For those Swedish speaking friends who'd like learn a bit more about the situation for youth at the labour market in Cambodia, you can listen to a radio interview with me here (about 13 minutes into the clip).
Another interview, about holidays here in Cambodia - for example the non-existing Easter celebration and the three New Years - can you listen to here (first there's Britney, then me! ;-).
Wednesday 19 March 2008
Thursday 6 March 2008
A first taste of the rainy season
It's thursday evening, 8 o'clock PM and I'm still at the office... I wanna go hooooome, but it's raining like h**l outside, so I have no other choice but to wait... and wait... This reminds me of last year when I arrived to Cambodia. There were so many evenings that I had to spend at the office, waiting for the rain to stop and for the level of water on the flooded streets to sink to a level low enough for me to drive my motorbike all the way home without the engine dying half way... After some time, I learned how to read the signs in the sky that would tell me wheather there would be rain soon or not. And I got familiar with the regularity of the rainfalls; in the beginning of the rainy season there would usually be a heavy rainfall around 6 or 7 in the evening. Later in the rainy season, there would be an additional shower around 2 in the afternoon. And as I got more used to it, I had to spend less evenings at the office. But now, this evening, as we haven't had rainfall since October, this rain caught me completely off-guard, so now I'm stuck. However, the rainy season shouldn't start for another month or so, so I guess that this is just a very first taste of the rainy season. But I'd better be prepared for it. So I don't have to spend any more evenings at the office than necessary...
Wednesday 5 March 2008
Gender equality in Cambodia?
As the International Women's Rights Day is soon coming up, on Saturday the 8:th of March, I've been interviewed by Swedish radio concerning gender equality in Cambodia. The interview was broadcasted live yesterday, but for any Swedish speakers who'd like to listen to it afterwards, you can do that here. (The interview starts around 11 minutes into the clip).
A tribute to Leonard and his crown prince Jason
Those of you who know me well are most likely familiar with my passion for Leonard Cohen. His music and lyrics has for many years been very important to me; spiritually and intimately connected to different situations, relations, experiences and phases of my life. I´m usually very critical and not at all forgiving of other artists trying to make covers of Cohen´s songs, as they - according to me - never ever can make it into the same league as him. Nothing good has come out of those lame cover versions, with the one and only exception of Jeff Buckley´s beautiful cover of "Hallelujah". Until now, that is; this very evening when I was watching - hold on now - American Idol!?!?!!! Because there, suddenly, this young guy named Jason Castro, enters the stage and without a warning makes the most beautiful cover of "Hallelujah" that I´ve ever heard. His version was so beautiful and touching that it moved me into tears, and now I just can´t stop listening to it. And I just HAVE to share it with you!!! Because something as beautiful as this just has to be shared. So here you go, ladies and gentlemen - I give you Jason Castro´s blessed version of Hallelujah;
And, inspired by the moment, I just feel that I´d like to share Cohen´s beautiful lyrics with you as well;
HALLELUJAH
Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
There was a time you let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah
And, inspired by the moment, I just feel that I´d like to share Cohen´s beautiful lyrics with you as well;
HALLELUJAH
Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you
To a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, and she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Baby I have been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you.
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
There was a time you let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
You say I took the name in vain
I don't even know the name
But if I did, well really, what's it to you?
There's a blaze of light
In every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Saturday 1 March 2008
the Foreign Correspondents Club
Here in Phnom Penh, one of the a places with tons of atmosphere is the Foreign Correspondents Club.
Situated in an old colonial building overlooking the river, it´s the perfect place to enjoy a cold drink overlooking the street life along the riverside. Its´ reputation has reached far outside Cambodias boarders, so it´s usually the place where tourists end up their first evening here. So did me and Janne, when we were visiting Phnom Penh for the first time back in 2002. I remember that our dear friend Andrew had described it as a must-place-to-see-and-be in Phnom Penh before we left from Bangkok, and we followed his advice. Ever since, this has been Janne´s favourite bar in Phnom Penh. And it´s well deserved. This building with its beautiful yellow exterior, with its dark wooden furnitures and colonial style interior, sweeping ceiling fans, long rustic bar, and marvellous setting, gives you the feeling of taking part in a never ending era of visitors on a mission to Cambodia. And you can easily imagine how all the foreign journalists, photograpers, and press people have gathered here during the wars and conflicts that Cambodia has been through. Picturing them sitting along the bar with a bottle of whiskey, smoking and discussing in the latest udates from the frontline... The funny thing is, that this Foreigh Correspondents Club is a total rip-off concept. Compared to other real Foreign Correspondents Clubs over the world, for example the FCC in Bangkok, despite the name this one in Phnom Penh has never functioned as a press club. It opened up in 1993, and has been established as a place for entertainment, dining and drinking - only. So I tend to think about it as the Fake Correspondents Club. But who cares, really - as long as it works, and it does. The concept actually works so well that the owners recently have bought the neighbouring building..;
...to be renovated and integreted with the FCC. This is one of Phnom Penhs most beautiful and most photographed old colonial buildings, which like many of its kind was almost completely destroyed during the Khmer Rouge era, and not been rebuilt since then. After many years of negotiations and bids from different interests and investors, it has now been announced that the building has been bought by the FCC, which will restore it and make it into a luxury hotel and restaurant, connected to the present FCC by a short bridge. This is in many ways typical for what is taking place in Phnom Penh right now; a booming city, with both national and international interests suddenly waking up to recognise its architectural and historical heritage, and the economical benefits that will come with it.
Talking about correspondents clubs, I´ve recently been invited to become a foreign correspondent myself. About a month ago, I was approached by a Swedish radio channel who has a pool of foreign correspondents all over the world; in Finland, Paris, Singapore, Argentina, the Central African Republic, etc. And I was asked if I could consider to be their correspondent in Cambodia?! It sounds pretty serious, but actually it isn´t. No in-depth analyses about political situations or broadcasts from frontlines. Just a weekly topic that can be just about anything; traffic, food, university life, etc, picked by the radio channel. And they will call one of the correspondents to comment on it in a live broadcasted interview Monday-Thursday at 9.10 AM. Before I could consider, I was of course curious about the first week´s topic. And - to my joy and delight - my first topic would be: PETS!!! Yes, that´s right; pets! My all time favourite subject! So how could I possibly say no? So I agreed and the interview was broadcasted on the 5:th of February. The interviews are available for a month on the channels´website, so for a couple of more days, Swedish speaking friends can listen to me talking about pets in Phnom Penh here. (First there´s Britney Spears, then there´s me :-) About a week ago I was interviewed again, this time about breakfast habits in Cambodia, which you can listen to here. But since then, I actually haven´t heard from the radio channel again, so who knows if they´ll let me go on air again or not. But who cares; after all, I´m only a Fake Foreign Correspondent. But according to the traditions here in Phnom Penh, the Fake versions of a Foreign Correspondent might be just as good as the original! :-)
Situated in an old colonial building overlooking the river, it´s the perfect place to enjoy a cold drink overlooking the street life along the riverside. Its´ reputation has reached far outside Cambodias boarders, so it´s usually the place where tourists end up their first evening here. So did me and Janne, when we were visiting Phnom Penh for the first time back in 2002. I remember that our dear friend Andrew had described it as a must-place-to-see-and-be in Phnom Penh before we left from Bangkok, and we followed his advice. Ever since, this has been Janne´s favourite bar in Phnom Penh. And it´s well deserved. This building with its beautiful yellow exterior, with its dark wooden furnitures and colonial style interior, sweeping ceiling fans, long rustic bar, and marvellous setting, gives you the feeling of taking part in a never ending era of visitors on a mission to Cambodia. And you can easily imagine how all the foreign journalists, photograpers, and press people have gathered here during the wars and conflicts that Cambodia has been through. Picturing them sitting along the bar with a bottle of whiskey, smoking and discussing in the latest udates from the frontline... The funny thing is, that this Foreigh Correspondents Club is a total rip-off concept. Compared to other real Foreign Correspondents Clubs over the world, for example the FCC in Bangkok, despite the name this one in Phnom Penh has never functioned as a press club. It opened up in 1993, and has been established as a place for entertainment, dining and drinking - only. So I tend to think about it as the Fake Correspondents Club. But who cares, really - as long as it works, and it does. The concept actually works so well that the owners recently have bought the neighbouring building..;
...to be renovated and integreted with the FCC. This is one of Phnom Penhs most beautiful and most photographed old colonial buildings, which like many of its kind was almost completely destroyed during the Khmer Rouge era, and not been rebuilt since then. After many years of negotiations and bids from different interests and investors, it has now been announced that the building has been bought by the FCC, which will restore it and make it into a luxury hotel and restaurant, connected to the present FCC by a short bridge. This is in many ways typical for what is taking place in Phnom Penh right now; a booming city, with both national and international interests suddenly waking up to recognise its architectural and historical heritage, and the economical benefits that will come with it.
Talking about correspondents clubs, I´ve recently been invited to become a foreign correspondent myself. About a month ago, I was approached by a Swedish radio channel who has a pool of foreign correspondents all over the world; in Finland, Paris, Singapore, Argentina, the Central African Republic, etc. And I was asked if I could consider to be their correspondent in Cambodia?! It sounds pretty serious, but actually it isn´t. No in-depth analyses about political situations or broadcasts from frontlines. Just a weekly topic that can be just about anything; traffic, food, university life, etc, picked by the radio channel. And they will call one of the correspondents to comment on it in a live broadcasted interview Monday-Thursday at 9.10 AM. Before I could consider, I was of course curious about the first week´s topic. And - to my joy and delight - my first topic would be: PETS!!! Yes, that´s right; pets! My all time favourite subject! So how could I possibly say no? So I agreed and the interview was broadcasted on the 5:th of February. The interviews are available for a month on the channels´website, so for a couple of more days, Swedish speaking friends can listen to me talking about pets in Phnom Penh here. (First there´s Britney Spears, then there´s me :-) About a week ago I was interviewed again, this time about breakfast habits in Cambodia, which you can listen to here. But since then, I actually haven´t heard from the radio channel again, so who knows if they´ll let me go on air again or not. But who cares; after all, I´m only a Fake Foreign Correspondent. But according to the traditions here in Phnom Penh, the Fake versions of a Foreign Correspondent might be just as good as the original! :-)
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