One great thing about living in Cambodia is Moto-dopes and tuk-tuks! Both are like taxi's. A moto-dope is a man who makes a living by giving people rides on his moto (motorcycle/scooter). A tuk-tuk is very similar, but it is like a "carriage" pulled by a moto and will hold 4 Americans or 6 Cambodians (comfortably)! Pictures below ... tuk-tuk on the left and I believe the driver of both motos in the picture on the right are moto-dopes! It is always men who drive and they sit on corners throughout the city, especially by markets and hotels. There are several moto-dopes and tuk-tuk drivers that wait at the intersection at the end of my block, where I live!
These are great if you need a ride somewhere, and for people visiting for a short time! Both times I came before on teams, tuk-tuks were our main forms of transportation. It can also be annoying (especially because I am obviously a foreigner)... any time I walk to the market from my house I hear "Tuk-tuk, madam? Tuk-tuk? moto?" Every time I say, "no."
Got Gas?
Tuesday, Crystal and I planned to go get donuts then go to a coffee shop for a little while before our team meeting. We go to leave and my moto won't start. I've had to use the kick-start several times lately so I just figured it finally needed something fixed. I took my moto back in the gate and rode with Crystal. After we left the coffee shop Crystal made a joke about not giving me a ride back ... too bad that doesn't work here! I said, "that's okay, I'll just get a moto-dope!" She did give me a ride and we met our team for lunch.
At some point in the day, I realized my gas was really low and I had just kept putting it off, so maybe I was out of gas. I decided to go get my moto after lunch and get gas or get it fixed if the gas didn't work. Were we ate lunch is not very far from our house, normally I would walk but it's really strange to walk places here (plus I was carrying my helmet), so I got a moto-dope! It cost fifty cents to go to my house (maybe one mile).
I got home, tried starting the moto again ... nope! I started pushing down the road to the gas station (I'm guessing about a mile away). I thought, "this is so humiliating." Though I think it happens to Khmer sometimes too! I barely get to the end of my block and the moto-dopes and tuk-tuk drivers are talking to me. One asked if I had a flat tire. I told him no, that I was out of gas. Then they kept saying something, and I didn't quite understand. Finally, I understood ... one moto-dope offered to go to the gas station and fill up 2 empty water bottle (1 liter total) with gas, then bring it back. I agreed.
While I was waiting on my dead moto near the tuk-tuk driver and a couple moto-dopes, they talked to me some and it was a little awkward. Then a lady that I go to church with saw me and came over. Right as she got there the moto-dope showed up with the gas. I told her that I ran out of gas, and I've never talked to her at church and we didn't really talk then, so I don't know how much English she knows, but it was super sweet of her to come check on me! That's what the Body of Christ is all about! I paid the moto-dope $1.35 for the one liter of gas, and $0.50 for him to go get it, started my moto, told everybody thank you, and went to the gas station to fill up with 3 more liters!
Time with the landlord
I've been needing to give a document to my landlord for several weeks, so that he can fill it out, saying I live there, then I can finally get my driver's license. (Yes I have been driving without a license!) That night, I when we got home I finally took the paper to the landlord. He looks kind of scary, and Crystal says he speaks rudely, but she really likes him! I went downstairs all by myself and stood outside their open door, said hello in Khmer, and his wife told me to come in and sit down. She looked at the document, then he came and looked at it. His 10 year old son did most of the translating (he is so cute and looks like a 6 or 7 year old in America), with the help of the landlords daughter who is in her early 20's, I think. Everything was figured out, he asked for me to bring a copy of my passport and visa, then he would take care of it! Then, like most Cambodian parents, he kept telling his son to ask me different questions, so he could practice his English. They brought me a Coke, and asked me if I'd eaten dinner, what I'd eaten, how long I was here, if I like living in the apartment, what I was doing in Cambodia ... all typical questions. It was kinda fun and kinda awkward. I'm not sure exactly how long I talked to them, but it was good! The landlord is intimidating, but his wife and kids are so sweet. Maybe after a year or so I will be able to communicate with him too!
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