APAD 276: Card
Every school day, my husband tasked me to take care of his students, 9-11 year olds, who wait for their parents to pick them up after their class. So what I did to prevent them from getting bored (and noisy) is to engage them in a variety of activities. My craftroom now doubles as a playroom for these kids. There, we have two desktop computers for those who like to play games or use the Internet. But for some who don’t, I introduced them to crafting…
Last week, was making simple cards.
I made a sample for them to see, lent them my paper punchers and coloured pens, and leave them to develop/make their own. And this is one of the finished cards.
A simple card made by my husband’s student.
My favourite was this one – I love how simple and yet visually pleasing it is to the eyes.
I do wonder though if arts and crafts is part of the Khmer educational curriculum.
APAD 276: Change
Another old, Khmer villa with French-style architecture bites the dust.
See side story in the previous post.
APAD 275: Phnom Penh skyline
This is the view from the fourth-floor of an apartment building I visited last weekend. It was pleasantly breezy and had a commanding view of the sprawling city.
All changed!
Phnom Penh’s skyline has changed rapidly over the course of 10 years. New investments have come in and we are seeing new developments here and there. Prices of real estate have gone up where before the 2000s they were about the price of Cheaper Strats.
The government’s push for a modern Phnom Penh cost the city a huge loss of history and more importantly, loss of homes of thousands of people due to evictions. I do hope Cambodia learns lessons about rapid urbanisation from other Asean countries like Indonesia and the Philippines, to name a few.
APAD 273: Dinner
One of my favourite vegetables is this – kalabasa in Filipino, la poeu in Khmer, or simply winter squash. Growing up back in the Philippines, my siblings and I were served a lot of this as it is very rich in beta carotene that is important for vision and a good amount of Vitamin. They are cooked in many ways but I especially love it when cooked in coconut milk, or Indian-spiced curry, and is definitely one of my comfort foods.
Dinner tonight – curried winter squash.
A squash looks misshapen and have a tough skin on the outside but it has a rich, yellow-orangeish flesh in the inside. It’s available all year round here in Cambodia and they’re really cheap. Whenever I feel homesick, I turn to this vegetable and whip up something familiar that comforts me, just like a music friend that keeps me company whenever I feel the blues.
APAD 269: Hope
Hang in there, little flower. Hope is in the horizon.
This is just one of the views that welcomed us in our previous road trip. As it was at the height of summer, when the whole Kingdom was dry, dusty, and arid, we began our trip very early morning. On our first stop was an ordinary hill. However, tucked amidst the green vegetation on this hill lies the remnants of a lesser known ancient temple with a history of its own.
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