The Cambodian business trip

The Wat Opot Children’s Community is a project of the larger organization Partners In Compassion (PC).  PC was started by Wayne, an American Christian, and Vandine, a Cambodian Buddhist, who pulled the best of each of their philosophies and cultures to form an organization targeted at the rising HIV/AIDS epidemic in Cambodia.  Wayne now runs Wat Opot, and Vandine oversees the rest of PC including home care and community outreach projects.  I have had the opportunity to work a little bit with Mr. Vandine, and he is very determined to sign me on in a 2- year volunteer commitment working directly with him.  Given that the job is unpaid and my student loan deferment is running out at the end of the year, I politely decline- just about every day.  While I’m still here, he has me edit small things here and there, consult about ideas, and has invited me to a few conferences in other provinces.  I haven’t been able to go, but have wondered what that would be like.  When I picture a business trip like the ones my father frequently went on, there were plane tickets, nice hotels, and good food.  That’s the US.  What would a Cambodian business trip be like?


Today the PC offices at Wat Opot hosted a conference and so I of course spied and invited myself in to have all of my questions answered.  As I would have guessed, transportation to the conference, like anywhere else in Cambodia, was by motorbike.  A small moto parking lot outside the home care office this morning was my first clue there was something going on today.  If I went to one, however, I’m sure we would take Mr. Vandine’s car.  (Side note:  if I did have to take a moto, it would probably be okay.  Molly and I tried to convince ourselves we were true Asians in many ways, particularly via moto.  In Phnom Penh and Vietnam, we did long-distance rides, three or four people on one moto rides, two of us and a driver and big packages from the post office rides, two of us and a driver and loads of groceries rides… we did it all.  Experts.  Except for me driving a moto- I made it about 10 feet and almost hit two parked cars.)

The conference took place in this building, which houses the PC home care office and the Wat Opot admin offices.

Some of the many motorbikes lined up outside of the building.

After scoping out the transportation, I went in to say hello.  As again I would have guessed, the whole conference was in Khmer, and only one or two people there spoke any English.  Any other conference would be no different.  I’m not sure then the role I would serve at one of these things.  Maybe the same as when I volunteer at the local English schools.  I don’t really do anything; I’m just a foreigner, more like a decoration and something for people to talk about than anything else.  I’m the entertainment.  So I had figured out how I’d get to a conference and what I’d be doing there, but there was one thing I still wasn’t sure about.  The big question… where would I sleep?

As luck would have it, that question was answered tonight as well.  I was walking past Mr. Vandine's office to the volunteer house, when a large pink blob caught my eye.  Just when I thought nothing in Cambodia could surprise me anymore, that I’d seen it all, I found I was wrong.   The conference is resuming in the morning with early meetings, so naturally the participants are sleeping as close to the offices as possible.  Not in a guesthouse- too far away.  Not camped out nearby- too far away.  Not on sleeping bags on the floor- still too far away.  They are literally sleeping ON the conference table.  I walked by about 7 ladies all in matching top and bottom PJ sets hanging up a jumbo pink mosquito net over the conference table that they then proceeded to climb into.  

Mr. Vandine's office and conference room are on the far left.  The other two doors lead to the art and craft rooms where the kids paint and make jewelry.

Where the lights were on in the other conference room, I’m guessing the group of men were doing the same thing.  They had pillows and sheets, and they looked cozy but wow.

So now I’m very intrigued by the conference idea.  I may be there as a side-show, and I may have to bunk up with 7 strangers on a table, but I supposed I’m up for the challenge.