Cooking/language exchange

Last week some girls from church came over to cook pizza, the week before we did cake. After making pancakes in English group they wanted to learn some other western food. Its been a great way to get to know them, and to learn new words and use my Khmer language, and for them to practice English too.

New daily discipline

I've been trying to find a Khmer TV show to watch regularly to help my language skills. About a week ago I asked a Khmer friend what she watches. She told me she likes a Korean TV show thats on 5 nights a week, dubbed in Khmer. The Khmer name translates into English as "You're my heart" ) or it could be "I'm your heart".

I asked around and it turns out even my friends who don't have TV know this show. So I've started trying to watch it each evening. When I see my friend (about twice a week) she asks me questions about it. So it's working well, lots of listening practice, and then it becomes speaking practice when I talk to people about it.

Plus its fun and it give me more of a connection to people's lives. I was thinking I would be watching a Khmer TV show, made in Cambodia, in Khmer language, rather than a dubbed one (learn more about language and culture of Cambodia). But this Korean show seems really popular with Khmer people so seems like a good choice for now.

Surprise series: Washing up

I was grossed out the first time I had Chinese friends over when I started living in China. They said they would wash up the dishes after dinner. But all they did was run them under some cold water. I couldn't believe they put them away with out washing them properly first. I had only ever washed up in a sink of hot soapy water.
Last year when I went to visit my parents I surprised myself. I was grossed out by the fact that they washed up in stagnant water. I guess I'm used to using running water now.

I just got back from spending a night in the province with a family. The idea is that it's good for my khmer language, as I have to hear it and speak it all the time there (as opposed to when I'm in the city living with an English speaker and going to English classes). And over the years these visit have been good for that, but its also hard as I'm tired pretty much the whole time I'm there. I always feel a bit gross after the long bus ride, and I don't really sleep well there. I'm not used to the beds, also they get up really early. They sell breakfast food on the street. This means they need to get up around 3.30am to start cooking so they can be set up in time for when people want to buy breakfast. I think it mostly happens from 5.30am onwards.

I usually sleep in their one bedroom, while everyone else sleeps in big room where everything happens. But this time the bedroom had students in it, so I slept in the big room with everyone. That meant there was a big pot of rice porridge being cooked near my head at 3.30am!

I'm trying to start watching more Khmer TV. I'm looking for a TV series/drama that I can get interested in and watch regularly. i did that in 2008, but once that series ended I stopped watching.

Kimsoeun has had a headache all day.

Phnom Penh is a construction site

Recently some friends came back to Cambodia after being away for 6 months. They were surprised at how many new buildings had sprung up in their short time away. We are also both surprised at how much the landscape changed while we were away- and that was only a matter of weeks, rather than months. Riding my bike around our streets has been full of surprises, over the last week I keep seeing new houses and shops.

Sturdy foot wear and protective head gear for construction workers!

Flying into Cambodia

Fog, flood, drought

We are staying somewhere that still has level 5 water restrictions, although not as tight as before (they can now wash cars with a bucket). 140 litres per person per day is the target. Last week we stayed somewhere that was foggy and flooding as you can see in the photos.

Project NB Tour- flying visit to Aust.

Over the last 6 weeks I've slept in about 8 different beds.
Over the last 4 weeks we've done the watering can presentation about 22 times.
We've seen lots of people we haven't seen for 3.5 years, others I haven't seen for about 8 years.
Some friends and family we saw for the last time in X amount of time as we all live overseas.
It's been our first winter in 5 years.
Lots of meetings and lots of people helping us.
Exhausting time but it's been good to try to get things set up for next year.