walking to where?

Cracked, chipped, cut -- the lady mountain city's sidewalks sigh, raise and fall flat in uneven segmentation.  Phnom Penh applies an uneven concealer of clothing scraps, cigarette butts and shattered colored glass on the bruised and broken, plastic-bottle littered pavement lining Preah Monivong.  It's inhabitants rudely camp out atop its wrinkled corners, signaling to those that daan-leng (walk/stroll)  along its surfaces, eagerly offering to sweep them away on Daelim motos or tuk-tuks.  

A small almost-inaudible "click" announces the direction I take every time my brown Beautiful tiny round-heeled sandals (visit st. 143 Beautiful Shoes) touch this crooked pedestrian terrain.  My arms occasionally swing upward, balancing my body as it squeezes past SUV and Toyota invaders accosting this unkempt path. At each potholed section I make an effort not to become Miss Trip-y, tip-toeing carefully over and around the jagged breaks. 

The steps I take lead me to insignificant places-- restaurants, copy shops, cross-walks-- yet, each time the misaligned cement takes me on a journey back to similar, occasionally tree-shaded strolls in Mexico City's La Condesa, and for that I love the rutted paths in Phnom Penh, for the repeated short resurfacing of home.

What would you do if you were in Asia?

What would you do if you were in Asia?  

Living in Asia myself, I've taken the opportunity to explore and try out things I would have never had the opportunity to do back home either at my age, or at all. Feel free to let me know what you would do if you were in Asia (aside from travel and taking a cooking class), as I'm always looking for ideas...

In the meantime, for one, I've taken on freelance writing. I'm a writer/ reporter/journalist (whatever you want to call it) for Asia Life Guide, an English-language lifestyle magazine in Phnom Penh catered towards expats. I write reviews, vox pops, cover events, and features based on what my editor wants for each issue. The job has led me into expat worlds I would have never entered-- private international schools, homes, restaurant kitchens, and on occasion, a variety of events taking place throughout the city.   

The magazine website  isn't updated yet, but here is one such "event" I covered (see link).   Pictures on this blog are of another event-- the Phare Ponleau Selpak Circus that performed at The Chinese House last weekend.

http://www.asialifeguide.com/News-Events/I-Am-What-I-Am.html?-events=

Oh "development"

"Adventure Capitalist" Jim Rogers wrote in his book that you learn more about a country from a hooker than from a politician.  I don't plan on befriending hookers, but the man has a point. What better way to know the ills of society than by speaking to someone living in it.  I've met people that work for the United States government aid organization, USAID.  They are on assignment pushing paper while living at places like The Himawari. It's a five star resort. That's right fellow American citizens, your tax paying dollars are going to a good cause-- swimming pools and rooms service. No doubt their work is contributing to the "development" of the country though. Somehow I don't think they come across too many "hookers" or Khmer people that actually show them what's going on in this country. Then again, back home we define America by what is going on Wall Street, Capitol Hill, Hollywood and our Facebook Feed.  We don't walk to the corner of a city and chill out with the homeless guy (unless you are Sebastian). 

Cambodia Caricatures

I've decided that there are 5 types of Expats in Cambodia:

1. Those who spend time shuffling back and forth in tuk-tuks between spas, restaurants, nightclubs and the airport.  Their interactions with locals is limited to their cook, driver, and house cleaner.

2. Those who work for non-profit organizations, schools, or businesses that allow them more interaction with Khmer colleagues, students, and friends. They take language lessons, travel out to the province once in a while, and enjoy a good Khmer meal now and then. We (Because I feel like I could possibly fall into this category more so than the rest) also like massages, coffee shops, and cheap DVDs. 

3. Those who prefer the local and avoid the fellow expatriate as much as possible. They tend to enjoy entering the dark dens of unknown worlds, or at least have the guts to disappear into the slums, brothels, or provinces. Sometimes they are Mormon.

4. Rich Asians that send their kids to private schools were they study in English instead of Chinese or Korean. 

5. Nigerians.   I met my first in-country Nigerian the other day at the market. His name was Eddie.  In between the rows of clothes stalls at Russian Market, he fulfilled all stereotypes involving asking my name, number, and address AND he was even wearing a Manchester United Football jersey. I half contemplated asking him his number and address and whether his occupation involved computer scams or drug deals. 

I hate generalizing, but really that's it. Five types of expats, all living, breathing, and spending in a Prime Minister Hun Sen approved expat bubble.