I spent the last two days worrying about visit to the village I had scheduled. The guests I had to take to the village were the biggest celebrities that I have had so far. Not particularly famous guest, but very wealthy guests.
In my five months of work, I have taken many different people to the village. Some of them were rich and I am sure that some of them are multimillionaires. However, that fact has never made me nervous before. The problem this time was that I knew who the guests were prior to taking them to village, I could look them up on Google, and I could see their names on Forbes’s list of richest people. These were the first billionaires that I had to take to the village.
Before today I had never met a billionaire, much less spent three hours with one. In my mind, I had a very different image of the super-rich. I imagined people who demanded everything presented to perfection; people who traveled to exotic locations and never did anything outside of a set schedule. I imagine a very high number of expectations that I would have to live up to. Needless to say, I felt very nervous that I could make an impression that might make or break my entire career.
However, these guests were none of these things. They were easy going and relaxed. The husband and wife were traveling with their three sons, and it did not take long before I thought to myself that this could be any family of people traveling to Cambodia. The more we talked, the more I realized that I was the expert in the car; that despite a huge income gap, I was far superior in knowledge; and most importantly, that I was in control of the situation.
I am not sure that I can say that I blew them away, but I certainly impressed them. I took them to meet a group of families that have received support from us in the past. I have met the families several times, and the experience was not so captivating for me. However, the guests were supremely interested in the details of the individuals. One of the sons even remarked that the experience was the most impacting of their entire trip.
In one of the most bizarre experiences of my life, I watched as the villagers prepared some corn and papaya for the guests. There in a small wooden house, I ate sweet corn with people in the top 0.0000001% of global wealth, offered freely by people in the bottom 10%. I am not a huge corn fan, but this corn tasted more savory than usual.
I have no idea what will come of the experience. All I can say is that it was very memorable and made me quite happy: happy to know that my work and the work of the hotel can impress people of high stature, happy that I have an amazing job that provides me these opportunities, but mostly I was happy to discover that people from the highest haves to the lowest have-nots can find a mutual connection and understanding.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Polar Opposites
Sometimes it feels like I am doing the exact opposite of what people back home are doing. I am fifteen hours ahead of people back in Seattle. This means that around the time I get off work most people are waking up. When I wake up, people back home are getting off work.
However, this contrast seems all the more apparent during this Christmas-time. Mostly because I keep hearing epic tales of snowfall in Seattle, while it is balmy out here. To take the most literal contrast, if there is ice back home, there would be fire here. This is exactly what I saw as I was walking home.
For the first time in my life, I saw an entire building on fire. It was a little eerie and reminded me instantly of my childhood that our oven would cause our family house to burn down. As it happens, the building was the shopping mall where I regularly purchase food. However, the fire never left the top floor, so I will likely stop by the bottom floor food center in the next couple weeks. Thankfully, no one was harmed in the blaze.
In other, circumstances of contrast, I was enlisted to be the Santa Claus for our hotel’s Christmas Eve dinner. The sight was fairly hilarious, as I have neither the age nor the girth to pose as Father Christmas. Perhaps the most humorous part for me was the fact that I am Jewish. Granted the role has been played by a Buddhist Cambodian in the past, but there is still something uniquely funny about Jews dressed up as Saint Nick. In spite of the huge amount of heat trapped by the layers of padding, the experience was very enjoyable, mostly because the image made nearly everyone laugh out loud.
I hope that everyone is having a wonderful time with family this holiday season. Enjoy celebrating it however you see fit. As for me I will be spending Christmas either working, eating, or sleeping. Happy Holidays! HO-ho-Ho!
However, this contrast seems all the more apparent during this Christmas-time. Mostly because I keep hearing epic tales of snowfall in Seattle, while it is balmy out here. To take the most literal contrast, if there is ice back home, there would be fire here. This is exactly what I saw as I was walking home.
For the first time in my life, I saw an entire building on fire. It was a little eerie and reminded me instantly of my childhood that our oven would cause our family house to burn down. As it happens, the building was the shopping mall where I regularly purchase food. However, the fire never left the top floor, so I will likely stop by the bottom floor food center in the next couple weeks. Thankfully, no one was harmed in the blaze.
In other, circumstances of contrast, I was enlisted to be the Santa Claus for our hotel’s Christmas Eve dinner. The sight was fairly hilarious, as I have neither the age nor the girth to pose as Father Christmas. Perhaps the most humorous part for me was the fact that I am Jewish. Granted the role has been played by a Buddhist Cambodian in the past, but there is still something uniquely funny about Jews dressed up as Saint Nick. In spite of the huge amount of heat trapped by the layers of padding, the experience was very enjoyable, mostly because the image made nearly everyone laugh out loud.
I hope that everyone is having a wonderful time with family this holiday season. Enjoy celebrating it however you see fit. As for me I will be spending Christmas either working, eating, or sleeping. Happy Holidays! HO-ho-Ho!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Cambodian weddings
Cambodian weddings are a lot like the American wedding I have been to, but a little bit different.
First, if there was a ceremony with some justice of the law presiding, I missed it. I entered in at the reception part of the wedding, along with everyone else I knew who was invited.
To set the scene, this is the wedding for the sister of the hotel’s department head of housekeeping. Granted the head of housekeeping and I are good friends, but in my book that is not relationship enough to be invited to a sister’s wedding. However, all the other department heads had been invited, along with most of the housekeeping staff, so I shrugged and joined the party. Needless to say this was a big wedding.
We enter into a large, open-air restaurant, where a greeting line of fifteen welcome us and handed out wedding favors. So far the only difference I noticed was in dress. The men were in more casual wear than American weddings. A few were donning impractical suits, but most wore slacks and long-sleeve shirts rolled to the elbow. I felt a bit underdressed in a short-sleeve shirt, but at least it was practical. (Plus, I don’t own any long-sleeve shirts.)
The women are more astonishing in their dress. Every woman seems to have five layers of make-up to accompany their sparkling, sequined dresses. The effect turned mildly attractive people into prom queens and highly attractive people into drag queens. The over-the-top costuming reminded me instantly of Thai lady-boys (cross-dressers/transvestites).
When I caught sight of the head of housekeeping, I truly did not recognize her. She had fake eyelashes from eyebrow to nose. Her hair was tightly bound in a sphere. To top it off, all visible skin twinkled with glitter. Whether that was eye shadow that missed the spot or the effect of many cans of hair spray, I do not know. As we continued to talk, I had to tell myself that it was in fact the same person I saw at work every day.
Mercifully, talking was kept to a minimum, as the main event was eating and drinking. Within moments of sitting down, a plate of antipasto arrived. Simultaneously, drinks were passed out. Women mostly chose soft drinks. The men drank beer. There was a bottle of whiskey on the table, which I selected. I did not select it because I wanted to get drunk faster or harder, but because I know how the game is played.
The men fill their glasses with beer and ice. They sip the glass occasionally. Then after a few minutes they decide the glass has stayed long enough, they raise the glass to cheer and then proceed to clear the contents. This game continued through five plates of food. I avoided the peer-pressure by holding onto a glass of whiskey and soda.
After the food was finished, some people ventured on the dance floor where a band was playing all the karaoke favorites (Khmer favorites, not Western). I danced a little, but just like Western weddings most people shy away from dancing.
After a few songs, we headed to the door where the unanimous gift was money. Small envelopes are provided, and a decorative mailbox allows you to slip the money inside. I dropped in my envelope of money and headed out the door with my friends.
All in all, the experience was as fun as any wedding I have been to in America. As they say here sometimes, “same, same, but different.”
First, if there was a ceremony with some justice of the law presiding, I missed it. I entered in at the reception part of the wedding, along with everyone else I knew who was invited.
To set the scene, this is the wedding for the sister of the hotel’s department head of housekeeping. Granted the head of housekeeping and I are good friends, but in my book that is not relationship enough to be invited to a sister’s wedding. However, all the other department heads had been invited, along with most of the housekeeping staff, so I shrugged and joined the party. Needless to say this was a big wedding.
We enter into a large, open-air restaurant, where a greeting line of fifteen welcome us and handed out wedding favors. So far the only difference I noticed was in dress. The men were in more casual wear than American weddings. A few were donning impractical suits, but most wore slacks and long-sleeve shirts rolled to the elbow. I felt a bit underdressed in a short-sleeve shirt, but at least it was practical. (Plus, I don’t own any long-sleeve shirts.)
The women are more astonishing in their dress. Every woman seems to have five layers of make-up to accompany their sparkling, sequined dresses. The effect turned mildly attractive people into prom queens and highly attractive people into drag queens. The over-the-top costuming reminded me instantly of Thai lady-boys (cross-dressers/transvestites).
When I caught sight of the head of housekeeping, I truly did not recognize her. She had fake eyelashes from eyebrow to nose. Her hair was tightly bound in a sphere. To top it off, all visible skin twinkled with glitter. Whether that was eye shadow that missed the spot or the effect of many cans of hair spray, I do not know. As we continued to talk, I had to tell myself that it was in fact the same person I saw at work every day.
Mercifully, talking was kept to a minimum, as the main event was eating and drinking. Within moments of sitting down, a plate of antipasto arrived. Simultaneously, drinks were passed out. Women mostly chose soft drinks. The men drank beer. There was a bottle of whiskey on the table, which I selected. I did not select it because I wanted to get drunk faster or harder, but because I know how the game is played.
The men fill their glasses with beer and ice. They sip the glass occasionally. Then after a few minutes they decide the glass has stayed long enough, they raise the glass to cheer and then proceed to clear the contents. This game continued through five plates of food. I avoided the peer-pressure by holding onto a glass of whiskey and soda.
After the food was finished, some people ventured on the dance floor where a band was playing all the karaoke favorites (Khmer favorites, not Western). I danced a little, but just like Western weddings most people shy away from dancing.
After a few songs, we headed to the door where the unanimous gift was money. Small envelopes are provided, and a decorative mailbox allows you to slip the money inside. I dropped in my envelope of money and headed out the door with my friends.
All in all, the experience was as fun as any wedding I have been to in America. As they say here sometimes, “same, same, but different.”
Friday, December 12, 2008
Back
I made it back to Cambodia. I also made it back home. The term back-to-back would be a good way to describe the whole trip. I spent thirteen days working in Cambodia without a weekend; then I spent a solid six days at home seeing friends and family. Now I am back at work.
I thought that seeing friends and family would make me homesick, and in a way it did. When I returned to Cambodia, I felt a bit of incompleteness from being without my close friends and family once again. However, it was not nearly as bad as I imagined it might be. Everyone at home was very supportive of what I was doing, and I felt a wonderful warmth and love.
However, I also discovered that many people were fairly clueless on the details here. I suppose that is my fault. Looking back, when I announce that I would be working in Cambodia, I didn't have much idea of what I would be doing exactly. Now, I am a great deal more informed about my responsibilities and somewhat more clearheaded about what I am trying to do.
To start, I am the Director of Community-based Activities and the School Administrator of the Institute of Hospitality at Shinta Mani Hotel and Spa, located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I am of the opinion that both titles sound quite impressive and fancy, and a little intimidating.
The community-based activities are a way for guests of the hotel to give back to rural Cambodians. Cambodia is simultaneously a tourist-friendly and income-poor country. Consequentially, visitors are generally jarred by the poverty they see and eager for a way to make a difference. My hotel provides an outlet for that through a number of donations to everyday people, generally subsistence farmers with very limited opportunity or prospects.
As far as my responsibilities to those programs, if you can think it, I probably do it. I keep track of donations and make sure that they are properly distributed. Once they are distributed, I photograph the recipients with the donation and send that, via e-mail, to the donor. If guests of the hotel ask to see the programs, I am a tour guide for the day. When I am not doing those things, I may be writing back to various inquiries (it seems like I have some one doing interviews two or three times a month) or writing monthly reports. The thing I enjoy the most is trying to figure out ways to encourage more self-sufficiency and sustainability, and fewer hand-outs. I also write a quarterly newsletter.
There are some things that I have considered doing, but it may be a while before I have time for them. This includes changing the webpage about the programs, surveying the recipients of our donations and analyzing the results, and completing an annual report.
As for the Institute of Hospitality, my list of duties is smaller. Most recently, I selected the students for the program. This involved interviewing about 120 applicants for 25 spots. In October, I also got to be the master of ceremonies for our graduation. Depending on how things go, I may end up teaching the students English, with the help of a Khmer friend. However, my biggest responsibility is making sure that donations come into the school.
So that is my job in a nut-shell. I have only been at it for four months. Still, I have considered where the future lies from here. I have found my "dream job" for the moment, and it contains only one severe drawback: that I am so far away from home.
I thought that seeing friends and family would make me homesick, and in a way it did. When I returned to Cambodia, I felt a bit of incompleteness from being without my close friends and family once again. However, it was not nearly as bad as I imagined it might be. Everyone at home was very supportive of what I was doing, and I felt a wonderful warmth and love.
However, I also discovered that many people were fairly clueless on the details here. I suppose that is my fault. Looking back, when I announce that I would be working in Cambodia, I didn't have much idea of what I would be doing exactly. Now, I am a great deal more informed about my responsibilities and somewhat more clearheaded about what I am trying to do.
To start, I am the Director of Community-based Activities and the School Administrator of the Institute of Hospitality at Shinta Mani Hotel and Spa, located in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I am of the opinion that both titles sound quite impressive and fancy, and a little intimidating.
The community-based activities are a way for guests of the hotel to give back to rural Cambodians. Cambodia is simultaneously a tourist-friendly and income-poor country. Consequentially, visitors are generally jarred by the poverty they see and eager for a way to make a difference. My hotel provides an outlet for that through a number of donations to everyday people, generally subsistence farmers with very limited opportunity or prospects.
As far as my responsibilities to those programs, if you can think it, I probably do it. I keep track of donations and make sure that they are properly distributed. Once they are distributed, I photograph the recipients with the donation and send that, via e-mail, to the donor. If guests of the hotel ask to see the programs, I am a tour guide for the day. When I am not doing those things, I may be writing back to various inquiries (it seems like I have some one doing interviews two or three times a month) or writing monthly reports. The thing I enjoy the most is trying to figure out ways to encourage more self-sufficiency and sustainability, and fewer hand-outs. I also write a quarterly newsletter.
There are some things that I have considered doing, but it may be a while before I have time for them. This includes changing the webpage about the programs, surveying the recipients of our donations and analyzing the results, and completing an annual report.
As for the Institute of Hospitality, my list of duties is smaller. Most recently, I selected the students for the program. This involved interviewing about 120 applicants for 25 spots. In October, I also got to be the master of ceremonies for our graduation. Depending on how things go, I may end up teaching the students English, with the help of a Khmer friend. However, my biggest responsibility is making sure that donations come into the school.
So that is my job in a nut-shell. I have only been at it for four months. Still, I have considered where the future lies from here. I have found my "dream job" for the moment, and it contains only one severe drawback: that I am so far away from home.
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