My 3rd Month

Yup, officially it's my 3rd month here in Cambodia, the land of the Apsaras, linga, Angkor Wat, tuktuk and hundreds and hundreds of silk. Honestly, i get sick seeing all the silk stuff being sold everywhere. I don't find it special, anymore. Ha! But that's just only me and I know silk is divine and special and all.

Being here is such a learning process. I learned so much. like:

1. If they ask you if you had 'lan' or you have eaten 'rai', they usually mean if you had 'lunch'or you have eaten 'rice'. In Khmer (kha-mai, silent 'r') they ask you 'Nyam bai hai?'.

2. Seafoods are fish, clams, squid, mussels, etc. from the sea. They are not 'sea'food if they came from the 'lake' or 'river'.

3. You are 'sengha' (handsome) or 'saat' (good, beautiful) if you wear a button-down long, sleeve shirt tucked into a pleated pants and paired with a nice, square-ish style leather shoes, 24 hours, 7 days, even while doing simple errands, at bars, disco or clubs.

4. Never think that just because it looks like beef or chicken it is beef or chicken. For all you know it could be snake or something else.

5. Fish from the lake or river never evolved. They all still look like they came from the Jurrasic period. Scary!


6. Never accept a Khmer wedding invitation. It's compulsory to give at least $20 as your gift. Much worse is if you accept a role in the wedding. It usually last 3 days and you have to be there all the time.

7. They never wear the same outfit they've worn to any formal events like parties or weddings. Girls spend hundred of dollars to get 'prettyfied' and spend hours in the salon to look like Mystica, Ethel Booba and Madam Auring (overly white foundation, double/triple false eyelashes galore, teased hair, etc...).

8. Never, under no circumstances, buy anything 'Khmer' formal wear.

Bo Parcon, isdatchu?

Louis Claparols, isdatchu?

9. Females can't touch the monks. But males can.

Loren Legarda inches away from the novice monks.

10.Pigs lounge when riding a motorcycle. I 'heart'pigs!