I'm stealing this post idea from my fellow SALTer LynAnne, so I will begin by officially crediting her genius.
A comedian I love, Christopher Titus, starts out one of his comedy specials with the line "65% of American families are dysfunctional. That means that we're the majority. Normal people are no longer normal" or something like that. I've been in Cambodia for 6 weeks now and I'm settling into this being normal life, not a long vacation. So I thought I would share a few things that are officially 'normal' for me now:
1) Rice with every meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner
2) Traveling everywhere on the back of a moto (moped)
3) Bargaining for every purchase (though sometimes I am lazy and just pay whatever they ask)
4) Watching Korean soap operas and music videos every night
5) Going to bed early and getting up early
6) Dealing with a language barrier 24/7
7) Laughing at myself when I say completely the wrong thing is Khmer or get completely lost or make a huge cross cultural mistake
8) Being more emotionally vulnerable than at home, my normal coping mechanisms don't always work here
9) Using water instead of toilet paper
10) Always taking cold showers- which actually feel amazing
11) Not going anywhere if it is raining, the city totally shuts down, the streets flood
12) Carrying a helmet with me everywhere
13) Accepting that if you walk anywhere, you will be noticed because no one walks here
And here are a few things I just can't quite get used to:
1) Standing out everywhere I go, I'm always a spectacle
2) Attracting beggars like a magnet
3) Being constantly asked if I need a tuk tuk or moto everywhere I go
4) Not being out after dark, ever
5) Sweating constantly, and I mean constantly
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Being an American in Cambodia
As I was preparing to leave for Cambodia, my mom kept saying that this year away would teach me to appreciate America more. I always assumed she was referring to appreciating the creature comforts of prosperity in the U.S. And it is true, I do miss some of the comforts of home. However, living in Phnom Penh, I can find almost any Western thing I'm craving. Everything else, I've already gotten used to. However, I am learning to appreciate America in a totally different way.
As I live here in another culture, I'm discovering that American culture truly is ingrained in me. Culture is the sum of how a people live - all the little things that make up a life- traditions, values, communication style, relationships- things obvious on the surface like clothing style and things way beneath the surface like how you think about what success is. In sum, all the little and big things that are foreign to me here and totally natural at home. We learn our own culture from birth. I'm realizing that despite how cynical I can be about American politics, foreign policy, materialism, etc I am completely and fully an American. There are American values that I innately believe are absolutes. I believe this even though I know that all cultures are different, but none are wrong. I believe this even though I want to fight against my own ethnocentrism. Here are a few uniquely American values that I'm noticing more in this context:
1) Equality- the belief that all people everywhere are equal and deserve the same rights, opportunities, and access to resources
2) Gender equality
3) Individualism- valuing independence and individual's opinions and voices
4) Efficiency - in work, in relationships, in life
5) Valuing linear thought, critical thinking, and rationality
You can't escape your culture, I just hope I learn to be bi-cultural. Everything that is a part of Cambodian culture has a reason behind it. I'll spend this year trying to discover those reasons.
As I live here in another culture, I'm discovering that American culture truly is ingrained in me. Culture is the sum of how a people live - all the little things that make up a life- traditions, values, communication style, relationships- things obvious on the surface like clothing style and things way beneath the surface like how you think about what success is. In sum, all the little and big things that are foreign to me here and totally natural at home. We learn our own culture from birth. I'm realizing that despite how cynical I can be about American politics, foreign policy, materialism, etc I am completely and fully an American. There are American values that I innately believe are absolutes. I believe this even though I know that all cultures are different, but none are wrong. I believe this even though I want to fight against my own ethnocentrism. Here are a few uniquely American values that I'm noticing more in this context:
1) Equality- the belief that all people everywhere are equal and deserve the same rights, opportunities, and access to resources
2) Gender equality
3) Individualism- valuing independence and individual's opinions and voices
4) Efficiency - in work, in relationships, in life
5) Valuing linear thought, critical thinking, and rationality
You can't escape your culture, I just hope I learn to be bi-cultural. Everything that is a part of Cambodian culture has a reason behind it. I'll spend this year trying to discover those reasons.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Starting Work & A Weekend in Pre Veng
Hello all,
This past week I finally started working at my partner, Peace Bridges. PB is a local NGO that works in the area of peacebuilding (obviously). Basically, they run a pretty intensive training program for influential Cambodians that covers topics peacebuilding, nonviolent communication, family violence, etc. They then help their trained peacebuilders in spreading this information in their circles of influence. The program is pretty amazing- the exact kind of organization I spent years praising from a classroom at Whitworth. Up until this year, PB has operated with a Cambodian staff and an expat director. Now however, there is a new Cambodian director. The old director has stayed on in an advisory role and is my direct supervisor. The staff has all been really nice. Most of them speak enough English that we can communicate via their English and my little bit of Khmer. I've gotten the chance to really shape what I'll be doing here to fit my interests. I appreciate that PB really recognizes that this is a learning experience for me as well as an opportunity for them to benefit from my skills. I will mostly be working in their newly created research, monitoring, and evaluation department. In the past, they have done some evaluation of their programming, but it hasn't been very consistent. They are in the process of hiring a Cambodian director for this new unit. I will most likely be designing and executing a year long evaluation that I can see to completion. Its definitely a project I was trained for at Whitworth and I'm excited to put those skills to use in a real world setting. Its amazing how much more interesting research articles when you actually vitally need the information! Thanks to my sociology profs for training me for this! This past week I spent most of my time at work reading about evaluation, development in Cambodia, and PB itself. I'm slowly figuring everything out. Right now, work is looking like a great learning opportunity and a fun challenge.
In other news, us 4 SALTers spent this past weekend in Pre Veng. Pre Veng Town is the provincial capital of a nearby province, Pre Veng. MCC currently has one couple who lives their full time and another couple is coming in November. It was great to get out of the city! To be honest, the best part might have been having a day where I didn't have to do anything- it's been a long time since I've had real, relaxing down time. We went on some bike rides, took a moto tour through some villages, ate lots of new Cambodian food we hadn't tried yet, and generally relaxed. Pre Veng is beautiful- very green, so many rice paddies. In fact, we've officially created a new color - rice paddy green. There's nothing like it. So vibrant. (Pictures coming soon) The trip was a great opportunity to see the rural side of Khmer culture- which is especially important considering something like 80% of the population is rural. One of the best parts of the weekend was realizing that I was looking forward to coming back to Phnom Penh. I have settled in here. I loved Pre Veng, but I wouldn't choose to live there because I'm already comfortable in Phnom Penh. I like my job, my family, my routine. It was really the first sign I am starting to be 'at home' here.
This is getting long, so that's all for now : ) I will fill up another post with all my thoughts about development work here. As most of you know, I'm quite capable of rambling on that subject.
This past week I finally started working at my partner, Peace Bridges. PB is a local NGO that works in the area of peacebuilding (obviously). Basically, they run a pretty intensive training program for influential Cambodians that covers topics peacebuilding, nonviolent communication, family violence, etc. They then help their trained peacebuilders in spreading this information in their circles of influence. The program is pretty amazing- the exact kind of organization I spent years praising from a classroom at Whitworth. Up until this year, PB has operated with a Cambodian staff and an expat director. Now however, there is a new Cambodian director. The old director has stayed on in an advisory role and is my direct supervisor. The staff has all been really nice. Most of them speak enough English that we can communicate via their English and my little bit of Khmer. I've gotten the chance to really shape what I'll be doing here to fit my interests. I appreciate that PB really recognizes that this is a learning experience for me as well as an opportunity for them to benefit from my skills. I will mostly be working in their newly created research, monitoring, and evaluation department. In the past, they have done some evaluation of their programming, but it hasn't been very consistent. They are in the process of hiring a Cambodian director for this new unit. I will most likely be designing and executing a year long evaluation that I can see to completion. Its definitely a project I was trained for at Whitworth and I'm excited to put those skills to use in a real world setting. Its amazing how much more interesting research articles when you actually vitally need the information! Thanks to my sociology profs for training me for this! This past week I spent most of my time at work reading about evaluation, development in Cambodia, and PB itself. I'm slowly figuring everything out. Right now, work is looking like a great learning opportunity and a fun challenge.
In other news, us 4 SALTers spent this past weekend in Pre Veng. Pre Veng Town is the provincial capital of a nearby province, Pre Veng. MCC currently has one couple who lives their full time and another couple is coming in November. It was great to get out of the city! To be honest, the best part might have been having a day where I didn't have to do anything- it's been a long time since I've had real, relaxing down time. We went on some bike rides, took a moto tour through some villages, ate lots of new Cambodian food we hadn't tried yet, and generally relaxed. Pre Veng is beautiful- very green, so many rice paddies. In fact, we've officially created a new color - rice paddy green. There's nothing like it. So vibrant. (Pictures coming soon) The trip was a great opportunity to see the rural side of Khmer culture- which is especially important considering something like 80% of the population is rural. One of the best parts of the weekend was realizing that I was looking forward to coming back to Phnom Penh. I have settled in here. I loved Pre Veng, but I wouldn't choose to live there because I'm already comfortable in Phnom Penh. I like my job, my family, my routine. It was really the first sign I am starting to be 'at home' here.
This is getting long, so that's all for now : ) I will fill up another post with all my thoughts about development work here. As most of you know, I'm quite capable of rambling on that subject.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
My weekend
So, you wake up on Saturday kind of worrying you'll have a boring, awkward weekend with your host family. Instead, at 7 am you get the opportunity to spend one night at the beach with your host sisters! You pack up your things and hit the road for 4 hours until you arrive in Sinoukville or Kampong Som as the Cambodians call it. You feast on fresh lobster, shrimp, and crab. And the day ends with you swimming in the Indian Ocean watching the sunset. At first, the western sky glows pink. Then, the pink spreads and spreads until the whole sky is glowing pink on every side. Golden light flows out of the clouds surrounding the sun. The water reflects the sky and turns a pale shade of pink. And you realize that some moments in life are just too beautiful to have a camera with you.
The advertisements for tourism in Cambodia say "Cambodia: Kingdom of Wonder." The funny thing is, this is actually true.
The advertisements for tourism in Cambodia say "Cambodia: Kingdom of Wonder." The funny thing is, this is actually true.
Monday, September 6, 2010
My Host Family
On Saturday we celebrated my host brother's birthday and I took the opportunity to take a few pictures. Above is one where I jumped in. Below from left to right: An aunt who lives in the provinces and came into town for the weekend. I called her Ohm- a term of respect for older people. Next is Dalen, my youngest sister. She is 16. Next is Phealy, she is 19. Next is Dalice, she is 23. Next, an older sister in town for the weekend. She is my brother's wife. Their son is about 1 and a half and is super cute. Last is the birthday boy, my host brother Sophion.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Hi!
I wanted to let everyone know the move to the host fam went well. I have 3 sisters, Dalice, Phealy, and Dalen, and one brother Sophion. In order the sisters are 23, 19, and 16. They all speak great English and its been fun getting to know them. I have a room to myself that is pretty big and very nice. Also, my house is very close to MCC, maybe 5 to 7 minutes by bike. I'll be biking or taking a moto taxi (motodope) to MCC everyday. So far, its been really great. I will be spending the whole weekend with them, so hopefully it will go well.
Also, yesterday the four of us SALTers bought kick ass helmets for our future moto driving. I'm learning on Monday- well, my first lesson is then anyway. : ) I'm a little nervous about the traffic and the shifting, but I will be doing it all wearing an awesome pink helmet with a face shield that makes me look like a robot!
Good wisdom from another SALTers blog: Living in another culture is like being at a tea party where you don't know how to drink the tea, whether or not you should put your pinky up, or how you like your tea. But you like the tea, and you're learning. : )
I wanted to let everyone know the move to the host fam went well. I have 3 sisters, Dalice, Phealy, and Dalen, and one brother Sophion. In order the sisters are 23, 19, and 16. They all speak great English and its been fun getting to know them. I have a room to myself that is pretty big and very nice. Also, my house is very close to MCC, maybe 5 to 7 minutes by bike. I'll be biking or taking a moto taxi (motodope) to MCC everyday. So far, its been really great. I will be spending the whole weekend with them, so hopefully it will go well.
Also, yesterday the four of us SALTers bought kick ass helmets for our future moto driving. I'm learning on Monday- well, my first lesson is then anyway. : ) I'm a little nervous about the traffic and the shifting, but I will be doing it all wearing an awesome pink helmet with a face shield that makes me look like a robot!
Good wisdom from another SALTers blog: Living in another culture is like being at a tea party where you don't know how to drink the tea, whether or not you should put your pinky up, or how you like your tea. But you like the tea, and you're learning. : )
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