Siem Reap- Third and final installment (I hope)

OK, I cannot in all honesty abandon this blog without finishing this story. It would be mean!

Ananya Prahtet: The border town to Cambodia is where we left off. We, Alex, Lydia and I followed the Air conditioned tour bus guy to an office and sat there while he took care of our visas. The resident cats and kittens were welcomed entertainment. As a matter of fact, it took no time at all to realize that in this part of the world, animals were treated fairly, and most people had some kind of a pet, even if it meant they ate only the leftovers.

About 2 hours went by and we were covered in sweat. The temperature was appaling! No one was telling us what was going on. We just sat and sat and sat. Then we got carted off by tuk tuk (motorcycles with an open carriage in the back) to another place where about 60 people were waiting to get on this bus. People were sitting all over the floor, with back packs looking exhausted! We joined the sorry looking people and waited for an indetermined amount of time.

Here is where I made my first mistake which started the chain of events that turned our night into hell! The began loading a mini bus. Lydia and Alex had gone off somewhere to the back of the room we were in. A man came in and said "We can seat three more" and I being too smart for my own good sometimes, shot up my hand and volunteered us for the first bus. Little did I know this was the back-up bus and not the real one. They had had too many people that particular day and had borrowd this from someplace.

As soon as I got in the bus, I knew it was trouble. We didnt have real seats, but rather fold down seats in the aisle. It was a disaster but what could we do?

The air conditioning sucked, the bus was overcrowded and overloaded, and as expected, it overheated, very like all its passengers. We got off in the middle of the dusty, dirty road that was red dust. I could not believe how hot and humid it was. All the dust kicked up by the passing cars stuck to my face and I soon had a red plaster mask on- very becoming....NOT!

As we waited, all the water I had consumed and not sweated out moved down to my bladder and screamed to come out. The longer I waited, the more unlikely the replacement bus seemed and the louder my bladder screamed. I looked around and decided the side of the road was where it was at, and I slowly tried to move behind the bushes.

I have to stress this point here: READ THE HISTORY OF A COUNTRY BEFORE YOU VISIT FOLKS! Had I done so, I would not have been so offended at the little Cambodian men who clearly did not want me relieving myself in the bushes. I may have known of the Khmer Rouge's mines. I may have read that they had not all been found, removed or detonated. I would have had a point of reference for the people with limbs missing. But as it was, I had not and did not know why they were screaming in Khmer and running after me. Finally someone with a bit of English said "The mines haven't been cleared in this area". I processed these words, and all I absorbed were mines...mines not cleared....MINES...IN THIS AREA!!!!!

Trust me when I tell you that those are the eight scariest words anyone has even spoken to me. I froze. The colour drained out of my face. I held my breath, and I was quite sure I would never urinate again. I was pulled back onto the road by my t-shirt, which was now drenched in sweat, and I didn't pee again until the next morning. I spoke very little until Lydia bought me my third cocktail.

The sun began to set. It had been approximately ten hours since we left the border. They carted us to a village restaurant where we had some Kher food. Hunger is the best sauce, because based on other food I have had since, that was not the best, but we devoured it.

Long story short...(I know, too late) a pick up truck came, loaded us on to the back and took us to SR. When I saw that, I FLIPPED! I was not going to be loaded up like cattle. Not so much for me, but my gear. Well, Lydia, being a BBC director decided she would direct the loading of the cargo, and managed to get me in the front, next to the driver, God bless you lovely lady. What you did there was GOLD.

We got to town and into a hotel. We were all too tired to shower, but we were all blowing red dust out of our noses. When we woke next day, I was on my back, I opened my eyes and saw at least a dozed geckos on the ceiling. They are the cutest things ever! I sat up and looked at my pillow and it was rust coloured, I looked at Lydia and she was rust coloured. I looked at the clothes I was wearing and they were rust coloured. I looked at my camera bag...you get the idea.

And so began a trip that could only improve from there, and it did...until Lydia took us to Angkor What? Pub, and got us so drunk I couldn't go to the first day of sight-seeing. Ahhh, but that is another post :)

I realized at lunch today that the 3rd instalment was sitting in my drafts for over a decade, so I published it. Enjoy!

Siem Reap- Third and final installment (I hope)

OK, I cannot in all honesty abandon this blog without finishing this story. It would be mean!

Ananya Prahtet: The border town to Cambodia is where we left off. We, Alex, Lydia and I followed the Air conditioned tour bus guy to an office and sat there while he took care of our visas. The resident cats and kittens were welcomed entertainment. As a matter of fact, it took no time at all to realize that in this part of the world, animals were treated fairly, and most people had some kind of a pet, even if it meant they ate only the leftovers.

About 2 hours went by and we were covered in sweat. The temperature was appaling! No one was telling us what was going on. We just sat and sat and sat. Then we got carted off by tuk tuk (motorcycles with an open carriage in the back) to another place where about 60 people were waiting to get on this bus. People were sitting all over the floor, with back packs looking exhausted! We joined the sorry looking people and waited for an indetermined amount of time.

Here is where I made my first mistake which started the chain of events that turned our night into hell! The began loading a mini bus. Lydia and Alex had gone off somewhere to the back of the room we were in. A man came in and said "We can seat three more" and I being too smart for my own good sometimes, shot up my hand and volunteered us for the first bus. Little did I know this was the back-up bus and not the real one. They had had too many people that particular day and had borrowd this from someplace.

As soon as I got in the bus, I knew it was trouble. We didnt have real seats, but rather fold down seats in the aisle. It was a disaster but what could we do?

The air conditioning sucked, the bus was overcrowded and overloaded, and as expected, it overheated, very like all its passengers. We got off in the middle of the dusty, dirty road that was red dust. I could not believe how hot and humid it was. All the dust kicked up by the passing cars stuck to my face and I soon had a red plaster mask on- very becoming....NOT!

As we waited, all the water I had consumed and not sweated out moved down to my bladder and screamed to come out. The longer I waited, the more unlikely the replacement bus seemed and the louder my bladder screamed. I looked around and decided the side of the road was where it was at, and I slowly tried to move behind the bushes.

I have to stress this point here: READ THE HISTORY OF A COUNTRY BEFORE YOU VISIT FOLKS! Had I done so, I would not have been so offended at the little Cambodian men who clearly did not want me relieving myself in the bushes. I may have known of the Khmer Rouge's mines. I may have read that they had not all been found, removed or detonated. I would have had a point of reference for the people with limbs missing. But as it was, I had not and did not know why they were screaming in Khmer and running after me. Finally someone with a bit of English said "The mines haven't been cleared in this area". I processed these words, and all I absorbed were mines...mines not cleared....MINES...IN THIS AREA!!!!!

Trust me when I tell you that those are the eight scariest words anyone has even spoken to me. I froze. The colour drained out of my face. I held my breath, and I was quite sure I would never urinate again. I was pulled back onto the road by my t-shirt, which was now drenched in sweat, and I didn't pee again until the next morning. I spoke very little until Lydia bought me my third cocktail.

The sun began to set. It had been approximately ten hours since we left the border. They carted us to a village restaurant where we had some Kher food. Hunger is the best sauce, because based on other food I have had since, that was not the best, but we devoured it.

Long story short...(I know, too late) a pick up truck came, loaded us on to the back and took us to SR. When I saw that, I FLIPPED! I was not going to be loaded up like cattle. Not so much for me, but my gear. Well, Lydia, being a BBC director decided she would direct the loading of the cargo, and managed to get me in the front, next to the driver, God bless you lovely lady. What you did there was GOLD.

We got to town and into a hotel. We were all too tired to shower, but we were all blowing red dust out of our noses. When we woke next day, I was on my back, I opened my eyes and saw at least a dozed geckos on the ceiling. They are the cutest things ever! I sat up and looked at my pillow and it was rust coloured, I looked at Lydia and she was rust coloured. I looked at the clothes I was wearing and they were rust coloured. I looked at my camera bag...you get the idea.

And so began a trip that could only improve from there, and it did...until Lydia took us to Angkor What? Pub, and got us so drunk I couldn't go to the first day of sight-seeing. Ahhh, but that is another post :)

I realized at lunch today that the 3rd instalment was sitting in my drafts for over a decade, so I published it. Enjoy!

Last week of term

Well well well. You blink and a term goes by. Why did it feel so damn long when I was a student? WAIT A MOMENT! I have only been here half a term, that's why. :)

My students are so attentive and take down everything I write on the board. It is amazing. Poor things, most will still flunk the exams.

I have taken up a very exciting new hobby. It is music related but that is all I can say as it is a surprise for my hubby. I spend a lot of my time practicing and hopefully I will have the basics down soon.

I am also painting. In fact my place is adorned with my watercolours. I soon got bored of the 5x7 watercolor paper and went out and got me 10x12. Exciting new dimension.

Well, Yoli, my Mac computer, went to the doctor and came home much the same. I had to spend a lot of time on Yoli to make her work like she used to. I wish I could buy myself a new mac laptop but the are CHAH-CHING Pricy! Not too bad here, but still expensive. :(

Oh, well I will have to watch choppy streaming videos, and now CNN is back- it mysteriously disappeared for three weeks and I went into a bit of a frenzy as Yoli was at the shop at the same time. WAAAAAAAAAAY too much silence here for my taste.

Regardless, there you have it. Things are looking up. I am applying to Veterinary school (undergrad first) and am commiting the next 7 years of my life to school AGAIN! God help us.

slowly coming around

When in a strange land, it is very important to find things that make you feel homey. For me, being able to cook food that I cook at home is extremely important and so having the right groceries becomes a misssion.

Shahen always used to get angry with me at the supermarkets because I would buy way too much, but now I think it is due to the thrill of having everything I need at my fingertips. Here, you have to visit three of four supermarkets, not to mention another city to get what you want.

Hence, a trip to Costco is planned fot late November/ early December.

Yesterday, I found a few things that made me smile, and I got a bargain which was even better. In my fridge there is now Cheddar cheese, Hamburger patty (yes just bought one as it was a new concoction at E-mart and I have to do a taste test, hamburger buns (6 for 80 cents! Gotta love that- but they are truly McDonalds style- completely devoid of any nutritional value- still had to have em!) Head lettuce, Cabbage, and hoison sauce!

This weekend Kim and I are going to Seoul again like the good old days, and though I am sportin a cold (like the good old days) I am still going. Just need to dress warm and take the strange pills the pharmacist lady gave me.

OK, Off to class.

Oh, someone called me at 3 or 4 am. Pick the high numbers folks...7 and higher!

ten things I miss

I have been here a little while now and I am past the shock of being here again. I have a few things in perspective and can say this much

Ten things I miss (besides the obvious; Shahen, my Mom, Oscar, family, friends)

1. Brunch at the local Pickell Barrell with Shahen getting served by the drama queen waitress who swung around her boobs at every chance

2. Driving with Oscar in the car

3. watching my husband do housework like he was the Tazmanian devil ;)

4. My paintings (the ones I purchased, not the ones I did)

5. Call display

6. GOOD TV! Dexter, Law and Order etc

7. The variety at the grocery stores- in fact grocery shopping and getting almost a car full rather than 2 bags full (western stuff is super expensive here)

8. knowing where I am and how to get to where I want to be

9. China town (Odd when you think I am next door to China now)

10. The water (God knows what is in the water here and what is being deposited in my body)



Ten things I do not miss!

1. Rush Hour on the TTC

2. What awaited me at the other end of tht rush hour (the morning one I mean)

3. working 45 hours a week and commuting 10

4. credit (there is something to be said for paying cash for everything)

5. Asshole drivers making my husband angry (oddly most were Korean drivers in our hood!)

6. The cold

7. Annoying students! (I do miss some of the good ones though)

8. Market research phone calls at dinner time- any time actually but especially dinner time

9. Commercials- I mean they have then here just not as many and I dont understand them anyway

10. Oscar pooping at the door! (MISS YOU OSCARCHO)


Ten things that I already don't like here

1. Everybody's kimchee breath (if you can't beat them, join them- ummm no thanks)

2. Having to talk like Tarzan in each class- but they are sweet students

3. Annoying announcements on the bus

4. The VOLUME OF EVERYTHING- IT GOES TO 11

6. Everyone checking you out head to tow

7. 13 dollars for a watermelon

8. funky smells

9. no toilet paper in the washrooms

10. Having to repeat everything 5 times

Oct 19th

This week has felt like a month. Perhaps because I wasnt running around like a headless chicken.

Tomorrow Kim and all her friends (including moi) are going to a "resort" near the sea. We are taking a bus to Yeosu and then getting picked up and driven out of town to this place. It is apparently western style, so we shall see.

I just made a killer spaghetti sauce, and had it for lunch. For dinner, I am going to my old hood to Chosun University and will be meeting Chisun and her husband for dinner. They are such a lovely couple. I can't wait to see them. They used to live across the street from my place. I will go visit my old hood.

I have been given some extra classes which is nice. I am going to teach 15 hours next week, then I will have five 50 minute classes from 8:30 am to 9:20 and 6:00 pm to 6:50. This means I am going to be working over 8 extra hours a week. And according to my contract I am to work 18 hours a week, so that means 5.2 hours of overtime.

Institutions such as these pay very well for overtime work, and so it is possible to live off the overtime pay and bank the remainder. We shall see. I do not intend to live like a hermit here, but I am going to try to save.

My sister mentioned something about investing, and playing the stock market, so I think it would be good to put a little (no more than one can afford to lose) and see what happens. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I would like to have my tuition for teachers college in the bank by the time I leave here.

Well, I have laundry to do and I need to get detergent and sugar (not for my laundry, but for the real coffee I finally bought yesterday) so I should be off. I also have to erase the Eurocenters photos off my camera so I can have space to take more pics this weekend. That should be cleansing ;)

I will get the firewire to download pics next week and put some on here of my apartment as well as the trip.

Have a good weekend y'all.
Over and out

Here I am again

Well I swore up and down that I would neve return. I said goodbye to this country in 2005, never looking back- yet here I am again, same city no less. Am I a sucker for punishment?

Possibly


Likely


But there is a method to this Armenian madness as I sit here in my massive and empty apartment, at 5:50 am, blogging, which has been a lost art to me these past 15 months.

I can say that i burned out in Canada. My dream job that was so flexible and inviting, soon engulfed my life to the point that I did not have the energy to speak to my husband, the driving force behind my move to Canada, about our life, my day, his feelings, or anything that was worthy of conversation. In a few short months we became like an old couple that has nothing left to say to each other. It broke my heart to see us this way and I resented my life, our beautiful apartmetn and most of all my "steady" job.

Maybe I wasnt strong enough to do what was necessary. Maybe I was/am too emotional for the postion of Director. I brought my work home with me and soon it took its physical- not to mention emotional toll. And worse of all, it took its toll on us.

So insane as I may be, here I am, in Gwangju again, working for a reputable university. My apartment is big, on campus, free and virtually bill-less, and I am across from the very building in which I teach. It is exam week and I am not teaching as of yet, but come Monday I will be working full-force. 25 hours a week!! Half of what I was doing in Canada.

I have come here with a plan this time. 1. to find a publisher for my book, but not before putting the final touches on it, 2 to apply and hopefully get accepted to an online Masters programme for January or next fall, and 3 to work on myself. It is amazing what one can do to ones body when wallowing in misery, and in return, what that body does back to you. I read a quote a few weeks ago "Take care of your body, as it is the only home you have to live in" or words to that effect. I dont remember the author, but they are wise words. I intend to do just that, and go back to my love the person he met two years ago. I do not feel like that person now, and it is a sad thing to admit.

Perhaps writing down my plan and sharing it will force me to do it, or perhaps plans will change as new opportunities arrise. I know this for sure; I have time to do things I havent really done since Bulgaria, and I like having the time to sort the thoughts in my head. Without it, I cannot relax.

So we shall see what my second run is like here. It wont be the same. I know what I am in for, and I have old friends here now, ost of whom are calling and asking me to meet though i am still to jet-lagged. I also feel far more seasoned. I know what I am here for, and I am determined to get it. If I do not see progress, I will go home. There is not reason to be away from my husband and family if there is no progress.

Year in Bulgaria

As promised, here is the link for the new blog.

Comment people COMMENT!

http://yearinbulgaria.blogspot.com/