On Friday we chose a place to live. It’s a telavang – a tall, narrow apartment (or townhouse), three stories high with a rooftop suitable for an urban garden. It’s a concrete box with high ceilings and smooth tile underfoot. It was cool inside as we entered, a good sign that it’s lined up to avoid direct sun. The “quiet” street outside is lined with similar apartments on both sides. It ends at a wall, so cars can’t pass through. A few children played outside. The street is wide, creating a community space that feels open and inviting: room to make friends, laugh, play, and bounce thoughts and prayers outward and upward.
We settled the deal yesterday morning. A trusted Cambodian friend-of-my-friend found the place and handled all the negotiations. He did a great job and earned a commission equal to one month’s rent.
Our requests included: air conditioners in three rooms, small water heaters for two of the showers, screens on windows and openings, and a boost in the electric circuit for the unit (15 amperes to 20 or 30). The owners agreed. We paid six months rent up front, and they will use that money to make the upgrades. This is a great system for renters! In Japan, we would have paid lots of money up front and gotten nothing in return, and we would have to install (and uninstall) air conditioners at our own expense.
It’s standard for owners to pay a commission, even if a friend is helping another friend find a place to live. Some sensitivity is called for if multiple people are helping you find a place to live, because the commission is a significant amount of money for most Cambodians. As a general rule, I learned, it’s best to work with one person who has some experience negotiating with owners.
We can move in any time, starting from August 1st, if we don’t mind them working around us. First, we have to buy the basic necessities. Yesterday, we made our first purchases: a good rice cooker, a pound of coffee, and a coffee press. Next we need: beds, rice, etc. If all goes well, I hope we can move in by Wednesday. The kids start school the following Monday.
The school, by the way, if a five minute walk away. We have to cross one large street (the Dike Road), so we’ll become experts at doing that.
If we walk another five minutes, we’ll come to the Khmer School of Language (KSL). We like KSL, because they offer a balance of conversational Khmer and basic reading and writing. We’ll probably study there for an hour a day, plus practice time and homework.
On Friday, after showering off the dust, I settled down to read a book I’d found laying around: Twelve By Twelve, by William Powers. It’s another man’s perspective on living simply. A former development leader and activist, he wonders if his efforts were all futile. He longs for healing in a hard, flattened world oppressed by greed and despair. He comes from a different faith and perspective, but I can relate with his story and learn from him.
Our new apartment is a world removed from the twelve foot by twelve foot house where William Powers began his journey of renewal. We’ll have a lot more square footage, electricity, and concrete in place of nature…with a garden on top. But I echo his desire to live in a way that truly signals change, with hope that won’t be crushed.
Sorry about the lack of a picture. I’ll post one soon.
