The first few days in Penom Phen

(7/21) I arrived on a boat from the border of Vietnam and got brought with a few other women to a guest house called No Problem. It cost $1 a night for an ok room and it included a free Tuk-Tuk ride across town. I connected with the Cambodia' Labor Solidarity Center and planned to meet them the next day. The rest of my first day I spent contemplating my relationship with Latini and spending time with two great Irish women and a progressive woman from Texas.

(7/22) I met with Solidarity Center and decided to volunteer with them for the month. I was quickly welcomed and knew it was the place for me to be.  I had an incredible first day learning from Alonzo, Vathanak, Sethykun, An Nan, Parith, Theary, Somean, James (United Students Against Sweatshops' Intern), all the women involved in the labor movement they were giving a training to, and more people that I know I am forgetting.

That evening Vatanak brought me to his favorite restaurant on the lake where I ate fish for the second time that day and realized Cambodia may be a difficult place to be a vegetarian. Once I arrived back at No Problem I went to get a drink with a group of women. We were approached by a European man drugged out on heroine and begging for money. This was shocking to see in a country that is so poor.  It made me mad at first because if I am not going to give money to the cute children on the streets who are hungry because I don't want to contribute to the begging industry and the kidnapping of children, I am definitely not going to give it to him. 

(7/23)  Alonzo invited me to stay with him, his wife (Evelyn) and child which was fantastic.  After months of being on the road it is great to feel welcome and part of a family. I spent the afternoon getting to know Brian, Evelyn and Alonzo's 7 year old son. He taught me how to play Chess even though his rules always seemed to change. ( I was thoroughly amused as I remember doing that, I think I was the queen of it). He was extremely mature and I learn how amazing this boy is through the next few weeks.

That evening we went to the opening of a Philippino Restaurant and continued the night by crashing a wedding where Evelyn was singing at the Intercontinental Hotel.  It wasn't just any wedding, it included a drag show. I would presume that I would see a show like this at a wedding in Los Angeles where I grew up but no I saw it in Phnom Penh. We sang (scary thought that a group of Philippino professional singers with fantastic voices included and even encouraged me to get up and sing with them) and danced for hours. Brian was right there with us teaching us how to contort our bodies. However, Evelyn and the two professional performers with us were the only ones who could really keep up with him.

(7/24) I went off to explore the town. I fed a young boy who was hungry. At first he wanted money, which I do not give and then he began asking for food. I made him eat it with me because I was not sure it would actually get into his stomach if he brought it back to where he was working. I saw the royal palace and silver pagoda, enjoyed a great yuppie smoothie and ended the night with one of the best drum and dance shows I have ever seen performed by a local school.  If I can bring a drum home I will and hopefully I can learn to play it too! The students even included a comic relief act.

This is just the beginning to my amazing month in Cambodia which I look forward to sharing with you soon.