31 August 2005

The Vienamese cone hat-English translation


Cambodia: The cone hat (“moork doorn” in Khmer) ruins the picture perfect of morning rowing to school.



In Cambodia it's great when I see people are wearing baseball caps or other western safari hats. I thought it's cute and stylish.

But, it really bothers me when I see people in my country are wearing “moork doorn” or cone hats. I am trying to assimilate my thought and don’t want to appear as a bias person. But I have my reason. For the quest of Ho Chi Min’s ideology that Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos is to become the Indochina federation really scares me. I don't want to be part of Vietname. I want my own country, my own house, my own culture, my own relegion. That’s why every time I see “moork doorn” I really dislike them.

27 August 2005

Simplicity I Had Found


I read Phalkun's posting , Khmer blogger from Auckland NZ on the quote of nature's simplicity at P+K Random Stuffs . After the reading, I was prompted to reminisced to my child age where I had experienced my version of simplicity.

Fifteen or more years ago I could go back to during my child age of 7 or 8 years old at Svay Rieng province, Cambodia, which is the birthplace of my grandparents, parents and me. At the time and place, my parents owned some patches of rice paddy.

As a small boy of 8 years old, I was at my height of curiosities. I love to read. I first learned to read from my mother. I remember the first book she read to me was from “Reung Preng Ni-tean Khmer” or Stories of Khmer Folklore and Legend. There were stories of Wise Rabbit, Cunning Coyote and Gullible Tiger.

I was not much of my parents’ helper. While my parents were wet and dirty in the rice paddy planted the new rice shoots into the muddy soil (Khmer: stoong srov), I kept myself dry on the “plieu sre” –(the raised dirt between the rice paddies) with books in my arms. I remember I read the stories under the verdant, lush shade of an aged tamarind tree that grows between rice paddies, while tended to my parents’ pair of water buffaloes. More than one occasions, our buffalos wandered to the smaller hill right next to it. I then would followed them and changed my sitting to under the group of "deurm tnaut" sugar palms; still clutched to books and so absorbed to my readings.


Not a care in the world. This was my simpleness of life as I remember when I was an 8 year old boy.


Please forgive my writing. Grammar, choice of words and spellings may not look right. Writing English is not easy for me. So frequent I'm still consulting to the English dictionary on every word I'm not sure of.


And thanks for reading my blog.

Thom.

24 August 2005

Khmer-American males are most sought


Traditional Cambodian wedding custumes worned during the wedding ceramony.

The marrying age of girls in Cambodia is between 18-23 years old. Well, let me rephrased. The normal marrying age of girls in Cambodia is between 18-23 years old. Part of the preliminary Khmer love-matching process is the girl's parents usually take the guy's birthdate, his astrological sign to the shaman or the fortune teller to see whether guy's sign will bring the prosperity if he's to married their daughter. But this is an exception if the guy happens to be a male Cambodian-American, then all is good. No need to consult a shaman or fortune teller.

The guy is the cream of the crop or the most sought after if he's a male Cambodian-American who want to marry a Cambodian girl from Cambodia. That is the qualification. Don't believe me ? Try to come to Cambodia and say you're "maor pi americ"--from America and single, and looking for a wife. The next thing happen, a lot of beautiful Khmer girls are lining up for you. Friends and relatives will take you from houses to houses that have the potential girls. Remember these girls they introduce to you will be between 18-23 years old.

Since more selections for the male Cambodian-American, most of them take away the most beautiful girl as his bride. This could be good and bad at the same time. Good for America because since all the beautiful Khmer women are going to their country, America will have beautiful genepool from the couples' offsprings. Bad for Cambodian guys which have no chance to compete against the male Cambodian-American from oversea. Bad for Cambodia because all of the pretty girls are leaving the country, which only left the not-so pretty ones.

23 August 2005

Preventing Suicide at Spearn Chrouy Changva















The young woman above was saved from jumping off Phnom Penh's Khmer-Japanese Friendship Bridge. Read it in Khmer at here; http://www.kohsantepheapdaily.com.kh/khmer/climb17_08.htm

Since beginning of the year I've read Khmer newspapers (in Khmer) that there have been so many people committing suicide by jumping off Spearn Chrouy Changva known as the Khmer-Japanese Friendship bridge. Usually a girl got broken hearted from her love life and rode the motto-dup to the middle of the bridge and jumped off onto Tonle Sap river. I think this bridge is high enough for people to plung into their death. Many people have died because of fast moving water current down below.

There must be a way to save these potential suicidals. The mesh of chain-link fence could be attached all across the bridge rail so it would be more difficult for the suicidals to climb. This case, it will allow some time for the passerbys or the authorities to notice if somebody is climing over the high fence.

22 August 2005

Angelina Jolie $5 Million Could Be Better Used


http://www.norodomsihanouk.info/mes%202005/aout/TEXTES/1308txt3.htm
Angelina Jolie, the Hollywood actress has pledge $5 million in helping to preverve the wildlife in north-western Battambang province of Cambodia. The Cambodian ex-king Norodum Sihanouk hand wrote his comments onto the Reuteurs article stating Angelina Jolie should have helped Cambodia on cannals and irrigations rather than on wildlife preservation.

My comments: Preserving the wildlife or improving the irrigation network is a complete waste. I think Angelina Jolie should pledge this $5 million to the current Hun Sen goverment. They need money. The more the better. Come to think of it, five million dollars can help pay the judges and the goverment ministers salaries. Those judges and ministers need to upgrade their cars to Mercedezes or Landcruisers. The extra money could help pay the part-time mistresses also. And, perhaps they could to better afford additional maid servants, frequenting at fine restaurants and drink more of fine XO Cognacs. $5 million could do them so much of good stuffs!