I'm the suckiest blogger ever....

Sunday, Sept 8 2013
Midnightish
Siem Reap, Cambodia


I've totally skipped on updates -  July I was back in Michigan for the month, and once I got back to Siem Reap, life got really busy.

I've bummed around town a bit.  Now that I have a moto, its much easier for me to get around - I don't have to wait on a driver, or try to explain where I want to go.   Its given me a bit of freedom back that I was sorely missing.   I still don't drive at night, I leave that to the professionals...  but during the day, I'm pretty independent.

I've gone down to Phnom Penh a couple of times over the past few weeks...  it takes about 6 hours by bus, but its an easy trip.   Giant Ibis is the new bus company in town.  Its about double the price of the older bus lines, but at $13 its still quite a deal.  Nice leather seats, air con, movies and wifi.  Very comfortable.    Didnt do much while in PP, just went to shop and sight see, but had a very nice time.

More recently my days have been spent at Angkor's Tree school.  Its a small, independent school behind our apartment that Ginny (our neighbor) has been teaching at.  Now that she's gone back to the States for a few months, I've taken her place.   It's not terribly difficult work, and its only two hours a day, but I'm worn out by the time I get home.   The kids are awesome though, and I'm having a great time there.

I've also taken on a part time job doing data entry for an NGO that works in one of the more rural areas.
So between my two new ventures, I havent had much time for blogging.

I'll try to do better...   soon.   ;)

 my moto - a yamaha fino - only 115cc.. but peppy enough to get through the mud and tall grass when needed.

I call him "Grigio"

 Marina feeding the pigeons in Phnom Penh

 National Museum

 Phnom Penh madness

 laundry day

 Snack shop on the route between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.  Dried fishes and meat

Angkor's Tree School

This is the old school house.  Last week it was dismantled and a new school was built a few meters away

 Progress on the new school 

 The new building, not quite finished, but solid enough to have class in

My first "solo" day. 22 students in the first hour (the younger kids), 8 in the second hour (older kids).

3 months!

Sunday, June 17, 2013
12pm
Siem Reap



This week marks three months in Cambodia.  Outside of a couple days of homesickness,  stomach sickness, and unbearable heat,  life has been pretty damned easy here.

I thought I'd try to answer some of the questions that have been asked since we've been here..

What's the weather like?   In a word, HOT.  Dry season is dry, and hot.   We're coming in to wet season now, and its just that.  Wet. And hot.  Average temperatures that we've seen has been mid - high 90's, although we had a stretch of days where it was over 100 topped with very high humidity.  Now that the rains have started, it has cooled off nicely. 80's - 90's, and a bit lower humidity.  The drawback, of course, is the torrential downpour rains that instantly soak you to the skin.  I never thought it was possible to be cold here, but after getting caught in the rain without a coat I learned that it is possible.


What do you do there?   Although we don't have a formal schedule, we seem to run through the same paces most days.  Breakfast and, if its early enough, calls to the US to catch up.  Then off to the market,  or to have coffee and a massage.  We usually try to be back home before noon to avoid the heat.
In the afternoon we watch movies, or nap (or a nice combination of both).  Several days a week the cleaning lady's daughter comes to visit me so we spend our time eating grapes and watching cartoons, with some english lessons thrown in.     Two or three nights a week we go out for dinner, or meet up with friends for whatever activities have been decided on for the week.  There is always something going on, whether its a pub quiz, or movie night, or hotel happy hours.  No reason to ever be bored in this town.

Sundays are dedicated to "Talk Time", which I've written about before.  Open to everyone, its a time for English speakers to meet with local people who are looking to improve their speaking skills.  Conversations are guided, but never have an agenda.  Its just free talk on any subject.

Sunday nights are spent with the F&B club for dinner somewhere.  Tonight we're headed to TELL steakhouse, and I really hope it lives up to its reputation, as I'm really missing a perfectly cooked steak.


What do you miss from home?  The people.  My people.  Life here is crazy fun and easy, and I wish there was some way I could scoop everyone up and bring them here to live.  Then it would be pretty close to perfect.

I also miss driving, and the freedom that it allows.  We have a great set of drivers here, but they don't understand that some days I want to go in to EVERY SINGLE STORE on the street, without a reason.



So, thats it for now.  Tomorrow night (Monday morning in the US) I start the long journey home.  I'll be in Detroit for about 6 weeks to "check in".    I'm hoping its sweater weather when i get there!

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some snapshots of this past week

 Poutine, and silence of the lambs on the big screen - Under Construction Bar.

 Vienna schnitzel and fried potato - Schnitzel Wirtin restaurant

on stop shopping, fruit, fried things and clothing.   The bag of yellow is fresh sugar cane juice.  my newest addiction.  Cold, sugary and yummy.  

 Our new friend Narek, and his assistant making kebabs near the night market.  

His cart just "opened" last week, and he's made quite a nice reputation already.

a rare sight indeed!   I havent gotten a chance to read this guys blog yet, but 

the note in the window says that he drove this corvette from England to Cambodia.

www.bencoombs.net.

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