Gone to Siem Reap

There has been a couple of instances when I have been told that someone has gone to Siem Reap.

1. We bought a second-hand CD player from somebody who was about to leave the country.  Apparently, the seller had the CD player repaired before selling it to us, and told us that we can contact the repair job was inadequate.  When we tried to contact this repairman, we were told that he had gone to do a job at Siem Reap, and will not be available to help until he returns to Phnom Penh.
   
   
2. Some carpentry work that was done around our house needed some follow-up work, but these will have to wait until the carpenters return from an assignment they have in Siem Reap.

I understand, Siem Reap is far from Phnom Penh.  There is some construction and other work that is being done over there.  Workmen who go to Siem Reap will be stuck there for at least a few days or a few weeks before they return to Phnom Penh.  If they have a big job to do, then they could even be there for months!

However, I wonder if these guys have really gone to Siem Reap as they said.  Maybe this is just a gentle way of saying that they are not interested to do any more on the job that they wish to consider done.  Maybe they just don't want to get hassled, after no longer having any more inspiration to do the work that they had started.

I wonder what the truth of the situation is?

Cambodian Christmas

This will be our first Christmas in our new “home”.  Compared to our previous years ...

These are some differences:

• 25^th December is not a national public holiday.  Employers are not obliged to give their staff the day off, but some (like FEBC) do;
• We have yet to see Santa Claus.  Maybe he does not come here;
• No nativity scenes at the shops;
• Worship-shrines are decorated with Christmas lights.

Here are some similarities:

• Christians use the opportunity to tell the story of Jesus.  FEBC, other missions and local churches do this;
• Shops that have decorations usually set up Christmas trees;
• People use the occasion to give presents to each other.

Wrong sounds

I have been finding it hard to pick up the Khmer language lately.  There are many sounds.

When listening to the Cambodians speak, there will be times when one will pronounce a word differently from the CD and the teachers I have been listening to.  They will make a different vowel sound, but preserve the consonants and the same number of syllables.  This is acceptable, though.  Cambodians will just dismiss this as a different accent.

When I make a different vowel sound but preserve the consonants, I am not understood.  I would have said something that does not exist in the language, or else said a word that does not make sense in the context.  I am sure I will embarass myself like this many times before coming to have a good grasp of he language.

Even if I make the right sounds, some will understand me while others will not.  Those who don't understand will to switch off my Chinese accent when speaking their language.  Those who do understand wonder why their friends give me a hard time when I am speaking clearly.  I am left bewildered at the phenomenon.

I am finding the language difficult, but I am determined to press on.

Cambodian mindset

I heard two interesting comments this week.

1. "If you have land, wind and water, you are not poor".  Apparently, many Cambodians think that they are needy and ask for help.  However, the person/people who make this comment think that they are more self-sustainable than what they think of themselves.
   
   
2. "Cambodians are coming back to their country but Filipinos are not".  Apparently, many Cambodians left their homeland for "greener pastures".  So did Filipinos.  However, as the country developed, many Cambodians see a reason to go back to their country of origin.

It is interesting to hear these expressed.  Have you any other quips to share about the way the people think?

We know where you live

At the corner of many streets, motordops and tuk-tuk drivers await passengers who would use their services.

While they are not busy ferrying commuters around the city, they will sit by their vehicles, chat with each other, and watch.

They know where we live.  When we use their services, then they would also know where we go for work, shopping, etc.  What time we leave home.  What time we get back.  They also probably also know how many people live in our home and when our home is empty.

I think they can be good sources of information to potential thieves.  I think they also double as security guards, or witnesses after a crime.

Trustworthy scales

It seems that people here are suspicious of others, especially with regards to trading.

I don't blame them.  Prices are often to be haggled over. To negotiate before buying something is normal.

Supposedly, this happens more at the markets and on the streets and less in the malls and nicer stores; but this is not always the case.  Even prices at such establishments are subject to discussion; at least to some degree.

However, I was rather appalled to hear a friend advise me to bring my own scales to the markets.  Apparently, the scales there are rigged to not reflect the correct weight, but so that the vendors may cheat the customers.  I remembered Proverbs 20:23 when I heard this.


Another friend told me that the price of some things are cheaper here in Cambodia.  They have the same badges and design as those overseas, but they are not really manufactured by the same company.  They are of imitation parts.  It is possible to find a used model of an "original" one of these products cheaper than the imitation one.

I wonder how it sits with regards to trust and acceptance here, if people are so suspicious of each other and the products and services delivered?  My experience so far has not been too bad (thank God for that), but I tread cautiously having heard what people tell me.

Rubbish

We have since moved to Cambodia.  It seems that the way garbage collection works is that garbage is left out in plastic bags on the side-walk.  The garbage collectors pick up these bags on the designated days.

Residents would put the garbage out when they think the designated days have arrived.  If the garbage is not picked up on these days, then the garbage will stay out for an extra day or two.

Stray dogs will sometimes tear the plastic bags when looking for scraps.  Insects and other pests may get to the rubbish before the rubbish collectors also.

Nevertheless, the rubbish collectors do a good job in cleaning up when they come around.