My Life in Cambodia

Now that I've been in Phnom Penh for a few days, I thought I'd mention some details of my life, in list format.

Where am I staying?



-The Del Gusto Guest house, run by the Boddhi Tree company. It's a converted colonial house with vines on the sides and a large garden and restaurant. I have a large room on the first floor. The room has a large, separate, bathroom, a sitting area, a large bed, mosquito netting, and neat-looking air-conditioner. It's really pleasant, and a nice place to start before I get an apartment here. Del Gusto is close to the office, and also near Martini Bar... which seems be an important nightlife fixture. DDD co-workers took me to "Lucky Burger" during a break. I got a bacon burger, and it was tastier than McDonald's.

For lunch today, B and I went to an ex-pat hangout near "the Russian Market." The place was also a social enterprise, in that it's in business for society, not for profit. This was the second time I'd eaten at a social enterprise restaurant in Phnom Penh. I got a nice Belgian ale and Mi Char (stir-fry noodles and beef, very tasty). Social entrepreneurship seem to be common in Phnom Penh, which makes sense since it's a great model for sustainable development. More on this later.

What's my work/office like?

-The office in Phnom Penh is a big building on street 360, between the Genocide Museum and the Military Tribunal Court. I am pretty sure it has five floors, with lots of rooms for different departments. For a day or two, I was the only American/Caucasian person in the building, and I still seem to attract attention (and some giggling) when I walk around and explore.

The culture is complicated and fascinating. More on this later.

My Cambodian colleagues are smart, helpful, funny, and warm. I like working with them, and have been learning a lot. They are eager to teach, and ask and answer questions. H, the man I am working closely with, is very gentle, devoted, and perceptive about human personality. I think he and I will be a good team, since our strengths complement each other.

He told me a joke today: since we work six days a week (or 5 1/2, since Saturday is less of a work day), he said that phrase here is TGIS.

Am I keeping in good physical shape?

-Sort of. I think I am slimming down due to the weight, good diet, and high level of stimulation. I woke up early this morning and went for a run (1-2 miles) between my guest house and the DDD office. The first song on my ipod playlist was the opening theme from the Sopranos (woke up this morning, got myself a gun..." which seemed oddly appropriate.

By the end of the run, I was listening to "Don't Stop thinking about Tomorrow," by Fleetwood Mac. The song was the Clinton campaign theme in 1992... This also seemed appropriate, considering Cambodia's history and current economic development.

Don't stop thinking about tomorrow, indeed.

My slow-down lap was Aux Champs-Elysees, from the credits of The Darjeeling Limited. Less appropriate.

What's the weather like?

-Hot and Muggy. Think of a Vietnam War movie, and then drop the temperature by ten degrees. Today I wore linen pants, a polo shirt, and sandals.

So what's it like in Cambodia?

The poverty is a bit overwhelming. I've seen poverty in Africa and Central America before, but this is much worse, and affects me deeply. There is also trauma (from the genocide, I think). You can feel and see it on the faces of the people on the street.

I have had the most severe culture-shock of any any foreign country. Much worse than my time in Sweden, scarily so. I think it is partially Cambodia-specific as opposed to Asia in general.

There is also something peaceful about the way that life moves. A subtle flow, like water. It reminds me of the opening shot of Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman with the motorcycles.

I have taken "motos" pretty much every day. I even have a helmet, courtesy of DDD. DDD's policy is that all employees must wear helmets, which is similar to President Kigame's decree in Rwanda.

I am slowly adjusting to the flow of the city. I plan to try to run often, and maybe meditate.