First days in Cambodia
Now that we're starting to feel a little settled into our new city, we've found ourselves with an evening in and a chance to write an update at last!
I (Amy) was perhaps most worried of all about the long-haul flight. Unfortunately I was not proved wrong - unable to sleep in flight and the altitude doing weird things with my head, I was ejected into Bangkok feeling like I had a six-cocktails-strong hangover. Thankfully it only took a few hours to pass, and whilst it's taken us both a good few days to catch up on sleep (we've literally fallen asleep on tuk-tuks), we quickly felt fine with the changed time zone.
After a nervy process of getting our visas, we were greeted out of Phnom Penh airport on Saturday evening by a wall of humid heat and a friendly American ex-pat tuk-tuk driver, who proceeded to tie our huge suitcases to the front of his vehicle. Riding through Phnom Penh for the first time was an assault on the senses, and the heart. You can't exaggerate the number of motos (mopeds) jostling for space wherever they can on the roads with tuk-tuks, cars and trucks. Hundreds of open-doored rickety shopfronts sell sizzling bits of meat by the roadside and scantily-clad girls sit suggestively in 'massage parlours'. Tiny kids and babies are held onto whizzing motos by parents or siblings (our 'record' spot is currently four children and one adult on one moto!) on roads where traffic rules (e.g. no u-turns or one way streets) are merely 'suggestions'. It's just madness.
Feeling disheveled and somewhat shell-shocked, we reached our home-stay, owned by an ex-pat Australian couple (as part of a wonderful social enterprise empowering vulnerable young women to determine their own futures). We were also greeted by their plethora of pets including Samson the dog and Moses the (ridiculously chilled) Persian cat. Spot the Christians! Our room has air-con (thank goodness) plenty of space and a western toilet - what more could we ask for!
Day two was work day. After a weekend full of rest (I jest) we organised our backpacks like a first day at school and headed off to the office. And by 'headed off', we mean clung on in the back of a tuk-tuk. It very much reminds me (Jonny) of Mufasa running the wrong way through the stampede of wildebeast (but without the sad ending fortunately!).
We're working predominantly for a social enterprise called Cambodia Knits (CK). They help local women into employment through the teaching them a skill in knitting and crocheting, and providing fair and flexible working conditions. It's quite incredible the work this organisation does.
After the day two induction and a slightly better night's rest, we took on day three. Now this involved a proper tuk-tuk adventure! We were taken to visit one of the nearby communities that CK support, and what an eye-opener it was. We were greeted by a stereotypical developing world picture, but the smell, the faces, the reality, really hit home. But although this was, in many ways, a shocking experience, there were so many positives. Take the photo below (on the left) as a prime example of one of these moments.
Our tuk-tuk half-capsized on a particularly bumpy and flooded road after some kids playing in the water with their mum caused the driver to swerve into a pothole. Two minutes later the vehicle was recovered and the driver was joking around with the kids (in what would have definitely been an 'exchanging of insurance details' moment in the UK)! The children even assisted with the pushing to get the tuk-tuk dislodged.
To counter these very Cambodian experiences, we did find a particularly Western looking cafe for lunch the previous day and proceeded to re-visit it on our return to the city to reset with air-con and a cup of English Breakfast tea. Turns out the ice cream there is also top notch. We can recommend Joma big time (another social enterprise it turns out).
Day 4 gave us the chance to visit the shop, Cambodian Creations, which primarily sells the CK produce. It was Amy heaven. Walking down a fairly hipster alleyway, we arrived at the shop which was brimming with artsy, ethical, and carefully designed toys, clothes and jewelry.
On a side note, we've failed miserably so far at communicating with the locals - Khmer is a language unlike any of the European ones we're familiar with, with an entirely different alphabet and sounds. I'm sure we'll get there with a few phrases this week!
Now we're getting into the swing of things, we're looking forward to being tourists at the weekend and seeing a few of the attractions (given that we're very definitely living in a 'local' part of the city).
P.s. Sorry for the lack of photos - we've been very cautious about getting our phones out but will doubtless become more savvy/ confident - more to come next time!
រាត្រីសួស្តី (Good night!)
Jonny and Amy
I (Amy) was perhaps most worried of all about the long-haul flight. Unfortunately I was not proved wrong - unable to sleep in flight and the altitude doing weird things with my head, I was ejected into Bangkok feeling like I had a six-cocktails-strong hangover. Thankfully it only took a few hours to pass, and whilst it's taken us both a good few days to catch up on sleep (we've literally fallen asleep on tuk-tuks), we quickly felt fine with the changed time zone.
After a nervy process of getting our visas, we were greeted out of Phnom Penh airport on Saturday evening by a wall of humid heat and a friendly American ex-pat tuk-tuk driver, who proceeded to tie our huge suitcases to the front of his vehicle. Riding through Phnom Penh for the first time was an assault on the senses, and the heart. You can't exaggerate the number of motos (mopeds) jostling for space wherever they can on the roads with tuk-tuks, cars and trucks. Hundreds of open-doored rickety shopfronts sell sizzling bits of meat by the roadside and scantily-clad girls sit suggestively in 'massage parlours'. Tiny kids and babies are held onto whizzing motos by parents or siblings (our 'record' spot is currently four children and one adult on one moto!) on roads where traffic rules (e.g. no u-turns or one way streets) are merely 'suggestions'. It's just madness.
Feeling disheveled and somewhat shell-shocked, we reached our home-stay, owned by an ex-pat Australian couple (as part of a wonderful social enterprise empowering vulnerable young women to determine their own futures). We were also greeted by their plethora of pets including Samson the dog and Moses the (ridiculously chilled) Persian cat. Spot the Christians! Our room has air-con (thank goodness) plenty of space and a western toilet - what more could we ask for!
Day two was work day. After a weekend full of rest (I jest) we organised our backpacks like a first day at school and headed off to the office. And by 'headed off', we mean clung on in the back of a tuk-tuk. It very much reminds me (Jonny) of Mufasa running the wrong way through the stampede of wildebeast (but without the sad ending fortunately!).
We're working predominantly for a social enterprise called Cambodia Knits (CK). They help local women into employment through the teaching them a skill in knitting and crocheting, and providing fair and flexible working conditions. It's quite incredible the work this organisation does.
 |
| left: a CK monkey | right: a slightly more rural area |
After the day two induction and a slightly better night's rest, we took on day three. Now this involved a proper tuk-tuk adventure! We were taken to visit one of the nearby communities that CK support, and what an eye-opener it was. We were greeted by a stereotypical developing world picture, but the smell, the faces, the reality, really hit home. But although this was, in many ways, a shocking experience, there were so many positives. Take the photo below (on the left) as a prime example of one of these moments.
 |
| left: rescuing the tuk-tuk | right: finding the Cambodian Creations shop |
Our tuk-tuk half-capsized on a particularly bumpy and flooded road after some kids playing in the water with their mum caused the driver to swerve into a pothole. Two minutes later the vehicle was recovered and the driver was joking around with the kids (in what would have definitely been an 'exchanging of insurance details' moment in the UK)! The children even assisted with the pushing to get the tuk-tuk dislodged.
To counter these very Cambodian experiences, we did find a particularly Western looking cafe for lunch the previous day and proceeded to re-visit it on our return to the city to reset with air-con and a cup of English Breakfast tea. Turns out the ice cream there is also top notch. We can recommend Joma big time (another social enterprise it turns out).
Day 4 gave us the chance to visit the shop, Cambodian Creations, which primarily sells the CK produce. It was Amy heaven. Walking down a fairly hipster alleyway, we arrived at the shop which was brimming with artsy, ethical, and carefully designed toys, clothes and jewelry.
On a side note, we've failed miserably so far at communicating with the locals - Khmer is a language unlike any of the European ones we're familiar with, with an entirely different alphabet and sounds. I'm sure we'll get there with a few phrases this week!
Now we're getting into the swing of things, we're looking forward to being tourists at the weekend and seeing a few of the attractions (given that we're very definitely living in a 'local' part of the city).
P.s. Sorry for the lack of photos - we've been very cautious about getting our phones out but will doubtless become more savvy/ confident - more to come next time!
រាត្រីសួស្តី (Good night!)
Jonny and Amy
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