i have decided

one twenty minute conversation with a complete stranger can do everything to turn any day- normal, horrible or otherwise- into a fantastic "so glad i'm here" kind of day.

i had one of these days yesterday.

now, let's begin with the fact that these conversations are awesome because, more often than not, cambodian strangers are incredibly kind and excited to meet a foreigner.  they also are then out of their seat ecstatic when that foreigner speaks khmer.  and finally, an explosion of questions and khmer come when it is then revealed that said khmer-speaking-foreigner is eager to answer questions!

yesterday, i took some pictures (roop tauts) to get printed, as my dearest cambodian little sister- aary, who works at a restaurant we frequent- is moving to phnom penh to work with her father and brother in a traditional medicine pharmacy at one of the large markets/malls in the capital and i want her to have some pictures of us, and vice versa.

and so. what proceeded at the photo printing shop was a discussion that begins, as most do, like this:

me, in khmer: "hello, i'd like to print some pictures."
them, in khmer: yell for someone else to come, presumably the english speaker.
him, english speaking cambodian, in english: "hello!"
me, in khmer: "hello, how are you? i'd like to print some pictures."
him, in khmer: "oh, you know khmer?"
the conversation lapses into khmer

me: "yes, how are you?"
him: "happy happy, thanks!"
we discuss why i'm here, how long i've been here, and what country i come from.

him: "will you teach me english?"
inevitable question. i explain about the private class i teach, which has stopped for the long holiday but will begin again in may. after five minutes of explaining, they finally believe me when i say that we will start again after the khmer new year, so yes, i really do mean in may.

fellow cambodian, standing by: "oh you know how to speak khmer a lot! you must have lived here for a long time!"
me: "eight months already. and i know how to speak khmer a little bit."
him: "oh, only eight months already!" (which he knows, as he asked me this ten minutes before?!)

we end with salutations, lots of smiling and general merriment.

this happy conversation that uplifts any day can also happen with those people with whom you've built relationships.

the key is that joyous feeling that you understand nearly everything that was said and were understood by many during the best twenty minutes ever.  you leave feeling as if you could walk on khmer-speaking-clouds forever.

here's hoping you have an awesome twenty-minute-conversation-in-khmer kind of day!