 230 kids, two schools, a third on its way towards opening, a bakery, and a sewing center which hires prior domestic violence victims to make handbags out of recycled materials.

Sponsoring a child fully funds the following: nuritional meals, quality health and dental care, vitamins, comprehensive education, and a place to stay. The commitment is 100 dollars a month for a year. I know this is a huge commitment for most of you, and most of you can't even swing it. But if it is at all possible or you are at all interested please drop me a line. The change sponsors make in these kids'lives are huge. Having a sponsor means the world to the children, and I am sure all of them would love to have one of you.

With your sponsor kit you get photos of the child, a video interview, and updates on their progress in school and artwork from time to time.

If you are interested drop me an email at makennaccf *at* gmail dot com. Thanks for reading.

Philly Cheesesteak and Mountain Dew

Thats right. I am smack dab in the middle of the developing world eating a philly cheesesteak, dipping fries in ranch dressing, and drinking mountain dew. These are all things I haven't seen in over a month. All I can say is that this is the first time in my life I have ever praised the american military openly...since the bar is owned and operated by an ex marine. BUT SWEET JESUS!!!! Mountain dew!

Also available here is Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, Guiness, and Cooler Ranch Doritos. The doritos? FOUR DOLLARS FOR A NORMAL SIZE BAG! As much as the idea of eating real american tortilla chips coated in fake flavor sounds appealing...won't spend that kind of cash on a bag of chips. Considering my meal is the same price.

As much as I have loved Khmer food...there is only so much rice with fish broth you can eat.

In other news: I was hit by a moto twice in one day. First Time I was walking from one side of the road to the other, I was five feet from the curb and I was SIDESWIPED six feet from the curb side (where traffic should have been coming at me from the front) by a moto coming FROM BEHIND. He went between me an the curb. Wasn't injured, just was barely touched. But still! What an idiot. Then later in the evening I was going to my local bar to meet some friends, it was within walking distance...but its better not to walk anywhere at night around here. I argued with a moto driver about his price. He wanted a dollar. I found a moto driver who would do the 15 second drive for 500 riel (aka FIFTEEN cents). So I hoped on moto driver number 2 and moto driver number one got pissed and decided to half-hit his moto into the one I ended up getting on. To say the least that was a strange day.

Another strange day was when I went into a bar and asked for a lemon drop shot. Easy enough...LEMON VODKA!!! With sugar and a slice of lemon. What did I get? Vodka mixed with water in a glass with ice. Oh language barriers.

I am attempting to learn the language. Khmer. But its not exactly easy. Since every single word sounds like a gluttural yelp of some sort.

My appartment is starting to SLOWLY feel like a home. Thanks to some comfy rattan couches. (Think Popazon chairs but bigger, and 20 bucks) A water hyacinth rug. And a wrought iron gecko that is wearing an orange robe kind of like a monk. :-)