Mid-Week Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is really starting to grow on me.  The first few days things were a bit overwhelming, but now I have my sea legs and I am starting to see what attracts Dan to this place.  Since I last wrote I have taught about 7 ESL classes and they have been very enjoyable.  Really fun, appreciative students, the kind that make teaching a pleasure.

Things have really slowed down in Phnom Penh due to the Chinese New Year.  The streets are much less crowded, the lines at the hospital much shorter and the Central Market was half empty this morning as most of the venders are Chinese Cambodians and they have left the city to go to the provinces to celebrate with their families.  When I ask my students about the Chinese New Year, many of them say that they themselves are "Real Khmer" and do not celebrate Chinese holidays.  Apparently, the Chinese are looked down upon by ethnic Khmer, and the Vietnamese even more so.  No matter where you go, people are always determined to divide and categorize everyone!  We just met with a 30 year old American Cambodian who Dan had met last year, who has been living here for a year.  Even though she is 100% Khmer, people here can instantly tell that she is not Cambodian, she carries herself like an American.  Because she can speak Khmer, she often hears people saying, "What is she?  Is she Khmer?" right in front of her, they are always shocked to learn that she understands them!

Last night we had a nice dinner out with a Cambodian doctor and his family.  The doctor has studied some rheumatology in Switzerland and is the closest thing to a rheumatologist that Cambodia has.  His 5 year old daughter, Pikun, is quite the character (see below) and speaks good English.

Today Dan had this first opportunity to do some formal teaching at the hospital and he had a great time and was very impressed with the medical residents and their level of understanding.  He is pretty psyched.

Julie

The Royal Palace:

Pikun: