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Published: June 16th 2011
Moving in
Yesterday afternoon I moved in to my new digs. My accommodation is a bit interesting. It's kind of like a terrace house (a common style here) but the downstairs is actually used as a charity shop. It's run by an NGO that are working with some children out in the villages. So understandably it not an overly luxurious building! Its not bad or anything, it is just a little more basic than I am used to – perhaps just differences between living in Cambodia and in Australia.
House friends The first thing that struck me about my new house was not the house itself, but rather the people. I guess because it is really the people who make a house home. I've been lucky to have a string of awesome housemates at home, so I was hoping that would continue here. And it did. The two women who were living there when I moved in were so generous and welcoming and keen to make sure I felt at home and had everything I needed. Writing this blog from a few weeks down the track, I have to say that it has been a massive blessing for me getting
to know the other women who I was living with. I'm so thankful that I got to share their home for a while and touched at the love they showed me while I was there!
A tour of the house
My bedroom... If you wander through the shop on the ground floor and up a few flights of stairs you will find my bedroom (though hopefully someone would stop you if you actually try this!) My bedroom is pretty good actually. It's just a bed (probably with a better mattress than mine at home actually) and a desk, a place to put clothes and two fans (I think they are being kind to me with the extra fan because I'm not used to the heat yet!). I was a bit disturbed last night when I discovered that bats sleep on the fly screen that is above my bed. Three bats to be precise. They are on the outside, but there is a gap between the bottom of the screen. It is a bat sized gap, so I was worried one might decide to come inside and land on me during the night! They are only small bats - about
the size of a mouse without their wings, and they are actually kind of cute, but still... I asked the other two girls that live in the house about it and they didn't seem to think it was too unusual, or that they would come in to my room. Anyway, nothing jumped on me during the night, so I guess I will assume they really don't want to come in and I will sleep more soundly in future.
My bathroom... Just along the hall from my bedroom is the bathroom. The shower and toilet are in the same room, which in itself I didn't find too unusual. Slightly more interesting is that the entire room is about the size of a large-ish shower, which means that to shower you must stand immediately next to the toilet so it is inevitable that the toilet gets wet when you shower. Not really a problem I guess, but it can be rather a surprise if you use the loo a little while after a shower! I've also not yet figured out a place to keep toilet paper where it will remain dry. Taking it on an 'as needed' basis seems to be
the best approach. So far, I can't seem to find a sink anywhere (other than in the kitchen 3 floors down). From what I understand you clean your teeth using bottled water over the drain in that same small toilet/shower room, though I cant help but wonder if there really is a sink somewhere and I just haven't understood what I'm supposed to be doing :-)
Like most houses here, there is also no hot water. But there is WI-FI. It's over 30 degrees outside practically all the time anyway, who needs hot water? But I am very glad that there is internet access!
And finally, the kitchen Wandering back down the stone stairs, you can find the kitchen. Unsurprisingly there is no microwave! Just a single gas burner attached to a large gas bottle (which makes me think a little bit of camping). And a fridge of course. Also, a bit of a luxury - a big 'neverfail' style water dispenser that has both hot and cold water. No idea why anyone would want a hot drink though. So the kitchen seems to have everything that I need. I also see this as my opportunity to prove
I can survive without pre-made meals or a microwave. It does worry me a bit though that the kitchen is not really enclosed. Actually the walls are only solid to a little bit above head height, then it is kind of more a metal grid. So its not really possible to keep pests from outside (or the neighbour's kitchen) from coming in. The other people who live here obviously use the kitchen though so I figure I can too.
Location, location, location! The location of the place is really good. It's very close to some cafes, my language school, work, public transport (tuk tuks and motodops hang out at the end of the street), and also very close to the Russian Market where you can buy anything from mangos to scarves to car parts to "genuine"
Quicksilver t-shirts and everything in between. It's just like living in the Cambodian version of Newtown in Sydney!
Don't forget - scroll down for the rest of the photos
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Craig
non-member comment
It sounds like you're staying at a Formule 1 Motel with the shower and toilet in the one cubicle. I'm glad you're living the high life while you're there.