๐๐ก๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ | โ โฝ ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ "๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซโ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐"
travelfeedยท@justinparkeยท
0.000 HBD๐๐ก๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ง ๐
๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ | โ โฝ ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ "๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซโ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐"
<center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center><center><h1>**๐ต๐พ๐ข| ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ |**๐ข๐ต๐พ</h1></center> <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center> <div class="text-justify"> "**Mother Turtle**" (**แแแขแแแแพแ**) is a Cambodian colloquial term for a **matchmaker**. I'll also add something that will give you a window into the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_people">**Khmer**</a> culture: the epic dictionary defintion. When have you ever heard or seen the word "**procuress**" in your life ๐ค? </div> --- <center>**แแแขแแแแพแ** โ "mee สษndaษk"</center> --- - <sub>**1a.** **matchmaker** (*esp. someone who arranges a clandestine or secretive liaison between a girl and boy*); **procuress; pimp**.</sub> - <sub>**1b.** **mediator** / **facilitator in negotiations** (*USAGE: FIGURATIVE*)</sub> <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center><center><h1>**๐ฃ๏ธ | ๐๐๐โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐ข**</h1></center> <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center> <div class="pull-right"> <sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTauyFQWp7eg7wwnkQnR8jjPWJUvXkvYvZBAMBAxhhGiH/DSCN0328.JPG"></a> **My first tie, bye manual labor** ๐</sup> </div> <div class="text-justify"> I arrived in **Cambodia** in 2010 having just turned **27** years old; young, naive and eager to carve out a new and better life for myself. I was uneducated, but ready to turn my life around in a **wild ๐ค west** economy. Having never typed a **resumรฉ** in my life and not even knowing what a **CV** was yet, I attempted to land a job doing what so-called "<a href="https://steemit.com/travelfeed/@justinparke/expat-or-immigrant">**expats**</a>" said was the most abundant work available. I am of course talking about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_as_a_second_or_foreign_language">**ESL**</a> ๐จโ๐ซ teaching jobs. The closest I had come to escaping manual labor in the **USA** was working as a **vegan ๐จโ๐ณ cook**, so I didn't feel capable of teaching. After all this was a job technically **illegal** for me to do in my own country. </div> ___ <div class="pull-left"> <sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTHA1GGe8oupMUg7faa9hkFb7M6foNs2PnD3HwYLbNpak/DSCN0381.JPG"></a> **Barely a teacher, hardly a classroom** ๐</sup> </div> <div class="text-justify"> After every school in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siem_Reap">**Siem Reap**</a> turned me down due to my inexperience teaching, beard and turban ๐ณ๐ปโโ๏ธ, lack of education and horrible CV. I eventually got lucky and landed a job teaching English to <a href="https://www.pavillon-orient-hotel.com/">**Pavillon D'Orient Hotel**</a> **tuk-tuk ๐บ drivers**. The job was brutal; my students were responsible for taking hotel guests on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat">**Angkor Wat**</a> ๐ sunrise photo trips every morning, and we had to conduct lessons just before they departed each day. Due to the student's constraints I had to wake up at **3:30am** โฐ for an 1ยฝ hour round-trip bicycle commute, 5 days a week, for a ๐ฒ**60** per month salary, but it allowed me to stay in Cambodia, rent a ๐ฒ**50** per month studio apartment and not deplete my ๐ฒ**500** life savings. </div> ___ | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcu411QtF2rQfMSrcWPry1siHRBc4b2nQiKkHSVzxWQdM/DSCN0389.JPG"></a> **After-class sports with students** โฝ</sup></center> | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmS4rL8utQU2vgs1knznbU1MUZKHGiBDDYS45LBXe5C5yr/DSCN0394.JPG"></a> **Testing day got serious real quick** ๐๏ธ</sup></center> | |---|---| | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmc3ihsAbEDpyX1R9NSwCq6cd3VWjY4PNCCcenDGqzzndL/Bicycle%20Flood.jpg"></a> **Typical commute to work** ๐ </sup></center> | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZwAtPUEiUcamriaEd4nLvD7UsAvbqAbX2aLrvGXSAesr/P1100193.JPG"></a> **At the Angkor temples** ๐๏ธ๐โธ๏ธ</sup></center> | ___ <div class="text-justify"> Not too many foreigners gladly live under such circumstances in Cambodia, but in my little block of rental rooms, I was surrounded by some very loving people, and a few **meth heads** ๐. My next-door neighbor happened to be a **deportee** from **Rhode Island**. Having left Cambodia when he was only a **baby** ๐ถ๐ฝ, he struggled and learned to adapt to life in a country he barely knew. He had already been in Cambodia 10 years, married a Cambodian woman and fathered 2 children. </div> ___ <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSmRFYMh5p78Np5GBBKvhDjJUeVuxVxWVDhgYAcVAPDc7/DSCN1230.JPG"></a> **My neighbors and future in-laws** (from left: ***Senat***, ***Lux***, ***Seneat*** & ***Nov***) ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง</sup></center> ___ <div class="text-justify"> Because **Nov** was a native English speaker, he and his family were able to help me learn the Cambodian **language** ๐ฃ๏ธ, **customs** ๐ and **culture** ๐ quickly. We all became fast family friends, and I eventually became well-acquainted with many extended family members too. After having some experience and confidence, I gradually landed more higher **paying** ๐ต teaching jobs through the years, and built a pretty good quality of life for myself. I later became a Khmer language **teacher** ๐จโ๐ซ, opened and closed my own **schools** ๐ซ, ran an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ital">**Ital**</a> **restaurant** ๐ฅก, **health food** and **Indian spices ๐ถ๏ธ store**, provided **translation services** and **left** Cambodia for good twice, only to **return**. <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center><center><h1>**๐ช | ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐ข**</h1></center> <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center> </div> <div class="pull-right"> <sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbBnEGHkPHu6oJzz87gXGrdAvRpBSf6LSY8ZngBMANea7/103_0216.JPG"></a> **Mother Turtle herself pictured far right** ๐</sup> </div> <div class="text-justify"> **Lux** pictured in the above photos is the niece of **@Sreypov**, who is now my partner, and hopefully wife ๐ฐ someday if a country will let us marry and immigrate together. Lux's mother is **Sreymom**, aka "**Mother Turtle**" or the "**Procuress**". Sreymom is actually Sreypov's half-sister, with a 20-year age gap between them, and Sreypov was more or less raised by Sreymom. It's a terribly sad story, but Sreypov's mother walked through a **minefield** โ ๏ธ to make it across the **Thai Border** during the **Vietnamese Dry Season Offensive** ๐ฃ. Because of the **war** and **genocide** created by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge">**Khmer Rouge**</a>, anyone born before the mid 1990's usually has a very complicated and tragic life story. **Sreypov** was technically born in **Thailand**, in a **U.N. Refugee Camp** ๐๏ธ known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Site_Two_Refugee_Camp">"**Camp Site Two**"</a>. </div> ___ <div class="pull-left"> <sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYJ3PjNq2U6TgQfFGZviTda5FhtvwsKPynpzAvV8Di1iu/1280px-Houses_in_Nong_Samet.jpg"></a> **Site Two Camp** ๐ฒ <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2c/Houses_in_Nong_Samet.jpg/1280px-Houses_in_Nong_Samet.jpg">(*source*)</a></sup> </div> <div class="text-justify"> Unfortunately for **Sreypov**, the relationship with her mother was quite complicated, and she was neglected quite heavily when her mother **repatriated** back to Cambodia. This is how **Sreypov** came to be raised ๐คฑ by her half-sister, **Sreymom**. I don't **prod** too much into this part of her life, and only know what she has told me. I can say that **Sreypov** didn't receive the same quality of life as **Sreymom** provided her own children, even though they were all under one **roof** ๐ . Well, the strange thing is that somehow, for the 7 years I had already lived in Cambodia, **Sreypov** and **I**'s **paths** never crossed. Even though I knew almost every extended family member of hers, I had never physically come **face to face** ๐ with Sreypov, sometimes missing each other by minutes in various locations through the years. All the time Sreypov was **married** ๐ฐ I fell in and out of **love** ๐ about four times, never able to find that special someone. </div> ___ | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPEtM7cNNz8T4jcKmtxgUJmV9JJaDhrta5DpMrBD3EVBk/P1120727.JPG"></a> **At the Tonle Sap** ๐</sup></center> | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbNa6yJeXpGPqTHKgGXF7fqH4tKme6D44saSaMfvAQc8v/103_0285.JPG"></a> ***Senat*** **&** ***Seneat*** **relaxing** โฑ๏ธ</sup></center> | |---|---| | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXo5q1nntA1puQZgdCf8ircSewwAh7dfFKZckeRg5nhtt/IMG_0035.JPG"></a> **@Sreypov before we met** ๐ฅฌ</sup></center> | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmeoWCv3MLnXzme9eycpQ3gsd7MeZXab7yNsdE94Ksy5DM/103_0212.JPG"></a> ***Lux*** **w/ brother, nephew** ๐ค</sup></center> | ___ <div class="pull-left"> <sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUuZWEYAfRTUhYM9yL7nxHzZ9RNiweJYgcJgYYJrVmefL/IMG_0030.JPG"></a> ***Sreymom*** **& @Sreypov** ๐ผ๏ธ</sup> </div> <div class="text-justify"> **Lux** and her mother **Sreymom** became trusted confidants in very short time. Eventually a day came when I was single and had **given up** ๐ on relationships, and **Sreypov** was single too, having separated from her husband after a meth-related **arrest** ๐ฎ. This is where mother-turtling comes into play now, because you see, there isn't a culture of **dating** in Cambodia, at least the way we know it the west anyways. Traditionally families select a **prospective partner** for their daughter or son. They are then allowed to go on a handful of awkward heavily chaperoned dates before having to make a **decision** ๐ฐ about marriage, and in some cases not even having the freeedom to choose. It makes it awfully hard to get to know your prospective partner in the Khmer culture. Now that you understand this, know that **Lux** decided **Sreypov** and I would be a good fit, and started plotting a way for us to meet within the framework of **cultural norms**. </div> ___ <div class="pull-right"> <a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdJTNumTcjry2Tzf5T3yfBUudxZV8YBymFQ6JUPyfSxMe/IMG_0135.JPG"></a><sup> **@Sreypov was not initially impressed** ๐ โโ๏ธ</sup> </div> <div class="text-justify"> A **plan** was **hatched** ๐ฃ that several family members would take Sreypov and I on a **vacation** ๐ด as a way to get know each other. Without even having a **picture** ๐ of **Sreypov** first, I agreed fully to the plan. I hadn't had any luck arranging my own relationships anyways. All family members assured me **Sreypov** already knew I was **poor** ๐ธ, **bearded** ๐ง, **vegan** ๐ฅ and also had a "**strange religion** ๐" as they worded it. None of these things apparently put off Sreypov from agreeing to meet me and join in on the **vacation introduction experiment** ๐งช. I traveled from the opposite corner of the country on the southeast **Vietnam** border to the northwest of **Cambodia**, meeting Sreypov's extended family members in **Siem Reap** before heading out to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battambang">**Battambang**</a> to meet **Sreypov**. </div> ___ | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSsTDjZEseCzUxiv14sDA66NsZ6Fh5xXyQn269iQntCtV/First%20Picture.jpg"></a> **Our first picture together** ๐ค</sup></center> | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmV3pgBsUpoLaQQQ3XiaMmtjsn51vUp6bJTxcPYUHrHdQ6/Success.jpg"></a> **Successfully turtled** ๐ฅฐ</sup></center> | |---|---| ___ <div class="text-justify"> We stayed a night in **Battambang** together, all 8 of us sharing a three-bed **guesthouse room** ๐จ in typical Cambodian fashion. **Sreypov** was very **timid** ๐ฌ in the beginning, so I spent the days getting to know her **daughters**. We then headed to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pailin_Province">**Pailin**</a> where we all stayed at a local **resort** ๐ฉ, but this time **Sreypov** and I were made to share a **bungalow** together with her daughters. Sreypov and I had our first heart to heart **real conversation** ๐ฃ๏ธ on the stoop that night after **Sakana** and **Srey Yuu** had fallen **asleep** ๐ค. On the morning of the second day, to our **surprise**, Sreypov's **chaperones** ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ (extended family) decided to head back to **Siem Reap** without us. </div> ___ | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcfxY1uNvTAeVFU9cHVqJyKyNrM9NqgpDRwJranEvxrHD/IMG_0146.JPG"></a> **A happy** ***Seneat*** ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ</sup></center> | <center><sup><a href="https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQQ1PB2fTCDSLBzpnR99wb1dxPT2KR3s6Y6UPVro54hXe/IMG_0147.JPG"></a> ***Lux*** **-The real Mother Turtle** ๐ฏ</sup></center> | |---|---| <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center><center><h1>**๐ | ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐ฅ**</h1></center> <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center> <div class="text-justify"> In the end **Sreypov** wasn't **pimped** ๐จ๐ฝโ๐ฆฏ or anything weird as the dictionary definition of **mother-turtling** suggests. It's mostly rather harmless **matchmaking**. They simply considered all the years I had **lived** in the country, the amount of **culture** and **language** I knew, how much I had **helped** this family, how much they **trusted** me, the fact Sreypov was a **single mom**, and decided to give us some time to get to know each other alone. <center><sup><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568338511/IMG_1365_rt8oou.jpg"></a> **Failed attempt at picnic** ๐ช๏ธ</sup><center> This is really **rare** ๐ in the Cambodian culture by the way. We only stayed at the resort for one more day, and used the time to get know each other. From there it's a whole other **story** ๐ฎ I'll save for another day. But we went back to our separate towns and lives, and would **reunite** ๐ค๐ป nearly 4 months later to **start** our lives **together**, **no regrets**. In the end I guess it's clear **Sreymom's** daughter **Lux** was the real **Mother Turtle**, but because of **culture** and **hierarchy**, we give **full credit** ๐ณ to **Sreymom**. After all, without her giving our **love** approval, it wouldn't have been allowed. </div> <center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center><center>**THANKS FOR READING**</center><center>**Please tell me what you think of this story in the comments below.**</center><center>**If you like it, please upvote and resteem.**</center><center>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</center><center><sup>**I SUPPORT**</sup></center><center><sup><a href="https://travelfeed.io/">**Travelfeed.io**</a> โ **@travelfeed** โ **@ecotrain** โ **@vegansofsteemit** โ **@steembasicincome**</sup></center><center><sup>https://res.cloudinary.com/duoeqhxif/image/upload/v1568153480/Mother_Turtle_Border_cfgjlq.jpg</sup></center> [//]:# (!steemitworldmap 13.1006 lat 103.2 long d3scr)
๐ sreypov, tenkminnows, steemcommunity, mountainjewel, newageinv, slobberchops, goblinknackers, misterengagement, scoobysnacks, turtlemode, votes4minnows, trenz, ivan-perez-anies, anomaly, aleister, acidyo, cryptouno, teamcn-shop, kreesher, ericetchen, arcange, sbdraffle, matildamoment, redpalestino, nirgendwo, raphaelle, stealthywolfxli, steevc, roleerob, canadian-coconut, galberto, mildredcat, laissez-faire, amy-goodrich, skramatters, webdeals, yehey, pinoy, tashidelek, filipino, plantstoplanks, tamaralovelace, lenasveganliving, curangel, emrebeyler, epicdice, dpoll.witness, abitcoinskeptic, havtorn, joshman, for91days, travelfeed, riche-gould, justdentist, rimicane, exploreand, fromheart, criticker, ivansnz, cheese4ead, jpphoto, teamawesome, steem2wls, crypt0wid0w, ashlinpv, lizanomadsoul, milkabustamante, silenteyes, qrwizard, rebeccaontheroof, gabrielatravels, itsben, wanderlass, kinggamero, frejafri, niouton, aktivsoul, dikkie, perfspots, pl-travelfeed, jlievano, manncpt, jnmarteau, steem-hikers, steem-hikers-pl, opt2o, archetypal, lynxialicious, alexalaszuk, payger, ideamachine, pizzajohn, yumleadership, ultrabiker, mk-photo-token, smeralda, kara65, invisusmundi, kamile, farmerthaiteam, vintageee, steemorchard, lotterythai, thescubageek, rayshiuimages, justineh, likwid, berniesanders, ngc, sirvotesalot, z8teyb289qav9z, thecyclist, nextgencrypto, llfarms, adamada, yestermorrow, circa, oscarliam, adonisabril, dboontje, macoolette, elsaenroute, bobinson, hashbrownhustla, minatubo, swolesome, gambit.coin, piligrim, flashfiction, used-lessboy, promoteus, jayo, senorcoconut, haydae, mindscapephotos, alinabarbu, celestialcow, uasteem, neutr0nic, theseahorse, spuutim, yadeshina, tolaramazan, smf37, evanpetzer, pushpedal, pannapysia, jpphotography, jppal, oheyo, joshmania, justinparke,