Friday, October 29, 2010

Just hanging out with the girls…

I thought I should introduce some of the people I spend my days with, starting with the women. My host big sister is 27, her name is hard for me to remember and to spell. Mostly it is hard to remember because I hardly hear her name. She has a 3 year-old daughter named Daraniza, and people call my host sister “mother of daraniza” (ma niza) or “big sister” (bong sa-rye), which is what I call her. One of the neighbors is a girl who is 21, who lives with her husband and their beautiful little baby girl. She does not speak any English, so it forces me to speak my broken Khmer to her, but she is funny and super stylish! Then there is another neighbor, who I call “aunt” (ming). She lives next door with a lot of people, including her husband and daughter named Bpo. Bpo is 6 years-old and a ball of energy.

From left to right… Bpo is sleeping (which is a rarity), my host aunt neighbor, then my host big sister in the hammock.



This is my younger neighbor and her daughter.



This is my host aunt neighbor.


And Niza wanted me to take a picture of her on her bike.

Monday, October 25, 2010

The great cooking adventures of a Peace Corps Volunteer





This weekend two other volunteers came to my house for some good old-fashioned American cooking! We made black bean burgers and no-bake cookies. Well… we made modified black bean burgers and no-bake cookies. The black bean burgers called for chives and thyme, which I do not have at my market so instead was used green unions. Considering we forgot to add peppers, salt, and the fact that we did not have buns to eat them on, they turned out pretty good! Even though they were more like bean patties with unions, I still like it! Plus it was a meal that did not include rice so I was even happier!

The no-bake cookies were heavenly. However, they too took some creativity. I do not have chocolate at my market so instead I used powdered Milo (kinda like Ovaltine) and sugar. We left out vanilla, because once again… I don’t have that here. And because I do not have a refrigerator, I bought a block of ice, put it in a cooler, then put the cookie globs on plates on top of the ice. They required a spoon to eat, but the combination of chocolate powder, sugar, peanut butter is always a winner in my eyes! I have big plans of making them again in the near future and possibly just leaving it as one big blob and going to town!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Getting my nails did!



10/6/10

Today I went with my host big sister and her daughter to get our nails done. To give you an idea of the state of my toes before today, I was still wearing the same toe nail polish that I was wearing in America. Mom and I went and got our nails done together a few weeks before I ventured off to Cambodia (and when I say “wearing” I mean, I had some of the color left on both big toes, but that is it). After my host family noticed the state of my toes, they said I should get my toes painted. I had always tried to avoid this, but today I thought “what the heck”. So I went.
We went to the nail and hair shop/hut down the street. I sat in a plastic chair and she went to work. It was oddly nostalgic. Sitting in a shop with your sibling (in this case a host sibling), where they are talking a different language, and having your nails done. In the end, I walked out with my toes painted and my host sister’s daughter got her hands and toes done (she is 4 years old) and having only paid 1,000 riel (about 25 cents). My toes were painted half pink and half silver glitter. Now in America this would look pretty trashy, but here I actually fit in better with my nails glitterized.
This is now how my feet look in Cambodia... flashy toenails and a killer chaco tan line!


This is me in front of my house in Tany district, Kampot Province, Cambodia

“Come see our American!”

10/4/10

Monday through Friday from 8-11 I go to the health center. It is a large health center that is next to the referral hospital for the area (there are 4 buildings total, all facing each other with a courtyard in the middle). Because I am still learning the language and getting my routine down, Peace Corps has advised us to observe the clinic for 3 months prior to starting any projects. Giving the clinic staff time to get to know us, and not feel threatened by our presence. As a result, the 3 hours I spend at the clinic currently involves a lot of sitting and small talk.
The chief of my health center, knowing that I currently can only sit, study, and chat decided to give me my own office. A very kind gesture, yes. However, My office includes a desk, a chair, a fan (which I LOVE), and a window. The window has bars to the outside walkway. Well people have taken to standing in front of my window and having their favorite pastime “watching the American”. It is very similar to when we go to the zoo. People come and watch me as I sit behind the bars. It’s weird. But I do get to sit in front of the fan while they stare!