Aeon Mall

The vision of the business that I started with my friend and Khmer co-founder, Neth Kong, is "A healthy economy and healthy workforce in Cambodia". We believe that there is great potential for the economic recovery in Cambodia and there is evidence of this in many places throughout the country, but perhaps one of the most visible signs of the re-emerging economic strength of Cambodia is a new mall that opened just a month ago. It is called Aeon Mall and it is unlike anything else you will find in Cambodia. It is a top quality, large shopping mall just like you would find in a major US city.

I have been to this mall no less than a dozen times in the month that it has been open and it is really fun for me to see the excitement of Cambodians about this new mall. They are very proud of this new mall and it has stayed busy this entire month. Yesterday, I went to get lunch there and shop for gifts to take back to the US and as I was walking out I passed a foreigner and overheard him say to the person he was with, "Oh great, a mall [sarcastically]! Ruins my trip to Cambodia." I kept thinking about this throughout the day and had a few thoughts about this.

     1) As foreigners, we need to constantly remember that we are guests here and we need to show the proper respect to the Cambodians and their culture.

     2) As guests in this country should care more about the experience that Cambodians are having in their own country than we do about what we ourselves are experiencing or expect to experience as guests. This is their home! If Cambodians like this mall then we should be happy for them that they have it. I have spoken to many Khmer friends and virtually all of them love the mall.

It is our choice to be here. We do not have to go to a mall if we don't want to experience mall shopping. We don't have to eat Khmer food if we choose not to. If we are not Buddhist that does not give us license to disrespect the thousands of monks who serve Cambodia.

This is my Aeon Loyalty card. It only cost $2 and after I
spend $1,000 they will send me a gift certificate for $5.
This is probably the worst deal in loyalty card history.

 

 

Commute on Land by Water

I had a very interesting commute yesterday. I was trying to get from one office to another office across town, but it was raining really hard. When I left the first office I forgot to exchange my dress shoes for my three dollar sandals, which I had purchased specifically for these rainy days. I donned my 25 cent parka (same thickness as the grocery store bags in the fruit and vegetable section) and set out on my moto onto the flooded roads. Traffic soon became snarled and I came to a stop. I had to put my foot down for balance. Unfortunately, I was in knee-high water and putting my foot down meant my slacks and dress shoes were now completely soaked. It was at this time that I looked at the gas gauge and noticed that the needle was slightly below the red "empty" line. So, I turned the moto off and just started walking it down the street for maybe 1/4 mile to the next gas station. Side story: I had expected one of our clients to make their payment on our invoice two days ago and so I had avoided going to the bank until I got paid, but now, even though I was at the gas station, I only had $1.25 in my wallet. Fortunately, $1.25 is about 1/3 tank of gas for a moto. So, I was back in business except that for the second time this year my moto engine, having been submerged in the flood waters, failed to work. But after a few minutes waiting for it to drain and dry the engine was functional again and off I went. My shoes may not be redeemable. They are on the porch drying today, which means I am making quite a fashion statement in my choice of slacks-shoes combination today. Again, fortunately , in most Khmer businesses and homes we take our shoes off at the door.

 

Moto Tabs

Just like in the US, here in Cambodia we have to purchase annual vehicle registration tabs. Here are some of the differences though:

1) When I purchased my moto (used) the person selling it to me did not convey any legal title via written instrument; and we did not record the sale with any government office. Instead, the person selling me the moto just gave me a small, plastic card that has the picture of his mother-in-law on it and said that when I sell it I should just give the same card to the next owner. So, TODAY when I went to the bank to purchase the registration tab (that's right you go to a bank to purchase the tabs) I showed the teller the card of a Khmer woman who I hope looks nothing like me and the teller sold me the registration tab.

2) It seems to me that when tabs expire in the US the police have a way of pulling you over right away. In Cambodia I went to purchase the 2014 tab in January and again in February and was told that the 2014 tabs were not printed yet. Now, in mid-July the tabs are finally ready.

3) Like in the US, registration tabs are expensive here: 4,500 to be exact, but that is 4,500 riel (or about $1.20 USD). Yet, even at that price I have been warned not to place the tab in a visible place on my moto because it might then be stolen. I was told to stick the tab on the inside lid of my moto seat. Really? People will risk being caught scraping off a $1.20 tab? Unfortunately, I do believe that this is the case.  

Cambodian Humor

In Khmer, you ask someone their name by saying, "chewmoe eye?" Recently, we interviewed a young man named "Sayha" and afterwards we joked that the conversation could have gone like this:

"Suell sadai bong (hello), Chewmoe eye? (what is your name?)"

"Sayha"

"OK, 'ha'. Chewmoe eye?"

"Sayha"

"Again? OK, ha. Chewmoe eye?"

Forty Years

Forty years is a long time. Many of my friends have not even been alive that long and for them it is hard to conceptualize how long forty years is, but forty years is a long time. Moses was called by God to lead his people to the Promised Land and for forty years they wandered in the desert and wilderness. The people grew impatient and doubted. But Moses held to the promise that God had given him and with hope before him he remained faithful.   

It has been forty years since the end of the war in Cambodia and like Moses and his people the people of Cambodia have been living for forty years in the desert and wilderness. Besieged by poverty, corruption, and oppression the people of Cambodia have not yet been delivered to the life that they hope for. I pray that they will remain faithful; remain hopeful; remain patient; and that they will not turn to graven and idle gods and images. Most of all, I pray that they will know the love that God has for them and the forgiveness and grace of Jesus Christ. I pray that this truth will be their hope, and their source of strength and wisdom.

Men will let us down through failed leadership, weakness, and greed. Even the best of men will make mistakes, but God is forever faithful to deliver on every promise He makes.

Laugh for the Day

Sometimes our language mix-ups end up being really funny and today one of the Khmer staff ESC has been working with got the words "kitchen" and "chicken" mixed up. The Head Chef ( who is Malaysian) was asking her where her co-workers were and she said that they went to the market to get things to clean the chicken with. What she meant to say was to clean the kitchen and so the Head Chef became very confused wondering what we needed to clean the chickens with. The conversation that ensued and the Head Chef's expressions and physical demonstrations he did trying to get clarification were hilarious. It ended up with him demonstrating what looked like him holding a chicken and using it to clean a grill. It was too funny!

I also Skyped my family this morning. It was such a heart-warming time for me. I think that the most difficult part about living in Cambodia is not the food, the weather, or the cultural differences; it is the distance and separation from family and friends. I guess that I am maybe a little homesick. It will be good to be back home for three weeks in August.

Cambodia Rainy Season

Cambodia's Rainy Season has arrived a little early this year. I could tell that it was about to rain this afternoon and so I tried to get out of the office a little early to avoid getting caught in it, but I missed my window of opportunity and this is what I stepped out to see.


Street 63 in BKK district of Phnom Penh

I still tried to get home by moto (barefoot - not advisable on a moto) and halfway down the street my moto engine quit. So, now I am hunkered down like a wet rat in Digby's Café waiting for the rain to stop and the water to recede. I have a tennis match scheduled in an hour that I think will have to be rescheduled. It is funny to think that just this morning I was thinking that it was still way too hot (Khmer "kdaaw") here. That is no longer the case.