odds and ends, heavy on the p.ben

Here’s a quick recap of some things that have been going on lately in the ‘bode.

Pchum Ben:

This year we went to the wat at Phnom Sampou, where Pa’s side of the family lives, and wat Banon, our local wat. At P. Sampou we did the same thing as last year, gave food to the monks at one of the separate shrines at the entrance to the wat. The day before I asked Ma if I could tag along while she went to the market in Battambang to stock up for everything she was making for the monks. I told her I needed to get money (which I did) but really I just love going to the market and my site, sadly, does not have one.

We bought tons of fruit to be placed at the shrines in our house and to give to the monks, pork, veggies, noodles, nom (rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves) and a chicken. As soon as we got home Ma called a few of the neighbors over and about 5 women got to work making everything for the next day. This year I was able to help a little, I cleaned green beans and onions and felt somewhat helpful, vast improvement. From what I can tell everyone who goes to the wat and brings food to the monks makes the same few dishes. There is a soup with pig skin, mushrooms, tofu skins, and sometimes some other veggies like carrots, stir fried green beans and meat, and stir fried noodles with onions and meat. The food is brought to the in this lunch boxesque thing. I wish I could find a picture online but it’s basically 4-5 stacked bowls with a handle. The food is given to the monks during the ceremony for the ancestors and is then taken by the people who help out at the wat and later on your lunch box is returned to you.

This year after we had the ancestor ceremony with the monks we stayed at the wat and ate lunch (the same food that was brought for the monks plus a few other things). I can’t wait to get my pictures to upload because I took a picture of one of the massive pots filled with rice. Literally it’s the size of a not so small person.

We spent a day of Pchum Ben sitting at my host brother’s house making nom, the rice cakes. There are banana cakes and pork cakes. They both start out with sticky rice on a banana leaf, the banana cakes then just get a banana smushed in the middle and the whole thing is wrapped up. The pork cakes are the rice again with soybeans and a piece of pork (really more like fat) in the middle and then rolled and wrapped. Kind of like Cambodian tamales but not nearly as tasty. The whole thing is then boiled/steamed and usually then they will grill them later and eat them for daayyyys. During the holiday everyone makes these cakes and gives them to each other. I personally am not a huge fan, obviously I don’t eat the pork cakes but the banana ones just sit like a rock in your stomach, not to mention bananas turn bright pink when they cook!!

The last thing we did for Pchum Ben, on one of the three official days of the holiday was go to wat Banon. Pretty much like what we did last time but everyone got all fancy and dressed up, including me! I debuted my brand new wat/wedding outfit, similar to the lovely orange outfit but in silver. It was raining all day but the wat was still full of people and my eyes were tearing up from all the smoke there were so many incense and candles burning. After the wat the whole family came back to our house and we had a small party. It was fun and ended up with me going dancing with my host brothers in Battambang that night, probably a once in a life time experience.

Rosh Hashanah:

I didn’t get to do much for Rosh Hashanah again this year which really bummed me out but I was in Phnom Penh shortly after and made sure to get apples and honey to try and have at least a taste of the holiday. To say celebrating Jewish holidays when I get home is something I’m looking forward to is a huge understatement. Hopefully I’ll be home in time for the holidays next year, but more on that in a minute!

Taxis:

On my way back to site this past week I was in a taxi with a woman and her little baby. I always ask about little babies when I see them because it’s an easy conversation to have, it’s preferable to having people just stare at me, and I like to try and make the babies laugh. This woman, like so many others, starting asking me questions about her baby this time I was asked about the baby’s vaccination schedule. When she should go back, how much longer until her baby was done getting shots, and so on. Sitting there I realized that a good portion of the health education I do is in totally informal situations like this, not just sitting at site and talking to people but literally travelling somewhere and explaining to someone why I am an American who speaks Khmer and lives in the countryside and them asking me about their own or their children’s health problems. It can be a little bit stressful sometimes but I try to give the best advice I can.

Unripe fruit:

Totally random, but there is a ton of unripe fruit that is eaten here. There is a spicy salad made from green papaya, green mangoes are delicious with some chili salt, they eat tiny raw eggplant with prohok, and this last week Pa brought home a case of hard, green, persimmons that  we have happily been cutting up and crunching through.

Coming Home!!!

I have loved and continue to love my experience here but let’s be honest, I miss everyone and I’m so excited to come home.  I will be finding out my COS (close of service) date before the end of the month!  The tentative plan is that Scott will come meet me my last few days in Cambodia and then depending on dates we will travel a bit before getting me back home to America!

One month until Mom comes!! I am out of my mind excited about that. And to everyone who is celebrating Yom Kippur today may you have an easy fast and a meaningful day.

Phew! That was longer than I thought it would be.

Love,
B