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Sleimball meat packs

CAMBODIA | Sunday, 8 February 2009 | Views [279]

I always considered myself as a patient person, it may not always be the case, however I believe that patient is a necessary and important quality. Nevertheless my patient is really being tested here in Cambodia. For example while speaking English I often have to formulate my questions in at least four different ways using body language, sign language and sounds and other creative methods. Imagine trying to communicate without a common language. It’s really interesting trying to communicate without words or with a limited vocabulary. I always been fond of words and I put a lot of emphasis on what people say and which words they are using but here I really enjoy observing people’s faces and body while they speak Khmer. I’m paying attention to face expression and voice tone which has become vital for my understanding and feeling about a person. Before it has only been a sidekick but know is almost determinant. You can tell so much just by looking at their eyes and how they shine when the person is laughing.

For the record my knowledge in Khmer is oh so very very basic, I’m trying but it’s more difficult than I expected it to be. I didn’t intend to speak it fluently but the language has so many sounds which I never have heard or used before, making it almost impossible to learn. But only almost. So far I know how to say my name and simple things like that. I figured that one good survival strategy is to know words related to food so I’ve also learn have to say, I’m hungry, I’m full and delicious. I use them frequently of course.

So my dear meat packs (we, or more exactly Richard, one of the Swedish participants, discovered that the Khmer word for friend sounds like meat pack) my the point I’m trying to make with this entrance is for you to have patient with me writing on the blog about my new life here in Cambodia.

Sleimball, rice and Cambodia! (According to Richard the Khmer word for love sounds like sleimball and it was last weekend’s theme song!)

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