Bus to Phnom Penh

I took my customary seat in the front row of the bus on the way to Phnom Penh this morning. Oh good, there is no one in the other seat, this will be comfortable. Once on the road, I tried to listen to my iPod. I could just coax the iPod to create enough sound to be louder than the radio speaker just a meter from my head.

The drive turned the bus down the street that leads out of town. About a kilometer further, he pulled over and opened the door. There was a moto outside with young woman who looked to be Cambodian on the back, carrying a large pink bag. She got off of the moto and the pink bag was put in the luggage compartment.

The young woman we had just picked up happened to be the person that had the seat next to me. When her mobile phone rang, she answered in very good English, telling someone that one of her students had taken her to the bus and she was safely on board. I asked what she teaches, and she replied "English". She told me she is Indian, from the northeast, where people look more Southeast Asian than elsewhere in the country. That explained a lot.

She has been teaching as a volunteered in Kampong Cham for the last year. When she told me that she was volunteering without any income for her efforts, I felt a little sheepish knowing that I am getting $343 a month. She told me it had been quite difficult living on infrequent donations.

Our conversation turned to how she is treated, since everyone assumes she's Cambodian. I said that as a white foreigner, I am usually shown to the head of the line. She told of a time at the doctor's office; when a Cambodian nurse prioritized several white expats into see the doctor ahead of her.

After a year of volunteering with no income, living on the gifts of others, she has arranged a teaching position in Phnom Penh and was moving to her new job in Phnom Penh.