so...i'm going to go into some of things that have been problematic for me here...but i don't want to sound like i'm complaining, so please know that i'm not. just wanted to let you know how things are here.

there doesn't seem to be a regular system for trash pick-up. i have yet to ask my landlord what he does, because he manages to keep the trash situation under control, but most other places you go, there are trash heaps on the sidewalks. this includes trash from businesses and restaurants...so you can imagine what kind of smells can result. i actually count myself as blessed because i have a bad sense of smell (helped me a bunch when i had to take the bus, and in other situations, including now). however, there have been a few occasions during my wanderings when i have smelled something that actually made me feel queasy. for someone with a bad sense of smell and a pretty strong stomach, that's saying something.

i think, however, that i must smell, too. i thought my apartment would smell better after i had moved in and aired it out, but it still smells, though maybe not as strongly. i notice it the first few seconds that i get in, but i'm pretty immune to it now. but because of that, i don't know if i myself smell like my apartment to some extent. greeaat...

my apartment is also a bit thin-walled, and my bedroom wall is probably two feet from the buildings around our building, so i've actually had some problems sleeping. again, this from a person who almost never has problems sleeping anywhere. for one thing, there's this baby that must be in the next building or right below my bedroom that likes to cry every morning at least an hour before i need to get up. (i know, i know, i shouldn't complain, especially since there are new parents out there...and it's actually gotten much better - was worse my first week here). but, this i will complain about...this past sunday morning, at 7ish, somewhere some people decided to throw a 2-3 hour concert. imagine khmer music (can't describe it without sounding bitter, but i will say that it's not really soothing) blasting from somewhere that couldn't have been too close, but sounded as if it were coming from a loudly playing radio in my room. granted, i had to get up at 8:30 to meet up with chantha (she took me shopping - had a good time), but...i don't think people really sleep in on the weekends here.

so yeah, i've been spending time with chantha and phan bun (i realize i actually spelled his name wrong in my previous blog...the khmer language in general is very difficult for me). met up with phan bun and company on saturday after doing some sightseeing at the royal palace. monks aren't really into going out, so we just hung out at their house. actually got to broach the subject of religion, but haven't been able to go much deeper.

p.s. i have pics, but they're all just buildings and sights...no people, cuz i've been sightseeing alone mostly...so sad. ;p