Relaxing time

Today, I've been to a pleasant place. Driving away from the city, Cambodian families often go to places where they can share a meal, play cards or relax on hammocks. The place I've been is alongside the river, where owners have built stilt houses. It's like a restaurant, you can order food, or even bring yours and pay for renting a carpet. I ate chicken, vegetables, and a soda.

Two weeks later

Everyday my dad drives me to work, and comes to pick me up when the day ends. He’s not reassured to let me go by my own, so I got to see him every day. It is a bit weird situation, since I haven’t seen him for about ten years in a row. Getting used to it is not as difficult as I thought, but hearing him calling me “chérie” sounds quite strange to my ear.

Today he brought me around the city, and to some markets, where I've taken few pictures. Olympic market reminded me about Ningbo “shangye guang chang”. The principle is the same than in China: cheap clothes, Asian style design, over cute things, and bargaining is a must, especially if you’re a foreigner. You can find a lot of things there, from clothes to food, or goods for daily use. I've bought a pair of "tuoxie" (slippers) for $2, drank a coke for 1500 riels. DVDs from Sorya market costs $1.5, frozen yoghourt with toping approx. $2.5. Here you can use both currencies, US dollar or Cambodia Riels, and even combine the two together. Later I went to Lucky supermarket to buy some snacks. I've bought two packets of biscuits, a pack of tissue, and a pack of chocolate milk for 4$.

Now a heavy rain filled all the city’s streets, so I’m back home, waiting for the rain to stop before going wandering again in the city.

Olympic market reminds me a of a bigger Ningbo's "shangye guangchang"

Sorya market, more modern and air-conditionned, but also smaller choice and more expensive than Olympic. Eating a frozen yoghourt with fruits, yummy and refreshing !

Cambodian version of Denver the last dinosaur :)

Satin-smooth

Velvet feelings.

I just had a bowl of noodle soup and an iced cappucino for breakfast, and a drive around the city with my grandpa.

I am currently

Sitting under the porch of my grandparents house, reading old news and enjoying an evening breeze, while watching my grandfather doing some sport on a training bicycle.

First days in Phnom Penh

I just arrived in Phnom Penh this saturday late afternoon. I'm still a bit confused with the jet lag and travel fatigue. As I was packing my luggage at home, it reminded me the preparation to China, a year ago. I can't speak khmer so it will be a challenge for me to communicate with people that can't speak english, and still have to learn a lot about cambodian lifestyle and customs.

On my first days here, I mainly rested and visited relatives. I also ate breakfast and dinner with my grandfather, and went out with my dad.

Today, I visited the office where I will work for the next 6 months. I shook a lot of hands and get many business cards. A nice lady explained me different stuffs about the company and introduced me to co-workers. The position I will take sounds very interesting, and I will sure learn a lot during my stay in Cambodia :).

Roads to Asia again

Life has passed since I last wrote here. 2011 is a good year, full of new experiences. I've been travelling to England, Spain and Switzerland, attending classes with a very new feeling: nostalgy, working for saving money, going out with friends...

Two weeks ago, I went to KTV with some classmates for a farewell party. One of them was leaving for Cuba for his internship, an other one will leave for China. It was a pleasant night, and I had a lot of fun. I will miss them and our pasta nights.

Now school is over, and everybody started to work as intern, most in Paris, and few abroad. I will go to Cambodia to do mine. Current feelings are a mix between edginess and curiosity, about how these next 6 months will be in this country I barely know. I feel like it's sometimes difficult to bound with people you only meet twice in a decade. But I see my stay in Cambodia as an opportunity to better know my family and share good moments, a chance to catch up with them.

Routine can be inspiring

I've just came back home few minutes ago. I was visiting my uncle and aunt, in Paris surburbs, and had to take the bus to get home. Outside, it started to rain and the traffic is always terrible approching the holidays celebration. I sat on my favourite seat, by the window on the left side, just behind the driver, but he can't see me, as there was a wall between us. Half way, everybody left the bus. Because the traffic was really slow, they decided to take the underground instead. I didn't have the courage to brave the outside wind and rain so I stayed in the bus, and was the only passenger left. Believing he was alone, the driver turned the lights off, so he can drive peacefully, without being bored by the passers-by. He also started to whistle. Feeling comfy in this intimate atmosphere, I looked at the cityscape and started to analyze it, it was a peaceful moment.

I'm kind of into stop motion now, and had decided few weeks ago to try making my own one, and the rainy and blurry scenery through the window was going to become the theme for my video. The melody the driver was singing, remind me of a song, and at this moment, I found that it will be the perfect one to go along with the video. I had everything. The lights were beautiful, the atmosphere flawless, and even the song and the title came to me. Only the camera was missing.

Breaking my daydreaming, the driver walked in the bus to turn the last lights off, and was surprised to see me. We then started to talk about our lives, and random things. This encounter was very pleasant, and helped each other to pass the time, as we were blocked in the traffic jam. He asked me why I stayed in the bus, while every passengers left and if I wasn't in a hurry. I had all my time, didn't want to face the rain, and the time spent in the bus gave me inspiration. Usually, when I'm in a car or a bus and look through the windows, I let the weather influence my mood, and rain always make me feel melancholic, but this time was different. I enjoyed this little journey, and I'm now thinking of taking the bus more often, with my camera in my bag.

When we reached the terminus, I said goodbye to the driver, but forgot to ask his name.

Thanks to this blog, sometimes, I think and write in english, and also notice things that I usually don't pay attention to :). I often think that it is pointless to continue to write here, as I may not have any readers left, but the two reasons given previously are good enough to continue. If you still read this, it would be nice to let me know it :).