I am paying 1,500 riel at an internet cafe right now. I knew how to ask how much, but I don't know how to ask for how long in Khmer. So I am just going to assume I have an hour.
1,500 riel may sound like a lot but in reality that is about 38 cents. But on a volunteers "salary" this stuff adds up fast.
Ok, so TRAINING IN CAMBODIA! I can't believe I've only been living with my family for 5 days. It feels like so much longer. In a good way. I LOVE my host family very much. They are all such interesting people and are such characters in their own unique ways. I will give you the brief rundown.
There is my father. I think his name is Samsan? For those of you who went to Italy with me, the best way I can describe him is like a Khmer Roberto. He is creepy, but in a harmless way. He even does the derpo walk. He works as a police officer in the province of Tramkak. He makes a good living and provides very well for his family. They even have a car and television! and electriciy! But no running water. But no one really has running water here.
My mother is like the most amazing person in the world. She somewhat reminds me of my own mother just with her work ethic, but her work is very different. My host mom is a housewife caring for 5 children (though one lives in Phnom Penh). Her cooking is phenomenal. I haven't had a meal that I didnt like yet! She thinks I am lying that I say everything is delicious, but I'm really not! She is up at like 5:30 every morning cleaning and just continues to do so all day. She helped me do my laundry for the first time yesterday. And when I say "helped" I mean that she really did most of it. Then, sneaky sneaky, when I was at class, she took down my clothes from the line and folded them for me. I have to try to tell her not to do that anymore. She does too much for me.
I have an older sister, Marady, who is 24 and went to college. She studied some english so I am able to talk to her a little bit. She works in the market for a cell phone company, but she is home most every night. We get along great and I know we are going to be great friends. Every night she helps me study Khmer, and she helps me communicate with my mom and dad. I joke around with her a lot and she always asks me "are you crazy???" haha.
As I said before I have an older brother who lives in Phnom Penh, but I haven't met him yet.
I have a younger brother named Jimmy who is 15. It is taking some time for him to warm up to me. I couldnt tell if he wasnt talking to me because hes a teenager and hes too cool or because of the different gender norms in cambodia. i think it is a little bit of both. But now he at least sits with us when I play/study with my other brothers and sisters. How could he not? I am a very entertaining foreigner.
I have a younger sister named Teetee who is 12. She is so cute and so funny. I cannot really talk to her much because of the language barrier, but we make faces at each other a lot. And I can always tell when she is making fun of me. Like when she felt my stubbly legs and then started laughing and speaking in rapid Khmer.
I have a younger brother, Leeny, who is 9 and.. well quite the character. I think he is the pudgiest (sp?) little boy in all Cambodia (a fact that his family is very proud of). But he LOVES spending time with me. He is always following me around and helping me out. He likes playing with my bicycle lock so he never lets me do that. He also likes to practice my Khmer pronunciation with me, and he likes to pretend he is a big spider because I told him I am scared of them.
And thats it. except the dog. who is really cute, but covered in fleas.
Training is going very well. I have the best teacher in all of Tramkak. She actually lives in this district so we go to her beautiful house to have our Khmer lessons. Just the ride to her house through the rice fields is the most breathtaking thing I've ever seen. She does a homestay. If you're interested in seeing some pictures of her compound, go to her website: http://www.cambodianhomestay.com/
Okay, I should really stop writing now, though i have so much to tell. Maybe I will stop by the internet cafe next week again.
Goodbye, call me, text me <3
Covered in fleas!!!! ahhhhhhhh
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