The Bridal Truck
Most dreamy-eyed brides go to their grand Cinderella-weddings in flower-laden long white limousines which goes by the name of “bridal car.” Myself, I had no such luck. Instead, I went to my wedding in a “bridal truck”.
Read more in Toe’s Kurokuroatbp.
Of Dentists and Facial Therapists
I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned sometime last week and then had a facial a day after that. Funny how there are so many parallels between dentists/clinics/dental appointments and facials/facial therapists/facial rooms. Consider this…
My dental cleaning took thirty minutes, my facial took forty minutes. My dentist and my facial therapist both wore white gowns. They both did a lot of funny things to the front side of my head. My dentist probably had at least six years of college education and had to pass some sort of exam. I don’t know how long my facial therapist studied to become such, but I’m quite certain it’s less than six years and she didn’t take any board exam. But I paid my dentist only $15 and I paid my facialist $20.
Read more in Toe’s Kurokuroatbp.
Of Packing and Unpacking
So you see I’m supposed to be stuffing those boxes at the right with clothes and books and cds and all my personal stuff. And instead, I’m watching a marathon of How I Met Your Mother on the pirated DVD channel, playing Freecell, and YMing all at the same time. You might be wondering what the heck is the pirated DVD channel. It’s a local channel here where they show pirated DVDs all day complete with the blue Sony screen where where they show the eject button, choose language… and sometimes, the operator falls asleep right after he accidentally presses the pause button or the fast forward button… usually happens when I’m riveted with a movie in the middle of the night. Anyway, the pirated DVD channel is totally not my topic. So you see… I’m procrastinating packing so much that I’m even procrastinating blogging about packing.
Read more here.
Anak, Koon-Oey, Anak
We’re not exactly the Philippine Madrigals, but hey, this is not my real job after all and my singers are not Conservatory graduates nor professional singers. Instead, they’re teachers, accountants, sales and marketing managers, and IT experts who took time out from their jobs and their families here in Cambodia so I can bully them to practice… all for a bit of rellenong talong and afritada for dinner. So ladies and gentlemen, let me present, the Koro Filipino in their final performance (at least with me) singing Freddie Aguilar’s Anak in Filipino, Khmer, and Bahasa during the diplomatic reception in celebration of the 110th Anniversary of Philippine Independence held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Cambodia:
Read more here.
Letter from a Future Teacher in Cambodia
Dear Toe,
I’ve been reading your blog in preparation for going to Cambodia. I am going there to teach in an International School run by a US-based missions organization, but I’m Pinay. Your blog has been very helpful and I’m grateful since I knew nothing about Cambodia until I started reading up when I got the job. I first applied last year but am only going to be able to leave in June (God-willing).
I promised my friends I’d keep a blog while I’m there, so I may be following in your footsteps… but that may be wishful thinking since this will be my first attempt at teaching.
I noticed a reference to Matabungkay Beach. I lived half my life right near that–on White Sands (now Terrazas de Punta Fuego). I wonder if my family knew yours?
But what I really wanted to ask you was that statement you made about Pinoys having “POEA”. I was just hired directly by the school and they’re handling my ticket and visa… so is there anything I should know and do aside from the papers they’re arranging for me? I understand if you can’t answer my question… but appreciate your taking time to read.
See you online, and keep up the blogging!
Ningning
Read my reply here.
What Would You Do If Your Blog Went Pffft?
“Now Toe,” you bloggers out there are probably thinking, “why would you want to scare us like that? What a horrible nightmare!” Nothing frightens a blogger to death more than the thought of his or her blog disappearing into oblivion. But disasters do happen. It’s not that bad, actually. In fact, I did it not once. Not twice. But three. Whole. Times. It’s been occurring with alarming frequency that I’m actually getting used to it…if it’s possible for anyone to get used to a constant state of panic.
The first time I lost my blog, I was trying to upgrade my wordpress when without warning, “404 not found” screamed at me from the computer screen and if it’s possible, cyberically punched my gut. My stomach turned upside-down and I felt like throwing up. It was almost like losing a loved one. Thankfully, after days of excruciating waiting, Job, my bloghost recovered it.
Read more here.
When Husbands Get Sick
About two weekends ago, Honey threw his back after exercising. Suddenly, he couldn’t move and he was in excruciating pain. I panicked. What was I to do? Who’s going to cook my lunch? 
Well, you know the rule here in Cambodia where emergency and hospital services and facilities are not yet very good and medical evacuation is ridiculously expensive – Bawal magkasakit sa Cambodia (You are not allowed to get sick in Cambodia).
So I was about to do the only Filipino-style first aid remedy I know – apply White Flower. Thank God that Evil Big Brother (and I say evil with much affection) had the foresight, good sense, and presence of mind to marry a physical therapist who I called up immediately. I must say that although I got a great family discount on the consultation fee (i.e. pro bono, gratis, or free), it still ended up expensive due to the high overseas calls rate.
Read more here.
May 18, 1970
As if the stars in heaven were aligning themselves to outline my fate, in May 1970, Cambodia, the country where more than thirty years later I was destined to go for my first foreign posting, was all over the international news.
May 11, 1970 cover of Time Magazine
Read more here.
Letter from a Mother and a Future Expat in Phnom Penh
I blog mainly to express myself and to record the details of my life. But I am very happy that besides being an outlet for my thoughts, I also have the opportunity, through my blog, to help other people. These people are mainly future FSOs, and recently, future expats and tourists to Cambodia, who have been emailing me asking about life in this country I have called home for almost six years now. I have published the first of these letters in the post Do’s and Dont’s in Cambodia. Today, I am publishing an email letter I received last month from a concerned American mother who is about to move to Phnom Penh next year with her family which includes two teen-aged kids.
Dear Toe,
My name is I. and I commented on your Do’s and Don’ts in Cambodia a few days ago and really enjoyed it. My family and I are moving to Phnom Penh next summer and I hope to meet you then and we can exchange stories. Anyway, my husband and I are very excited about living in Cambodia, but we do have a few concerns about teenagers living in Phnom Penh.
Read more in Toe’s Kurokuroatbp
Independence Hotel – Where – Where Jacqueline Kennedy Stayed
In 1967, Jacqueline Kennedy went on a whirlwind tour of Cambodia, hosted by no less than King Norodom Sihanouk himself. She spent three days strolling through the ruins of ancient Angkorian temples and she also went to Sihanoukville to name a street after President John F. Kennedy. See this vintage Time article for more details about her trip.
In Sihanoukville, locals claim that she stayed in the chicest hotel in the country, the Independence Hotel. At that time, it was the tallest (seven storeys) and most modern structure in Cambodia built to accommodate the burgeoning tourist influx, especially in the country’s beach town. It was built by Leroy and Mondet, French architects who were in vogue in the sixties and who built several important buildings in Phnom Penh. The interiors were designed by King Sihanouk.
Read more in Toe’s Kurokuroatbp.
