Its true, I have been quiet on the posts lately, but that can also mean a good thing right? Busy bee…
I had a week off two weeks ago, and travelled down to my cozy Sihanoukville Town where I ventured to the beach again to baste and imbibe. This time on my own since my friend who was supposed to come with me had his wrist broken, and when that happens you don’t stay here and have to leave the county for an operation. The treatment here would consist of wrapping your arm with bamboo and letting the shaman say a few words. If your injury breaks the surface, then you go to the typical hospital or at least that is the practice in the countryside. Needless to say, it was a quiet vacation where I decided to become more of a foodie, (most delicious was finding a sushi place in the middle of nowhere, and eating an Elvis sandwich at the guest house!) I also started to sketch with pastels which look like crap. One of these days I still plan on being some form of artist…
The vacation time was due to the Water Festival in Phnom Penh, which didn’t actually happen. It was cancelled this year because of the King’s death (second year in a row it’s cancelled). The event is supposed to be three days of dragon boat racing (I had signed up for) to go down the Tonle Sap River which runs through the City. Two years ago there was a stampede that killed almost 400 people on the bridges during the event, so even if I went I would have been hesitant. The bridge had swayed from too many people and then they trampled each other, as well as grabbing electrical wires to hang on to which electrocuted others. Needless to say, the festival is based on the end of the dry season and the changing of the river direction. Yes, it seems that this is the only place in the world where a river that is inundated with flood water is pushed inland by the mighty Mekong River and as the precipitation subsides, the natural flow returns again towards the China Sea.
I had my first quiet birthday (yes, everything is quiet outside the city). I celebrated with a snickers and tetra pack of milk on my satellite chair and I was quite content as it wasn’t a big stressed out organized event like the past 100 years! Well, my B-day just happened to go in tandem with the arrival of President Barak Obama. He came to visit me, how cool is that?! Just when I had been thinking perhaps the world doesn’t revolve around me and I started to adopt a humbler perspective, I get thrown back into the spot light! Obama came as he is concerned with the increasing control China is having in the Region, which from what I have seen, China owns a lot of land, exports and even builds the bridges in my Town. Not that this is any different than moron Harper selling off an oil company for 15 billion. Resources as an export is limiting and does have a shelf life, hasn’t anyone read Jane Jacobs? This is what I ponder as I watch another sunset on the Mekong...
My other connection to Obama’s visit was that he requested the release from jail of the radio station owner Mam Sonando who allowed free speech against the government. (By the way, all names here are placed last name first, and I still can’t pronounce squat). It seems that if you have an issue with the government, which is totally an autocracy disguised as a democracy under the 30 year leadership of President Hun Sen, you might be in for a beat down. During my training with VSO Cambodia I met the radio station owner’s niece who explained the human rights violations and how she had to pay all the guards to make her way into the jail for a visit the day before. Corruption is rampant, and I dare not discuss futher!
I know I still haven’t disclosed much of my work activities, but I don’t want to write boring poo. Although I finally created two draft proposals for grants and I wrote an anti-corruption policy (very satirical here), so I am on the right track. Oh yes, speaking of poo, I also had my first bout of food poisoning where I did the tsunami at either ends, which is always worth mentioning! Two days of being a zombie poo-barf machine.
Another note, I travelled to Benlong a few times, which is the Province next to me. I swam in a volcanic crater lake, went in waterfalls and met many new friends. I truly have made many great friends along the way, they just aren't in the Town I live in!
Finally, as much as I had built up December 21 as potentially being the end of the world in the past and wanting to have a party to top all parties, I clearly am in no position to host or have anyone around me who fed into such Mayan apocalypse conspiracies! Therefore I am going to the 4000 Islands in Laos on the 21st until after Christmas with some of the older VSO friends to ride it out! I will bring my Swiss Army knife just in case.
Until then, all my best to you and yours during the Holiday Season, wish I could eat some fruit cake with you and thick butter spread (I like it) and eat some of your baked delights while sharing a glass of wine. And turtles, and turkey, stuffing, boxing day cold turkey sandwiches with mustard and a glob of mayo, oh my I better stop...xoxoxo
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