First Day with the PEPY Team

I am happily writing to you now from an internet cafe near our hotel in Pnom Pheng ("Pa-nom Pang"), the capital city of Cambodia. I haven't been here long, but it's been a full day and isn't yet over. We met the PEPY Ride contacts at the airport when we came in around 12, exchanged some money (for the first time since arriving in SE Asia... everything has been closed!) and took a tuktuk (or rather, a large, wagon-like motorized rickshaw) directly to the center of town where we met the rest of the group at the hotel. There are 8 of us on our leg of the trip, most of which whom have some connection to Japan and all of which strike me as very inspirational, exciting and energetic people. I am greatly looking forward to getting to know them better and working with them over the next week.

We dropped our bags off and joined everyone else for some fresh coconuts at the cafe next to our hotel. After going through the details of the week ahead and doing a bit of self-introducing among the members of the group (ranging from newly-mynted bachelors teaching abroad and a former Peace Core volunteer to a lawyer from the US East Coast), we walked about 10 minutes to a small building next to a temple where we would meet a Budhist monk and be blessed for safe journeys and good luck over the next week. Tam and I had already participated in Baji (like Indian Pujaa - or prayer ceremony - in Vietviane - and now added a red string bracelet to the white one on our right wrists). After the blessing, we lit several incense and headed off again, still within only hours of arriving, and headed over to the the Palace. A guide met us as we wandered around the grounds and learned about the beautiful structures, a bizarre blend of French classic and Khamer styles (the coronation hall reminded me a lot of the palace in Bangkok on the outside and Versailles on the inside, an ironic but true observation). Cambodia was once considered the "jewel" in colonial France's crown, so it makes sense that both the palace and city resemble a more European-influenced version of Bankok...just a strange mesh the first time you see it. After the palace, we went to the National Museum, but only got a quick peak inside the front as the lights were off for the day (with 30 minutes left...hmm). I'll try to make it back before I leave to get a better tour, but it was a busy afternoon for the first day in this lively place.

After the palace, we walked for a bit before the PEPY leaders told us we could head back to the hotel. While Pnom Pheng is an exciting city, it is still a developing country and the infrastructure (including roads) are not up to western standards. This means that is can be pretty dusty and dirty. Between adjusting to the new environment and just walking (and travel in the morning!), we were tired and glad to hear that we would have a few hours of free time before visiting Friends, a locally-run NGO that runs a restaurant and shops to provide a place for street children, so we headed back. After quick showers, the next highlight of the day came when Tam and I used our free time to try out the traditional Chinese (?) suction cup massage (to release toxins), so I now have a series of what look like purple hickies across my back but am feeling good (definitely less toxic...haha), having a fabulous time.

I should run, but I am feel so lucky to be here and ecstatic about the week to come. We're going to be in the remote, northern part of Cambodia for a few days, where I definitely won't have internet access, but I'll try to check in as much as possible. In the meantime, I'll try to write once more about tomorrow (visit to S21, sort of a school turned concentration camp used during the Khamer Rouge rule and civil war, the Killing fields and several NGOs). Until then, thanks for checking in!