I played football a couple of weeks ago and managed to badly sprain my ankle again. So most of life has been spent sat doing nothing but watching TV and eating. Its been getting better slowly. I went to the doctors for it and spent $45 dollars on an X-ray, consultation, splint and pills which to me isn't half bad. I was expecting it to be in the hundreds. Doctor said no football for 4 weeks!! My idea of hell! No matter, it lets me rest and focus on getting a job. I was also advised by the guesthouse owner to get some Khmer medicine. All well and good so I ask him to write it down so I can go to the local market and get it. Proudly I hop off with my splint on and show some people who direct me out to the other side of the market and then someone else shows me where to get it. Fantastic! I buy it and proudly come back to show off my new medicine to the manager. I thought it was slightly strange because it was just ginger. Just the plant, that was it. After my guesthouse owner had picked himself up off the floor after laughing he managed to get his friend to make it properly for me into a paste mixed with alcohol. No worries. A day later I get it back and apply it only problem is that it looks like cat sick. So its a nice thing to rub all over my ankle as you can imagine. I just hope it is helping! So I can resume a more normal life without so many stares. I mean, I get stared at for being a westerner in a densely populated Khmer location where not many foreigners really go. So you can imagine how it was when I clinked along with a big black splint on. I felt like a cowboy with spurs!
At the time of writing its okay, I don't wear the splint, just sometimes wear a compression thing that I thought to bring with me knowing I would play football and hurt myself.
Football really does transcend language as on Saturday I went out with five people to a club. These people were ones I had played football with for a couple of weeks. However only one speaks generally good English. I speak a bit of Khmer so I can communicate with them all. Just not in depth. We went out and they all said to the English speaker 'Even though I am not Khmer, they feel as though I am one of them' 'If I ever need help they will be there for me' This was all because I played football with them and could joke around a bit, it really helps you settle when in another country and someone says that. They are just so nice and friendly. There's no way I can explain it without yourself experiencing it. They just accept you. I just would like to learn Khmer quicker because then I can communicate with all these people and meet more of them. Such as yesterday I went and ate dinner afterwards I went to buy an ice cream at a local mart where they have seen me a few times and I have joked about my foot and a multitude of other things in Khmer. So they know I speak a bit and they speak good English. There's a few that are really friendly. So yesterday I just sat down with them for two hours and got to know them some more whilst practising Khmer.
I honestly believe that in England unless you get to know someone through work, groups, school, university you never meet the people you see everyday. For example how many readers know the name of the people in their local shop or the taxi's drivers they walk past everyday. Here I sat down with some shop workers and got to know them. In western countries the pace of life is so fast. It just goes past you and sometimes you have to sit down and let it. But in England there is no opportunity for that because if you miss a chance then it'll never come back so you have to keep up with that pace. It's like treading water, western countries are constantly treading to not sink and it tires them out which how things like depression happen just non-stop with no end in sight (RIP Robin Williams) Cambodia and many other countries around here they let themselves sink, but they sink with friends. Possibly not the greatest allegory as it ends in mass joint suicide, but I hope you kind of get the picture. Here people sit down outside of shops, marts, parks and just chat and let others join them if they want to. Further expanding their circle of people to help or be helped by. I just love it. It suits me right down to the ground. Once I get a job i'll be part of the community finally rather than a dosser that sits down outside of shops with his foreign money!
Job wise. Where to begin? I've had a couple of interviews and opportunities. That haven't arisen and nothing further has happened so now. I have started my own company! Greg Preston English Tutoring. Every night I go out like Batman seeking lampposts to put up my posters of my company and of how to get in touch. $15 p/h or less depending on what they want to be taught. As most tutors round here try to charge $35 an hour! No one has that much money to burn. So I decided to hit the niche market and go cheap. So I hope this will pick up soon and people will notice my posters and get in touch. I spend around $6 a day so if I got even one at $15 I'd be set for at least two days! I will continue to look for a school job but if this takes off then I should be okay to continue just as private tutor. We shall see. Exciting times ahead. Lets just hope it involves me making some money and continuing to live here.
Not a song but a video from Good Will Hunting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8mn3nLPSMY
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