Slow Country
Ah the smell of autumn. The wind in the trees, the cool nights, the hustle of kids running to class. Something about the change of colors signifies a changing of guards, a sense of finality of the summer months. Too bad Cambodia has 2 seasons, neither of which is not hot, not to mention any of the other things I mentioned. Well, take that back, the bananas are starting to change color.
These past two months have gone a lot faster than I’d have imagined, but then again, I think any sentimental bastard always says as much. We’re on the one week mark till swear in and the atmosphere in Prey Chor hints to as much. With the Language Proficiency Interview 2 days away, we’ve been cramming the various quacking sounds into our heads, reminding ourselves of the differences between “plien” and “pleeun” (rain and electricity) and thousands just like it. The Fam here has a good final meal set up for me on Thursday night before I head down to Kampong Cham on Friday. After a weekend in KC, it’s up to Phnom Penh till the 26th. Oh, forgot to mention, I’m one of three giving the speech to the heads of state in Cambodia…not in english. So that’s added a fun twist to the week ahead.
Now that I’ve finally sold out and got the modem for mobile internet and freed my laptop from it’s prison, it’s been good talking to everyone in the states again. Weird to know the welcome week rituals, the parties, the issues with IFC, TDR, rush, and papers are still just as tedious as ever. This time last year, and years before I’d be bitching about my work load, sitting in AC, getting ready for the colder days of autumn, and wishing I was somewhere else. Well…here I am, somewhere else.
The entire province is without power for the next three days, so I’m now up to showering 4-5 times a day just for a bit of a reprieve. Other than that, same as always, and I’m good.
