Getting down to the details

June 17, 2008

In this entry, I would like to start by discussing more of the details of life in Phnom Penh thus far. I am living on site, in a guestroom in the Palm Tree Orphanage. I was very happy to be offered a room in the orphanage, since it removed the burden of having to find an apartment or a roommate. Additionally, the guestroom is quite comfortable, which is an added bonus. The room is equipped with an air conditioner and a Western style bathroom, which are both considered luxuries in Cambodia. The rest of the orphanage is not air conditioned and squat toilets are the norm.

I am provided lunch and dinner at the orphanage. I am extremely grateful to the staff for this, especially since I know they have limited resources. However, I cannot say that I am particularly enthralled by Khmer food. Each dish seems to be drenched in a very sweet sauce, which does not appeal to my palate. Dishes will usually consist of egg, fish, or an unknown meat in a stew. I usually just eat the rice. The other volunteers recommended I go into town at least once a week to eat a Western style meal to supplement my diet. One evening, the other volunteers and I were so famished that we bought a whole chicken from a street vendor. I did not know that the chicken would still have the head and feet attached! I tried my best to ignore the eyes staring up at me, and I ate as if I had not had a meal in days.

The volunteers here have been very helpful to me as I become accustomed to Cambodia. Since Cambodia’s Hope only accepts volunteers, people come whenever they can. For example, the two volunteers here now have planned to stay for a month. This week, another volunteer is set to arrive and stay for one year. Then, several more are coming in July and August. Most of these individuals discovered Cambodia’s Hope through Semester at Sea, a study abroad program that takes place on a ship that navigates across the globe. Terry Kellogg, one of the founders of Cambodia’s Hope, taught a class on one voyage, and encouraged all of the students to visit the orphanage. Indirectly, this was how I found out about them as well. A friend of mine from college was on a Semester at Sea trip. When she found out I was interested in working in Cambodia, she encouraged me to look into the Palm Tree Orphanage.

Unfortunately, I do not know a great deal about how Cambodia’s Hope is financed. I do know that they are a United States based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that funds activities at the Palm Tree Orphanage. Working at the orphanage does not allow me to find out much of the technical information due to the language gap, but I try to piece together information as it comes along. I remember discussing with Jennifer that the founders decided to base the nonprofit in America rather than Cambodia to avoid bureaucracy, which makes a great deal of sense now that I see how things operate here.

The Palm Tree Orphanage is based slightly west of central Phnom Penh, in a residential area. The street on which it is located is not paved, but is a dirt road that floods every time it rains for more than a half hour. The flood of water soon turns into a river of garbage, as the water picks up any of the trash discarded along the road. This is simply a part of life, and the children wade across when they need to go to school. I was told not to follow them, as I could get a parasite. However, once you travel into central Phnom Penh, things look a bit different. The streets are paved and lined with stores, offering everything from clothing to motorcycle parts to computers. It struck me as odd at first, because it seemed that a country with very little money would not have a lot of merchandise to sell. My favorite part of the city is the Riverside, where there are restaurants and clothing shops and book stores. There is another area that I enjoy, informally called the Backpacker’s Area, which is quite often frequented by Westerners. Again, there are good restaurants and travel agencies so you can visit Siem Reap or Thailand or any of the neighboring areas. I have not yet seen the more rural areas of Cambodia, but perhaps a trip there is in my future. The Palm Tree Orphanage operates a farm in the Kampot Province and I would love to visit to see a different part of the country.

I have begun to think about my cultural project, and I have decided to create something related to the Khmer language. The older children have taken great interest in teaching me two words of Khmer a day, so I think I should take advantage of their kindness and learn as much as I can. I have become quite comfortable with what I’ve learned so far, so much so that I have begun speaking to some of the cooks and aides in their language. The pleased look on their faces when I say “Hello” (johm-rip-say-oo) encourages me to learn more. Also, I believe it shows them that I am not just here to teach my way of life, but to absorb their culture as well.