Category: Maryknoll

This is the dining room in the “new” Maryknoll office we moved into a week ago. This used to be the kitchen (see the water pipe still sticking out of the wall beside the microwave) but for some reason they moved the kitchen through the door and outside, under just a tin roof. We used to keep this window and door open but found rats can enter the outdoor kitchen and then hop through this window and door into the dining room and the rest of the house.

This is the kitchen now, outside. Notice the door with no glass or screen so that cats and rodents can easily come in. There is enough room for them to squeeze under the door if they don’t want to jump through the door.

This is a window on the side wall of the now dining room. We asked the landlord to put screens on the windows and he did. They are plastic screens and as soon as the first rat heard we had moved in, he chewed through the plastic (see the corner) and started going through the food in the dining room. As a consequence we now keep the windows closed and locked.

To try and reduce our rodent problem, I have set a rat trap in the now kitchen, hoping to catch whatever might come under the door in the background.

Because we have always rented our Maryknoll office rather than buy land (difficult for foreigners in Cambodia) and because our numbers have changed, we have moved quite a bit. 2021 will be remembered as one of the years we made a move. Click here for some scenes from the action.

Finally the big moving day arrived. We recruited our motordupe and tuk-tuk drivers to help out for the day, and then all that rattan furniture went on to the big of a rented truck.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 25th, there may not be a posting here on the website because I’m not sure how soon and how easily I will be able to set up everything in the new place. Also, although we ordered in advance, I don’t know if the wi-fi will be installed and ready to go. See you Thursday for sure!

Tomorrow is moving day for Maryknoll Cambodia. On Wednesday we move from our old office on Street 320 to a smaller building. So far this week we have been packing and gathering furniture. It’s interesting to note how much of our furniture is rattan, the choice of foreigners because it’s light and easy to move and not so expensive.

Preparation for moving continues: Today I worked on the bookcase in my room (the door behind me). I went through all the books and sorted out those I want to take with me, those that I will give to the seminary here, and those that will just be given away or discarded (as much as I hate to throw out books). I have a dream (fantasy?) that some day I will actually be able to retire and read some of the books I’m taking with me. It’s HOT upstairs where I’m working!

Russ Brine has been with us as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner for five years and worked at the Deaf Development Programme. Now he is finishing his time in Cambodia and relocate to Kenya where he worked before. Tonight we said goodbye to him at a Maryknoll Cambodia liturgy which was also the last one we will have in our present office.

Maryknoll is moving to a different office building in August and today we went through the house with the landlords to check for need repairs and changes. Here Sr. Regina calculates whether our dining room table will fit into this space. It does.

Maryknoll Cambodia has been looking for another office. One shophouse we checked out today had this audio room on the second floor. All Cambodian buildings in the cities are made of concrete and terrazzo floors, and the noise level and echoes are terrible. Apparently a previous audiophile occupant of this house fitted out this small room with carpeting (unheard of in Cambodia) and padded walls to create a quiet listening environment for a discerning ear. First time I’ve seen anything like that in Cambodia.