Food for Thought

Sua S'dei (hello in Khmer)

All is well in Phnon Penh. I am loving my experience so far. I have met so many amazing people, many of which have the same passion for travel and volunteering as I do. I am really enjoying my experience with the host family. My limited Khmer skills is a struggle for me, but I am doing my best. You all know how I love to talk. I really wish I could speak to the parents and grandmother in the home. One of the older children in the home is great to talk to. It is a great trade off she is helping me with Khmer and I am helping her with her English.

So let me recap my crazy food day!

I eat breakfast and most other meals with my host family unless I decide to go out. My day started out with a sandwich like thing for breakfast with lettuce, chicken and what I think was mayonnaise and honey (not sure this is true but this is what it tasted like). In my opinion a very odd combination. All I can say I was pretty hungry most of the morning. Then lunch happened.

My lunch experience was two fold. We were in the central market and I order something for which I had no idea what it was. From what I could see I think it noddles and pork. However, when I got it, it had pork liver, pork that still had the skin on it, tofu, and two other things that I was unable to identify. See picture above. However my lunch took another turn when throughout my lunch an elderly woman continued to tap me on the shoulder begging for money. Randomly she did not ask my friend sitting right beside me. I attempted to use Khmer to tell her no, sorry but it was not a success. We were told not to give money so I followed this rule,  this is especially true for children who are begging because giving them money only motivates their parents to keep them out of school to earn money for the family. So the elderly woman continued to try to get money until she pointed at my food. I did not really say yes, but before I knew it she had taken my food, even stopping to add hot chilies to it. I was not finished with the food even though I was just picking at it. However if she needed food that badly I was glad to give it to her. It was an eventful meal, but one I will never forget. It really made me think about how much I take for granted. I may not have liked my meal but how often do we all take for granted the opportunity we have to feel full.

My next random eating experience today was eating a fried cricket. It kind of tasted like nothing just a bit crunchy. I would eat it again. I can add this to my list of random life experiences. Sorry if the video does not work it was being difficult.

However my day ended with an amazing Cambodian meal host by our volunteer organization VAC.

My day of random food experience really made me think how thankful I should be that I am never really hungry in the true sense of the word. This fact is untrue for many people in the world.

I can't wait until tomorrow when I begin my volunteer placement. I am placed at Joy Day Care. I know very little about it but I am so excited to begin the work I came here to do.