Got up, had breakfast, went to work, ……

I’ve now been in Cambodia a full year! Life ambles on, and what was once amazing is now quite mundane. I have developed a daily routine, which starts at 6 a.m. with me exercising to ‘Aerobics – Oz Style!’ on the TV under a large fan - it’s too hot to move later in the day! (I had become very lethargic and lazy, so I’m now taking myself in hand!!) Then I have my first shower of the day, after which I cover myself with mosquito repellant, pop to the market for my breakfast bread, sweep the house and moto to work for 8 o’clock. I usually spend four out of five days at the office, at meetings (very tiring when I understand so little), working on my laptop, writing reports or proposals and chatting to staff (as best I can!). Needless to say, it’s all a far cry from these same activities back in the UK. I have a tw0-hour lunch break, which is when I go home and shelter from the heat, before returning to work. For the last hour of the working day, I often give an English lesson to any staff members who turn up (plus assorted relatives!). About once a week, I go to “the field” usually to observe or take part in one of CoDeC’s workshops or meetings with rural villagers. I finish work at 5.

After work, for the last few weeks I have been having Khmer lessons at my house on three evenings a week . I’ve just started learning to read and write, although I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do much more than decipher a few words. If I don’t have a lesson, I often go for a cycle ride or go to the market for vegetables. The aerobics programme is repeated again in the evening, so I sometimes exercise again if I’m not too tired. After another shower I usually spend the rest of the evening indoors, cooking my meal and watching TV (a displacement activity for studying Khmer!), before going to bed at about 9.30 or 10. About once a week I go out for an evening meal at the local hotel restaurant, where the staff treat me like a long lost friend! I usually go away to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap every other weekend.

So, everyday life is not really that exciting but it’s quite pleasant. There are now a couple of other barangs staying in Kompong Thom – an American and a Filipino – who I can see occasionally, but most days I only see Khmer people. However, I’m not lonely as I’m in daily text contact with various other VSO friends in other parts of the country and I go to the internet shop two or three times a week to get my fix from the UK!