Sophia (not her real
name) is my Cambodia house helper, aged 22 yrs old, she had gone through 3
months intensive English speaking course prior her trip to Malaysia, she has not
more than 50 words of vocabulary, talking to her can be really exhausted and
tiring, typical chicken and duck talks, beside talking, sign language and eventually
getting help from on line translation.
I sit with her every
night to teach her English, she ‘graduated’ with a pass after 6 months of
hardship.
In Cambodia, she stayed
in stilt house minus electricity and water, generator was used for television
which is the sole entertainment. They
washed clothes in the front river, get drinking water from the well.
Bowl and bucket are used
to create beautiful rhythm during raining days, 2 small rooms were built to
cater for her family of 6, and countless animals were staying below the stilt
house. The animals will be mistaken rain
when their owner is taking bath on top of them in the house.
Breakfast is not a must,
plain water is enough to run the day, lunch will have to depend if there is any
left over rice from last dinner, plain rice with soya sauce is considered
sumptuous for lunch. Dinner will be served with rice and ONE dish that consist
of mix vegetable and meat.
Most of the neighborhoods
are farmers, those owning a motorcycle is considered well to do. They don’t
visit DIY shop, but instead they DIY most of their household things.
Going to town needs 4
hours of rough drive in the dusty and muddy path, the visibility distance is
less than 5 feet, thus, providing free natural face mask along the road.
In view of the above, it is
of difference culture and background, yet we managed to live like a
family.
