CamFulbright Website

Under the support from the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodian Fulbrighters 2005 recently launched a website for Cambodian Fulbrighters and those interested in the scholarship.

Click on this pic to view the site!

Though it is still in its infancy, the site is already rich in infos and highlights related to Fulbright, Cambodian scholars’ activities, useful links, FAQs, and more. Coming up soon will be an online forum, photo gallery, and scholarship tips and updates.

If you have any comments, please feel free to share it with our Webmaster, Ms. Polinda Keo, at pkeo@camful.org.

My Flight Itenerary

I got my US flight schedule today and just couldn’t believe I’ll be having so many transits (in Bangkok, Taipei, Los Angeles, Cincinnati and more)… It seems that tiredness and jet lag are waiting for me… Any clues or suggestions on how to deal with these problems?

Phnom Penh – San Jose, CA

• PG 927  13AUG PNH-BKK 2010 2120 (Bangkok Airways)
• DL8960 14AUG BKK-TPE 0825 1300 (China Airlines)
• DL8942 14AUG TPE-LAX 1640 1405 (China Airlines)
• DL5794 14AUG LAX-SJC 1641 1750 (American Eagle)

San Jose, CA – Portland, OR

• AA6806 21AUG SJC-PDX 0908 1051 (Alaska Airlines)

Portland, OR – Boston, MA

• DL1246 25AUG PDX-CVG 0630 1346 (Delta Airlines)
• DL 482 25AUG CVG-BOS 1430 1643 (Delta Airlines)

M & His Airport Job

This month is M’s fourth month of work for Bangkok Airways, Thailand’s second biggest airline. Originally, he was applying for a post as flight attendant, but because he was 3 cm shorter than the required 173 cm height, he ended up being a ground staff at Bangkok International Airport. His major responsibilities are coordinating passengers’ boarding pass at the check-in counter and working at the arrival and departure lounges.

M working at the Bangkok Airways check-in counter

Our trip to Bangkok this time was not of much problem, thanks to him. He came to welcome us right after landing and helped arrange almost everything at our departure from Bangkok. Many who didn’t know we were friends would have thought my family and I were VIPs.. I really appreciate all your help, bro..

See you in Phnom Penh this week.

P.S.: If any of you ever travel to Bangkok with Bangkok Airways, watch out for this smiley friend of mine.. He’ll be happy to provide you any necessary assistance.

Bug & Bee

Our third and last night in Bangkok finally arrived. As my mom, sis and bro-in-law were hungry for a seafood dinner, I decided to call my SSEAYP friends, Rita and M, to meet us up for dinner at Chareun Phojana Restaurant near Sam Yan Market.

The meal this time was as yummy as that of the last time Rita took us here. We ordered some Tom Yam Goong, Steamed Fish, Curry Fried Crabs and Steamed Shellfish. Thanks to the food, we all, esp. me (hahaha), just couldn’t stop feeling hungry. I ate and ate until the last drop… I guess my stomach has gone bigger.. I’ve been eating a lot more than I used to.. For your information, I now have a big belly (which I really hate)… Better start eating less now, Mongkol!

Curry Fried Crabs and the Thai national dish, Tom Yam Goong

As the night was getting late, we decided to drop my mom, sis and bro-in-law at the hotel before heading by skytrain to Siam Paragon to see Superman Returns. Unfortunately, we were too late and no more good movies were left. Not to waste any more time, Rita suggested we go for coffee and chit-chat around Silom. After wading through the crowded night market for a while, we decided to stop at a posh and colorful cafe called Bug & Bee.

 

With M (Top) and Rita (Bottom)

Our Blueberry Cheesecake and Banana Caramel!

M says, “Hey give me some!”

Kiddie Rita! U looked almost like a kid here..

Evening with P’ Aom and P’ Add

After 2 days of non-stop back n forth trips to BKK Hospital, we finally managed happy time-out with old friends. One of them was at Siam Paragon with P’ Aom and P’ Add, my sweet sisters from the State Railways of Thailand. It’s been several months since we last met.  No surprise, they, esp. P’ Add, were just as stylish as ever. :p P’Add, I love your new style.. If you didn’t tell anyone, nobody would know that u already have a 17-year-old son.

Dinner at Black Canyon

Long lost mother and daugher.. P’ Aom with my mom.  I was so impressed with her French.. A great girl always, P’ Aom. We miss you.

Screening pics with P’ Add

Ladies continuing their shopping spree…

Finally time to go home.. Thanks for giving us a wonderful night, sis!

Check-up at Bangkok Hospital

Mom and Sis in front of the new international patients’ building at Bangkok Hospital

ASEAN Citizens to Enjoy Visa-Free Travel Next Month

 

Manila, Philippines (AHN) – Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can now travel within the region without visas starting next month. The initiative is moving forward as a result of the respective leaders formally signing the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa Exemption (FAVE).

A report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar as saying that the 10-nation ASEAN will meet on July 23 for their annual meeting and sign the agreement.

Some ASEAN members are already in place with bilateral agreements that allow their citizens limited travel without visas.

Communist Laos and military-ruled Myanmar are surprise signatories in the accord. The Laotian government requires all foreign visitors to secure a visa before entering their country. However, it has a visa-free travel agreement with Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore.

While the reclusive Myanmar does not allow any foreign national to visit the country without a visa. Vietnam has an existing visa-free travel agreement with most ASEAN members, except neighboring Cambodia and Myanmar.

FAVE is aimed at standardizing these bilateral agreements into a uniform pact that will allow citizens of ASEAN to visit member nations without a visa for a period of two weeks.

ASEAN is comprised of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Source: All Headline News

Weekend of Parties

As my departure is approaching, I have been tightly booked and invited by colleagues, friends and students for farewell parties, with the first two came last weekend and another one expected tonight.

The first one was co-hosted by all of us, IFL Fulbright scholars, at Mlob Sbov Trocheak Chet (ម្លប់ស្បូវត្រជាក់ចិត្ត) Restaurant on Saturday noon and the second one organized by my A3.5 students in Kien Svay (កៀនស្វាយ) the following day.

Scroll down and have a blast with us.

 

My former classmates

Yummy meal with the raging flame…

IFL colleagues

Sophat, my IFL colleague, going with the tune! He looks like a great singer, doesn’t he?

One of best friends, Mealea trying to be a Britney Spears…

Party shareholders–Vichea, Me, Chivoin, Chou and Virak (left to right)…

~~

កៀនស្វាយ​KIEN SVAY

This tall shack reminds me of the Kroeung’s honeymoon house in Ratanikiri..

My students bargaining with the shack owner…

Tourists enjoying boat ride along the waterway, cutting through this lovely resort…

Farmers selling their freshly picked produce…

Sweet papayas…

Chan (ផ្លែចាន់), a fruit known for its lovely smell and deliciously sweet taste…

Mouthwatering grilled lobsters…

Grub’s up.. Time to eat..

An accident in a nearby shack, just across the canal.. Guest what? Only two people were in there.. What could possibly be the cause? Make a guess…

Where do you think this is?

Phnom Penh, Cambodia with Mongkol

By Lee LeFever

Before we left Seattle, I had a call with a fellow Blogger named Beth Kanter who has strong ties with Cambodia. Beth has been a wonderful contact and hooked us up with a young Cambodian guy and blogger named Mongkol who is moving to the US in a month on a Fulbright scholarship and attending Boston College. Yesterday Mongkol was our gracious tour guide to Phnom Penh.

For those that may have seen what I said on a local news story, it was that guidebooks are great, but we’d prefer to meet locals who can give us another perspective on a city and our day with Mongkol did just that.  He said “So, do you want to be with the other barangs (foreigners), or go where Cambodians eat?” We left town to “eat boiled corn”.

After about 30 minutes of driving we arrived at a strip of restaurants right on the edge of a marsh.  This was no regular restaurant.  The kitchen was on the land, but the tables (sitting areas) and roof rambled out over the marsh for about 80 yards on bamboo stilts.  With every step, the floor bounced and swayed. Each little sitting area was square and included three hammocks and a bamboo mat.

The boiled corn and pickled radish was fine, but one part of the meal will always stick out in my mind- the boiled “baby duck” eggs.  Mongkol mentioned them on the way and I remember seeing something similar on the TV show Fear Factor (not a good sign).  He ordered a few eggs and I was on the fence as he explained that some are some eggs that are more “mature” then others. He opened the first egg and I couldn’t believe my eyes – it contained a baby duck with eyes, a bill, feathers and feet.  He didn’t say it, but I think it was more mature than he wanted too.  He ate it and I found myself doubting I would do the same.

In the end, the next egg was much less mature (much more amorphous than duck-like) and I ate the whole thing.  Truthfully, the taste was not bad at all, but the idea of eating a duck fetus was not a nice image – a vegetarian’s worst nightmare I’m sure.

We both think a lot of Mongkol and look forward to hearing about his experiences in the US, where we’re sure he’ll do well.  We appreciate so much the time he spent with us answering our myriad questions and introducing us to his Cambodia, baby ducks and all.

The Coming of the Rainy Season

While taking Lee and Sachi LeFever–an American blogger couple who are currently on their visit to Cambodia as part of their around-the-world journey–to the Royal Palace two days ago, something there captured my attention.

Right in the palace compound, workers were busy preparing for a procession of the Royal Candle to a Wat in Kampong Speu. All of a sudden, I realized that I had almost forgotten something important. Bonn Chol Vorsa (បុណ្យចូលវស្សា), a Buddhist festival marking the arrival of the rainy season, is soon coming up..

Anyways, អបអរបុណ្យចូលវស្សា!