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Other entries in Phnom Penh

working girl

OK, first a couple things I've learned - all those people spitting in battambang? it probably isn't coincidence. that betel nut I saw everywhere in the market is supposed to be chewed then spit out. guess its a minor amphetamine so no wonder every other vendor seems to be selling it, and people are spitting everywhere.

and never mind the indonesian volcano, theres a typhoon in china. its big enough to affect our weather - rain and lightning and EXTREME humidity here. so I whimped out and am spending 2 days in a room with AC - back in phnom penh and the orphanage.

was there today - wow is this going to be hard work. there are over 20 kids running around this place. even when they should be in school, most the time they run loose. all day there's commotion - jumping, running, hugging, drawing, peeing (no kidding - right in the common area...for all to see), crying, fighting.... around this, we painted a wall and the start of a mural full of dreaming elephants and khmer symbols.

tmorrow I hope the little kids will paint up the elephants and later the big kids will paint what the elphants are thinking. at least that's the plan....everything here takes twice as long and always finds a different path so I'm holding no expectations.

yesterday saw on the news the slum next door IS being dismantled - haven't ridden by yet to see this actually happening. the city has stepped up to give the people new land, but I guess it's swamp land by the airport....not such a good alternative. in one year, the same will likely happen to 'our' neighborhood. anything made of wood gets moved, but the murals will be toast.... :( just trying to remember a year is a long time - especially to a kid.

so around all this poverty, a few things still surprise me. these kids RUN up to you to give hugs - always! they want so badly to do what the adults do so most stuff is easy to delegate. and a side note - this country is so much poorer than any in s america (cept maybe bolivia)  but the other day I left my camera cable at the internet cafe. went back the next day and it was STILL there - this would NEVER happen in south america.

back to the kids tomorrow. getting a quick fix of silence tonight.

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