It’s been three weeks since I flew into Siem Reap. In some ways I feel like I just arrived and in others I feel like I’ve been here forever! Let’s just say that the weeks have been long (not in a bad way, just so much to absorb!).
So what is Cambodia like? It’s beautiful and GREEN! I love all the green, especially after one of the many rain showers. Everything is so fresh and clean. It’s rainy season and pretty much everyday we have a light shower. They say it should rain the rest of this week and I’m loving all the cool breezes! Finally it’s cool. The first few weeks were HOT and HUMID and I’d forgotten what cool felt like. With all this rain I can actually get cold… or a little any ways. It’s chilling driving a moto in the rain. I already appreciate the opportunities that it’s cool enough to drink tea in comfort.
I’m living in a tourist city, so most anything I’d ever need/want is available… for the right price. =) It’s a little strange yet to drive down the streets and see so many badong (foreigners). In Bangladesh we were pretty much the only bideshis (foreigners) around. The plus side to living in a tourist city is that a lot of people know a little English… so I can get around.
The Khmer p
eople are very polite. Sometimes I wonder what they think of us rude foreigners. =) Some are real pranksters and jokers. I need to learn Khmer so I know whether I should be frowning or smiling. Their English can be difficult to understand… but I think I’m starting to catch on. In Khmer they cut the last sound off of the word… or basically, and they do that with their English too.
I’m teaching two English classes now. I can communicate decently with one of them. It’s all girls and I look forward to many interesting discussions. Right now though, I feel like I’m still trying to figure out how much English they know and how to get them to talk!!! They can understand me, mostly, but… it’s just hard to find what will start them speaking. =)
My other class… well, I’m beginning to love the naughty little boys that come, but we don’t have very much communication. They can sound out simple words, but have no idea what they’re reading. It’s a challenge. They love to play bingo and color. =) But that’s hardly teaching them more English. I’m trying and maybe I’ll figure it out before too long.
I’m pretty desperate to learn Khmer. I can’t wait to understand what’s all going on around me. =) Khmer is a difficult language with sounds that phonetically… I have no idea how to write. Every morning I ride moto out to a village with the boys for a Khmer class. The nekgru (female teacher) is teaching us how to read it. She speaks little English and I speak no Khmer, but the boys translate when necessary. I feel pleased when I pick up a word or two, but pretty much I’m always leaning over and saying, “What? What’s that word?” There are 23 vowels and all but 4 have 2 sounds. We just finished the vowels, and the next class will be “dictation”. If we know all the vowels we will go on to the consonants. Supposedly, they’re easier. I need easy!
Three days a week I take another Khmer class. After I’m finished teaching English I sit down with a friend and we study Khmer. She’s not a teacher per se, she just knows English and is willing to teach me Khmer. We have many good laughs at my feeble attempts to say the word exactly like her. Often I can’t hear the difference between what I’m saying and what she’s saying, but I guess there is a difference. Learning to read helps, because she’ll say that it’s this vowel or that punjuanet (consonant) and sometimes I can then say it correctly. Writing the word in English letters is difficult because we just don’t have the correct sounds!!!
I’m slowly beginning to know my way around Siem Reap. I’ve done a few moto trips on my own *ahem* without getting lost. I know I’ll have to pay for my smugness sometime, but… those who know how directionally challenged I am will appreciate what I accomplished in not getting lost… yet. Traffic here is… interesting. I’ve definitely seen worse, but I’ve never driven in worse. Driving a moto is awesome! You can just wiggle your way through traffic.
I’m enjoying my time here. I love the teaching, the students, the people, the food, the driving… not everything though… just a lot. Thanks for your prayers. =) Please continue… I need them.
Photo credits go to Luke. Don’t we have some AMAZING sunsets? These were all taken from my favorite study spot: on the roof, in the gutter.
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