Hey guys,
I've been told off for not blogging. But since nothing super exciting is happening because we're settling in well to our version of the Cambodian lifestyle, I have chosen not to bore you with news about nothing... But I've been told to blog anyways. Here goes...
I've done about 18 interviews so far, with people from various positions in and out of the drug field. For confidentiality reasons I can't tell you much more than that. Each interview takes about 40-60 minutes, and I tape record everything then type it up later so I can have what is called a "transcription", which is a written version of the interview as it happened. Each 40 minute audio file takes about 6-8hrs for me to type... as you know, I've never been a fast typist, and it's very difficult to write down word-wfor-word when you don't know what they're even saying... so I have to rewind and listen to some parts over and over again until I get it, or give up. So far, out of my 18 interviews, I've transcribed 3 1/2, lost the audiofile for one (oops... must've forgotten to press record!) and typed up hand-written notes for an interview where the guy declined the voice-recorder.... so that leaves 12 1/2 times 8 hrs of transcribing to do... How excitement.
That wouldn't be such a problem if I had a fully functional laptop. However, mine currently, allegedly, has viruses and trojans and windows explorer stops responding every few minutes for apparently no reason. Sometimes when I start my computer, it tells me I have no sound card so cannot have any sound output, which makes transcription difficult. Using the IT crowd's favourite tactic (for those non-nerds, that means turning it off then on again) usually gets my sound back. But then media player refuses to play the files if I pause them for too long so I have to restart the player again, try to fast forward to where I was and keep typing. To make things more trying, our internet is temperamental and only loads some webpages some of the time... So let's just say I'm learning a lot about patience. I haven't been to a taekwondo class in 3 months, so it's challenging to find new ways to let off steam. I saw some little kids doing tkd and really wanted to join in but I think I was too old, and it might have even been the wrong denomination of Taekwondo, so I didn't want to cross over to the dark side accidentally...
Everyone in the office where I'm based is really lovely, and most of the foreigners are French so I can eavesdrop on conversations at the water cooler and what not. It's pretty funny, because they don't expect me to know what they're saying... Kate and I went to see a film at the French Cultural Centre (CCF) and were a little disappointed to see that it was all in Romanian with French subtitles. The storyline was lacking too. Completely. At least it was free.
We've been eating well, trying out new restaurants every night, occasionally finding new gems... like tonight, we visited what we've termed a "plastic chairs", a Cambodian-style restaurant aimed not at tourists but locals. There are heaps around, of varying quality. The most exciting are those with no menu, just bain-marie-style, point-at-what-you-want-and-hope-it's-not-dog-or-cat. Tonight we had a plate of rice each and two plates of meat and vegetable mixes to share, and a can of drink, for 5000 riel each. That's $1.25 Am-aaa-zing. I like those places. Just don't drink the ice.
We lashed out the other night and spent $15 on an all-you-can-eat buffet (salads, meats, desserts) and all-you-can-drink softdrink and draught beer, because they told us it was a "food and arts party"... not much of a party really, but the Cambodian music was cool until all the musicians stopped playing and the backing track continued... ha.
We've been trying to cook once a week, but we only have a stovetop (no oven) and one saucepan. And a huge mother of a ricecooker... we've had spaghetti with tomato and vegetable sauce, spaghetti carbonara, and a vegetable-tomato sauce that we ate with nacho chips and cheese for lunch one day. Kinda
like a vegie-bake without the bake.
I think I've found a church that I like... I had another in mind but after an incident, I've decided I might give it a while (if ever) before I go back. We're currently going to a little Anglican church filled with oldies and one family with about 10 kids. Everyone there are foreigners, except a few Cambodians that speak/want to learn English. They seem nice enough, and it's only a temporary option. They don't have a regular pastor because they're still searching, but the lay preachers so far haven't been so bad. The guy yesterday had one lady storm out because he was "quite boring and anti-semitic" and she announced that to the congregation before slamming the door behind her. Each to one's own I guess... he was just giving us the history and background to Pontius Pilate and his decision to crucify Jesus. Oh and those naughty Jews... just kidding. If I have any Jewish friends who are reading this, I love you..
I'm loving just jumping on the back of randoms' motobikes and asking them to take me home, which is what happens instead of public transport here. Motodops are cheaper thatn tuk-tuks so I take them. I have a helmet, don't stress. One moto driver waved to me at the market and I got on his bike because I felt a little sorry for him because one eye had a cataract (white pupil) and the other eye barely opened. I thought to myself, "awww, this guy won't get any other customers, I better say yes" before realising what sort of hazard a blind moto driver could be on the road. It was ok though, because about 50m down the road he put some glasses on so he could see. I was a bit edgy about how close things were on his left side, and especially since his left-hand mirror was missing, but I made it home safe and sound, and he was very thankful for the money. I think I overpaid him but I just wanted to show him I cared. It was a bit cute though, when we stopped he wouldn't look around and show his face until he'd hidden his glasses in his pocket - he must've been embarrassed by them.
Moto drivers often don't have any idea where I want to go, but they pretend they do.. that's always an experience, especially when my driver flagged downa white girl on another motorbike to ask her where I wanted to go... She had no idea, understandably, and couldn't communicate that to him either. She just shrugged sheepishly and apologetically. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, but the driver had taken me to a random hospital so I didn't know where I was so I couldn't figure out where I wanted to go... We made it eventually. I can say "turn left" and "turn right' in Khmer now.
Erm what else of excitement has been happening? My havaiianas broke in India (yes, brand new at the start of the trip, I'm very disappointed in whoever of you told me havvies were unbreakable and would last forever. you're lame.)
Me and another girl are looking for a house together so if you know of anywhere cheap, close to uni, for end of Feb to end of May with two rooms, let me know!
Wow. This is far too much writing about nothing. Sorry.
Love and prayers xx
p.s. I watched the first Twilight movie again on telly and I still liked it, and now I'm craving the second and third ones. And I like Justin Bieber's new song, Pray.
p.p.s. Don't judge me.
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