What I Am Doing in Phnom Penh

Today was the first two workshops of 8 that I will be presenting. I am working with Danet, a wonderful staff at Daughters - she serves as Centre Manager and is providing interpreter services for me at the workshops. After presenting the workshops I went to the Daughters café, which is listed on Trip Advisor as the number 2 top place to visit in Phnom Penh - just behind the Killing Fields. It was by far the best meal I have had since arriving in Phnom Penh. I also went shopping there three times because the merchandise they carry (handmade by the Daughters) is the best! I met Breanne, who is from Seattle. She oversees the operations of the Visitor Centre and Spice Café run by Daughters. I will working with her and Sokea to review their policies and practices related to finance and HR.

Yesterday, I had the honor of meeting the founder of Daughters, Ruth. I had read and heard so many great things about Ruth before meeting her that I was actually a little nervous meeting her. She is a powerful person who has taken her passion and vision and turned them into Daughters. I also met Emma, the Daughters designer who left a high-end clothing designer job in the UK to work full-time for Daughters. These staff are not at Daughters just because it is work. They are at Daughters because it is their calling.

I know I have made something of a big deal about the traffic here and especially the Tuk Tuks, but again this morning I was just smiling and laughing on the Tuk Tuk drive in to the Centre. There is a cultural organization amidst what appears to me to be absolute chaos. I have yet to see any accidents and despite traffic going around like it is in a blender and people constantly cutting off or being cut off there has not been a harsh gesture seen or foul word uttered.

It feels to me like it is less humid than when I first arrived. Perhaps this is because the gray cloud layer has not been over us for the past two days. The weather is actually very nice right now even though the air quality still mostly consists of a mixture of dust and Moto exhaust.

The Daughters' store

Delicious pepper sandwich at Daughters' Café

Traffic in Phnom Penh