Turning Into a Frog

Linda said that I eat so much frog that I will turn into one. It's true. Not that I will turn into one (I hope), but that I eat a lot. It's actually really good. We go to this little place on the street with tiny stools and tables and eat these deep fried frogs. It's kind of strange actually, as I never imagined myself doing that. They're whole frogs, too. I guess I'm absorbing the culture now. I told her that we have fairy tales in which girls kiss frogs to make them turn into princes. She laughed and said it's different here, that boys who eat too many frogs turn into frogs. She's clever.

There's really not much to report. Work is the same, and I'm getting somewhat restless. Luckily I'll have some time off in December and January. I'm not sure what I want to do afterwards, if it'll be coming back to work at the hospital or exploring other options. I'd really like to get out into the countryside and the more rural provinces, but I'd have to be able to come back into the city. I'm a city boy who likes the country, I think is the best way to describe myself.

It's stopped raining here, and the nights are cooler. They're definitely not cold, but it's pleasant outside when there's a breeze. The days are still hot, though. I've really gotten used to my new house now. It's really close to Linda's house (one block away), so I see her almost every day. Her friend Sros has a car, so the three of us go out several times a week (often for frog).

My Khmer is coming along nicely. I'm hardly studying at all, but I think I've learned a lot, and only in about five weeks' time. If I studied more, I'm sure I would be even better, but I'm enjoying myself too much to spend all my time working or studying.

It's still fascinating to me how a city so busy with activity can have so many people doing absolutely nothing. For example, Linda doesn't do anything during the day except go to school, from about 3:30 to 5:30. I told her to come to the hospital and translate for me. I'd like to do some more patient interviews, and I think she'd be a great translator. She said maybe, but it looked like she might actually give it some consideration.