With the turn of the New Year, I am joining the scores of those endeavoring to better myself through the self-flagellating motivating process of New Year’s resolution-ing. Yes, I am going to try and start blogging again.
I am not naive enough to think that people continue to check my blog in anticipation of my triumphant return to the world of print, but I do hope that someone (mom?) will check back here sometime to see that I am writing again. Anyways, hobbies are surprisingly in short supply for PCVs in Cambodia and my past blog entries have helped to serve as both an update to loved ones back home as well as an account of memories made as a PCV.
My goal is blogging once a week, so help hold me to it.
I started slow and chose a topic that will help set the stage for entries to come, my name(s). I have to collected several since coming to Cambodia.
Chris – pretty much what I call myself. Somehow this name seems to be used least…
Toph – one of my most favorite nicknames and the primary nomenclature preferred by my wife. It has several variations including but not limited to Toe, Topher…ad nausea.
Papa Marsh aka ½ of “The Marshes” – I am not sure if its my cynical-logical-sometimes-crotchety-old-before-I’m-young-mentality or just that Kate and I make good surrogate parents for those without, but especially since coming to Cambodia, Kate and I tend to become the de facto parental units for those needing a dose of advice or someone to kiss their boo-boos. Certainly not a complaint, Kate and I both enjoy houseguests and talking through problems alike. Regardless, it has earned me yet another nickname.
Sihamoni – So…this is the King of Cambodia’s name. My first week here, my host grandmother and her sister saw my resemblance to His Royal Highness. Since then, everyone from my students to the Deputy Governor of my new home province has noticed and commented on how I must be his long, lost American kin. Calling me Sihamoni during a dinner or a class has become commonplace and usually gets, at first, a laugh, then a serious and pondering look (presumably to see if I actually could somehow be related to him).
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| Kate, me and a picture of His Royal Highness. We actually got to see him drive by during the first two months of training in Cambodia. You can see his picture, and I am sure the striking resemblance, in this picture. |
Boo Krees – The phonetics on this one are tough, but imagine trying to same my name with no previous understand of how English speakers say the “ch” sound. This is what my host family’s youngest members call me – they have become Kate and my nieces and nephews for all intents and purposes. “Boo” is the K’mai word for uncle. I must admit, this might be my favorite name to hear. Once these kids see Kate or I coming through the front gates after teaching or coming home after a weekend away, they are ready for a hug and for us to throw them up in the air and catch them (they weigh like 20 pounds, if that…), chocolate may or may not have also solidified these bonds.
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| These kids have totally warmed up to us since first invading their home and lives. They are actually twins, but the brother's eating habits are terrible, and his growth has essentially been stunted as a result. Now we are just one of the family...Watch out for the little boy on the right, this picture is adorably deceiving... |
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| That's more like it...other than our rooster, he is the loudest thing for miles. |
Chur – This one may be used most frequently, as it is what my students call me and I have a lot of students, over 450. In a town as small as mine, its literally impossible to go to the market or the store without getting a “hello, chur!” Chur, as in the second half of “teacher.” I joke with my students that its ridiculous for them to call me this, and for the first month I thought they were calling me “chair” and had god awful English skills. I threaten to call them “dents,” like the second half of student…somehow they didn’t think that made sense.
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| Some of my amazing students at a workshop Kate held on volunteerism. To demonstrate the use of my name with a quote from the day, "Chur, your wife is so very pretty and you are handsome, chur." |
Batman – No one has really called me this since college, but I wish they still did. Also, really excited for the new movie coming out soon…
For those of you reading this, thanks for giving me and my short-attention span another shot. I will try not to disappoint and I promise, Cambodia + Peace Corps = some pretty sweet stories, so I know you won’t be disappointed.
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