Cambodia is the New Japan

Welcome all, I am back in the river, swimming again with the fishes, and blogging from my new post in Cambodia. I left North Carolina last Saturday, and after several brilliant days in Southern California, and a long, smooth journey across the pacific, I finally arrived in Phnom Penh on Thursday morning. A kind Cambodian staffer named Vuthy from PEPY, the organization I'll be working for, met me at the airport with an easy smile and wisked me through Immigration. Outside the airport waited Maryann, the interim director, and a man named Lucky, tuk tuk driver and friend of PEPY who likes to hang out at the office when not busy carting folks about the city.

A short drive through the positively lively, dirty, sultry, cacophonous and pungent streets of Phnom Penh, delivered us to Chez PEPY, my home and office for the next six months. The large, three story house sits solidly, built with 8-inch thick concrete walls, just a few narrow streets away from the city center and main thoroughfares. Inside the tall metal gate is a tiled courtyard, filled with bikes and bamboo. An array of shoes lies outside the front door, for, as in Japan, they are not worn inside the home. Just inside the front door is the PEPY office. The three other interns, all who live at the house, as well as another Cambodian staff member greeted me warmly, though obviously busy and focused on their work.

Maryann gave me the tour of the house, and offered me a room on the 2nd floor where everyone else has their bedrooms, or the sole bedroom on the 3rd floor (which I have dubbed the Penthouse), which has its own bathroom, living room, and terrace. I, as you might expect, took the latter. Though I won't declare myself King of the Castle just yet, for the moment I have the Penthouse to myself, though another intern arrives today and may wish to take up residence there as well. We have a maid who cleans meticulously six days a week and does our laundry as well. Also, for the first time in my life, I have wireless internet, though it can be spotty at times.

I spent most of the first two days in the office, asking questions and trying to get caught up on all that PEPY is doing and trying to accomplish. I'll be writing much about this in posts to come, but I'll wait until I've got a solid grasp on everything. For now, know that I am well, happily adjusting to the tropics again, and eager to start contributing to this inspiring organization.

More on my first impressions in days to come...