C’est Wat?

So I have officially hit my one month mark here in Cambodia, and I know that many people have been very curious about my experience so far. As of yet, this has probably been one of the quickest months I have ever experienced. I guess that feeling is bound to happen when one moves countries.

A few years ago I took my first oversees flight, and I went to India. India is extremely overcrowded, extremely hot, and it also had some of the most extreme poverty that I have ever seen. This information is important, because that is what I was expecting before I came to Cambodia. I do not want to be misunderstood in any way about my experience in India. The time that I spent there was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I would love to go back; however, it would take a lot of convincing before I ever decided to live there. After my first day here in Phnom Penh I realized that things would be very different.

First of all, after getting over my initial jet lag and taking some time to unpack, I was able to meet and spend some time with my roommates. When I first arrived there were eight of us living in one enormous house since then Kelly, whom I also knew very briefly in L.A., has left to Japan for a few months, so now we are down to seven. Four of my roommates are from different parts of the states, while one is from the Philippines and the other was born and raised in Cambodia.

In regards to my roommates, honestly, I never thought I would connect to them so quickly. Casey and Grace are best friends from Florida. Grace has been here for two years, while Casey just a year. Casey teaches Kindergarten, while Grace works for the Hope Hospital focusing on the website. Then there is Gizelle, who also works for the hospital and has a degree in disease prevention from Columbia University. Marcela is a preschool teacher at an international school here. Ahoy is a local of Cambodia. She is part of the Campus ministry and works part time as a nanny, and last but not least, Gerlinda. Gerlinda is the older sister of the household. She is one of the head physicians at the hospital and not only takes care of her patients there, but she is always willing to stretch herself just a little bit more to take care of us at home. All of my roommates have been such a blessing. They have all been here for various amounts of time and have already helped me in so many ways.

Cambodia is truly beautiful. I feel completely confident that I am supposed to be here. The title of the blog is C’est Wat for a variety of reasons. Firstly, this is actually the name of a local restaurant, which is just a small example of the many French influences in Phnom Penh. Secondly, it has also been a consistent part of my personal dialogue as I continue to learn how to communicate with others here. Khmer, which is the language spoken here has about 26 consonants and 26 vowels. In my attempt to learn new words, I am using mussels in my jaw that I did not know existed. Also, in my adjustment to living in a foreign country I have realized that the language barriers occur in less obvious ways. My roommate actually shared a great example of this recently. It was the end of the day and she was doing one of her final lessons when her T.A. came in and said, “Maybe you should talk to Jonathan’s parents.” My roommate, looking at Jonathan thinking that there did not seem to be anything wrong with him responded back, “about what?” The T.A. then repeats herself, “Maybe you should talk to Jonathan’s parents.” At this point my roommate, confused and curious, peaks her head outside and realizes that what the T.A. meant to say was that Jonathan’s parents were there to pick him up. This kind of misunderstanding is common here. I witness it the most with the local Tuk Tuk drivers, whom when asked if they know where a specific place is located always say “Yes” when they really have no idea. With that said, I have learned very quickly to not assume and always ask very specific questions. Also, that it is okay to be redundant and that over communication is never a bad thing.