Expats love to joke about Cambodians' seemingly insatiable taste for
rice. While this must be a tiresome observation for locals, its not
difficult to see why foreigners remark upon it. The only equivalent that
comes to mind is France and bread, but even that is not adequate.
Cambodians typically eat rice at each meal, as well as in fried snacks
and gelatinous sweets. The Khmer word for 'rice' (well, one of them) and
'food' is interchangeable. It is the sole crop produced by the majority
of rural Cambodians, who make up 80% of the population. It is also the
reason I returned to Cambodia after a year in the US. While I can claim
to know very little about rice and how its grown, for the next year I
will be working for CEDAC, a local NGO that specializes in agricultural
development projects
I first visited Cambodia in early 2011. After graduating from university in the US, I traveled to Southeast Asia looking for research opportunities related to the antiquities trade. However, after I arrived, I became much more interested in the rapid redevelopment of the capital, Phnom Penh and the accompanying technical, social and cultural challenges. During this time, I contributed as an editor to a French-English-Khmer book entitled 'Central Market: Story of a Renovation (Melon Rouge, 2011),' documenting the history and recent renovation of a colonial-era market in Phnom Penh. I stayed for seven months (I had originally planned to stay only two). After working one year in Washington DC, I found an opportunity to join the project development team at CEDAC.* I arrived in Phnom Penh in August of 2012.
I hope to use this blog to document this experience, share what I'm learning about Southeast Asia, and highlight the work of inspiring individuals and organizations in Cambodia.
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* The opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone and have not been endorsed by CEDAC or any of its affiliates or partners. All photographs are my own unless otherwise noted.
I first visited Cambodia in early 2011. After graduating from university in the US, I traveled to Southeast Asia looking for research opportunities related to the antiquities trade. However, after I arrived, I became much more interested in the rapid redevelopment of the capital, Phnom Penh and the accompanying technical, social and cultural challenges. During this time, I contributed as an editor to a French-English-Khmer book entitled 'Central Market: Story of a Renovation (Melon Rouge, 2011),' documenting the history and recent renovation of a colonial-era market in Phnom Penh. I stayed for seven months (I had originally planned to stay only two). After working one year in Washington DC, I found an opportunity to join the project development team at CEDAC.* I arrived in Phnom Penh in August of 2012.
I hope to use this blog to document this experience, share what I'm learning about Southeast Asia, and highlight the work of inspiring individuals and organizations in Cambodia.
--
* The opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone and have not been endorsed by CEDAC or any of its affiliates or partners. All photographs are my own unless otherwise noted.
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