In one of my earlier posts I mentioned going to the library to check out some things to get me prepared for Cambodia. One of those items is a CD to help me learn some of the Khmer language before I get there and have to learn it all in three months.
So...I just have not had time to listen to the CD until now, and let me tell you--I'm lost! There are sounds in that language that I cannot figure out how to make. Not only that, but the guy that put the CD together obviously has never heard of the idea of learning how to say simple things first, then moving on to the harder things.
The first thing it tries to teach is "What nationality are you?" Which would be easy enough if they had at least started with teaching the words for "What" "nationality" and "you", but nooooooo, just the whole flippin sentence with nothing to go on but what it sounds like coming out of my car stereo. And then...ooooh, and then this impertinent British man that is hosting the CD asks you to craft a response--IN KHMER! It's the first lesson! I have no idea how to say ANYTHING let alone craft a response to adequately communicate that I am American.
Lol...I feel I should write this Brit a strongly worded letter.
In other news, I have now 39 days until I depart and I'm getting wickedly excited. I managed to get rid of a bunch of stuff I haven't used in years, and tomorrow I'm going to attempt to clean out my closet (the difficult part being that most of it is filled with other people's things). My goal is to get down to only the things that I really need and desperately want so that I'm not overwhelmed by STUFF when I get back.
That, and you know...holding on to a bunch of crap that I dont' use or need really isn't doing anyone any good.
I think pretty soon here I'm going to start crafting my photo journal to give to my Cambodian family as a present. I want to include lots of pictures of my family, since our families will be forever linked, and also what daily life in America is like for me. I also want to get them some other gifts, but I have no idea what...
I mean...what do you give someone as a way to say, "thanks for being my family for the next two years...."?
Heh. It sounds weird but Khmer doesn't exactly have a "you".. so I can see why the tape taught you whole phrases. If you try to translate individual words into English, it would probably get too complicated to teach quickly. But if you want to learn some words, I'd suggest looking into Khmerschool channel on youtube. :D
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