Cats, cats, everywhere

Okay, so these pictures are just random shots of Phnom Penh and nothing to do with cats. (Picture of yummy fried crickets and some of the finer PP architecture)

These wily creatures are hard to catch on film. However, they seem to be haunting me in all aspects of my day to day existence. Feral cats run rampant in Phnom Penh and most of them are missing a significant portion of their tail. I can only assume it is from some back alley, cut-throat tomcat rumble.
I'm not bothered by the missing tails so much as the ear-splittingly loud crys these suckers make on a regular basis. They seem to congregate in the trees outside my office and make such loud wails that it is hard to concentrate. I assume they are all in heat as cats do not get spayed in Cambodia, even the ones with good homes. Apparently it is very un-Buddhist to take away the opportunity to procreate, even in animals.

My office tried to take up a collection to spay the main offender who struts around our courtyard like she owns the place, but many of the Khmer staff were offended by the idea and refused to be a party to it. Who knew that spaying was so bad? What would Bob Barker say to this? Maybe he needs to get his retired ass over here to help with the feral cat problem.

Yesterday, while lying in shivasana (sp?) after a long day, and an intense 90 minutes of yoga, hoping for a quick cat nap (pun intended), our peaceful existence was shattered by such an intense wailing that you thought bloody murder was being committed. SE Asia can be quite an assault on the senses, usually smells and noises, but I never thought that I would be taunted and haunted by wailing cats.

Working internationally

Family and friends keep asking me what is it like to live and work in Cambodia? My initial response is always that it is a rollercoaster. Prior to moving to Cambodia, I have lived in a few countries for short stints, but now I’ve traded in my bathing suit for a business suit and moved from the diving board to the board room.

Working in an international office offers more challenges than the usual I dislike my boss issue or the they don’t appreciate me complaint or the typical water cooler drama. One big problem is not understanding what my coworkers are saying. Granted, English is the language of the office and I certainly cannot speak the local language, Khmer, but I am having a hard time adjusting to the local accent and word choice. I feel pretty stupid repeating my questions when the person with whom I’m speaking feels certain they’ve already answered my question.

Another challenge is that the laws I’m referencing in my day to day work have been translated at least once if not two or three times. To say something gets lost in translation is a definite understatement. Law school teaches you that every word is important and to be exact. Having a rough translation with many grammatical errors throws that learning out the window. Let’s add to the mix one of the newest legal systems around with many areas still not addressed by law, and no real precedent upon which to draw. It makes for interesting and frustrating days. Patience is my mantra.