Humanity is a spectrum of experience.
Kori Price
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The Cambodian Ladies Lounge

1/29/2015

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I live in a bedroom. Not a home or a condo, just a bedroom. It’s kind of like a homestead. Every time I open my door, I am greeted with a surplus of Cambodian family activity—naked children frolicking about, rice steaming next to unidentified meats grilling, motorbikes revving, chained up roosters hysterically cocking (and they all laugh at me every time I gingerly tread past him), dogs lounging, cats pouncing—it’s a culture stricken corridor and I love it.  

Although at first arrival, this place was advertised like a full on luxurious flat. 
To be precise, the sign read: 

ROOM AVAILABLE! 
  • Free laundry
  • Free cleaning services
  • Free wi-fi
  • Free bike
  • Free swimming pool
  • Big Room
  • Kitchenette
  • Bathroom

Fact: It is a very spacious room with a bathroom (underground water works occasionally).
False: everything else listed. 
Perk (that should be listed): FREE BED!

Let’s be real. At $70 per month, a girl can make do with just about anything. Sam, my local Cambodian friend, brought me here because he knew I wanted something cheap in price, close in proximity and safe. Luckily, I got what I wanted in that scope. It’s a quick and amusing six minute bike ride from work (and only one minute from street side noodles) and it’s owned by a police officer (so I guess that means it’s safe safe).

My first roommate was Clive, a fist sized spider that spent most of his time in the bathroom or in my walk-in closet (which I presume that’s what the sign meant by kitchenette). He didn’t pay rent and we didn’t really get along, but I will always be grateful for Clive as he helped me bond with my local neighbor, Song. Although Song knows very little English, so I learned a bit of Khmer and then he knew exactly what I meant when I said bhing-bhang tom tom (translation: spider big big), handed him a broom and pointed to my bedroom. One roommate down.

Then, I hosted a new employee at the hostel while he searched for a place to reside—a Frenglish (french/english) man called Pierre. He was a lovely houseguest and even bought me a local painting of the floating village to jazz up the joint. I’ve yet to figure out how to hang it from the cream tinted, cement walls, but there is something endearingly quirky about it setting against the wall instead of hanging. It seems to represent my current life status a bit better—living simply and appreciating what I have for what it is and not what it could be. Then Pierre found another flat within a week’s time, further down the street, closer to the killer dogs. He now lives for the thrill of the late night stroll. That’s two roommates down. 

Just recently, my walk-in closet was turned into a full on second bedroom with the addition of roommate #3. Now, I live with a beautiful, vibrant soul from Holland called Lisa. She’a like the human version of a flying unicorn…or a butterfly fresh form her cocoon. She is truly one of the happiest, most loving, caring, engaging people I have met thus far. She is the bartender at the hostel I work at and since we always have different days off, she decided to move in so we could get the ever so special roommate quality time. We have quickly bonded and morphed our little bedroom into the Cambodian Ladies Lounge.

The stories to follow will be more than worth telling (or not).

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Following my heartstrings…one tug at a time

1/17/2015

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As I sit here in my new Cambodian flat, I can't help but reflect on 2014 as being one of the most directionless years of my life. After spending five years in a place I love, with people I adore and a job that was ever so rewarding, I suddenly felt trapped inside a box I could not easily remove myself from. I quit three jobs and moved three times. I felt professionally lost and financially powerless. I knew what I wanted, but didn’t know how to get it. I felt failure to expectations I could not define or even pinpoint their conception. I was restless, confused, discontent and temperamental. My spontaneous behavior had never been more desperate and clueless. Finally, I decided to reset my mantra and follow my heartstrings. My heartstrings, people. It’s like mediation with a pulse detector. My heart challenged me to seek more and pulled me into the direction I always wanted to go, but was letting other unnecessary events and pressures deter me from. That’s when I pulled the trigger, bought a one-way ticket to Bangkok and started saving like a motherfucker. Two months later, I was on a fast track through Southeast Asia—Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Veng Viang, Vientiene, 4,000 Islands, Pakse, Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat, Phu Quoc, Phnom Penh and currently, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Every stop has been a fast paced unplanned destination...until now. Cambodia grabbed me by the heartstrings and pulled me to a stop. In the last three months of fast paced backpacking, I’ve made some incredible friends, absorbed some powerful history and tapped into some serious self discoveries that have ignited a passion, intrigue and vigor in my daily life that I haven’t felt in a long time. It’s a token to travel, tenacity and true introspection that I find myself living in a country so damaged, but so resilient with people that live so simply, but so satisfied. I know have a lot to learn and explore here in the next six months and am grateful to call it home. Currently, working at a hostel five days a week and will be teaching English in the country side the other two days. Feel free to visit anytime ;) Choi Moi! 

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    On a quest to reconnect with passion, travel and the written word.

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