Aug 25 2008
Good-Bye Cambodia
In my last week in Phnom Penh, Honey and I were driving to work on our usual route. On the way, we passed by the Royal Palace on our right while the great Bassac River (which connects to the Mekong River just a few miles away) was flowing serenely on our left over the beautiful boardwalk. I gave a sigh and said, “I’m going to miss Cambodia. We don’t pass through such postcard-perfect picturesque sites on the way to work in Manila.â€
Then almost immediately, a car cut us off and drove in front of us and slowed down to 20 kph. At the same time, a motorcycle was driving headlong in front of us in the wrong direction. “@#$%! Why did that car cut us off and then drive like a turtle in front of us?! And that moto… why doesn’t it look where it’s going?! Oh, I’m so glad I’m going back to Manila next week.” (Not that Manila traffic is heaven of course. 
For more on Cambodian traffic, see this post).
But as foreigners in Cambodia would say, “T.I.C. This is Cambodia.†A land of contrasts – the majesty of the Angkor civilization and the horrors of the genocidal Khmer Rouge. A country where people still enjoy long afternoons at the park flying kites or watching the dancing water fountains.
A place where smiles are abundant and cheap and genuine. A country growing rapidly right before our eyes… whereas before, the 14-storey Intercontinental Hotel was the only tall building in town, now they’re building 42-story skyscrapers. Yet despite the sure signs of modernity (KFC just opened [see this post] and industrial parks are sprouting like mushrooms), you could still see Sumbo, the elephant, ambling by every afternoon along the riverside.
Cambodia. My first assignment abroad. We’ve been through two national elections, major ASEAN meetings including the ASEAN summit, a change of monarchy, and the establishment of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. Our work spans the glamorous – attending the coronation of the new king and other royal functions (see this post); to the formal – international meetings and conferences; to the crazy office work – stacks and stacks of reports and papers; to helping Filipinos in distress or in jail – which included identifying corpses of people who died by drowning or by multiple stabs; to the mundane – like making sure that the mops and brooms are neatly stowed away in cupboards.
Cambodia. My first six years of marriage. From living a charmed life as a Jewish princess in the Philippines to washing heavy woks. Agonizing about living with a boy (see this post) who watches sports all day and can’t put anything away – to agonizing even more when he’s away from me. Infuriating. Annoying. I can’t live without him. Because I learned in Cambodia that he’s kind and intelligent and resilient and generous… and though he’ll deny it… he’s crazy about me. And I know he loves me even when my face was riddled with bulutong (chicken pox… see this post). Yes, we both got chicken together… in Cambodia.
Cambodia. Amazing. How did you build the glorious Angkor Wat at a time when Europe was wallowing in the Dark Ages?
Tantalizing. The glorious apsaras immortalized in the bas-reliefs and sculptures. Incredible. The changing of the current of the Bassac River marked by the spectacular Water Festival.
Unforgettable. The serene immaculate white beaches of Sihanoukville.
Exhilarating. The amazing bargains on silk, precious stones, and silver and even Gap and Tommy Hilfiger shirts in the Toul Tompong Market.
And of course, Cambodia. Where kurokuroatbp (thoughts, opinions, etc. of Toe, a Filipina blogging in Cambodia) was born. Where I learned to appreciate the Philippines and be proud that I am a Filipino (see this post).
It seems only like yesterday when we arrived in 27 July 2002 (see this post) but now, I have to say Good-Bye Cambodia. It’s been a great six years.
Technorati tags: Cambodia
living in Cambodia
- The Water Festival in Cambodia
- On My Way Home
- Letter from a Mother and Future Expat in Phnom Penh
- On the Road to Sihanoukville for the Khmer New Year
- KFC in Phnom Penh
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You are lucky that you had this experience tucked under your belt. It may be sad to end one adventure, but that’s only so you can begin a new one.
I have read some of your achives and I felt like I have traveled in Cambodia with you. So I say, take me, take us your readers to your next journey.
i can understand how you feel, Toe. 6 years–even maybe some of the best times of your life. i fell in love with cambodia, its people, the place, my work. it was my second home from 1999 to 2005 (6 years din pala), traveling there at least 5x a year, 3x spending my birthday there, 2x accompanying office mates to SOS, living in Le Royale, Intercon and Mi Casa, visited a lot of hospitals, school buildings and health centers, publishing houses, admired the picture perfect scenery, watched the kites fly from a friend’s apartment by the park, been to the killing fields, had the happy herbs pizza (with), am sure you know what i mean, shopped many times at the russian market, enjoyed the many happy hours of margaritas or beers at the intercon, watched the filipino bands till their last song, took the ferry boat to travel from one town to another, took the ordinary boat to reach remote towns, bathed with 2 bottles of bottled water because brown water was coming out of the shower in a remote town, gone to sihanoukville, almost rode dumbo (i called him that, the elephant), had my fotune told on the park by the wat in phnom penh, and to cap the final visit before i shifted to bangladesh, pakistan and india, visited the mystical angkor wat, after a dinner hosted in my honor and to thank me for my services to cambodia by 5 secretaries of states.
oh, Toe your post made me reminisce the good times i had in cambodia. now that you have said good-bye, it’s like i am cutting my ties not with you, but with cambodia. now, i will also have to say, “chum reap lhear”.
A nice fitting way to say farewell to your Ist assignment posting, Toe. Kudos to a well done job!
I’d say:
Toe, Mabuhay ka! Job well done.
For an OFW like me, finding one like you in the Phillippine embassy is like heaven. I know, I’ve seen a lot distressed kababayans here in this country.
You say Good bye Cambodia, I say Welcome Home!
Ikaw ay katulad ko rin, Bagong Bayani ng bayan.
Thank you so much.
saying goodbye to a place you’ve grown to love really tugs at the heart. thanks for letting us join you in your adventures in cambodia.
next stop, manila.
Now on to the next adventure… teka two years from now pa pala yun, hehe. Well anyway, am happy that you’re back home at buti naabutan mo pa si Verns bago siya umalis.
Cambodia was a very enriching life experience for you and I’m sure that your next assignment will be one as well. In the meantime, welcome back to Manila. It’s certainly not a perfect place but there are a lot of things to enjoy and savor there as well. This was a beautiful post. Take care and good luck.
and welcome home, Toe, enjoy Manila and the pampering while you are here getting ready for the next posting.
a poignant post. leaving a place where you made a home for 6 years is like ’saying goodbye to an old lover, you want to linger as long as possible’. who wouldn’t miss such beauty and mystery?
Wow, parang ang hirap naman iwan ng Cambodia para sayo. It’s good that at the end of your assignment, hindi kayo in a hurry to go home. Good that you actually built a home up there. Parang “see you soon, Cambodia” lang yan
Thanks for visiting, Toe
Wow. Six years, they have come and gone quickly and slowly eh? I suppose diplomats have more frequent instances of “turning new pages” in their lives. Most people have few of those, but the fact that diplomats move around within a few years makes more instances of those. I suppose you enjoyed this one, and is looking forward for the next. Don’t worry, two years will come by in a breeze.
hi Toe! wow 6 years na pala ang lumipas. parang mabilis lang. so where is your next assignment? or Pinas ka na?
andaming nangyari within 6 years no? it was through my interest in Cambodia that I found your blog and it was through your blog that we found you, hehe. ang galing. i hope you won’t stop blogging though. we enjoy reading your stories and besides, you love writing.
That was a very nice wrap-up post to mark the end of your Cambodia adventures! I had fun reading through your posts (lurker nga hehe). I hope your next assignment would be just as colorful and fun-filled.
Best of luck to you and your Honey.
Reminds me now of the song “The Trouble with Hello is Goodbye”. Your Cambodia tour has just ended, but another beginning should be in the offing. And besides, being back in Manila after a long time is one good beginning, too.
I love this article…!!!
Parang nag travel ako sa Cambodia habang nagbabasa nito. Ang galing mo talaga Ma’am magsulat superb! Totoo po iyan!
Nagpapasalamat din po ako sa inyo ng lubusan dahil po sa blog niyo nakilala ko po kayo…such a blessed person…and i am blessed to know you…thanks for sharing your gift with us.
God bless you always Ma’am Toe!
Mabuhay!
Welcome home…please do continue to inspire us…Godspeed…
hmnk, welcome back! i’ve been to angkor seam reap (meaning fall of thailand, right? – the tourist guide was too keen on this). and i’ll be going to pnohm pehn this october, with my tight sched, is there a place you’ll recommend that is a must-visit?
Nakakatuwa at nakakalungkot at the same time basahin. Masakit din siguro ang umalis Maam Toe no? – six years and all those memories.
I’m a fan of yours pala (been a lurker for the past weeks). You’re blogs are very amusing (as well as they are nicely written).
Cambodia seems to be getting more popular these days and a lot of people want to visit the place. Your pics of Cambodia are great, Toe.
Welcome home!
ganda po new layout po or design ng website niyo po ma’am…
What more can I say? Prrrssssstttt (more tissue please).
What a pity! I am going to Phnom Penh in January and you were one of the first I thought of–but thanks for this post, it gives me something to look forward to…not the traffic though! Hope to meet up with you in ‘Pinas!
Thanks Ewok.
I will try to continue chronicling my life… whenever chronicable. 
I am indeed fortunate to have this experience in Cambodia.
Sexy Mom, it’s great that you also had wonderful experiences and memories of Cambodia. Filipinos in Cambodia are highly-respected. Filipinos there are professionals, consultants, advisors, NGO-workers, etc. so we are looked up to in that country. It is good that Filipinos like you were able to contribute to Cambodia’s development.
Thanks Daphne.
I guess that it’s time to get on to my life back here in Manila now. 
Maraming salamat myepinoy. Natuwa ako sa appreciation mo sobra.
We try our best to help Filipinos. Alam namin ang hirap ng OFWs sa ibang bansa para matulungan ang mga pamilya. Alam din namin na sa ibang bansa, sa’min talaga umaasa ang mga Pilipino. Salamat din sa’yo Myepinoy dahil ang mga katulad mo ang nagpapatanyag sa mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa.
Hi Carlotta.
I will indeed miss Cambodia but I’m ready for life in Manila. Hey, it was really great meeting you! 
Snglguy, labo nga nitong si Verns e. Kung kelan ako dumating, kung kelan siya umalis.
But it was good we were all able to get together. I had fun! 
Thanks Panaderos. Yes, I’m enjoying Manila. Another thing about Cambodia… it was there where I learned to appreciate the Philippines.
Sexy Mom, it’s so easy to get used to the pampering.
Thanks Luna Miranda. I am indeed fortunate to have called Cambodia home for six years.
Hi Vera, oo nga… malay mo… mapapadpad nanaman ako sa Cambodia sometime soon.
But I’m really happy to be home too… nothing like the Philippines, of course. 
LIW, you must have gotten used to all this moving as a child, haven’t you? I’m still not quite used to it. But I am happy to be home. In fact, if we had the same allowances here, I wouldn’t request for posting at all.
Nonetheles, I am looking forward to the next posting… always nice to live in a different place. 
Rayts, ang bilis nga ng six years. It’s good that you were able to visit me there. Yes, I do love writing and that’s I love chronicling my life through it. Sana sa next posting, mabisita mo ko ulit.
Hi Kathy. Thanks.
I needed this wrap-up… so I could get on and continue with my new life back home. 
Major Tom, yes definitely. I think work nga in Manila is much harder (though for less compensation). I am very happy to be home.
Thanks so much Jasmin!
I really enjoyed my stint in Cambodia and I also enjoyed blogging about it. And it’s because of people like you that I get inspired. Thanks so much!
Hi Fidget.
Maybe, we could meet sometime. 
Rheiboy, that’s right… what cheek right… naming a town as such in a place so near Thailand.
You definitely have to go to the Royal Palace. 
Hi Dongix.
Thanks for visiting my blog. 
Well, it’s also time to go home… I’m kind of homesick… nothing like the Philippines for me. But Cambodia will always be a part of me. 
Abaniko, they’re expecting 2.3 million visitors this year… 5 million in 2010. Thanks Abaniko!
Hey, thanks Jasmin.
I still do want to take a nicer picture of our church. 
Ting, awww!
Thanks… the Cambodia stint was really good for me and my Honey and I’m happy that I was able to share. 
Hi Gypsy, oh shucks… you missed me by a few months. That’s okay… I do hope we get to meet in Manila.
Hello, Toe,
I would like you to know that after visiting your blog and reading those poignant but funny articles, I was inspired to create my own site!
Let me share with you and your readers my experiences as a Pinay in the United States. You may go to:
fromasiatoamerica-lifeaftermaniladays.blogsite.com
Warm regards,
NEC
Hi NEC, oh, that is really really good to know that you were inspired to blog because of me.
I will definitely visit your site.
Annyeonghaseo!
This post is not quite related to the topic above but I just want to congratulate those who passed the 2007 FSOE conducted last Dec. Yeah, I’m one of those who dared hope but wasn’t able to qualify. Well anyway, it’s kinda sad but I took it in stride.
To all of you guys who made it, especially to Anna Marie, congratulations and more power, may you pass it all and be a FSO.
TO tOE, thank you very much for your very informative blog. I’ve been reading your blogs for some time and it’s inspiring for me too. Would you know if the BFSOE actually mails grade points of the Written Exam whether those who took it passed or not?
KAMSAHAMNIDA!
i’ve learned a lot about Cambodian by reading your posts? thanks so much for that knowledge.
You did tell us a lot about Cambodia too so thanks for that. I bet it is bittersweet, like missing the old place but eager and excited to return to motherland
I think you can already consider Cambodia your second home although you won’t stay forever but I know Cambodia has left its special mark in your heart. Anyway, it’s still accessible puede ka pa ring bumisita
! So Welcome home Toe, sana ako rin ***sigh***! Like everyone else here I’ve traveled a lot with you Toe, so thank you 
!
This is a beautiful valedictory, Toe. Cambodia is almost a second country to you, isn’t it? Your first foreign post. It may well be your honeymoon post. I am sure in years to come you will call it the Cambodia of your affections … or something like that.
Ellen May, thanks for reading my blog.
Each time you take the exam, it’s a review for the next one. I’m sure you’ll make it. 
Belle, that’s what’s great about blogging… we learn a lot from each other.
BW, yes… I am quite excited about starting anew in the Philippines. But I will definitely miss Cambodia and it will always be a part of me.
Haze, ang galing no? Through blogging, we get to travel from Cambodia to Corsica without having to move our butts.
Thanks for being there Haze. 
Annamanila, yes, I am quite sure of that. I don’t know if it could be called a honeymoon post though.
It was also tough being assigned there. But Cambodia will always be a part of me.
wow, cambodia is my first foreign post too and i am spending my first years of married life here! i know how you feel saying goodbye…
this country is crazy and full of ironies but just like a disease, once you catch it, it’s hard to get rid of it from your system…
if ever you miss it, swing by ka dito sa siem reap! we’ll just be here should you guys return!