A floating village in Kandal province, Cambodia.
I visited this island in Kandal province in late 2010. I was with a loan office for a microfinance organization and he pointed out the floating village next to the island.
“Vietnamese,” he said. “They can’t afford land.”
Today we have a post from Rachel Band about an area she specializes in, activities and things to do for young children in Siem Reap. Rachel has lived in Cambodia for 8 years and is the mother of a two-year-old and an almost-four-year-old. She also co-owns Rosy Guesthouse, a kid-friendly accommodation in Siem Reap.
Kids love playing miniature golf at Angkor Wat Putt.
RB: “I didn’t move to Cambodia with children, but now after eight years in the Kingdom and two kids later, my priorities now are firmly focused on activities to entertain my children, who are both under five. I was champing at the bit to find some classes to enrol the kids in once they started playschool/school, and disappointingly–but perhaps not unsurprisingly–found that the majority of the after-school activities offered by the international schools are for children aged five or six and over. I have since however found several locally-based activities for my little ones that keep them, and us, more than occupied.
With the virtual guarantee of good weather year round (even during the rainy season months the mornings are normally clear and dry) swimming is a popular and obvious choice for those with children, and something that we try to fit in once a week as a family. My oldest has recently started group swimming lessons with Siem Reap Swimming Academy (SRSA), run by a British swimming instructor with five years experience. Affordable private and group classes with a maximum of six students per group are available for children from four years old, with some of the classes being run through international schools. Swimming lesson day has become the best day of my daughter’s week, and I can see her confidence and technique improving with each class.
Swimming is a great activities for all ages in Siem Reap.
Many hotels and restaurants with swimming pools will allow outside guests to use them for a day fee or with money spent on the menu. Our favourite is the aptly named River Garden which has a salt water splash pool with waterfall at one end and a deep plunge pool at the other surrounded by a dense garden setting and sun loungers or shaded seating options. Entrance is free with any food or drink order from their mouth watering menu; Western-style swimwear is requested, noodle floating aids and floats are available and towels are available for hire.
Similarly, Kanell Restaurant offers free use of their chlorinated garden swimming pool with $5 spent on the menu, the burgers and Khmer curries are recommended. Even at midday shade is provided by the trees surrounding the pool and there are again sun loungers and shared daybed seating options and towels are provided. Both The River Garden and Kanell have other water features in their gardens so young children will need to be supervised both in and out of the pool.
The Angkor Era Hotel pool is one of the biggest in Siem Reap, and kid friendly.
A popular hotel pool, and one of the largest in Siem Reap, is the womb-shaped pool at Angkor Era Hotel; I kid you not, check their website. For US$8 ($2 for under 12s) you can make use of their pool, sauna and steam room, and gym. The price for adults also includes a one-hour Khmer massage. While the hotel is popular with Asian tour groups, the pool is normally quiet midweek in the daytime, just don’t think of the womb shape while you’re swimming!
All children love bouncy castles, and Happy Hop Playground has five of them conveniently located on the same grounds as Angkor Wat Putt, a 14-hole mini golf course through miniature replicas of the Angkor temples. For the modest sum of US$2 (expats get a reduced rate of $1), children have unlimited use of the Happy Hop bouncy castles and other playground equipment all underneath a shade cloth to keep them cool. My children enjoy jumping and playing on the bouncy castles when we go, with the Thomas the Tank Engine bouncer being a favourite with my two-year-old son. The bouncy castles are also available for private hire off site and are a popular choice for children’s birthday parties.
Miniature golfing through Angkorian temples? Yes, please.
Angkor Wat Putt itself is fun for the whole family. They have golf clubs in three different sizes (our two had no problem using the smallest size when they played) and their staff will gladly assist children to play, if needed. Children’s attention will be held by the differing ways to navigate the ball around each golf “hole”; through tubes; between posts; around corners and even avoiding water; be prepared for delighted splashes! The garden at Angkor Wat Putt is still in its infancy so shade is not in great supply and midday mini golf is not recommended. There is a central covered seating area for little legs to rest in the shade or with a cool drink if needed; a free drink is offered for every “hole in one” scored, however I wouldn’t press this too much on your children’s first visit.
Angkor Wat Putt has drinks and snacks for sale but allow customers to bring outside food and drink as well. Our children loved the mini golf when we went but neither made it through all 14 holes. I’m sure with our planned regular visits they will both become quite adept at it, and if their interest does wane there is always the Happy Hop bouncers to jump on while the rest of the family finishes off their game. Angkor Wat Putt is US$5 for adults, US$4 for children 3-12 years and free under 3 years old. Expats get a discounted rate of $4 and $2 for adults and kids 3-12 respectively.
One of the only purpose-designed activities for children in Siem Reap is Jungle Junction, a house of fun for kids with an outdoors playground, sand pit, large bouncy castle and trampoline, all with added shade. Outside shaded seating is in ample supply too. Indoors they have a soft play room with ball pit and a cinema room with seats specifically made for little bottoms. Spend $10 per table and children can play for free, otherwise child entrance is $2 each. What sets Jungle Junction apart as a children’s centre in Siem Reap for our family is the availability of baby changing units in both upstairs and downstairs bathrooms (downstairs offers more room), it makes a huge difference to changing our son on the floor or when still seated at the table as we normally have to when out and about.
While no high chairs are currently available, Jungle Junction has a children’s menu (the Pink Panther pepperoni pizza and Spider Man spaghetti bolognaise are our kid’s favourites). All kids menu items come with a milkshake and dessert). Adults are more than catered for too on their menu with recommended ribs and a popular Sunday roast. Jungle Junction can organise children’s parties on site, taking the hassle out of planning and clearing up at your own house.
Horse and pony rides are a fun option for kids in Siem Reap.
We recently went to The Happy Ranch for a 30 minute lead ride for our oldest, who is just shy of 4 years old, to see if it’s an activity she would like to take up and an opportunity for our younger child to spend time with some of the 46 horses and ponies at the Ranch to develop his confidence around the as-yet-unfamiliar animals. Children from approximately three years old can enjoy lead rides US$14 for 30 minutes, small size horse riding helmets are available. Our son was desperate to get on the horse too after seeing his big sister do it, and we were advised that if he’s confident around the horses and is able to sit on the saddle solo then there is no reason for him not to try too. He will be getting a lead ride next time we go, although I’m sure mum or dad will be walking alongside the horse too, just in case.
Horse riding lessons are not currently offered at The Happy Ranch due to no one currently working there being a fully qualified instructor, however any of the international staff will be happy to offer advice and direction for correct posture and sitting position whilst on the horses, which we were told will set the stage for lessons in the future. While it’s not a cheap option in Siem Reap, this is an activity that would be price prohibitive in our home country, and if it’s something that our children enjoy I see this as one of the many advantages to growing up in Cambodia.
One activity that has unfortunately finished but I’m seriously considering actively campaigning for a return of, is kids yoga at the Peace Cafe. In March this year the Peace Cafe ran a short series of midweek and weekend kids yoga classes with a visiting yoga teacher which was very well received. The Peace Cafe have suggested that this may resume later this year…our fingers are firmly crossed.”
Siem Reap Swimming Academy (SRSA)
T: 089 66 42 66
srsacambodia@hotmail.com
The River Garden
West River Road, North of National Road 6, Siem Reap
T: 063 963 400; 089 351 571
www.therivergarden.info
Kanell Restaurant
7 Makara Road, (High School Road), Siem Reap
T: 077 20 71 00; 099 630 644
Open daily, 10:00-22:00
www.kanellrestaurant.com
Angkor Era Hotel
T: 063 968 968
National Road 6, Siem Reap
www.angkorera.com
Happy Hop Playground
7 Makara Road, (High School Road)
T: 097 640 4268
Open Monday to Saturday, 16:00- 20:00
Open Sundays and holidays, 8:00-20:00
www.angkorwatputt.com
Angkor Wat Putt
7 Makara Road, (High School Road)
T: 012 302 330
Open daily, 7:30-23:00
www.angkorwatputt.com
The Happy Ranch
Group 4, Svay Dangkum
T: 012 920 002; 016 920 002
www.thehappyranch.com
Jungle Junction
7 Makara Road, (High School Road)
T: 098 293 400
Open daily, 8:00-23:00
www.junglejunctionsiemreap.com
Peace Cafe
Street 26, Off East River Road
T: 063 965 210; 092 177 127
Open daily, 7:00 to 21:00
www.peacecafeangkor.org
Aerobics Cambodia-style (Cambodia sty?)
When I first moved to Cambodia, I wanted to see and experience everything. So when I saw the group aerobics classes that take place at dawn and dusk all over Phnom Penh, I was eager to get involved. The aerobics at Olympic Stadium are particularly good–there are hundreds of middle-aged women, dressed mostly in matching pajamas swinging their arms in time to Chinese techno. Each group of twenty to fifty ladies is led by an instructor who gets 500 riel from each of them for his efforts.
So I showed up with two of my friends and tried to keep up with the low-impact aerobics, which were surprisingly difficult to follow because I didn’t speak a word of Khmer. A group of teenage Cambodian girls gathered behind us, giggling, watching the barang make fools of themselves. It was one of the more embarrassing (and uniquely Cambodian) experiences I’ve had here.
Whether you’re looking for a quiet weekend hang out or a place to put the folks up, Plantation Hotel is one of the finest recent additions to Phnom Penh’s flourishing boutique hotel scene.
Plantation Hotel offers a tranquil escape from Phnom Penh’s hectic streets.
Expats can tell you that the architecture of Phnom Penh is a hodge podge of gracefully run down colonial mansions, stylish 60s homes that still feel contemporary, and the post-conflict abominations that cropped up as employment and wealth flooded back into the city after UNTAC’s arrival in 1992.
The Plantation Hotel is a wonderful example of how all three periods in the city’s history can be harmonized, bringing out the best of each.
Located on Street 184 in the pleasant precinct surrounding the Royal Palace, Plantation is the 6th property in the boutique hotel portfolio of Alexis de Suremain.
The hotelier has been operating hospitality businesses in Cambodia since 2004 and in this latest offering his experience and good taste are evident. Beautifully refurbished, the former government building was initially constructed in the 1930s and eventually housed Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor. Slated for demolition in 2011, the original structure was saved by de Suremain and with its new lease on life as a hotel strikes the right balance between classic service and fresh surrounds.
The Plantation’s “poolside menu” is available at both pools, on the roof top terrace, and in your room
In the surrounding streets you’ll find art stores, boutiques, cafes and bars to suit any taste or budget. There’s also the National Museum and Royal Palace for tourists who are keen to get cultural.
The perfect oasis for harboring visitors from home, double rooms start at a reasonable price of USD 65 (although they can often be found cheaper on Agoda).
A Deluxe Twin room sleeps 3 and will set you back USD 120.
Basic rooms are equipped with air conditioning, mosquito nets and a safe, in addition to other standard amenities.
Deluxe options are more spacious and may offer a balcony or direct access to the pool as well as a breakfast buffet. There are a large number of ground floor rooms catering to those with mobility issues. Or in my case, to sate my desire for direct access to the 20m guest-only pool.
The main pool is secluded from non-guest areas and surrounded by private cabanas. The poolside restaurant is within casual waving distance and can ply you with tasty snacks and cocktails all day.
The stand out accommodation choice that is sure to please luxe travelers is the 200sqm apartment suite. Equipped with its own jacuzzi and spacious entertaining areas both indoors and out, you’ll never want to leave.
With two pools available to guests (one is not accessible by outsiders visiting the hotel) and a full service spa you can’t avoid indulging in some relaxation during your stay.
Pool, bar or restaurant? What does it matter so long as you like to swim, drink or eat?
For those with one eye on the Blackberry, the hotel provides free wifi access throughout the common areas and in all rooms, as well as meeting room facilities. Go let off some steam in the gym after your conference call and then meet up with travel companions at the poolside bar to ease into the evening.
When you’re ready for a nibble, choose from the two quality restaurants located on site or wander out for anything from Latin American to Indonesian cuisine and everything in between.
In house, the poolside restaurant serves up international cuisine including soups, sandwiches and pasta. Prices start at $4 for appetizers and $6 for mains.
I may be a sucker for patterned tiles but those with more refined taste will enjoy the range of delicious modern Khmer dishes being served up at Plantation Restaurant.
For a more refined dining experience head up to the elegant Plantation Restaurant on the first floor of the hotel’s colonial era entrance building. The contemporary Khmer dishes will leave you unable to resist a return visit.
Plantation Hotel was recently received a TripAdvisor traveler’s choice award for 2013 and is a member of the Childsafe Network.
Click to book your room on Agoda or, if you have specific requirements, you can contact the hotel directly on +855 23 215 151.
In this series we talk to Cambodia expats about what they know now that they wish they had known before they moved to Cambodia.
Jacqueline, James and Ben moved to Siem Reap in January.
This week we hear from Ben Bartlett, who together with his wife Jacqueline and 12-year-old son James moved from Australia to Siem Reap in January of this year. Ben and Jacqueline have a unique expat experience in that they moved here with their son James whom they educating using an Australian distance learning program. In this Expat Q&A they talk about the the joys and difficulties of being an expat family in Cambodia.
MTC: Ben, what do you know now that you wish you had known before you moved to Cambodia?
I wish I knew how much I would love the challenges of living as a minority in a foreign land. I vaguely recognised moving here would be difficult and some days would be harder than others. We knew James would have to adapt to very strange circumstances and that we were placing a lot of trust in the strength of our family to survive stressful situations. In saying that I can only say the experience has been fantastic for us–spending everyday together, dealing with the issues together and becoming a closer family. The best discovery from living in Cambodia is the strength of family, something the locals teach us every day, and something we may never have found in Melbourne.
Before moving Cambodia I also wish I knew how unforgiving distance education is for our son, and for us! My wife and I both worked a minimum of 12 hours a day in stressful roles. Our son was in year 6 at the local primary school and by the end of 2012, was walking the one block to school and the one block home alone, letting himself in as a latchkey kid. Our parental guilt was sky high, our existence was very unfulfilling, and we were like three ships passing in the night. We decided that this was not the life we wanted to be living. Having travelled to Cambodia three times over the past two years and falling in love with the people, we packed up the house.
Being parents of a 12-year-old boy, James’ schooling was our number one concern. We were intent on finding a means for James continuing his curriculum for year 7 that would be recognised in Australia, so that he could proceed to year 8 upon return. We knew of a school in Phnom Penh that offered the International Baccalaureate but the fees were astronomical and well out of our price range. Eventually my wife Jacqueline found an accredited Victorian State government program for distance education, the same curriculum taught at our home schools.
The program requires weekly submission for seven subjects and a one hour online classroom session. It is very structured learning so we have weekly ‘packs’ to simply work through. There is a support teacher assigned to each child and regular email contact with teachers, and skype communication with other students. We really enjoy the program and think it is a fantastic tool for those far from school, be it for medical reasons, difficulty with mainstream education, or simply travel, as in our case. Our son is a good student and is self-motivated so it has been a fairly easy transition. It has also been made easier by our different skill sets, as I supervise Maths, Science, and Health & Physical Education whilst my wife supervises English, Humanities and Art. We share teaching Discovery Learning, which is essentially a project management subject.
The positives of our approach have included being totally involved with our child’s learning. Last year we knew the basic list of topics he was learning at a term level, but no details, with only two school reports a year to work out where he was at. This year, we have full comprehension of his learning styles, his strengths, his weaknesses, a deeper sense of his likes and dislikes. We get to discuss important social and political issues, to visit historical events from different perspectives, to piece together threads from multiple disciplines and experiences. The teacher-student ratio is pretty good at 2:1, not 1:30+ in a regular school! There are no school uniforms to wash and iron, no school lunches to pack, no permission forms to fill out. Best of all, we get to spend quality time with our son, at least before he reaches full teenage years when he may not want to talk to us, let alone associate with us! In all honesty, it has been a pivotal point in our relationship, at precisely the right time!
It has not been all rose-coloured glasses though! We did not expect the amount of time studying would take each day. We thought that kids in Australia go to high school from 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. with half an hour for recess and an hour for lunch, and with classroom changes and assemblies, leaving about 4 hours actual learning time. We spend about 6-7 hours a day, one to one learning, 5 days a week. Add an extra 6 hours of Khmer lessons a week and education is our key occupation in Cambodia!
What we did not expect, above all, was the isolation for James. We thought that James would have loads of kids to play with, and he does, but the neighbouring kids in our community are a lot younger than he is. There is an obvious lack of kids aged 12 and 17 years. Just walking to town we see hundreds of children every day. It’s difficult to accurately gauge the age of Khmer kids but they seem either younger than James or old enough to drive motos. We presume that they are either working to provide an income for their families or old enough to hang out with their friends. Similarly, we thought there would be many expat families doing what we were doing, and maybe there are, and we have just not met them yet. At this point we are glad that James is happy to hang out with his parents, and with entertain visitors from Australia, he has not complained (yet). People have said to us that it is ‘character building’, so we will see how that works out in the long run!
I wished that we knew how hard it would be to source school supplies and had received our yearly curriculum before we left Australia. We could have brought certain books to escape the exorbitant postage of an atlas, dictionary and reference books. We could have stacked our suitcases with science supplies, perhaps even smuggled in a bunsen burner! My memory of science classes twenty years ago comprised of burning, boiling and blowing stuff up! Science has proved particularly difficult, especially with an accident with our school supplied thermometer, which cracked spectacularly on our tile floors, rendering that assignment unable to be submitted. Bi-carb soda supply was stumped briefly, as was food dye, but we are on track again, and luckily there is a constant supply of matches and sultanas here!
Distance education provides us with the opportunity to travel, and with a laptop and an Internet dongle, we are truly free! With our army jeep and a map, we have given lessons in southern Cambodia, atop a mountain at Bokor Hill on Ancient Sumerian civilisations, at Koh Tonsai (Rabbit Island) we have explored literature themes of plot, character and conflict, and locally in Siem Reap, we have sat by the pool critiquing Salvador Dali paintings. Above all, we feel that James will have a truly grounded education through travelling: by seeing how other people live, by experiencing other cultures, and by developing a broader world view. We are looking forward to travelling though Laos and Thailand in the next few months, and hope that the wonder of what we see is reflected in his school work over that period. So far, we have felt the ups and downs of living life here but at the end of the day, we are living life and not just existing. The opportunity of being a part of our son’s education is an every day joy.
Life back in Melbourne consisted of demanding jobs and diminishing time at home. Life was easy with the daily work routine, coming home of an evening, passing a carefree eye across James’ school work, a lazy ear to his adventures, blaming the school for not doing enough and going to bed. In hindsight leaving these educative years in the hands of others was naive and lazy on our behalf. I am so proud of how we have engaged in James’ schooling and his life, something I could never see before we relocated. We have acquired a new level of patience and how to communicate with one another. Learning has become more than the supplied school lessons and good manners, now we actually talk about all aspects of daily life including decisions, interactions, cultural differences and adapting to different ways of thinking.
I also wish I knew about Dengue Fever (the band) earlier!
Move to Cambodia is pleased to announce the first column of our Siem Reap art correspondent, Gladys Hallwall. Gladys is a part-time Siem Reap resident who spends her time visiting art galleries and passing judgement. Read on to find out what happened to last year’s galleries and for Gladys’ take on today’s art scene in Siem Reap.
“Twelve months ago one could easily spend a glorious afternoon trekking the vast Siem Reap art scene with an abundance of elegant venues to choose from. Ranging from pretentious art spaces in self-proclaimed 5-star properties, to quirky hidden gems in refurbished 1920’s colonial buildings, there was always a different experience waiting for you and an exciting buzz in the artistic air.
Mother’s Love by Tor Vutha. Part of a series of wooden sculptures, a tribute to the artist’s mother and her unconditional love for him and his 11 brothers and sisters.
A refreshing change from the usual cut-throat art scene (think New York/Paris/London), galleries in Siem Reap promote each other emphatically. When you are in one, you are encouraged you to visit the next with the usual friendly disposition synonymous with Cambodia. With the spectrum of artistic voices ranging from fine art photography to mixed media creations to contemporary and experimental art, one could not fail to be impressed with what this little tourist town had to offer. Fast forward to 2013 and the pace seems to have slowed significantly; four galleries closed their doors within a six month period.
The first to close was the extremely successful and highly popular Arts Lounge at Hotel De La Paix. With exhibition openings every three or four months, this was a big blow to the local expat community in as much a social sense as a cultural one. While everyone was fully aware that most of the art shown here didn’t actually sell (apart from the last show with work by Kampot-based French Artist Vincent Broustet almost selling out and perhaps a couple of local NGO paintings by children), everyone enjoyed the openings immensely mostly due to the subsidized glasses of mediocre wine and free canapes that were served.
The Arts Lounge was an extremely pleasant gallery to visit, one could gladly escape the raging heat outside, enjoy cool air-con and perhaps treat oneself to a delectable ice-cream from the adjacent cafe. unfortunately Hotel De La Paix was bought out by the Park Hyatt Group and the property is currently under construction. While it has been confirmed that the refurbished building will house a gallery, it will not be to the scale of its predecessor. No one seems to know what style of gallery it will be nor is anyone aware of when this fateful day will come (March, 2013 was the initial opening date).
Hot on the heels of the Arts Lounge was the closure of the Friends Center Gallery at Angkor Hospital for Children. Actively promoting both established and emerging Cambodian artists such as Ot Veansa, Tor Vutha and Srey Bandaul, the unfortunate end of this particular gallery came in the wake of a dengue fever epidemic in 2012.
While the gallery was not an actual part of hospital it was within the grounds and served as the official Visitor Center for the hospital. It was primarily conceived with the vision of promoting awareness and raising additional funds for the hospital. A high percentage of the art sales went directly to Angkor Hospital for Children with the remaining percentage rightfully going to the artist. The building was designed by trendy New York architect firm Cooke+Fox and was paid for with funds (all $250,000 of them) provided by Sterling Stamos Capital Management.
Shadow of Apsara Dancers by Oun Savann.
As the hospital was excessively over capacity and in desperate need of extra bed space during the dengue fever outbreak, the gallery was transformed into a vital staff training facility, while the original training rooms were converted into makeshift wards for the growing number of young patients. After two months of careful deliberation, the decision was made not to re-open the space as a gallery. It would remain an educational facility for the onsite trainee doctors and nurses. While one cannot argue with such a decision, especially when it comes to the essential medical needs of children, it was a huge shame to see such an impressive, and expensive, purpose-built gallery space close.
Three months later saw the demise of the ‘too cool for school’ Art Deli. Located in one of the most sought after premises on Alley West, this gallery/bar/community space/shop was more of a breeding ground for newly arrived feel-good NGO workers and unqualified English teachers. A hugely promising space adorned with work from local artists such as Oun Savann, Art Deli was doomed to fail due to a severe lack of care. Untrained clueless staff were left to run the ailing business, a massive mistake. They could sell you a bottle of water but ask about a specific painting or artist and one could instantly feel the fear of the sales assistants. Education and training are essential in the art business and this place fell far short of where it could and should have been. Still, it was sad to see it close its doors.
Having officially opened in March, 2012 with an excellent exhibition by Italian photographer Paolo Patrizi, it was a real shock witness the popular Angkor Photo Cafe-Gallery close towards the end of the year. Being the official headquarters for the excellent annual Angkor Photo Festival, one could be forgiven for holding out real hope for survival of this gallery. Located along the hip Siem Reap riverside, this gallery had access to an enviable array of professional photographers through their extensive network. Angkor Photo Cafe-Gallery was able to successfully showcase very impressive international artists. Luring patrons with regular salsa workshops, tapas evenings, themed events, etc the charismatic manager and well trained staff were aptly suited to their duties. Sadly, it was a simple case of the landlord deciding not to renew their lease on the premises.
For the few remaining in galleries in the dusty little town that is Siem Reap, there is hope. McDermott Gallery opened a new exhibition space in August 2012 at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor (that makes three for those of you counting). The highly-coveted fine art prints by American photographer John McDermott continue to wow viewers and be the staple art fix for most visitors. Theam’s House impresses guests with Cambodian artist, Lim Muy Theam’s ongoing dedication to beautiful clay pieces of local species and exquisite lacquer work. The often overlooked Alliance Cafe and Gallery is still going strong with it’s permanent exhibitions by Battambang artist Mao Soviet and Vincent Broustet and the funky 1961 gallery/hotel is also thriving through it’s ability to snatch up works by travelling artists and occasionally shows some local talent.
It seems baffling that a small town that hosted over 2 million visitors in 2012 can’t accommodate more of a prominent and steady art scene. A void has been left with the closure of these galleries, mostly due to the lack of professional venues left to showcase the exceptional talents of both Cambodian and expat artists. With an even larger increase in tourists forecast for 2013/2014, surely there is room for at least couple of exciting galleries to open and give Siem Reap a well-deserved shot at being a significant art community once more.”
In this series we talk to Cambodia expats about what they wish they had known when they first moved to Cambodia that they know now.
Barb enjoying a weekend in Koh Kong with her pug, Chook.
Today we hear from Australian expat Barb Eason. Barb originally came to Cambodia in 2001 on holiday–she fell in love with the place and moved over in 2005. Three years ago she started a small soup kitchen for working children which, in collaboration with some friends, has since grown into an international organisation called Voice. Barb has some amazing stories to tell (read her blog) and has a plea for those of you who want to help Cambodians–please give blood! Read to the end to find out more.
MTC: Barb, what do you know now that you wish you had known when you first moved to Cambodia?
BE: “I wish I had known how much I dislike teaching English before I spent a couple of grand on a TEFL course that no school recognized anyway. It might have been a good idea to volunteer teaching English at home before coughing up big bucks on useless certificates. And the money I spent would have covered my living expenses for longer than I actually taught!
Being a fussy eater, I wish I had known that bones aren’t removed from most dishes and lots of things have bits of intestine, coagulated blood and liver in them. Unless you are going to eat only in restaurants catering to foreigners, learn some food-related Khmer as soon as you can. Mee char boon lai (stir-fried noodles with vegetables) is handy in the countryside. If you must have meat, pork and beef dishes generally don’t have too many bones in them.
I wish I had known that you don’t have to attend every wedding you are invited to. Nor do you have to stuff an envelope with cash for every wedding invitation you receive. My rule of thumb is: If I have never met you, I will not put money in an envelope for your wedding (take note ex-landlord: I have never met your niece from Kratie.) If we are friends I will happily don a sparkly sequined number and go to your wedding with big hair, loads of makeup, comfortable shoes and an envelope stuffed with dosh. (But I will eat a hearty meal before getting there – refer to lesson learned above.)
I wish I had known that ice in your beer is a good thing. Learn to love it. Keeps your beer cold. Helps keep you hydrated. Win-win.
On a beer related note, I never could have predicted that I would lose the ability to read the word “Anchor” the way I used to. Or even say it for that matter. This won’t make sense to everyone. Sorry.
I wish I had known that my favourite time to be in Phnom Penh is during the big holidays – Pchum Ben and Khmer New Year. When the city empties out as everyone goes to visit their families in the provinces, Phnom Penh becomes a ghost town. Hire a moto and learn to ride, have a picnic by the river, rollerskate down Monivong Boulevard. Make sure you have stocked your fridge though because nearly everything shuts down. For the first few years I joined the masses in the gridlocked pilgrimage to the overcrowded beaches and double booked hotels, catching taxis that charge twice their normal rate before I discovered that Phnom Penh is capable of being a peaceful haven.
I wish I had known that red ants like damp towels. They will hang out in the little loops of the weave in droves, gangs, squadrons, armies. And there they will wait, wait, wait until you are drying your lady parts (or man parts as the case might be) to launch their merciless attack. Their hatred for human genitalia is unrivaled in the insect kingdom. Keeping this in mind, antihistamines (tablets and cream) should always be kept in the home. That trip to the pharmacy is a very uncomfortable one…
I wish I had known that donating blood in Cambodia is not as scary or dirty as I had naively believed. Since meeting and working with kids who have Thalassaemia, a genetic condition that requires regular blood transfusions simply to sustain life, I regret that I had not become a regular voluntary blood donor as soon as I had arrived here – I could have donated 23 times by now. If I could pass on one thing to newcomers and visitors to Cambodia, this would be it. Donate blood every four months. Most people want to ‘give back’ or do something wonderful for the people of Cambodia. Don’t visit an orphanage – visit the National Blood Transfusion Centre. Come and see me if you’re scared or don’t want to go alone, we run blood drives all the time and I know lots of kids that need a unit of blood with their name on it. “
You heard her, folks. Please donate blood. You can get in touch with Barb via Facebook at www.facebook.com/VoiceInternational or through www.voice.org.au.
Grilled eggs on wheels.
I snapped this photo of a grilled egg seller near Olympic Market in Phnom Penh when I was putting together a set of photographs of mobile street food vendors in Cambodia. Grilled eggs (pong ang) are a favorite Cambodian street food. The egg is mixed with salt, pepper and a bit of lime and stirred up in the shell and tossed on a mobile grill. Then the grilled egg man drives around all day playing a recording announcing that he’s selling barbecued eggs (and that they’re delicious). Sometimes, you’ll see a grilled egg man with family in tow, like in this photograph.