Full week - lots happened, can’t believe I haven’t written for a week.
Last weekend was settling into the house and getting sorted. Friday we all met at FCC and had some drinks. The view over the river is great at sunset. I felt kind of “colonial” though but it is nice as a bit of escape from the chaos of the streets.
On Saturday night, Sonia and I had a local experience. She has two friends here who she met in Australia, Kimsour and David. They took us in the afternoon to the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum. It is in the high school which was used as the prison during the Khmer Rouge reign. It was called S21. It was very disturbing seeing the interrogation rooms - the metal beds where prisoners were tortured are still there. I was glad I saw it as it is such a big influence the country and its people.
On Sat night, Kimsour and David took us into town to the river-side on their motobikes (of course). It was great - Khmer families walk along the river at night. There were heaps of people out. Many young people play games, especially at this time of the year in the lead-up to Khmer New Year (April 13, 14). We walked along then went and had a local meal - David chose the restaurant and it happened to be the one up on the corner which we have been going to near our house! We laughed about that.
Language Training
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday was language training at the French Cultural Centre. It was excellent - learnt heaps and we are now much more adept at negotiating prices and giving directions to moto drivers. Some of the sounds are difficult to say - it’s not a tonal language but still, some of the sounds are not in English. Everyone spells the words differently when they translate them to the english alphabet so that makes it hard. My Khmer-English dictionary is a good resource. Sonia’s friends have offered to teach us Khmer twice a week which is very generous.
As part of the training, we went to the Central market to practice. I bought some tea-towels successfully. It was that day, we saw the pile of cooked cockroach-like insects for sale. That blew me away…Ana told me that a rat ran past our feet when we waiting inside the market for the others. I’m glad I didn’t see that and that it didn’t run over my foot.
Starting Work
Was feeling a little bit nervous about starting work on Wednesday. The day didn’t start well. When we woke up, the power and water were off. The time passed and it didn’t come back on so there was no shower on the first day of work for me. That was rather unpleasant.
My first three days of work were fine - fairly quiet. We were told to be patient at the Pre-Departure training which I am glad about.
The first day, I started writing a detailed workplan for my assignment. I rearranged some of my outcomes. Have to walk before we can run. One of the first things I need to encourage is to for them to get an internet connection!
In the afternoon, there was a monthly staff meeting which was great because I was introduced. I stood up and spoke a little bit of Khmer then English. They asked me a couple of questions which was good. Most of the meeting was in Khmer so one of the co-directors translated. Not many of the staff can speak English well so this is another big incentive to learn Khmer.
Thursday, I wrote more of the work plan and started planning some visits to staff to find out what technology is being used and training needs.
On Friday, I went round and introduced myself to some of the staff and mentioned that I will be coming around next week to talk to them about their computers etc This was more of a way of making contact.
Mostly I was advised to speak to the directors who were out at a meeting that day. I spoke to one of the directors and arranged to visit her department on Tuesday morning. I was pleased with that.
Sarayeth, my manager is going to present my workplan to the directors on Monday morning in their weekly meeting. There are 5 departments - Networking (where I am working), Television, Radio, Media Campaigns and Services. All staff are female apart from 2 men - even one of the security officers is female.
It is very impressive what they are doing - I think I will see some very interesting projects.
I share an office with another staff member who does admin work. She is fairly quiet but I’m sure I’ll get to know her. I was very glad of my laptop because there is only 1 computer in the office. It is good to have my own - I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t use the laptop much as I can’t get an internet connection at home here (prohibitive prices and we don’t have a phone line anyway.)
Lunch time involves eating together outside - a very different arrangement to what I’m used to. Everyone seems to have their own place to sit and it appears that mine is to sit on the managers table so that is a bit hard for getting to know the staff. Everyone brings cooked food from home. I shared some - delicious.
We have an hour and a half for lunch and this also involves a sleep! We go into the office, get out our pillows and sheets and have a sleep on the floor! I didn’t do this the first two days but joined in on Friday. It’s rather nice.
I have been getting a moto to work - the shortest way is the road next to “Shit Creek”. Disgusting! Maybe next weekend I will organise a bicycle.
Last night, we had dinner at a nice resturant and drinks at an Irish pub then we went to a house party. It was quite good. All the moto drivers wait outside. I rang Hean, my driver earlier in the day and asked if he could pick me up from town so I rang him at about 12 midnight and he asked me if I was t the Irish pub and I said ‘no’ and started explaining where I was. He broke in and said, he was outside the house. That was funny.
When we went out, the moto drivers swarmed to us but reliable Hean was there at the back waiting for me. He’s really nice. He’s learning English and I said I could help him if he wants. He might help me a bit with my Khmer. He speaks English very well but wants to learn how to write as well.
The Wedding
On Thursday morning, we were all woken at 5am to blaring, raucous music. A wedding tent had been erected the night before outside the neighbouring house on the road. The music starts at 5am then the family arrives at around 7am. The night before, a reception was held at the river then the feasting goes on all the next day. It was pretty amazing although I was wanting my rooster alarm back. The rooster could only get some crowing done in the ocassional breaks in the music.
Ruth e xx
Miss Phnomer in Cambodia
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