My Top Ten

I was on a Skype call with a friend from home and she asked me what the top three difficult things were about living in Cambodia. Besides missing people, especially my children, I found it hard to come up with three difficulties. Instead, I am going list the top ten things that I like about living in Phnom Penh.

1. Fulfilling work - There is something very special about having the opportunity to work for an organization invested in international justice. Our personal contribution may be of little consequence, but we are aware that we are part of something hugely important. The NGO Greg works for is instrumental in bringing change to exploited people in Cambodia. The NGO is well established in the country and was here long before world wide government agencies stepped in to meet the humanitarian needs of Cambodia, post genocide. It is a gift to us that we became aware of Ratanak and it is worth your time researching to determine if it's a good fit for your charity support.

Teaching piano here has been much less stressful than in Canada. Students are less busy, say thank you and seem to appreciate the opportunity to take lessons.

It's not that our work at home wasn't fulfilling or making a difference, but the opportunity we have been given to live and work in Cambodia is humbling and exciting in a way we haven't experienced before.

2. Relationships - My experience is the people who live in expatriate settings need one another. People have time for one another and always make good on their suggestion to get together. I love that people in our borey (neighbourhood) will simply pop by unannounced for coffee and a visit. The richness in having friends from so many different countries is very fulfilling. It's fun to learn about different cultures, both differences and similarities, through spending time together. The Aussies are particularly "entertaining"!

3. Always Interesting - I think it will be years before we are accustomed to our surroundings. The newness of living in another country and culture is fascinating because things don't always make sense to us. Greg loves how the city comes to life at night. Pop up restaurants made up of plastic chairs and metal tables appear once the work day is through and people are out and about. The open areas are filled with people playing badminton, enjoying picnics and doing outdoor exercise classes. Our neighbourhood comes alive with people going for walks once the heat of the day has passed and cooled down to a mere 28 for night time walking. Just today I noticed a guy riding his moto with extra bike tires around his waist for transport. We see something new and slightly nutty everyday.

4. Cambodians - Our experience is that Cambodians are kind and welcoming people. To think an entire generation was almost wiped out with the Pol Pot regime is unfathomable, yet here we live among the surviving and the generation to follow. What the country endured is beyond belief and if you ever have the chance to visit me, the Killing Fields and Prison are must sees to have an understanding of what fellow humanity has suffered.

5.Our Church - We are attending an Anglican church, which is quite different than either of our traditional expressions of faith in Christ. We love it. We enjoy the reflective liturgy, sung and spoken, the use of Scripture throughout the service, the deep and meaningful prayer times all weaved with well chosen contemporary and traditional hymns. The Priest is well spoken, challenging and the congregation full of young families. There are so many babies to get my baby fix!

6.Opportunities to Travel - It's simply more affordable to travel throughout Asia than from Canada. Although we were blessed with experiencing much of Asia in 2005-2008, there are some countries we haven't explored. There are 21 statutory holidays in Cambodia that Greg's NGO recognizes, not to mention 3 weeks of vacation. May offered two long weekends! We recently enjoyed a trip to Thailand and although we've visited before, it was fun to remember and see what has changed. The amazing pop up restaurants on the streets are all but gone, which is very sad. The roads and big shopping malls seem to have only improved and apparently the Thai have a taste for Western fattening food because there was a shocking amount of overweight Thai people, which was a big change. 

7. Challenging - It's good be challenged and live outside of what's easy and comfortable. Greg is challenged by the Khmer (pronounced Kuh-my) language course he is taking. He works a full day, drives in the bucketing rain on his moto to the University for language class and comes home to study all night. It's a good challenge, a necessary challenge and he is committed to going deep into the language. Once I've become totally settled, I will take a more basic course that focuses on more conversational language rather than the reading and writing Greg is studying. I've had a flat tire driving home and learning how to handle that without speaking Khmer was challenging but entertaining. My tire was literally changed on the side of the road in 3 minutes. No wheel balancing needed for these roads! 

8. Less Stressful - I truly find life less stressful here. It's hard to explain but we live a much slower pace of life. I suppose becoming empty nesters contributes to being less busy although we are so thankful that our kids involve us in their daily lives. Nothing makes me happier than a middle of the night phone call to help them solve a 911.  Having a house helper three times a week takes the stress of house chores and not owning a house, less responsibility. Life is more affordable here. Our money goes further for "fun" things, like weekly foot massages, eating out and $2.75 movie tickets. (the latest movies too!)

9. City Life - It took me a long while to adjust to life in Niagara after living in Toronto for 7 years. I've come to realize that both Greg and I really enjoy city living. Our kids have also come to love big city living. 

10. Dependence on God - Living in a new culture means that many things we take for granted at home,such as where to buy sour cream, aren't obvious. Even though life seems more simple here, it's far more complicated in many ways. We've had a huge learning curve in order to have our basic needs met.(I know, I know...sour cream is not a basic need. :) When you need to pray about basic needs, your need for God heightens. It's our faith that gets through some of those challenges and we've seen God pull through again and again, just as His word promises - He is faithful.

I did it! Ten things I like about Phnom Penh. To be honest, there a few things that drive me mad about living here too, but we'll save those for another rainy day.