Diana At the Crossroad: White n' Purdy

This parody of a parody is about my experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cambodia. It jokes about being known as "the pretty white foreigner" in my village. At first that may seem nice, but when people never seem to be able to look past your skin and value you for something deeper, it can be very frustrating. But what's life without a sense of humor, eh??
For a more comprehensive explanation on the idea of 'beauty' in Cambodia, see my blog post http://dianaatthecrossroad.blogspot.com/2011/11/beauty-is-in-eye-of-beholder.html

Anyway, enjoy! No one will understand all of it, besides other Peace Corps Cambodia volunteers, so if you don't understand you can at least enjoy my flow.

By the way, I wrote this over a year ago. Just never got around to posting it.

Lyrics:
They see me wearing my helmet
I know they’re all thinking I’m so white and purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
Can’t you see I’m white n’ purdy
Look at me I’m white n’ purdy
I wanna race with the nationals
But so far they all think I’m too white n’ purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
I’m just too white n’ purdy
Really really white n’ purdy

They all just watch and stare at me
Their very own American PCV
Cross the road, I practice my Thai Chi
Keep your Angkor, I’ll have a cup of tea
My rims never spin to the contrary
You’ll find that they’re quite stationary
How many manuals can you carry?
I think I’m gonna build them a library
My facebook page is all totally pimped out
Got people liking all my faces
Dengue fever is in all these places
Our MO has seen countless cases
I got a fear of markets and toothless yeys
Though I’m thinking my fear is just a phase
They’re teaching me to live out all their ways
Wear their clothes and avoid sun rays
Water buffaloes are number one
Buy a sweet shirt for just muy mun
Sure, Khmer weddings are lots of fun
No I don’t wanna meet your son..
The first word that I learned was chewy pong
I call everybody that I know “bong”
Just like my students, I gotta jee gkong
14 months more, man that doesn’t seem long
Check out my sarong

They see me wearing some long sleeves
I know in my heart they think I’m white and purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
Can’t you see I’m white n’ purdy
Look at me I’m white n’ purdy
I’d like to wear a tank top
Although it’s apparent I’m too white and purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
I’m just too white n’ purdy
How’d I get so white n’ purdy?

Use a bucket for bathing
Although I’m taking a break from shaving
You must never get tired of waving
My followers in a hoard never leave me bored
Shopping online for trips I can’t afford
I’m not a fan of bittergourd
For the last time I’m not a barang
I friggen love my host mom, why so many words for “nyam?”
Goin’ for a run through the rice field
Runnin’ like hell from their rabid dog
Grins and stares come from them all
They’re just waiting for me to fall
Yo, I got myself a tuk tuk
In my hand, I got a cold tuk-a-luk
I spend my nights in my net with peanut butter
Nyam nyam hope no one sees me get freaky

I’m purdy in the extreme, whiter than sour cream
Got my finger nails done and toes done
And even my eyebrows shaved
The only question I ever thought was hard
Was do I joom reap sua, or suas’die
Spend every weekend at the Tela Mart store
Loving Cambodia to my very core

They see me dao laing
They laughing
And buggin’ their eyes cause I’m so white n’ purdy
Just because I’m white n’ purdy
Just because I’m white n’ purdy
All because I’m white n’ purdy
Holy cow I’m white n’ purdy
I wanna tan on the beaches
But oh well it’s obvious I’m white and purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
Think I’m just too white n’ purdy
I’m just too white n’ purdy
Look at me I’m white n’ purdy