February 2009
David Fruitman
There’s nothing like taking a stab at the local lingo, particularly if you want to delve a little deeper into the Khmer psyche
Lingua Franca
Sok sa bai (how are you) is the start of your gentle journey into the intricacies of the beautiful Khmer language
and its people’s culture
Are you trying to pick up a few words and phrases to make getting around town a bit easier? Do you want and need some basic conversation skills for when you head deep into the provinces? Whatever your reason, you want to learn Khmer and there are a number of options, which break down into two basic methods: self-study and assisted.
While the language is not tonal like some significant regional tongues, don’t make the mistake of thinking it is simple. The pronunciation can be very difficult with words sounding alike and sounds that may not be familiar to you. The alphabet is long and the sounds of vowels change based on which class of consonants they are used with. Further, consonant sounds can be modified by characters before, after, above or below the consonant. The grammar is also deceptively simple, but words often take their meaning from context and may, in some cases, only be implied. In short, there is a lot to pay attention to.
There are many teach-yourself books, dictionaries and phrase books sold by the street kids and at any one of the several bookstores or markets. If you are going to study at home with a book, I strongly recommend you get one with an audio component to nullify the need to decipher some form of transliteration or phonetic language. Common titles include Colloquial Cambodian, Modern Spoken Cambodian and, my personal favourite, Cambodian for Beginners. There are also digital options such as the locally produced WSS Language Learning Companion DVD for about $50-$75 (www.wsslanguage.com). More readily available outside Cambodia is Talk Now! Learn Khmer from EuroTalk Interactive ($15-$30). Finally, there are a number of useful websites to help you learn Khmer including dictionaries such as www.bongthom.com, study aids such as www.ilearnkhmer.com and reference sites such as Tom’s Learning Khmer at http://www.geocities.com/tomslearningkhmer.
Assisted learning is another route. I know people who learned much of their Khmer while hanging out and chatting with the staff of California 2, when it was open.
There are a number of language schools in Phnom Penh. Possibly the most comprehensive is operated by the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Institute of Foreign Languages. This is not for the faint-hearted as it involves up to four sessions of eight-10 weeks with 1½ hours of class every weekday. The cost of each session is $200 and more information can be found at http://www.rupp.edu.kh/ifl/khmer/khmer.php.
Less rigorous programmes are available from such outfits as the Khmer School of Language and the Khmer School for Expats & Travellers. The cost of these programmes will vary based on your requirements.
Most of the expats I know who speak a reasonable amount of Khmer learned with the help of tutors they found mostly by word of mouth. There are many around town ranging in price and experience. A tutor can generally be found for between $3 and $6 a lesson depending on various factors such as distances travelled and where the lessons will take place. You probably know someone who has hired one.
If not, many advertise online, in various publications and around town. At that kind of money you can afford to try one for a while and see if you click.
November 2008
Melanie Brew
Eating out can be an expensive hassle, particularly if there are lots of you. So try entertaining at home, it’s cheap and more fun
It’s Party Time!
If sweating over a hot stove is just not your thing, we have hit on the perfect answer for that spur of the moment get together
Throwing a Sunday brunch party is one of the most rewarding ways to entertain that I can think of. It can be a hassle, but with some pre-planning and delegating, hosting can be relatively stress free.
There are two ways to plan a brunch. You can either start with a guest list and create a menu depending on what you know people will like, or you can begin with a menu and invite people who you know will enjoy the food.
So here’s a basic brunch menu most everyone will enjoy: Greek egg scramble with roasted garlic potatoes, toasted baguettes, brie and fresh fruit. It is simple yet delicious and a fantastic way to start down the home-entertaining trail..
Begin with the basics. The first dinner party I organised in Phnom Penh I had to ask everyone to bring silverware. Next time around I bought my own. I prefer to go either to the Zebra store in the Sorya shopping mall or to the Hong Chan Thai shop at 353 Sihanouk at St 199 for pots, pans, cutlery and plates.
Because it is a party, it is typically considered rude to show up empty handed so ask your guests to bring fresh baguettes, a wedge of brie, fruit, juice and wine or champagne. I like people to show up about a half an hour before eating, that way there’s time to have the fruit cut up and the baguettes warming. Don’t feel shy about hanging out in the kitchen while your friends arrive: pour everyone a drink and they’ll take care of themselves. It’s a good idea to have only one or two people helping you out in the kitchen and get them cutting up the fruit and cheese while you work on the brunch itself.
For this menu you will need to use two eggs per person. Get them from one of your neighbourhood shops: they’re fresher and it’s always good to know your neighbourhood. It’s best to buy your produce either at Veggy’s on St 240 or at the market where you can hand select (or point at) garlic, shallots, onions, potatoes and spinach. Next go to a supermarket such as Bayon, Lucky or Pencil and buy olive oil, rosemary, calamata olives, capers, feta cheese, lemon juice and milk.
Thoroughly wash the spinach at least twice, then cut it coarsely and set it to one aside. Mince enough onions, shallots and garlic for the potatoes and the eggs. Wedge the potatoes and toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper and the minced onions, shallots and garlic. Line a cooky sheet with tinfoil and spread the potatoes evenly. Put them in the oven at 375deg (190deg C).
Once the potatoes are in the oven, slice the olives and cube the feta. Heat about two to three tablespoons of olive oil in a wok. When the oil is hot toss in the onions, shallots and garlic. Deglaze with white wine and lemon juice before adding the chopped spinach. Cook until the leaves are limp (about a minute) and set them aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and milk (about a teaspoon of milk for each egg) until well mixed but not fluffy. Heat a large skillet until hot. Add one tablespoon of olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the eggs.. When they are set, add the spinach, cheese, olives and capers and scramble.
At this point your potatoes are done and you’ll want to toast the bread. Cut it lengthwise and throw it directly on the highest rack in the oven. Cut the fruit, put out the cheese and pour yourself a mimosa, then chat with your friends and bask in the praise of how good your kitchen smells.
May 2008
Justin Garnett
Moving to a new apartment and district is a reorientation exercise that can stump the savviest of world travellers
Confusion Central
If you are looking for an electrician, plumber or a store with a great line in yoghurt, check out your neighbourhood
In a country where most houses appear to be a business of some description, it is no surprise that in the face of language barriers and a lack of clear signage, confusion can reign supreme. When I first moved here, I lived in a quiet street with a few macro-businesses at one end. I did not speak Khmer and it was trial and error as to sorting out who did what.
For the first few weeks it was fine anyway, as I acclimatised myself not only to the heat and humidity but also the plethora of bright-light delights where I could hang out. Then the wind changed and I caught a whiff of my fetid pile of clothing.
As the mountain grew larger I recognised it was time for a visit to the local “laundromat”. Easy. That would be the place down the end of the road that always had clothes hanging out to dry. I piled up my dirty undies, wet towels and sweat-caked work shirts, stuffed them into a plastic bag and headed down the street.
I plonked the bag into the hands of the old lady in the doorway, smiled and headed off, leaving her looking somewhat bewildered. A few days later my Khmer wife and I picked up the washed and folded laundry and after a brief and chuckle-filled chat between the two ladies, my wife told me the house was not a laundry. God bless the old lady, though – she did a perfect job with my clothes and at a reasonable price.
Then there was the time I took my bike to a bike/car wash. I had seen the garage washing cars and bikes and figured, yep . . . that’s the place. I confidently drove in, parked the bike in the garage and sat down on the nearest seat.
I fully expected a legion of young lads and lasses to start cleaning my machine, but all I got was a well-dressed chap asking: “Can I help you?” “Yes . . . I would like my bike washed.”
“This isn’t a bike wash, but my kid will be happy to do it for $1.”
The longer I live here the biggest surprises come in the form of Khmer industriousness. Look around just about every corner and you’ll find skilled hands fixing everything from radios to hairdryers. They will, it seems, do just about anything for a fair price.
There have also been the times when I have gone too far out of my way to get things done. I used to walk about three blocks for a case of beer and basic supplies such as fly spray, soap and lavatory paper (and trust me . . . in Cambodia three blocks can be the difference between success and failure when it comes to needing arse wipe).
Imagine my surprise, then, when I found out a couple of months later that the house next door sold all I needed. It was a do-it-yourselfer’s Aladdin’s cave stuffed to the gunwhales with just about everything any house-proud guy or gal would ever need, and some. The mystery, though, was why didn’t the owner advertise the fact it was the local equivalent of 7-Eleven?
Need a goldsmith? See that tailor over there, he’ll do it. Need your haircut? Go to the wedding boutique across the road. Want some financial advice? Ask your local plumber. After some rice? Visit the hardware shop.
It’s not always easy finding the right place to get things done in Phnom Penh. All is never what it seems and the answer is sometimes under your nose. Only by trial and error will you learn who does what in this town and even then you might be missing something. Confused? I sure was.
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May 2008
William Lafferty
Johnnie Walker offers it famous libation in Red, Black and Blue Labels (among others).
Drink and Drive
Usually a beginner or someone who likes their Johnny with a mixer, will choose the red.
Someone with a bit more gusto, or time under their belt might opt for the black, and the seasoned professional orders the blue without a blink. Not so amazingly, if you're getting ready to tee up for a round of golf, you've also the choice of red (lady's tee), black (the option for the unrefined hacker) or blue (set back for the low handicapper, or pro). Coincidence? I think not.
Just last December, Johnnie Walker wrapped up its first golf championship tournament here in Cambodia. The competition was held up north, in Siem Reap, but down on the farm here in Phnom Penh, we've got a few courses nearby where you can tee it up and let her fly. Both are located in Kompong Speu province (anywhere from a half an hour to an hour from the city centre).
Closest to town is the Royal Cambodian Phnom Penh Golf Club, just 8 km NW of the airport (veer right at the roundabout on National Road 4 and take the first right at the major red dirt road, then it's just a few km down the track). It's open from 6 am until 7 pm though I'd suggest getting there early to beat the heat, or in case those directions send you to Kampot and you need to turn back. Green fees vary throughout the year, but you can plan on about $35 during the week, and $50 on weekends and holidays (take note that the courses in Siem Reap run around three times the price!) Besides being the closer of the two to town, the thing I like about this course is that you can get in a quick nine holes for a much smaller price. The course has undulated greens, plenty of sand, and oodles of water – make sure you check out the #3 lake hole.
The other major course in the Phnom Penh area is the Cambodia Golf & Country Club. This was the first golf course to be built in Cambodia, completed in December of 1996, and is located about 25 km further down National Road 4, past the toll gate (69 cents) and on your left. There's a large sign next to the road, making it hard to miss. The prices here are about the same, but whether you play 9 or 18 it's the same price. Nor do they offer rain checks, and in Cambodia that can be a costly chance to take depending on the season, though from December through April the likelihood of rain is very low. The course itself, however, is maintained throughout the year, and you're far less likely to find dry or dead spots here as at the other. The greens, although easier to manage the slope, are usually faster and more accurate. The front nine is very spacious and forgiving but be careful of the back though, as it gets very wet, and your scores can soar upwards quite quickly.
There is also a new course being built on the Vietnamese border, and it would appear that nine holes can be played in Cambodia and the next nine in Vietnam. At the time of going to press, we don't know whether a visa will be required to play all 18 holes, but be sure to have all your paperwork in order before you hit the back nine. The Cambodian side has already been played by some of our top government officials, though the Vietnamese side has yet to be completed.
Golf is growing at a lightning pace in Asia, and Cambodia is catching up. Some big names like Faldo, Norman and Nicklaus have designed new courses in SE Asia and, as we mentioned earlier, Johnnie Walker sponsored The Cambodian Open. They do recommend, however, that when drinking, you should not drive.
JOBS