The school in Africa did not only enrich my spiritual life. I also learned a lot about foreign cultures, which is very helpful here in Cambodia. As I recently reflected my behavior compared with what I learned. I noticed that I did my first mistakes.
After being for 10 days in Phnom Penh I went to Sihnaoukville. A city direct at the Sea. Many Tourists came for over New Year. The family I know owns a Restaurant and they had a big party. So I helped out.
Other cultures other customs. What I learned…
As we in the west are very much task orientated so stands the outcome in the center. Here in Cambodia how you treat others and how you do something in the group is more important. The quality does not stand in the foreground. How you do something is not as important as how you treat others and the behavior among each other.
A young woman who is a part of the family just opened a small store for tourist. She does sales cloth for men and woman. Since I worked for four and a half year in a fashion store and did the education and degree in a Designer Boutique, I could give her some of my experience and knowledge. I helped her to decorate and organize the store and gave her some psychology in sales and taught her some accounting.
As I have written in my last blog I stayed for the first then days in Phnom Penh with Ingrid. I am back there and live again in the Family community.
I live with Children who wanted and quit the live on the street and they decided to go to school again. They agree to live in a family with rules and doing some duties. A woman who has four children is living there. Her oldest son gave me my first lesson in Khmer. He explains to me the alphabet which has 33 consonants and 36 vowels. Because He finishes his school in two years and likes to become lawyer he needs to speak French. So in reward I thought him some French.
Next week I go into the province on countryside to Previeng. I am invited to attend a Cambodian Wedding.
Greetings to all of you, till my next entry
From Phnom Penh
irene