Traffic in Cambodia can be pretty complicated. The new traffic lights have a great ‘hurry up’ feature that speeds up the little green man to a run before it turns red. Slowly but surely, people are starting to watch the lights, even when the cops aren’t around.
But I wasn’t driving a motorcycle anywhere this particular morning. I’d lost one of my contact lenses, so I got a ride to the optometrist. And walked out with 20-20 vision.
I was pleased to immediately clap eyes on this -
- a comics reading motodop! Unlike other countries, moto-taxis in Cambodia tend to chat, doze, play cards, do anything but read, as most never learned beyond a basic level.
He was perusing an issue of Archie Comics he’d found to improve his English.
I made a return visit to give him a copy of Bopha Battambang.
Regardless of what statistics say and what pundits think, I keep running into people working towards literacy: from the individual to the institutional scale. A good start to the day.
More info on literacy in Cambodia? Try Our Books, the Book Federation, The Nou Hach Literary Journal or the Khmer Writers’ Association.
Tags:literature,books,culture,cambodia,khmer,comics
Posted in academia, comics, literature, Other Goodies, visual art | No Comments »
Yes, there is Jazz in Cambodia.
From Jean-Marc Padovani‘s experiments,
to the Khmer Fusion project,
and even the Carole King Jazz Cafe, you’d be surprised how much affection exists for the genre.
In fact, we have three jazz events this coming Saturday evening. Three French influenced jazz acts. Two of which emailed me late Friday afternoon.
First, we have Phare Ponleu Selpak, Belle of Sovanna Phum, and Louis Sclavis: 6:30 PM at the French Cultural Centre, Phnom Penh.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009011623661/Life-Style/Tuning-music-and-the-body.html
Following that seems to be some kind of Jazz dance evening (below). Which overlaps with another event.
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Chinese House Presents
Philippe Javelle and Richard Boisson
performing on Saturday 17th of January from 8:30pm
The Chinese House
45, Sisowath Quay
Phnom Penh
(in front of the container port)
www.chinesehouse.asia
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Epic Jazz fail?
Guys, get your act together, please. I’m aiming for the 6:30 collaboration event.
After that, I’m going improv.
Tags: cambodia,jazz,music,marketing
Posted in current events, dance, jazz, music, news, Other Goodies | No Comments »
Today at Expat-Advisory.com: a mini-interview I did with Cambodian-American Amara Chhin-Lawrence, classically trained in Western opera, who’s just finished performing in her country of origin after years of preparation. (Photo courtesy Chean Long)
http://www.expat-advisory.com/cambodia/phnom-penh/opera-observation-the-singer.php
More Opera updates:
http://www.whereelephantsweep.net
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009010723516/National-news/Elephants-gets-green-light-from-ministers.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iMwPNgsuy3ka7Df2eJmDYEc9v3eg
http://detailsaresketchy.wordpress.com/2009/01/04/buddhist-council-silences-rock-oera/
http://mongkol.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/cambodian-monks-force-nations-first-rock-opera-off-air
http://detailsaresketchy.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/council-clash-monks-vs-ministers/
http://jinja.apsara.org/?s=%22Where+Elephants+Weep%22
———-
Not Cambodia, but of interest:
Cambodian women face the danger of of acid attacks.
In Afghanistan, they happen too, to keep female students out of class:
“My parents told me to keep coming to school even if I am killed,” said Shamsia, 17, in a moment after class. Shamsia’s mother, like nearly all of the adult women in the area, is unable to read or write. “The people who did this to me don’t want women to be educated. They want us to be stupid things.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/world/asia/14kandahar.html
…all I can do is echo a phrase from Amara’s interview: “You are so brave”. What amazing strength and determination.
———–
Bloggery: As the Weblog Awards close, UK nominee Pete Ashton wins his campaign to come in last, and Details Are Sketchy has embraced a similar strategy.
A wrap-up to follow as the reverberations echo through the noosphere. Vote tallies may be adjusted as they were last year.
Tags:opera,cambodia,khmer,TV,buddhism,afghanistan,blog,awards,buddhism
Posted in current events, news, opera, photography | No Comments »
