Spotlight on Cambodia

Here is our second Spotlight, this time on the Kingdom of Cambodia. Our Spotlights will continue to be little snippets of things we saw and learned while in each of the countries we visit this fall. Feel free to skip the parts you don’t want to read, but don’t miss the quiz at the bottom!

Kirstie and Isaac in Mondulkiri, Cambodia
(C) Isaac and Kirstie Bickford

We arrived in Phnom Penh (the capital city) on October 9^th. We hung out there until the 15^th when we took a six hour taxi ride to Mondulkiri to visit some projects with ICC and the Bunong language group for a few days. On the 19^th we trekked back to Phnom Penh and flew to Bangkok, to Manila, and then to Davao. Whew!

We only have one quick language snippet about Cambodia. The main language group and the national language is Khmer, which many of us recognize from Khmer Rouge (pronounced “Kmair Roozh”). But in Khmer, “Khmer” is not pronounced “Kmair.” You say “Kmeye” which rhymes with “eye” and, more importantly, “pie.”

Motorbikes: a Family Vehicle

Motorbikes in Cambodia are even more important than in Thailand, as fewer families can afford cars. This doesn’t prevent families from travelling together, though. We saw a group of six (three adults, three children) crammed onto one little bike. Generally, no more than three adults will ride on one motorbike. Women and monks often ride side saddle as passengers.

Loaded Motorbike in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
(C) Isaac and Kirstie Bickford

 The motorbike is also used for (among other things) hauling chickens (hanging by their feet; we only hope they were dead), piglets (in a bamboo cage about 1 meter wide strapped to the back), and pulling trailers loaded with about 20 5-meter long logs.

Traffic is pretty crazy in Phnom Penh. Although vehicles officially drive on the right side of the road, it is quite common to see a motorbike weaving its way through opposing traffic—horn honking often signals abnormal traffic behavior or simply means: “Look out! Comin’ through!” Crossing a street on foot is a bit like a game of Frogger – take things one lane at a time and hope people slow down or swerve around you!

Toilets

Due to popular demand, we will continue posting information about the toilets in each country we visit. Feel free to skip to the next heading if you think this is impolite conversation.

In Cambodia, the toilet situation is similar to that in Thailand. In Phnom Penh, western toilets are common. In Mondulkiri Province, we found a variety of options. Probably the most interesting was the western toilet with no seat and no tank. It was flushed “squatty style” by pouring a bucket of water into the basin. We are dubbing these “western squatties."

A western squatty in the Philippines (with a tank that was useless). Note the wastebin for TP.
(C) Isaac and Kirstie Bickford

 In the Bunong Villages we visited, indoor plumbing was not available. If you need relief here, find a bush!

Food

Food in Cambodia is YUMMY. They have potatoes here! Our tummies were very happy. Cambodian cuisine is not generally spicy, though you often get a tiny pepper or two beside your dish to add as desired. Beware the tiny pepper! They are scary...

Everybody's got a water buffalo! Or at least a rooster...
(C) Isaac and Kirstie Bickford

There are more buffalo and cows wandering Cambodia than Thailand; thus more beef ends up in food. Farming is especially important here. Rice, as in neighboring countries, is a staple and served at most or, in some places, all meals. See below to learn about this year’s flooding and its impact on farming.

Lofts or Stilts?

We found Cambodian architecture very interesting, as there was a very sharp divide in building types between the Khmer and the Bunong. We didn’t visit any Khmer homes, but we did see a few restaurants. In Phnom Penh they are built with loft ceilings and a straight airway from back to front. They’re basically just one big, tall room. Some owners would like to have more space in the room, so they build a loft in the back increasing floor space by about 30%, and quite effectively blocking all airflow. Try to find a table with a fan pointing on it.

Stilt home with electric blue railings. Ow ow!
(C) Isaac and Kirstie Bickford

We liked the Bunong houses much more, and even were a little jealous of their living arrangements. The houses are built on stilts anywhere from 1.5 to 5 meters tall. The stilts help during the rainy season, when flooding is common and mold can be a problem. Having the houses off the ground helps rain to drip off and creates airflow under the house, keeping the bottom of the house from being soggy all the time. The construction materials vary by the wealth of the family. The poorest houses were wood frames walled and roofed with plastic tarps. It was heartbreaking to see these houses, as the natural materials traditionally used last much longer and provide much better protection from the elements. If you receive our email updates, look forward to an email with a story about why the natural materials are becoming scarce.

Moving up the cost ladder, the wood frame will be walled and roofed with thatch. A little higher and people tend to either have wood walls and a thatch roof or thatch walls and a metal roof. The choice of which to improve first probably depends on the distance to a Khmer city with metal sheeting available. Most houses in the villages we visited had wood walls and thatch roofs. Bunong style houses in the city of Mondulkiri are a little fancier still, and tend to have wood or cement walls with tiled roofs. The stairways of some of these houses were very colorful!

Flooding in Cambodia

During our time in Asia, we’ve been asked about the flooding several times. So far, we have been safe from all flooding; we have the luxury of only going to dryer ground, unlike many who live here. In Thailand the flooding didn’t affect us at all as we were either in central Bangkok or in the mountains (though heavy rains prohibited our travel to some schools). At the moment, parts of Bangkok are experiencing flooding, from minor annoyance to major destruction depending on where you are. We have friends who are currently on the edge of the flood which spreads more every day.

Bu Sra Waterfall
(C) Isaac and Kirstie Bickford

 We had a different experience in Cambodia, where our journey to Mondulkiri took us right through much of the flooding. Around Phnom Penh are rice fields that stretch as far as you can see, and it’s normal for it to look really, really wet—it’s great for the paddy rice. Unfortunately, this year is too wet, and much of the rice has already died (this has also happened in Thailand). Not only does this have implications for the people here, but the world rice market will certainly reflect the flooding (we've been told that Thailand provides about 10% of the rice that can be purchased in rice-importing countries). Apart from that, we heard that over 200 people in Cambodia have died as a direct result of the flooding, and people are frightened.

Please say a prayer for those affected by the floods—that their needs will be met but also that they will have peace and not be afraid.

Quiz Time

The prize this time consists of a high five from either Isaac or Kirstie (not both). (Prize must be redeemed in person by December 12th at the winner's expense.) Write your answers in the comments (click on "comments" if the comment box isn't showing) - you can also comment on the blog above. We love to hear from you!

1. What is the approximate US value of the smallest denomination riel bill?

2. What is the name of Cambodia’s most infamous leader?

3. What Wonder of the Ancient World is in Cambodia?

..Isaac and Kirstie..