It has been ten years almost to the date when I departured on the longest trip of my life - the adulthood trip. I turned 18 and with a bit of the help of a tricky cupid I packed my things and left my old life behind.
Not that it was a bad life, one could say. I was in a good school, I had friends around me. At that time of my life I was lost and needed somebody to fall back on. Beware what you are asking for because you might get it. I was asking for setting me free. I felt empty and unhappy, and prayed every day to be in a different place. Be careful what you are pryaing for as your prayers might be listened.
It happened unexpectedly - just like true love should happen, or at least that's what we tend to believe in. Unexpected and true love, an arrow of a cupid speared my heart and suddenly everything was clear, the world simple and I knew that this one will be forever. At 18 I didn't know that forever is a long time and that forever doesn't necessarily has to happen. But this I was to learn much later.
It was late February when I packed up and left. I didn't even say goodbye to my school friends. I left. It wasn't a pleasant journey. The road was terrible, I remember. We got stucked somehere for hours as if something was trying to stop me but didn't manage. It was decided. I was gone. I was gone, I finally had my life, had my love, had everything I needed.
Few months later I was sitting on the curb in Grodzisk Mazowiecki thinking what should I do with my life. Everything was gone: my dreams, my love, my dignity, my trust and belief that it all was worth something. I was 18 and already divorced. Not really but the process of breaking up with R. wasn't pleasant at all: packing things from the place that was supposed to be my home... Lots of tears, words that should never been said, things that should never been done, things that I regret and I am ashamed of. Things that under normal circumstances I would never do, or at least that's what I'd like to think.
I was afraid. I was terrified. I couldn't understand what had gone wrong and how all these things had happened. I couldn't go back home, I couldn't return to my school. I had to start everything from the beginning and I didn't know how. I felt guilty, I felt ashamed and afraid that I won't survive.
Somehow, I have survived. And this is something I'd like to congratulate myself for today. I have survived the biggest storm in my life so far. What is more, today I'm in the place that I've chosen myself. Cambodia gives me an opportunity to distance myself from the past and look into the future. Today I'd like to say goodbye to all these traumatic memories. This chapter is finished, closed. It should have been closed many years ago. It's done and I feel it so well today. Goodbye bad memories.Welcome to new quality!
Happy Anniversary Ania!
I love you.
27.02.2011
24.11.2010
One moment
We tend to take things and people for granted. I do anyway, sometimes. Though I try to remeber that I'm here only for a given time, it's difficult to remind myslef all the time about the fact that time has been working against me. We will all die. That's the fact of life. It's only a given time that we are here. That's why I think it's worth to look around and think about what is going on around us, where in life we are, what kind of relationships with people we have and change things we don't like. Especially when it comes to people: family and friends.
I have my issues with the family. Big issues which are to personal to be discussed here. I used to be angry at them, I used to hate them and tried to run away from them. I'm still angry at times, I must admit but not as intensly now. I guess when I've started understanding more about life things become less extreme - life isn't black and white only, and people are only people even if these people are parents and suppose to be perfect. But perfect they are not. And they are just people, sometimes lost, confused and struggling with life. Yes, they should be supportive and yes they should be there for us. And whatever I can say about my parents, no matter how angry I can be at tham I can say that they are trying to be supporive - sometimes in a way that I don't agree with but still. I have this cofidence that regardless anything they are there for me. We've been through difficult times and beautiful days as well and we are the family. And it's not that I'm paiting a pretty picture here now being so many miles away from them... it's the fact that I love them and would do anything for my parents, brothers, a niece and nephews, and sisters-in-law. I hope they know how much I love them.
And friends. My friends from Poland and other places. I'm glad that I've met each of you. There are friendships which survived, there are those which didn't but I believe that I've met each and single person for the reason. I just want you to know that I think of you here in Asia and I miss you all loads. I wouldn't be here without your support. I hope that I won't fail you and I hope you'll be proud of me one day. I respect and admire so many of you for your strenght, stubborness, motivation, friendliness, openheartedness and many, many others. That was one particular day that it struck me: my birthday this year. We all sat at the table and I looked around and thought that it's a real treasure to have people like you around me. Thank you a lot.
I'm writing all this after the events in Phnom Penh. More than 300 people died: they were friends, they were members of families. More than 300 of the people who went to a concert never came back from it. How sad it is that in a moment you can loose everything. So lte's not take things and people for granted. Let's try to tell those who we care for that we care and love them. And not tomorrowbut now, today... because there isn't a guarantee that there'll be tomorrow.
I have my issues with the family. Big issues which are to personal to be discussed here. I used to be angry at them, I used to hate them and tried to run away from them. I'm still angry at times, I must admit but not as intensly now. I guess when I've started understanding more about life things become less extreme - life isn't black and white only, and people are only people even if these people are parents and suppose to be perfect. But perfect they are not. And they are just people, sometimes lost, confused and struggling with life. Yes, they should be supportive and yes they should be there for us. And whatever I can say about my parents, no matter how angry I can be at tham I can say that they are trying to be supporive - sometimes in a way that I don't agree with but still. I have this cofidence that regardless anything they are there for me. We've been through difficult times and beautiful days as well and we are the family. And it's not that I'm paiting a pretty picture here now being so many miles away from them... it's the fact that I love them and would do anything for my parents, brothers, a niece and nephews, and sisters-in-law. I hope they know how much I love them.
And friends. My friends from Poland and other places. I'm glad that I've met each of you. There are friendships which survived, there are those which didn't but I believe that I've met each and single person for the reason. I just want you to know that I think of you here in Asia and I miss you all loads. I wouldn't be here without your support. I hope that I won't fail you and I hope you'll be proud of me one day. I respect and admire so many of you for your strenght, stubborness, motivation, friendliness, openheartedness and many, many others. That was one particular day that it struck me: my birthday this year. We all sat at the table and I looked around and thought that it's a real treasure to have people like you around me. Thank you a lot.
I'm writing all this after the events in Phnom Penh. More than 300 people died: they were friends, they were members of families. More than 300 of the people who went to a concert never came back from it. How sad it is that in a moment you can loose everything. So lte's not take things and people for granted. Let's try to tell those who we care for that we care and love them. And not tomorrowbut now, today... because there isn't a guarantee that there'll be tomorrow.
22.11.2010
Every moment is good to change everything
It's time to decide what's really is important in life. I want to believe that I'm in a point that such decisions should be made. Don't want to be a teenager forever and I think that to certain extand that's what's been happening for a while. I decided tame my teenager in me, not to say goodbye alltogether as I love this crazy girl but... she needs to abdicate and give a way to a woman - a clever, strong, self-aware woman who I am but tend to forget about it.
Every moment is good to change everything.
And I need this change.
I want to be a better person for myslef because I deserve good things. A long way ahead of me but I'm worth it. And this is a change itself that I can finally say: I deserve good things from other people and from myslef. I should be my best friend.
I've come down a long way. I'm ready for the new to come.
Every moment is good to change everything.
And I need this change.
I want to be a better person for myslef because I deserve good things. A long way ahead of me but I'm worth it. And this is a change itself that I can finally say: I deserve good things from other people and from myslef. I should be my best friend.
I've come down a long way. I'm ready for the new to come.
16.10.2010
Sharing is Carrying - ABC's and Rice Action
As won't set up my own NGO, it would be useless in opinion as there are so many here already, I've decided to spread the word among my Polish friends and ask them to donate some money for the NGO called ABC's and Rice working in Siem Reap.
I really believe that together we can collect a few dollars and give it to the people who will know how to make use of it. I truly count on my friends' generosity.
I will soon publish my bank account number so that anyone who is interested and trust me, can transfer cash to it. After money's been colllected, I'll give it to ABC's and write a full report on what the money has been used for.
Tell your friends and families!!!
Sharing is carrying.
Here few dollars make a massive difference.
JOIN ME!!!
I really believe that together we can collect a few dollars and give it to the people who will know how to make use of it. I truly count on my friends' generosity.
I will soon publish my bank account number so that anyone who is interested and trust me, can transfer cash to it. After money's been colllected, I'll give it to ABC's and write a full report on what the money has been used for.
Tell your friends and families!!!
Sharing is carrying.
Here few dollars make a massive difference.
JOIN ME!!!
14.10.2010
Work, School... Bits and Pieces
I'm finally back to work. Or backish :-)
I'm working only two hours a day, which will change I hope in coming weeks. I guess I haven't made much of an effort in looking for more work. Gosh, I've been soooo unbeliveably lazy recently. So lazy that I've even neglacted my writing.
But a bit about schools in Cambodia
Cambodian educational system is very poor mostly due to lack of well-trained teachers. Intellectuals were killed by Pol Pot and so at the end of the war there was nobody who could train new staff. At the end of the war, as I was told, anybody who could read and write would teach other people the skills. Naturally, it's getting better and better these days but there's a long way ahead Cambodia. Well qualified teachers are in demand but...
Teachers are very badly paid (ha!!! that's new, hey?!) I don't have exact figures but they earn something around 20 dollars a month (in a state school). They get so little that many teachers will charge students additionally for classes (I was recenlty told that in one of the schools students pay for they regular clesses around 500riel a day, $1=1000riel). The sum may be not big, but in a month it adds up to serious money and someof the poorest people really can't afford going to school. Although however, I've just read in LIFT, the additional to the Phom Penh Post, that this year high school graduates are best-prepared group of proscpect students in more than decade.
Universities are nests of bribery. It's a common knowledge that if you have money you don't really have to study. Buying a degree as easy as buying a motorbike. However, more and more people are becoming aware that a piece of paper is not everything and actually it should be backed by some practical skills. More and more knowlegable/reasonable people in Cambodia are trying to convice the youth that they actually should attend classes, that they should put some effort and make the most out of what they have the access to. It's well known here that Cambodian menpower loose by far the compoetiotion on the labour market with more skilled workers from Thailand or Vietnam. Lots of companies investing in Cambodia will outsource empoyees from these countries as often there are no well-qualified workers here. So, slackers beware as "Only highly qualified, multi-skilled and well-disciplined candidates will even warrant consideration from employers looking to fill high_level openings in business and organizationsfacing the need to meet international standards to remain comercially viable."
All this reminds me of what Poland is still going through when it comes to education.
Private univeristies are mashrooming.
There is some rudimentary ministerial control over them but once the school opens it produces masses of graduates with no skills whatsoever.
And everybody wants to be managers. Being a top executive here means that one is rich and doesn't have to do much. Rarely do students understand that such work needs particular knowlegde and years of experience.
I'm teaching for a profit-making school with headquaters in Phnom Phen. I taught there where I first came to Cambodia and it is a bit natural for me that I've returned. But actually I'm a bit disappointed with the fact that the institution hasn't much changed in last two years. The managemnet expects from the staff much but the thing is that everything here is ill-managed: mixed ability clesses to excess, the books are not well selected, students are not well placed. In one calss, I can have sometimes early high school and late university students, all at different levels. But the worst thing is that many students pay for courses just to get to another level without doing much. Of course not all the students. There are some smart cookies among them and to find them in priceless.
Anyway, I'm happy to be in a classroom again. I'm happy that I teach so few hours and I can, therefore, experimant with some of my new ideas. I teach for the kicks. I love it. I occasionally hate it too or rather I hate to admit sometimes that I haven't yet developed so many skills that teaching practice requires. This will come with time I believe.
I like my students a lot. They inspire me. Yes, the system is fucked up, true. Sometimes I'm annoyed with my learners that they quite don't get it that if they want to earn themselves better future, they should study. But I don't preach them, no. Who am I to do it? It's not my role. I will be happy if they learn anything. I'll be happy seeing them come to my clesses and not play truant. I'll be happy if some of them realize that people who come here care. I care even doing soooo as I am.
A little about people here who care - more is coming soon
There are soooo, soooo many people who work for people here. It's just unbelieveable - people with open hearts, good-willed people who I'll write about soon.
This I recommend for the begining:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=122668709163
http://www.abc-rice.com/
PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT THESE PEOPLE DO HERE!!!
In addition
We are fooding a bit here. The rainy season. The river is very, very high. Has flooded the other side of the bridge. We're still quite ok here. But I've got a feeling I'll need one of these soon:
Actually, I could start a new trend here in Siem Reap. :-)
I'm working only two hours a day, which will change I hope in coming weeks. I guess I haven't made much of an effort in looking for more work. Gosh, I've been soooo unbeliveably lazy recently. So lazy that I've even neglacted my writing.
 |
| So true!!! |
But a bit about schools in Cambodia
Cambodian educational system is very poor mostly due to lack of well-trained teachers. Intellectuals were killed by Pol Pot and so at the end of the war there was nobody who could train new staff. At the end of the war, as I was told, anybody who could read and write would teach other people the skills. Naturally, it's getting better and better these days but there's a long way ahead Cambodia. Well qualified teachers are in demand but...
Teachers are very badly paid (ha!!! that's new, hey?!) I don't have exact figures but they earn something around 20 dollars a month (in a state school). They get so little that many teachers will charge students additionally for classes (I was recenlty told that in one of the schools students pay for they regular clesses around 500riel a day, $1=1000riel). The sum may be not big, but in a month it adds up to serious money and someof the poorest people really can't afford going to school. Although however, I've just read in LIFT, the additional to the Phom Penh Post, that this year high school graduates are best-prepared group of proscpect students in more than decade.
Universities are nests of bribery. It's a common knowledge that if you have money you don't really have to study. Buying a degree as easy as buying a motorbike. However, more and more people are becoming aware that a piece of paper is not everything and actually it should be backed by some practical skills. More and more knowlegable/reasonable people in Cambodia are trying to convice the youth that they actually should attend classes, that they should put some effort and make the most out of what they have the access to. It's well known here that Cambodian menpower loose by far the compoetiotion on the labour market with more skilled workers from Thailand or Vietnam. Lots of companies investing in Cambodia will outsource empoyees from these countries as often there are no well-qualified workers here. So, slackers beware as "Only highly qualified, multi-skilled and well-disciplined candidates will even warrant consideration from employers looking to fill high_level openings in business and organizationsfacing the need to meet international standards to remain comercially viable."
All this reminds me of what Poland is still going through when it comes to education.
Private univeristies are mashrooming.
There is some rudimentary ministerial control over them but once the school opens it produces masses of graduates with no skills whatsoever.
And everybody wants to be managers. Being a top executive here means that one is rich and doesn't have to do much. Rarely do students understand that such work needs particular knowlegde and years of experience.
I'm teaching for a profit-making school with headquaters in Phnom Phen. I taught there where I first came to Cambodia and it is a bit natural for me that I've returned. But actually I'm a bit disappointed with the fact that the institution hasn't much changed in last two years. The managemnet expects from the staff much but the thing is that everything here is ill-managed: mixed ability clesses to excess, the books are not well selected, students are not well placed. In one calss, I can have sometimes early high school and late university students, all at different levels. But the worst thing is that many students pay for courses just to get to another level without doing much. Of course not all the students. There are some smart cookies among them and to find them in priceless.
Anyway, I'm happy to be in a classroom again. I'm happy that I teach so few hours and I can, therefore, experimant with some of my new ideas. I teach for the kicks. I love it. I occasionally hate it too or rather I hate to admit sometimes that I haven't yet developed so many skills that teaching practice requires. This will come with time I believe.
I like my students a lot. They inspire me. Yes, the system is fucked up, true. Sometimes I'm annoyed with my learners that they quite don't get it that if they want to earn themselves better future, they should study. But I don't preach them, no. Who am I to do it? It's not my role. I will be happy if they learn anything. I'll be happy seeing them come to my clesses and not play truant. I'll be happy if some of them realize that people who come here care. I care even doing soooo as I am.
A little about people here who care - more is coming soon
There are soooo, soooo many people who work for people here. It's just unbelieveable - people with open hearts, good-willed people who I'll write about soon.
This I recommend for the begining:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=122668709163
http://www.abc-rice.com/
PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT THESE PEOPLE DO HERE!!!
In addition
We are fooding a bit here. The rainy season. The river is very, very high. Has flooded the other side of the bridge. We're still quite ok here. But I've got a feeling I'll need one of these soon:
5.10.2010
Some Facts and Comments About Cambodia for a Good Start
It's been a week here and I feel that I should write something before I get so lazy as not to come anywhere close to the computer. Writing needs some discipline and these days... I'm not disciplined at all.
Anyway... I'm in Siem Reap, in the Siem Reap province in the Kingdom of Cambodia. I'll spend here a bit of time and I would like to give my readers some overview of what is going on in the country at the moment but also I would like to tell you more about the country's history. Yes, I believe that eveybody has heared about Angkor Wat, Pol Pot and the Killing Fields but the country has much more to offer than this. I'll show you places to go in Siem Reap: restaurants, pubs, hotels, hostels. I'll write about expats who live here and their influence on the community both good and not so. I'll show you NGOs wroking here and helping Cambodians to build their country, country that was totally destroyed materially and intelectually . Cambodia will be my experiment in writing reports for you so that you know more and so I understand deeper what these people here are about.
Quick Overview
Cambodia faces the whole array of problems: poverty, lack of good education, corruption, lack of basic infastructure, violation of human rights, to name only few. With Laos, Cambodia remain one of the poorest countries in the region of South-East Asia. According to International Monetary Found (2009), Cambodia's GDP ammounts to 2,015 international dollars, putting it in the 145th place in the world (there are 181 countries on the list)."Between one third and one half of its 13 million people live in abject poverty on less than USD1 per day, and the number rise every year." (John Tully, A Short History of Cambodia, Silkworm Books, 2006, p. 229)
In the same book we read that almost 50% of the country's budget relies on foreign aid donations which, unfortunately, are so often embezelled and stole by greedy officials. It seems that everybody takes money here: policemen, high-school and university teachers, clerks, doctors - anyone who has any kind of power.
Prostitution and child prostitution are big, though the governement is trying to take some steps to prevent it. Two years ago I spoke to girls and asked why they did it, they'd smile and say that if not this, they'd rot somewhere in the countrysite. It's their job that allows them to support their impoverished families, their children and helps them to survive. It would be a mistake, however, to think that prostitution is driven only by the demand from Western men. Brothels are massively popular among local men who sometimes tend to treat women worse than their motorbikes.
I know that the picure I've just painted is not a pretty one. But it's just one side. Cambodia has it's bright side too: crazy music that so many Westeners hate as it'll wake up you at 5 am blasting from laudspeakers to announce a wedding or a funeral and continues to balst for a few consecutive days. Cambodia has its ghosts and believes, celebrations and offerings, festivals... and all these so oriental, so interesting and captivating. All these to be discovered. :-)
Anyway... I'm in Siem Reap, in the Siem Reap province in the Kingdom of Cambodia. I'll spend here a bit of time and I would like to give my readers some overview of what is going on in the country at the moment but also I would like to tell you more about the country's history. Yes, I believe that eveybody has heared about Angkor Wat, Pol Pot and the Killing Fields but the country has much more to offer than this. I'll show you places to go in Siem Reap: restaurants, pubs, hotels, hostels. I'll write about expats who live here and their influence on the community both good and not so. I'll show you NGOs wroking here and helping Cambodians to build their country, country that was totally destroyed materially and intelectually . Cambodia will be my experiment in writing reports for you so that you know more and so I understand deeper what these people here are about.
Quick Overview
Cambodia faces the whole array of problems: poverty, lack of good education, corruption, lack of basic infastructure, violation of human rights, to name only few. With Laos, Cambodia remain one of the poorest countries in the region of South-East Asia. According to International Monetary Found (2009), Cambodia's GDP ammounts to 2,015 international dollars, putting it in the 145th place in the world (there are 181 countries on the list)."Between one third and one half of its 13 million people live in abject poverty on less than USD1 per day, and the number rise every year." (John Tully, A Short History of Cambodia, Silkworm Books, 2006, p. 229)
In the same book we read that almost 50% of the country's budget relies on foreign aid donations which, unfortunately, are so often embezelled and stole by greedy officials. It seems that everybody takes money here: policemen, high-school and university teachers, clerks, doctors - anyone who has any kind of power.
Prostitution and child prostitution are big, though the governement is trying to take some steps to prevent it. Two years ago I spoke to girls and asked why they did it, they'd smile and say that if not this, they'd rot somewhere in the countrysite. It's their job that allows them to support their impoverished families, their children and helps them to survive. It would be a mistake, however, to think that prostitution is driven only by the demand from Western men. Brothels are massively popular among local men who sometimes tend to treat women worse than their motorbikes.
I know that the picure I've just painted is not a pretty one. But it's just one side. Cambodia has it's bright side too: crazy music that so many Westeners hate as it'll wake up you at 5 am blasting from laudspeakers to announce a wedding or a funeral and continues to balst for a few consecutive days. Cambodia has its ghosts and believes, celebrations and offerings, festivals... and all these so oriental, so interesting and captivating. All these to be discovered. :-)
30.09.2010
Getting to Cambodia Without Paying for a Visa and to Siem Reap in a Comfortable Mercedes... Aslo Free of Charge
I spent about 36 hours in a bus travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap. Gosh, that was a ride! I must say, though, that this time the journey was nice and smooth, I had to change buses only twice and I didn't have to travel at nihht alone with some dodgy people dropping me off for the bus. The vehicles were really nice and comfortable so I was even able to get some decent amount of sleep. It was just my arse that was sore after sitting too much. It really hurt me as hell.
I had originally planned to stop in Bangkok for a day or two but then was dropped at the bus station from which buses to the Cambodian border depart. The bus to the border turned to be leaving in 30 minutes, so I just thought that I might as well hop in it and go. And so I did. The ride, which was five hours, cost me 227 Bat, which is nothing. If I was going with a travel agency, I'd probably have to pay around USD30 to Siem Reap. And I went for about six bucks, which is really nice. So I advise anyone who is planning to travel around Thailand/Cambodia to use local transport, especially in Thailand. It's really well developed, cheap and not so difficult to figure schedules out.
Got on the bus, got my sandwiches from a bus company, unfolded my seat and very comfotably started the journey to the border.
On the bus I met a Japanese girl who was going to Siem Reap as well. We didn't talk much, just exchanged few words about the arrival time. Satani is leaving in Cambodia with her husband, as I learnt later, who co-ordinates TV projects for Japanese broadcasters and currenty he si doing something for Japanese TV in Laos. Before she told me all this, however, we got to the border town, Ayatuya... or something like this and together took a tuk-tuk to the check point, which Satani offered. Cool! Off we wnet to the border.
And now strange things started happening...
We went through Thai passport control. I'm already on the other side and I know that I need a visa so I'm looking for a place to apply for one. I've foung an office, rcking into it.The officer gives me a form to fill, I'm asking a few questions about my visa and regualtions... No, I can't get six-month business visa on arrival, just one month one. To extend it I'll have to go Phnom Phenn. Ok, cool, I'm fine with that... I'm applying for a business visa, right? To get one, the requirement is that I need a latter from an institution confirming that I'm actually entering the country on business porposes. I don't have such a letter and I'm actually surprised that the oficers need one from me... Finding out that I don't have any documents with me, the officer told me that getting me through will cost me additional USD. So, for all proceedings I'm supposed to pay USD30. And I'm fine with it. So, I'm filling the form, the passport is already taken from me. I just need to fill my arrival card and I can go. But before I'm handing theofficer a twenty-dollar note thinking that I've given him fifty bucks. When he realizes he comes to meand says that I've given him to little and he want ten bucks more. Oh, I'm sorry and I'm giving him fifty dollars. So, it's done. I've got my passport back but not a sign of my change. I'm approaching the officer asking for my twenty dollars back. I can tell that he is a bit confused, surprised with my requests. |He quielty confesses that: "I don't have small money". I'm replying that I don't care, I already have my passport in my hand, that I don't care and I want my change.
Right... Can you believe? There is no USD20 note in the whole place, at the border crossing where all the transactions are held in dollars. No money. I repeated again that I want my change back and to my surprise the officer is giving me my fifty dollars BACK saying :"It's ok, ok.... Just go". What? Now I was surprised but decided to do as I was told before che changes his mind. Went out from the office, holding my pasport in massive disbelief... started walking faster and faster, almost running to the passprta and visa control counter. And I'm thinking: "Ok, I'll probably be asked to cash there..." and was ready to pay. But NO!!!! NO, NO, NO. Nobody asked for anything and so I was let in Cambodia saving USD 30. Not bad hey? :-)
But this is not the end.
For all this time, and the whole event with visa took around 10 minutes, Satani, my Japanese friend, is somewhere around. Now, we are at the Cambodian side already and now she is telling me that if I want to I can go to Siem Reap with her. She was waiting for a driver to arrive and pick her up. Really? Is it really happening? Not only had I entered the country for free but alsno now I'm being offered a ride which the offer will save me soooo much time. I s it really happening? It was indeed. The driver arrived and we were taken to Siem Reap in a very comfortable A?C Mercedes-Benz van. The whole car just for us. Not bad, hey? :-)
In Siem Reap we exchanged our phone numbers as I'm planning to invite Satani for a coffee or something nice to eat and this way thenak her for making my life so much easier.
And yey!!!! I'm in Siem Reap. Was dropped in the Pub Street area to have a quick look at. Went to Funky Monkey for a beer, left my heavy backpack there and went to Aqua - the swimming pool where I expected to see John. Wasn't disappointed.
What a surprise, hey? I said that I'll be back :-)
Then John called Annie and after a welcome beers and a joint, I went to check in Annie's. She took me out then for a few more beers and local traditional AMOK (I'll write more about food later). I was introduced to some new arrivals in Siem Reap, people who arrived after I had left. Anyway, it'll take me some time to catch up but the begining was/is great.
It was and still is a bit surreal that I'm here. I couldn't be happier. The house is as beautiful as I remember it... my room has an AC unit, a fan if I didn't like A/C, a big comfortable bed... what else could I ask for? Perfect environment to start going with my work. But not today. Today is a day to roam the town and check the place out for new pubs, restaurants, hotels, evants so that I can write about it all here.
Cambodia... here I am :-)
I had originally planned to stop in Bangkok for a day or two but then was dropped at the bus station from which buses to the Cambodian border depart. The bus to the border turned to be leaving in 30 minutes, so I just thought that I might as well hop in it and go. And so I did. The ride, which was five hours, cost me 227 Bat, which is nothing. If I was going with a travel agency, I'd probably have to pay around USD30 to Siem Reap. And I went for about six bucks, which is really nice. So I advise anyone who is planning to travel around Thailand/Cambodia to use local transport, especially in Thailand. It's really well developed, cheap and not so difficult to figure schedules out.
Got on the bus, got my sandwiches from a bus company, unfolded my seat and very comfotably started the journey to the border.
On the bus I met a Japanese girl who was going to Siem Reap as well. We didn't talk much, just exchanged few words about the arrival time. Satani is leaving in Cambodia with her husband, as I learnt later, who co-ordinates TV projects for Japanese broadcasters and currenty he si doing something for Japanese TV in Laos. Before she told me all this, however, we got to the border town, Ayatuya... or something like this and together took a tuk-tuk to the check point, which Satani offered. Cool! Off we wnet to the border.
And now strange things started happening...
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| Poipet, the border crossing, Cambodian side |
We went through Thai passport control. I'm already on the other side and I know that I need a visa so I'm looking for a place to apply for one. I've foung an office, rcking into it.The officer gives me a form to fill, I'm asking a few questions about my visa and regualtions... No, I can't get six-month business visa on arrival, just one month one. To extend it I'll have to go Phnom Phenn. Ok, cool, I'm fine with that... I'm applying for a business visa, right? To get one, the requirement is that I need a latter from an institution confirming that I'm actually entering the country on business porposes. I don't have such a letter and I'm actually surprised that the oficers need one from me... Finding out that I don't have any documents with me, the officer told me that getting me through will cost me additional USD. So, for all proceedings I'm supposed to pay USD30. And I'm fine with it. So, I'm filling the form, the passport is already taken from me. I just need to fill my arrival card and I can go. But before I'm handing theofficer a twenty-dollar note thinking that I've given him fifty bucks. When he realizes he comes to meand says that I've given him to little and he want ten bucks more. Oh, I'm sorry and I'm giving him fifty dollars. So, it's done. I've got my passport back but not a sign of my change. I'm approaching the officer asking for my twenty dollars back. I can tell that he is a bit confused, surprised with my requests. |He quielty confesses that: "I don't have small money". I'm replying that I don't care, I already have my passport in my hand, that I don't care and I want my change.
Right... Can you believe? There is no USD20 note in the whole place, at the border crossing where all the transactions are held in dollars. No money. I repeated again that I want my change back and to my surprise the officer is giving me my fifty dollars BACK saying :"It's ok, ok.... Just go". What? Now I was surprised but decided to do as I was told before che changes his mind. Went out from the office, holding my pasport in massive disbelief... started walking faster and faster, almost running to the passprta and visa control counter. And I'm thinking: "Ok, I'll probably be asked to cash there..." and was ready to pay. But NO!!!! NO, NO, NO. Nobody asked for anything and so I was let in Cambodia saving USD 30. Not bad hey? :-)
But this is not the end.
For all this time, and the whole event with visa took around 10 minutes, Satani, my Japanese friend, is somewhere around. Now, we are at the Cambodian side already and now she is telling me that if I want to I can go to Siem Reap with her. She was waiting for a driver to arrive and pick her up. Really? Is it really happening? Not only had I entered the country for free but alsno now I'm being offered a ride which the offer will save me soooo much time. I s it really happening? It was indeed. The driver arrived and we were taken to Siem Reap in a very comfortable A?C Mercedes-Benz van. The whole car just for us. Not bad, hey? :-)
In Siem Reap we exchanged our phone numbers as I'm planning to invite Satani for a coffee or something nice to eat and this way thenak her for making my life so much easier.
And yey!!!! I'm in Siem Reap. Was dropped in the Pub Street area to have a quick look at. Went to Funky Monkey for a beer, left my heavy backpack there and went to Aqua - the swimming pool where I expected to see John. Wasn't disappointed.
What a surprise, hey? I said that I'll be back :-)
Then John called Annie and after a welcome beers and a joint, I went to check in Annie's. She took me out then for a few more beers and local traditional AMOK (I'll write more about food later). I was introduced to some new arrivals in Siem Reap, people who arrived after I had left. Anyway, it'll take me some time to catch up but the begining was/is great.
It was and still is a bit surreal that I'm here. I couldn't be happier. The house is as beautiful as I remember it... my room has an AC unit, a fan if I didn't like A/C, a big comfortable bed... what else could I ask for? Perfect environment to start going with my work. But not today. Today is a day to roam the town and check the place out for new pubs, restaurants, hotels, evants so that I can write about it all here.
Cambodia... here I am :-)
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