I Love My Khmer Family

Me: Can I come visit next weekend?

Sister: Why are you asking? It’s your house too. Come and go as you want!

Chris, a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer who just finished his two years of service in Cambodia, offered up an encouraging moment to the volunteers still in service:

I was on my way to the Province that shall not be named. Along the way I met a Khmer boy on his way to this place. He took up the opportunity to speak English with a foreigner and came and sat by me on the bus. I asked him where he was going and he said that he was going to volunteer in the province with some Japanese volunteers on his short time off from University. He then started to tell me about a certain English teacher that he had in high school that had inspired him to study at University and to volunteer. He told me about how great and inspiring he was and how he helped find scholarships and that he had been inspired to study Japanese.. strange advice from an English teacher, but it seems to have paid off. Anyway.. he went on and finally said that he was a Peace Corps volunteer and asked me if I knew what Peace Corps was.. I was blown away. I had no Peace Corps shirts or hats on and I was certainly not expecting to hear about Peace Corps while going to a forbidden province. I asked him who it was and how long he studied with the teacher and he said Teacher Brian and for 6 months. I couldn’t believe how big an impact a volunteer had after only 6 months of a class that was held only a couple days a week.

Sometimes in your two or three years here, you will or have asked yourself what kind of a difference you made in this country (I know I have sooo many times). It is definitely sometimes difficult to see, but every lesson, every semester, every outreach, every conversation has the potential to inspire people.. even if it’s just one person. Maybe it’s students, villagers, friends, co-workers, tutors or teachers. You may not even realize it and maybe you will never get the chance to see it personally, but you are making an impact in Cambodia.

Good Luck, K7s and K6es! Keep going out there and inspiring people.

I called my favorite aunt today to tell her that I was back in country and visiting her town tomorrow. I mark it as a language win that I had to identify myself because my accent no longer immediately betrayed me as the only foreigner who ever calls her.

Breaking My Heart

Nephew: Grandma, what did you mean that Aunt 'Tin is leaving soon?

Grandma: She's leaving our house. She's moving to Kandal to work there.

Nephew: What did you do to make her mad?!

I’ve begun trying to speak to the baby in English, and most of the time she can figure out my meaning but when she can’t, she pauses, looks me in the eye, nods slowly, and continues about her business. It makes me laugh every time because that’s my exact response when I don’t understand what’s being asked of me in Khmer.

Khmer Conversation #6

Visitor: Hey.... Did you know there's a foreigner in your kitchen??

(posted October 10, 2012)

You Know You've Integrated When... #1

A Khmer woman approaches you and asks (in Khmer) for directions to the bank.

Bonus points for knowing and telling her.

Bonus points detracted for her not being able to understand your accent.

(posted May 10, 2012)

Khmer Conversation #5

*Cow approaches the back door during dinner; father begins talking to Cow*

Father: Eat rice with us?

Cow: ....

Father: Where are you going, Cow?

Cow: ....

Father: *offers watermelon to Cow*

Cow: *walks away*

Father: *shrugs; eats watermelon*

(posted March 28, 2012)

Khmer Conversation #4

*watching Justin Bieber on the Cambodian news*

Sister: Is Justin Bieber a boy or a girl?

Me: Thank you.

(posted March 20, 2012)

Khmer Conversation #3

Sister: Here's a new phrase to teach you - It's as beautiful/delicious/nice as the giver.

Me: *giving back my empty plate of mango* Thanks. That was as delicious as you.

Sister: haha! I'm delicious? Have you ever eaten me?

Me: No, never.

Sister: Then how do you know I'm delicious?

Me: Because your baby is huge.

(posted February 21, 2012)

English Class #2

Me: (teaching about "There will/won't be...") If my friend Jessie comes to visit, what could you tell her about Prosaut?

Student: There will be my girlfriend.

Class: *hysterical laughter*

Me: I think you meant "There WON'T be my girlfriend" because I don't believe you have one.

Student: Oh, Teacher... I am shy. *sits down*

(posted February 2, 2012)

English Class #1

Me: Why do astronauts need special clothes, food, and medicine?

Students: *whispering together*

Brave Soul: Because there are no sellers on the moon yet.

Students: *laughter*

Coteacher: Why don't you tell them the correct answer?

Me: No. I'm pretty sure that's a more than acceptable answer.

(posted January 8, 2012)

Khmer Conversation #2

Brother-in-Law: When Christin went dancing, she told her friends that she was very cold and needed a meat blanket!

Mom: Did your friends know that word?

Me: Of course. I taught them.

Brother-in-Law: Amanda said that she has a meat blanket already, but she does not because she and her boyfriend are not married. I have a meat blanket because she is my wife.

Sister: And my husband is my meat blanket.

Me: Yes, I understand. Meat blankets before marriage here are not good, but in America, the culture is different. You can have a meat blanket before you are married.

Sister: That's because it is so cold in America. You must stay warm!

Khmer Conversation #1

Host Mom:  Amanda's boyfriend is coming to visit in January. When is your boyfriend coming to visit? 

Host Sister:  Oh, right - you don't have a boyfriend! Ha! 

Host Mom:  If you ever do get married, call me. I cannot afford a plane ticket, so I will ride a water buffalo to America.

Host Sister:  It will probably take her a year to get there. 

Host Mom:  No, not that long; I'll find a flying buffalo. 

Me:  How about I find a Khmer man to marry and have my wedding here? 

Host Mom:  Oh! Happy day!

(posted November 28, 2011)