8/13/10
Tonight I went to my first Cambodia concert, and by concert I mean the largest karaoke night ever! It was put on by one of the cell phone companies here (it is really common for cell phone companies to hold big events), and included people putting their names on a list to be called up on stage to sing and dance. I think that there was easily 200 people in the audience. They had vendors and everything. My whole host family came with me and proceeded to buy me some interesting concert food. First they got me bacon-flavored chips (they were actually pretty spicy!), chocolate filled mints (I didn’t know they had anything in the middle, initially it was a surprise, but then I realized it was chocolate and I was happy), and then I got my first sugar cane juice!
Sugar cane juice is really good! It was really interesting watching them make it. They take two sticks of sugar cane and put it into a machine that compressed the sticks and squeezes juice out, they put the same two sticks through 4 times, and then there you go… sugar cane juice! Also, in Kampuchia (Cambodia in Khmer) they usually give you your drink in a bag with a straw or they give you a cup in a little bag carrier. I think they might do this because then you don’t have to hold the juice and melt the ice, and also the bags are cheaper for the vendors. They serve coffees/cokes/lemonades in bags. And you haven’t lived until you have had hand squeezed lemonade made by a lady on a bike in a plastic bag.
I can't wait to share this one with the 3rd graders! Tay, they are so interested in everything Cambodia! Everytime we talk about another country, any country, they ask, "How far is that from Cambodia? Is that near Cambodia?" Cambodia has become their reference point to all other countries. But it also confuses them, because when we look at the US map in the hallway, they ask, "Where's Camodia?" and I have to remind them that it is another country, "Remember the ocean that Taylor had to cross, guys?" "Oh, yeah!" I can't wait to start reading some Cambodian folktales and I am seriously on the hunt for modern Cambodian stories, but we might have to write those ourselves when you come home! ;)
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