Never Lie to a Khmer Woman!

Last sunday, I had one of my most amazing experiences yet. I returned from Takeo in the late afternoon and had plans to do a little reading in a hamock under my house. These plans were quickly interrupted by my host sister asking me to go with her to meet my host grandmother. Truthfully I didn't want to go, I wanted to relax on my day off, but I went anyway and I am glad I did. I followed my host mother and sister on a little path through wooded areas and rice paddies and eventually arrived at the house of my new Cambodian grandmother. She immediately signaled for me to come and sit by her and I couldn't help but think that I had never seen someone so old. She put her arms around me and began talking to me and very rapid fire Khmer while patting my shoulder. She then began force feeding me that rice my host mother had brought for her. It was some kind of dessert with sugar and coconut in it. Anyway...as we sat there my host sister began trying to translate what she could: she told me that she wanted me to go back to America at the end of my service and tell my family that I have a Cambodian grandmother who is 100 years old. It is hard for me to imagine the things that have been experienced by anyone that old but it is particularly astounding in a country like this where the population of people over 75 is nearly obsolete. She proceded to tell me that she hopes I live to be 100 and have a very happy life because I am family now. I feel so undeserving of her well wishes and warm welcoming but simultaneously blessed by having met her.

We have had no shortage of amusing experiences and funny stories about what we have all done to cope with new living conditions. My favorite comes from a girl in my language group who can't use the bathroom (like many of us) at night...the other morning she had to go before her host family was up to unlock the bathroom so she peed in a plastic bag and dumped it over her balcony. There are so many t hings that are acceptable here that would never be acceptable at home. I learned an important lesson the other night. My host aunt asked me why I am slim and she is not...and I said exercise because I didn't know how to say "I have a fast metabolism" in Khmer. Most of you know that this was a lie, I do no exercise. In fact I hate exercising, particularly the kind of exercise possible here. But my host aunt took me at my word and wanted to leave right then and there to go running. I had to pull all kinds of excuses out as to why I couldn't. So the lesson, never lie to a Khmer woman.

Today we all divided into small groups and went on a field trip. My group went on a boat trip to Phnom Da, the site of some old temple ruins. It was a great afternoon/morning. I love boats and when we got there we were swarmed by local children who gave me flowers and pretty much just provided us with ample entertainment.

My khmer is far from where it needs to be but I am learning...slowly. Unfortunately my host sister, who is one of the only people who could understand my khmer, left for Phnom Penh to look for work. I will miss her a lot! On another note, if anyone has a hankering to send me something in the mail...I want nailpolish. I didn't bring any because I thought it would be too diva-ish...but now I want it!!!!