Tuesday asides
Last night went out for some adulting. I met up with my almost friend Bill. An expat living here for about 10 years. He’s from America so it’s nice to have him to talk to. We share some of the same political thoughts these days and even when we try to not talk politics, it seeps in. I don’t blog political things too often. Never about internal Cambodian politics or my feelings about how things are done here. It’s not my place. I am not a citizen here. They grant me a long stay visa with really few questions ever asked. When it comes to american politics though, different rules.
Bill is getting close to 80 so thoughts these days with him have changed. He looks at the time left daily I think. I tend to just take each day as it is even though I do complain about some things. Neither of us would want to leave here and go to america. Honestly speaking, I probably would have retired in Vietnam if they had such a thing. I won’t do the 90 day visa thing and I never would have married someone there to find a path to temporary residence. I love living here though. Just not here in this house with these people around me. Always some complaint I guess :-).
I spent some time after Bill went home thinking through things over a few more beers. The waitress keeps a close eye on the state of my draft beer. She’s a friendly and cute young thing and I enjoy flirting with her a bit.
Then its Tuesday
This morning is coffee and reflections and looking at having relationships here with other barang people. It’s a difficult proposition I think for many of us. There is always this sense of isolation and I’ve become accustomed to it. The barang people I meet on a day, I would not want to be around more often. Bill and I meet about once a month to talk. Never organized. He will drive by on his moto to see if I am at viva sometimes he told me. I guess we just live different lives and it’s for the best.
I will be going for coffee somewhere this morning. Getting away from the house mornings is just a part of the thing. I could never sit here all day long. The biggest part though is being somewhere almost social. Where I choose the place. I have several. This morning I am kinda lazy I guess because of the beer last night. Maybe I am worn out from socializing and talking too. I don’t do much talking all the other times.
So today I will go venture out. You can go along too.
v cafe things
I made it to V cafe and there always are things. There’s the sitting along the street side by where we live. Watching this version of Cambodia roll by.
I enjoy the feeling of it. The writing here. The no barang people. I’m not bothered by people and they make a nice iced americano. There’s always renegade thoughts that push along. I guess things still stuck from last night with Bill. Always feel like the expat thing is best done in a limited fashion. Like I don’t want to just carry some baggage along that’s not mine.
There’s always the house. The feeling I get walking away from it. I told my daughter here I have no photos of the house. She only smiled.
maybe daddy you only take photos of things you like.
She’s a smart one.
Finally I guess there is little life I have here. Not big. Not large and in charge. Not a fragile thing either though. It’s like the photo of the street this morning here at v cafe. Not going anywhere but still going.
I’ll sip my coffee. Engage the Tuesday. Find the asides. Writing it about helps. Maybe I will find that pesky journal. It’s always hungry.