PhilAnd

Decouvres Kishasa, alias spoznaj svoje mesto

2009-10-19T20:09:00.004+02:00

Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville) is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as Zaire from 1971 to 1997. The city is located on the Congo River. Kin has population of 10,076,099 inhabitants in 2009. Kinshasa ties with Johannesburg for the status of the 2nd largest city in sub-Saharan Africa and the 3rd largest in the whole continent after Lagos and Cairo.
It is often considered the 2nd largest francophone city in the world after Paris. Residents of Kinshasa are known as Kinois (French) or Kinshasans (English). Kinshasa is a city of sharp contrasts, with affluent residential and commercial areas and three universities coexisting side by side with sprawling slums.
It is located along the south bank of the Congo River, directly opposite the city of Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo. This is the only place in the world where two national capital cities are on opposite banks of a river, in sight of each other.
A small intro for photos from our hometown, thank you wikipedia. For more photo click on the subject line.

Sucrerie

2009-10-01T21:04:00.002+02:00

Je to zaujimave miesto. Postavene velmi davno, niekedy v20tych rokoch minuleho storocia. Prisli sme akurat ked sa zbierala cukrova trstina. Predtym sa vsak spalila a nechala den na poli, aby viac zreagovala abola este cukrovatejsia :). Okolo pola vidno kopu chlapcov ktory sa snazili chytit male zivocichy ako napriklad mysi co utekali z pola, na veceru...

V okoli je postavene mestecko, kde predtym byvali bieli pani. Cele mestecko je privatne len k fabrike, s normalnym mestom vedla nema nic spolocne. Vsetko ma samostatne, restauraciu, bazen, nemocicu, skolu...a dreveny bowling. Este dnes tu zije par belochov, ale vacsinu tvoria konzania, ktori maju manazerske pocty vo fabrike. Co je super. Nie az take dobre bolo ze vlastne svojich pracovnikov mierne vyuzivaju. Toto je jedina praca vsirokom okoli ktoru mozu dostat a placa je mizerna. I ked uz pracuju, neexistuju ziadne bezpecnostne opatrenia. Zostali uz len stare napisy na stenach. Manazement tvrdi ze je to drahe.
Uz ostava si len pozriet fotky paci sa - click on the title to see the Picasa album

Násilnosti páchané na ženách v Kongu (DRC)

2009-06-11T18:31:00.004+02:00

Neustále sa v správach ukazujú čísla koľko ľudí bolo zastrelených, koľko domov vypálených či vyrabovaných, koľko nových prípadov interne (v rámci krajiny) vysťahovaných ľudí, koľko znásilnených žien, či sa opäť šíri v utečeneckom tábore nejaká choroba a pod. Dôvody týchto činov sú celkom známe.
Vojna, chudoba, nevzdelanosť, utrpenie. Vojna je len na východe krajiny, ale ostatné faktory ovplyvňujú celu krajinu.
Tieto faktory menia ľudí na zvery, kde si už ostatných vôbec nevážia a nepovažujú za rovnocenných. Samozrejme, to mám na mysli najmä vojakov a rebelov participujúcich denne na týchto zločinoch (CNDP a FDLR vojaci), no bohužiaľ i oficiálni konžskí vojaci sú aktívni a pritom ich úlohou je obyvateľstvo ochraňovať...
Po čase tieto hrozivé čísla však človek prestane vnímať akoby naozaj mal. Už nevidno jednotlivé príbehy a osudy ľudí, čísla narastajú každý deň do výšok. Panuje tu skôr beznádej, nevidno reálne východisko či možnosť zmeny. A preto je dobre z času na čas, aby sa našli ľudia ktorí prekonajú strach a prídu pred veľké obecenstvo a vyrozprávajú svoj strašidelný príbeh.

Ja som sa rozhodla napísať Vám tento email, pretože som si minulú sobotu vypočula 5 príbehov. 5 konžských žien našlo odvahu prehovoriť a priblížiť nám realitu nielen cez čísla ale cez ich konkrétne, ukrutné príbehy. 5 konžských žien ktoré boli znásilnené a zneužité neuveriteľným neľudským spôsobom. Tie príbehy boli hrozivé, nikto v sále sa neudržal aby nevyronil slzu či ich veľké more. Zočí voči sa už nedá skryt či ujsť spred faktov a pocitu zúfalstva. A to bolo cieľom, nech sa ľudia z vyšších postov, kde sa robia dôležité rozhodnutia, opäť vrátia spať mysľou k tým komu v konečnom dôsledku pomáhajú a nech sa zmena udeje čím skôr. Lebo situácia je vážna a nezastavuje sa to.

Ženy, ktoré sa stávajú obetami, sú nielen znásilnene väčšinou pred zrakmi svojich deti alebo skupinke militantov ktorí sa postupne prestriedajú, ale sú aj psychické týrané. Ženu nútia opakovať rôzne potupné a degradujúce vyhlásenia, držia ju spútanú alebo v náročných pozíciách, neustále ju bijú, lámu kosti alebo inak týrajú a opakujú že je nič, len jedlom pre všetkých mužov tohto sveta, že nemá pravo na život ako ľudská bytosť. Ak je žena znásilnená, často to nebýva len raz. Už je „špinavá“ a tak i počas cesty do nemocnice sa stane že ju niekoľkonásobne opäť znásilnia. Zdravotné a psychické následky sú enormné.

Násilník dobre vie že žene ničí život, že bude vylúčená z komunity, že ju manžel opusti a vezme so sebou deti, že ostane úplne sama, bez financií či strechy nad hlavou... Aj takto sa darí rebelom udržiavať vojnu a nepravosti v krajine, a podporujú ich nárast. Popri znásilnení militanti často vyrabujú domácnosť a zabijú pred očami matky a ostatných deti na vystrašenie najmladšie z detí, brutálnym spôsobom. Popritom opakujú že to všetko je ženina vina.

Ako sa asi cíti tato žena po takomto útoku? ...

Ďalším častým príkladom, už viac tolerovanej formy znásilnenia je znásilnenie v domácnosti vlastným manželom. Veľa žien netuší čo to znamená, veď je to jej vlastný muž a tým pádom má právo na čo chce, kedy chce. Tak sú vychovávané. Ešte veľa treba urobiť v Kongu aby sa zmenila táto hrozná realita.

Násilníci v Kongu nerobia vekové rozdiely, reportované sú prípady znásilnenia starých babičiek i maloletých dievčat (posledný prípad bolo 4ročné dievčatko). Tu už zástava rozum a človek sa už ani nevládze pýtať prečo...

Ako môže takto postihnutá žena ďalej žiť bez pomoci? Úloha priam nemožná. Našťastie existujú manželia ktorí neopustia svoje ženy, ktorí s ňou bojujú a pomôžu, v dobrom i zlom, tak ako si to sľúbili v kostole. Niekde pomáhajú neziskové organizácie, no často je žena so svojim problémom a zdravotnými komplikáciami sama, týmto aktom stratila svoj život. Osobne ich obdivujem že vládzu bojovať ďalej.

Ľudia v Kongu sú už z vojny a z chudoby veľmi unavení. Zdá sa že vláda, MONUC (mierové jednotky OSN, ktorých je v krajine 17tisic), či agentúry OSN nerobia dostatočné kroky. Vidina dosť pesimistická. Dokým sa však tieto násilnosti nezastavia, nezastaví sa ani pomoc, zdravotnícka asistencia či postupne vzdelávanie. Mávnuť rukou nemožno, treba vydržať. Ani týchto žien sa nikto nepýtal, či majú záujem zúčastniť sa...

Only in Kinshasa

2009-05-31T20:56:00.001+02:00

Les Congolais ont beaucoup d'humour et d'imagination : la preuve en image, avec ce sachet vide d'eau purifiée, intitulée "Eau Bama".
Et pourquoi pas un restaurant ou un hotel appelé "Au Bama" ?

Au delà de cette boutade, les petits sachets d'eau pure posent un vrai problème pour l'environnement, puisqu'il n'y a pas de poubelles dans Kinshasa. Donc vous vous doutez bien qu'une fois le précieux liquide avalé, le sachet tombe sur le sol comme les feuilles en automne.

Petite info, un sachet d'eau purifiée coute environ 50 francs congolais(FC). 800FC = 1$

Authentic report: Gomo Gomo game lodge, experience in Kruger Park, South Africa

2009-05-30T19:10:00.001+02:00

We have arrived in the lodge. Even though we were late they gave us great quick lunch and within half an hour we were heading for the first game drive, as they call here a drive on an accustomed jeep through the jungle while tracking animals.
It’s actually a drive through the Kruger Park, and it’s amazing. Sometimes you can’t find anything and then suddenly you have elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, and other animals in great numbers just in front of you. It is possible to watch them from such a close distance, that it can get scary. The animals are usually checking you out and do not really attack the vehicle. But to be sure, the tracker has always a gun with him. Over all, he is more respecting that the park belongs to the animals and we are not allowed to interfere. The gun was only for case if a hyena would like to attack...but unfortunately we didn't find one.
After some hours of driving and watching, which just fly away, they stop somewhere and you have the time to drink a sun-downer and enjoy the amazing colors which only Africa can offer. Sky full of beautiful colors, it’s amazing. I still can’t believe I am really here and this is happening to us!! But it is.
Tonight on the drive back home in the dark, we were lucky (crazy is a better word to describe this situation) and we met a couple of lions on their rendezvous. They didn’t enjoy our company as much as we did. Only instruction was not to perform any quick movements when a lion will come closer to us. First he had a small walk around us, to check us out, but since we didn’t do anything, (people were scared, hardly breathing) he just walked his way and we stared to breathe again… It was amazing experience!!! Lion and his lady a meter from us on their walk in the eve… whaw whaw whaw… It’s very exciting but we have to get to bed soon, since the wake up call is at 5:30am, just for another great drive with loads of animals...

http://www.gomogomo.co.za/frameset.html

Photos Mbombo Lumene

2009-03-12T19:05:00.001+01:00

DRC, countryside, maybe the most beautiful and green in Afrika (but actually this is my first African country, so I can't be so objective). Bombo lumene is about 120km from the capital. Enjoy ;)

P.S.click on the title to see the Picasa album

Happy Valentine's day ala Congo

2009-02-14T10:48:00.004+01:00

Valentine's day is celebrated all around the world.
Here are the congolese rules to celebrate this for me very unpopular holiday.

You have to be dressed in red and black - red shirt, black trousers, red socks and matching underwear.
You have to call your partner all day long my valentine. and of course, you must give a gift. otherwise its not true love...

what do you think? the power of business all around us...

Afrika-prve zazitky

2009-02-13T18:08:00.002+01:00

Afrika...stale troska neviem kde som. Prvy kulturny sok mi pripravili etiopske baby na letisku. Este v polospanku som sa vybrala na toalety (na Slovensku 4rano, tu uz vsak 7rano). A ja som si to namiesto najblizsej priamo zamierila rovno do tej najdalej. Ked som vstupila, pozrelo sa namna asi 7 zien, bolo tam uplne plno. Mlade, usmiate, do pol pasa vyzlecene Etiopanky. Ked ma zbadali hned ma volali ze nech sa pridam, nech sa nebojim. A ja som do toho isla a aj s mojimi batozinami som sa tam vtlacila. Nie do pol pasa, ale len tam byt s nimi. :) Zeny prisli do prace a pred nou sa poriadne vyumyvali. Bol to skvely zazitok, citila som sa s nimi fajn! Mali fajn anglictinu, a tak sme aj troska pokecali a polka sa s radostou navonala aj mojou vonavkou. Jedna hrozne chcela cokoladu, fakt mi bolo luto ze ziadnu nemam. Hlavne som vsak premyslala nad tym, ze asi toto je jedine miesto kde sa dostanu k cistej vode. A opat ma napadlo ako u nas doma splachujeme WC pitnou vodou!!
Adis Ababa sme opustili s meskanim, lebo pol hodinu nechcel naskocit pravy motor. Ale asi sa pan sediaci zamnou dostatocne modlil, tak sme nakoniec aj odleteli i doleteli. Kongo DRC je z vysky velmi pekna, hrozne zelena krajina. Letisko male a stare, ale aj tam to maju v podstate dobre zorganizovane. Este pred vstupnou halou sa skontroluje ci mate viza a ockovanie zltej zimnice. Bez toho nie ste vpusteny ani do budovy!! Kontrola je bez problemov. Najzabavnejsia cast je ziskanie vlastnej batoziny. Drzte si pevne listok, inak sa s nou z budovy nedostanete!! Je tam dost chaos, vonku sa vsetci hadaju, a tak to moze byt troska vycerpavajuce, najma po dlhej ceste. Nie je raritou ze ludia behaju po beziacom pase pre batozinu, obcas niekto prenikne az von a s usmevom bezi s nejakym kufrom prec. Jedna pani sa snazila vedla mna zufalo zastavit chlapika co bral prec jej krabice. Vela ludi sa smeje, vela krici, vela sa hada. Sranda velika. Super vstupna brana do konga :)
Dnes som absolvovala prvu „prehliadku“ mesta. Zda sa ze vsetko dolezite je na skoro jednej kope, hlavne v strede mesta. Chodci tu chodia ako blazni, doslova skacu pod auto. Na kazdej vacsej krizovatke stoji policajt v takej vyvysenej zeleznej konstrukcii a riadi rucne dopravu, svetla som este nevidela ale pocula som ze dvojo v meste maju. Trosku mam problem komunikovat. Miestny miesaju lingalu a francuzstinu. Je to handicap, od pondelka drilujem so Jean Claudom francuzstinu a mozno neskor aj lingalu. Je tu hrozna chudoba. Netreba byt extra odbornikom aby to clovek videl. Obydlie, osatenie, praca na ulici, a pod. Poulicne deti, postihnuti, i dalsi stale klopkaju na okno auta a ziadaju o peniaze. Ludia sa snazia predavat vsetko, najdete tu okrem bezneho predavaca vody aj napriklad predavaca stieracov na auta (ten ma extra zaujal). Pisem to ako mix, ale presne take su moje jedno-dnove zazitky z Konga.

Bratislava dnes

2009-01-28T16:56:00.001+01:00

Tak takéto hnusné počasie tu už veľmi dlho nebolo...neviem ako pre iných ľudí, ale ja mám presne z tohto depresie. Sneží, ale tesne predtým akoby sneh mohol krajinu zmeniť na niečo krásne biele a romantické, tak sa roztopí. Takže vlastne prší. A do toho pofukuje a ľudia sú zamračení.

Áno, presne takto si pamätám zimu na Slovensku.

Radosť byť doma!

Khmer Rouge

2008-10-19T22:21:00.002+02:00

To understand a nation, you need to know its history.

Genocide museum – TUOL SLENG – former Khmer Rouge S-21 prison

 Established in May 1976,
 for all opposing Angkar (the revolution party),
 covers area of 400x600 meters,
 4 school buildings used as administration, interrogation and torture offices,
 sub-unit working for Angkar in the prison were children from 10-15 years old,
 number of killed human beings here - more than 12.000,
 all within 3 years...

The security regulation number 6: While getting lashes or electrification you must not cry at all.

The Khmer Rouge officials: "It is better to arrest ten people by mistake than to left one guilty person go free."

It is estimated that as many as 500.000 people were excecuted for crimes against revolution and the state. People with experiences or skills desappeared. Some victims were burried alive. Nearly everyone who was known as educated was killed. No one dared to wear glasses or speak foreign language, that was a sign that they were educated. Who wanted to survive, had to pretend to be illiterate.

"ANGKAR invites you to go for further education." was official invitation for imprisonment or direct execution whether or not they had actually commited a crime.

Wedding was a waste of time and no help in producing rice. Mass weddings were therefore established. Each couple was chosen by Angkar. The main purpose of the Khmer wedding was not to form family units but produce children who could serve the revolution.

The braid of barbed wires was preventing the desperate victims from commiting suicide.

In January 1979, the Vietnamese officially captured Phnom Penh and the People's Republic of Kampuchea was created. Thus the three year, eight month and twenty day Khmer Rouge reign of terror had officially ended...The strugle for Cambodians however went on. Dealing with famine, poverty and diseases and trying to find any information about their missing relatives and beloved ones was bringing further pain and horror. The Khmer Rouge was still present, very strong in some of the regions of Cambodia, conducting raids on towns, villages and homes, killing again innocent civilians into late 1990s.

The Khmer Rouge regime officially ended with the Vietnamese capture of Phnom Penh. But the Khmer Rouge left behind an uneducated and unskilled society, a displaced and traumatize nation, a population of 70% women, many widowed, a countryside full with landmines that even today continue to criple or kill. It will take generations to heal.

THE NEW REGIME
poem by Sarith Pou

No religious rituals.
No religious symbols.
No furtune tellers.
No traditional healers.
No paying respect to elders.
No social status. No titles.

No education. No training.
No school. No learning.
No books. No library.
No sience. No technology.
No pens. No paper.

No currency. No bartering.
No buying. No selling.
No begging. No giving.
No purses. No wallets.

No human rights. No liberty.
No courts. No judges.
No laws. No attorneys.

No comminication.
No public transportation.
No private transportation.
No travelling. No mailing.
No inviting. No visiting.
No faxes. No telephones.

No social gatherings.
No chitchatting.
No jokes. No laughter.
No music. No dancing.

No romance. No flirting.
No fornicifation. No dating.
No wet dreaming.
No masturbation.
No naked sleepers.
No bathers.
No nakendness in showers.
No love songs. No love letters.
No affection.

No marrying. No divorcing.
No martial conflicts. No fighting.
No profanity. No cursing.

No shoes. No sandals.
No toothbrushes. No razors.
No combs. No mirrors.
No lotion. No make up.
No long hair. No braids.
No jewelery.
No soap. No detergent. no shampoo.
No knitting. No embroidering.
No colored clothes, except black.
No styles, except pyjamas.
No wine. No palm sap hooch.
No lighters. No cigarettes.
No morning coffee. No afternoon tea.
No snacks. No desserts.
No breakfast (sometimes no dinner)

No mercy. No forgiveness.
No regret. No remorse.
No second chancecs. No excuses.
No complaints. No grievances.
No help. No favours.
No eyeglasses. No dental treatment.
No vaccines. No medicines.
No hospitals. No doctors.
No disabilities. No social diseases.
No tuberculosis. No leprosy.

No kites. No marbles. No rubber bands.
No cookies. No popside. No candy.
No playing. No toys.
No lullabies.
No rest. No vacations.
No holidays. No weekends.
No games. No sports.
No staying up late.
No newspaper.

No radio. No TV.
No drawing. No painting.
No pets. No pictures.
No electricity. No lamp oil.
No clocks. No watches.

No hope. No life.
A third of the population didn't survive.
The regime died.

source: tuol sleng museum, Phnom Penh

Lightning Kills More Cambodians Than Landmines

2008-09-23T13:29:00.005+02:00

...abstract from an article...

In Cambodia, lightning strikes are deadlier than landmines, according to figures from the National Committee for Disaster Management and the Cambodia Mine Victim Information System.
The lightning toll is especially high this year. According to Ros Sovann, an NCDM adviser, lightning has killed 77 Cambodians in 2008 so far. In Pursat province alone, lightning has killed 21 this year.
In contrast, landmines killed only nine Cambodians in the period from January to July 2008, according to Chhiv Lim, project manager at CMVIS.
While Cambodia hosts a wide range of organizations devoted to landmine safety, there has been no widespread, effective campaign to teach Cambodians accurate lightning safety and recovery information.

The Cambodia Daily, September 15, 2008
full article can be found here

From Phnom Penh to Kinshasa, Transit in France: 2nd Part / De Phnom Penh à Kinshasa, transit en France : 2ème partie

2008-09-19T16:27:00.003+02:00

2/Fashion in Paris

I don't know what happened to France while I've been away (not even mentioning the Presidential elections), but I don't understand anything about French fashion anymore, if I ever did.
For those who are not living there, try to imagine. If you are a woman it will be even easier: take the longest T-shirt (or pull over) you, or your husband, your brother, or even your son has. It's so long that you can actually sleep with it.
Don't anymore, it would be a waste for the whole humanity. Put it on (yes, to go out): you are trendy!
Apart from wearing underwear don't put anything else, especially no belt. It's loose? Great. It's very loose? Perfect!
Put boots to it, and You've understood Paris' fashion nowadays.
Some are adding cut pantyhose to it, to make it worse. I meant, to make it better...

---------------

This website anticipated it probably the first!
Ce site web a été probablement le premier à anticiper la tendance !

2/ La mode à Paris

Je ne sais pas ce qu'il est arrivé à la France pendant que je n'étais pas là, (je ne parle même pas des élections présidentielles) mais je ne comprends plus rien à la mode dans ce pays, si tant est que j'y ai jamais compris quoi que ce soit. Pour ceux qui n'y habitent pas, tentez d'imaginer. Si vous êtes une femme, ce sera encore plus facile : prenez le plus long T-shirt (ou pull over) que vous, votre mari, votre frère, ou même votre fils ait. Il est si long que vous pouvez dormir avec. Ne le faites plus, ce serait un gâchis pour l'humanité entière. Mettez le (oui oui, pour sortir...) : vous êtes tendance! Hormis vos sous vêtements, ne mettez rien d'autre, et surtout pas de ceinture. C'est ample ? Bien. Très large ? Parfait ! Ajoutez y une paire de bottes, et vous avez tout compris de la mode à Paris en ce moment. Pire, enfin, je veux dire : mieux, certaines ajoutent à cela une paire de collants coupés...

From Phnom Penh to Kinshasa, Transit in France: 1st Part / De Phnom Penh à Kinshasa, transit en France: 1ère Partie

2008-09-16T06:35:00.004+02:00

1/Reverse Cultural Shock

You don't really expect to have a cultural shock when you are coming back to your own country. I was betting on how long it would take me to recover from the jet lag, to remember how to drive a vehicle that has more than 2 wheels, to put more than two layers on my body...
In fact I realized that I've forgotten some cultural automatic reflexes, or replaced them by Cambodian ones...

Let me give you some examples:

I was supposed to have an appointment somewhere in Paris, for my future job (btw: I won't talk about it on this blog). I was half an hour early, so I decided to spend some time in a nice "café", read a book on Congo, enjoy an espresso...
In Cambodia, as soon as you touch the door, if the restaurant has any, someone is taking care of you, and often, many waiters and waitress are running up and down the restaurants like bees... In this particular café, I was quite surprised not to notice any waiter at first sight. So I decided to sit at a table... Nothing... I grabbed the menu, knowing already that I wanted a coffee, so as to put it back ostentatiously in front of me, hoping to see someone, at somepoint, being somehow interested in serving me something...
Well, after 5, or 10 minutes, I thought: "nevermind, I'm here to kill 20 minutes", and started to read my book until someone, eventually came...

Gesture... That's the worst...

Looking bored and unhappy like anybody in the subway was surprisingly not really difficult... Until someone smiles or looks curiously at everybody else... I decided not to work too much on this part of French (but not only) culture... I didn't miss it that much...
Worse were asian politness gestures. To give everything with two hands, is still hard not to do. You cannot imagine how people can look at you in a weird way when you give a 5 euros note with two hands, or even a visit card!

Technology/innovation...and what people do with it...

In Cambodia, you don't have any voice message. You can finish your conversation politely with someone, and then answer your phone. You can safely park your motorbike, car, bicycle, tuk-tuk, cyclo, on the side of the road, or finish to shew what you have in your mouth.
But Europe, the US etc... (the "Western" countries) are driven by immediacy.
You need to answer your phone before the 4th ring. So you need to be rude with the person you are physically in contact with, you need to park in a hurry, or to swallow the food in your mouth like a snake, so as to answer before the voice messaging system take over.
If you don't, in a modern society, you're a looser. You lost the call. No second chance. You need to wait until your contact, hopefully, finishes to leave you a voice message (if you try to call back, at the same time, you will access your contact's answering machine, and it will be an endless story...).

It did happened to me, and I re-discovered how does my voice messaging service works... A friend had left me his address to go and visit him outside of Paris. After the message, "the voice" proposed me to dial 2... Which I did.... before remembering that dialing 2 erases the message... Good job... Welcome home Philippe...

VELIB in Paris: grab a public bicycle almost for free, whether you know what you're doing or not...

Paris has a new bicycle service, called VELIB. I know it's been a while already, but I've been in Cambodia since 2006. It looks nice on the paper, nicer in the parkway. But for me it's like giving free cars to people without knowing if they can drive or not...
In one way, I felt home (in Phnom Penh) seeing all these riders passing crossroads, whether the traffic light is green or red, whether pedestrians are crossing or not.
I kind of changed my mind about the good old days when I almost got killed by one of them, speeding like at the "Tour de France", on the way from Pantheon Sorbonne, to Saint Michel (Saint Mickael) square... Saint Mickael or Saint Peter, I hardly know, because it looked like he really wanted to kill himself, and inviting someone for a free ride to Heaven... or hell...
I've learnt later that some people, considering that they are too drunk to drive their car back home, decide to cycle... Interesting...

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1/Un choc culturel à rebours...

On ne s'attend pas vraiment à subir un choc culturel quand on revient dans son propre pays. J'avais parié sur le temps qu'il me faudrait pour surmonter le décalage horaire, me rappeler comment conduire un engin de plus de deux roues, ou bien mettre plus de deux couches de vêtements...

En fait, j'ai réalisé que j'avais perdu quelques automatismes, ou bien les ai remplacés par des reflexes cambodgiens. Je ne resiste pas à l'idée de vous donner quelques exemples : J'avais un rendez vous à Paris pour mon futur emploi (soit dit en passant, je n'en parlerai jamais sur ce blog). Etant en avance d'une demi heure, je décidais d'aller passer un peu de temps dans un café tout proche, afin de lire un ouvrage sur le Congo, tout en dégustant un expresso...

A titre de comparaison, au Cambodge, dès lors que vous effleurez la poignée de la porte, si tant est que le restaurant en ai une, quelqu'un s'occupe de vous, et il n'est pas rare que plusieurs serveurs ou serveuses s'affairent dans l'établissement, comme des abeilles... Dans ce café, j'étais assez surpris de ne remarquer aucun serveur au premier coup d'oeil. Et même au second...
J'ai donc décidé de m'asseoir à une table... Rien... Je prends le menu, sachant déjà ce que je voulais boire, afin de le reposer ostensiblement devant moi, espérant que quelqu'un, à un moment quelconque, serait motivé pour me servir quelque chose... Après 5 ou 10 minutes, je me suis dit qu'après tout, j'étais là pour tuer le temps, et j'ai commencé à reprendre mon ouvrage où je l'avais laissé, jusqu'à ce que quelqu'un vienne finalement me servir...

La gestuelle... C'est probablement le pire...

Avoir l'air blazé et triste comme n'importe qui dans le métro ne fut finalement pas si difficile. Au moins tant que personne ne vous sourit ou regarde avec curiosité les autres voyageurs... J'ai décidé de ne pas trop travailler cet aspect de la culture (qui n'est pas que) française... Ca ne m'a pas beaucoup manqué à vrai dire... Pires furent les gestes de politesse asiatiques. Tout donner à deux mains est une habitude qui m'est toujours difficile à perdre. D'ailleurs vous ne sauriez imaginer la tête que peuvent faire les gens lorsque vous leur remettez un billet de 5 euros, ou même une carte de visite !

Technologie, innovation... Et ce qu'on en fait...

Au Cambodge, vous n'avez pas de messagerie vocale associé à votre téléphone mobile. Vous pouvez donc finir votre conversation poliment avec votre interlocuteur, avant de décrocher votre téléphone. Vous pouvez aussi prendre votre temps pour garer votre moto, auto, vélo, cyclo, tuk-tuk, sur le côté de la route, ou bien finir de mâcher ce que vous avez dans le bouche. Mais l'Europe, les Etats-Unis etc..., oserais-je dire l'Occident, est dirigée par le principe de l'immédiateté.
Vous devez donc répondre à votre téléphone avant la quatrième sonnerie. Pour cela, vous devez être mal poli avec votre interlocuteur physique, vous garer à la va-vite, ou litteralement gober le contenu de votre bouche comme un reptile afin de répondre avant le declenchement de la messagerie.
Sinon, dans une société moderne, vous êtes un perdant.
Vous avez manqué l'appel.
Il n'y a pas de seconde chance.
Vous devez attendre que votre contact, avec un peu chance, laisse un message (si vous essayez de rappeler au même moment, vous obtiendrez à votre tour la messagerie vocale de votre interlocuteur, et vous ne vous en sortirez plus...)

Cela m'est donc arrivé, et j'ai re-découvert comment fonctionnait ma boite vocale. Un ami m'a appelé pour le donner l'adresse de son domicile, afin que je puisse le rejoindre, en dehors de Paris. Après le message, "la voix" m'a proposé de taper 2... Ce que j'ai fait... Avant de me souvenir que le chiffre 2 efface le message... Bravo... Bienvenue chez toi Philippe...

Les Vélibs à PAris : attrapez une bicyclette publique, pour presque rien, que vous sachiez ce que vous faites ou non...

Paris a donc ce nouveau service appelé Vélib. Je sais que cela fait quelques temps déjà, mais j'étais au Cambodge depuis 2006. Ca a l'air bien sur le papier, encore mieux dans la verdure... Mais selon moi c'est un peu comme donner des voitures sans se demander si les bénéficiaires savent conduire...
En un sens, je me sentais chez moi (à Phnom Penh), en voyant ces cyclistes traverser les carrefours quelle que soit la couleur du feu tricolore, sans se demander si un piéton traverse.

Je me suis ravisé lorsque l'un d'entre eux a failli me tuer, alors qu'il pédalait comme au sprint final du Tour de France, entre le Panthéon et Saint Michel.
Enfin, il se dirigeait vers Saint Michel ou Saint Pierre, c'est selon, car il n'avait pas vraiment l'air de tenir à sa vie, et semblait être tenté par l'idée de prendre un passager dans sa virée vers le ciel... ou l'enfer... J'appris plus tard que d'aucuns, ayant abusé de l'alcool, se mettent à raisonner (si si, et c'est là que c'est le plus drôle... ou pas...) : estimant qu'ils ne sont pas en état de conduire leur voiture, ils se rabattent alors sur le vélo... Intéressant...

"Holycow! I cannot find your blog on Google" / "Mais euh! Je ne trouve pas votre blog sur Google"

2008-09-11T13:08:00.002+02:00

We've been told that the blog is not identified by Google (a.k.a. god in the Blogosphere). To such a point that some even doubt that it exists....(sic) Don't worry, it's on the way, and meanwhile, bear in mind that, yes, there is life beside Google... But a small one...

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On nous a dit que le blog n'est pas identifié par Google (alias dieu dans la Blogodphère). Ceci à tel point que d'aucuns doutent même de son existence...(sic) Pas d'inquiétude, c'est en cours, et d'ici là, gardez à l'esprit que oui, il y a bien de la vie à côté de Google... Une toute petite...

Goats released from prison in DR Congo / Des chèvres remises en liberté en RDC

2008-09-10T15:14:00.007+02:00

DRC makes progress, as far as the Rule of Law is concerned. Indeed, Deputy Justice Minister Claude Nyamugabo, visiting prisons in Congo, noticed goats, jailed illegally. He decided, after ordering to set the animals free, that police officers would be sent for retraining.

The article from the BBC is available here

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La RDC fait des progrès en matière de respect de l'Etat de droit. En effet, le Ministre de la justice adjoint, Claude Nyamugabo, visitant les prisons du Congo, a constaté que des chèvres étaient emprisonnées illégalement. Il a ainsi décidé, après avoir ordonné la remise des animaux en liberté, que les agents de polices seraient renvoyés en formation.

L'article de la BBC est accessible ici

Neprebadany ostrov – SABAH

2008-09-08T04:19:00.011+02:00

Dnes sa posnazim napisat maly cestopis, na ktory sa chystam uz dlhsie. V juli sme mali to stastie a cesty nas odviali na poslednu velku dovolenku v JV Azii na Sabah, jedna z casti Malajzie. Sabah tvori len jednu malu cast ostova Borneo, kde sa okrem neho nachadzaju aj ine staty Malajzie, Brunei a Indonezia. Sabah pokryva na tomto tretom najvacsom ostrove sveta celkovo 73tis km² a ma 3 miliony obyvatelov. Sabah je naozaj malicke miesto, no s tolkymi vecami na objavenie ze nech tu stravite akykolvek cas, mate pocit ze este ostalo vela nevideneho, nespoznaneho, neprebadaneho a rozhodne sa chcete raz vratit naspat. Klima na Sabahu tropicka, takze pocas celeho roka si mozete vychutnavat leto (od 23 do 30C)! Plne odporucane na dovolenku pocas celeho roka!
Airasia je azijska nizkonakladova spolocnost ktora umoznuje spolahlive a naozaj lacne cestovanie po tejto casti Azie. Vdaka nej sme sa v priebehu par hodin dostali z Phnom Penhu s prestupom v Kuala Lumpur priamo do Kota Kinabalu, hlavneho mesta Sabah. Nie je to velke mesto, da sa cele hravo zvladnut peso. Ma vsak milu atmosferu a zname nakupne centra a kino! To sme si poriadne vychutnali... Takze ak do Kota Kinabalu, tak na pripravne nakupy na cestovanie po ostrove. Co ma vsak toto miesto este do seba okrem nakupov je jeho pat ostrovov ktore tvoria Tunku Abdul Rahman narodny park. My sme si na jeden den relaxu pred velkou cestou vybrali ostrov SAPI. Vsetky ostovy su lahko dostupne, je tu pravidelna lodna doprava. Je to len kusok z mesta, a o chvilku sa ocitnete v raji. Ciste piesocne plaze, voda cista ako vo vani, nie prilis vela ludi, pohoda a v mori neuveritelne mnozstvo rybiek! Citila som sa akoby ma niekto nechal plavat v prirodnom akvariu! Skvele. Zabavne bolo ked sme potapali a taka krasna mala do zlta sfarbena rybicka najprv len plavala par centimetrov pred mojimi okuliarmi ale potom namna zautocila. Asi som jej nebola sympaticka. ;) niektore sme krmili a to bol tiez zazitok, lebo tie rybky sa nebali prist si po jedlo do dlane.
Kota Kinabalu je aj miesto kde vsetko mozete vybavit. Je dobre vediet co by ste radi na ostrove robili a oni vam to sprostredkuju. Nevyhodou ked clovek na Sabah cestuje v juli alebo v aguste je ze cestovky zoberu vsetky miesta. Co znamena ze pre individualnych cestovatelov uz nie je nikde miesto. a tak sme nemali na vyber a zobrali si “zajazd” na 4 dni do Kinabalu narodneho parku. Nelutovali sme vsak. Prvy den sme len preskumavali prales narodneho parku a miestnu floru a faunu. Je tu mnoho turistickych cesticiek. Dalsi den sme mali narodny, cakal na nas vystup na Mount Kinabalu, s vrcholom v nadmorskej vyske 4095m. Vrch Kinabalu je zaradeny do zoznamu oblasti chranenych Unescom. Co je tiez vynimocne je ze tento kopec je este stale aktivny a rastie okolo 5mm rocne. Vystup na horu nie je az taky narocny, zvlada to mnoho turistov roznych vekovych kategorii. Je to jeden z najlahsie zvladnutelnych vrchov v tejto vyske na Zemi. Staci ma aspon trosku kondicku, nepremokave oblecenie lebo hore je naozaj velka zima a odhodlanie. Kazdy kto sa rozhodne ist hore ma z parku prideleneho sprievodcu. Nas bol 40rocny pan Petrus Duli ktory zivil svoju rodinu tak ze tri krat do tyzdna vyslapal tento vrch. Raz do roka sa tu organizuje dalsia vynimocna vec – Climbathon. Bezci sa daju na trat a ti najlepsi v priebehu 3 hodin vybehnu hore aj dole. (tohto rocny vitaz to zladol za 2 hodiny a 45minut, no comment...) My sme si to rozlozili na dva dni. Len tolko. Prvy vystup sme ukoncili po 5 hodinach v laban rata 3273m nad morom. Tu sme prespali a o 3 nad ranom sme pokracovali zdolat vrchol a zazit tam vychod slnka. S celovkami a dobrymi topankami sa to dalo zvaldnut aj napriek klzkemu a sikmemu povrchu. Cesta na hor trvala dalsie 3 hodiny. Ako vystup na kazdu horu, aj toto je zadostucinenie a je to skutocne nadhera. Tazko sa sice dycha, ale clovek sa citi tak zvlastne. Byt vysoko nad oblakmi a vidiet velmi daleko. Pocity ktore tam mate sa daju len tazko popisat. Cesta dolu nam opat trvala okolo 5 hodin, pretoze sme si uz necitili nohy. Dalsie dva dni sme boli ako velmi stari ludia, schody som zvladala len pospiatocky a cim viac sa dalo oddychovat tym lepsie. Aj tak to bol jeden z najlepsich zazitkov na Sabahu.
Preto sme si na dalsi den dali volnejsi program a isli len na druhu stranu narodneho parku, do mestecka Poring. Nachadzaju sa tu “kupele”, ktore tu vytvorili japonci pocas druhej svetovej vojny. Vodu si napustite do svojej malej vanicky a namiesate si sami teplotu pri akej sa vam chce lenosit a dopriat trosku relaxu vasim ubolenym noham. V okoli sa nachadza este nadherna zahrada plna motylov, par mensich vodopadov a “canopy walk” – co su zavesene cesticky vysoko v stromoch, aby sme si mohli dzunglu prezerat bez vykrutenych krkov, dobry vynalez. V Kinabalu narodnom parku sa nachadza aj navacsi kvet na svete, ktory puci do svojej krasy celych 9 mesiacov. Rafflesia, je masozrava ale inak vyzera celkom nevinne. Tu ktoru sme videli my uz pomaly odkvitala, aj tak bola super a na kvet naozaj velka!
Odtialto sme sa vydali na vychod ostrova, kde sa nachadza Sepilok rehabilitacne centrum pre orangutany. Centrum bolo zalozene v roku 1964 a rozprestiera sa na ploche 40km². Sluzi pre opustene, osirele a zranene orangutany. Cielom je ich po rehabilitacii opat pustit do volnej prirody. Orangutany je mozne vidiet dva krat do dna pocas krmenia, kedy sa niektore z nich zbiehaju na jedno urcene miesto. ziju tu vo volnom priestore a staraju sa o nich profesionali. Az na turistov nie je na tomto mieste nic zle.
Dalsou atrakciou trosku viac na vychod, kusok od mesta Sandakan, je korytnaci ostrov. Ludia sem chodia na noc sledovat ako morske korytnacky okolo polnoci prichadzaju ukladat vajicka do piesku, a ako sa rodia male korytnacky. Nemali sme moznost tam ist, je tam len obmedzene miesto, ale o to viac sme si to uzili na juznejsich ostrovoch kam sme isli potom.
Takze sme smerovali viac na juh, do mesta Semporna, kde nie je naozaj skoro nic okrem jednej skoly, trhu, mesity a par hostelov. Odtialto sa da dostat do prilahleho Tun Sakaran namorneho parku. Rozhodli sme sa pre nieco co sme doteraz v zivote nerobili – naozaj sa potapat. Pocas trojdnoveho PADI kurzu sme sa naucili zaklady a na treti den sme mali uz naozajstne potapanie sa! Cely cas sme byvali na ostrove Mabul, kde sa da ist do obycajnych ale dobrych drevenych domcekov, alebo do luxusnych rezortov. Potapanie je uzasna vec. Zalubila som sa do toho okamzite potom ako som sa naucila ako sa da dostat voda z masky par metrov pod hladinou! National geographic program je dobry, ale zazit tieto veci na vlastnej kozi a vidiet na vlastne oci je ine kafe. Voda je tu priezracna, takze som sa do nej dokazala pozerat hodiny a mat sancu sledovat morsky zivot priamo pod mojou izbou je skvele. A ten cisty primorsky vzduch, o tom ani pisat netreba. Raj. Potapanie je ako objavit novy svet na zemi. Najst rovnovahu – ani nestupat ani neklesat - 18metrov pod hladinou, necitit vahu svojho tela a byt blizko tomu co je vo vacsine pripadov nedostupne, vidiet slnko cez vodu, je neuveritelne a nepopisatelne. Clovek to pochopi az si to raz zazije! Posledne tri potapania sa sme mali na ostrove Sipadan, ktory sa radi medzi spickove destinacie na potapanie sa na zemi. Vynimocny a znamy je vdaka svojej “stene”, ktora kusok od brehov ostrova vertikalne reze cestu k jadru zeme. Je 600 metrov hlboka a treba byt opatrny, a vzdy sa dopredu informovat o vodnych prudoch, lebo to moze by aj zivot nebezpecne. Nas pocas potapania zobral len jemny prudik ale nebolo mozne plavat proti nemu spat k nasej skupine, museli sme len na nich pockat. V tejto oblasti sa nachadzaju nadherne farebne morske koraly, morske korytnacky, nyemo rybicky, male zraloky, baracudy, tuniaky, a mnohe mnohe ine rybky roznych farieb a niektore aj velmi zvlastnych tvarov. Bol to ocarujuci a nezabudnutelny zazitok.
Nakoniec sme si uz len troska vychutnali atmosferu tohto krasneho ostrova a vratili sa spat do prace s velkymi usmevmi a kopou energie. Sabah je miesto, ktore stoji za to!

zopar foto na ukazku - http://picasaweb.google.com/andrea.stranska/2008_07_SABAHMalaysia#

A new blog? Again? / Un nouveau blog ? Encore ?

2008-09-07T11:01:00.003+02:00

Ok, those who know me know as well that I'm not the most rigorous in updating blogs. For many reasons actually: the first one is obviously because of a lack of time. Or organization... On top of that, after some time in a foreign country, even in a very different culture, you start to look at your environment with different eyes, to get used to it, and even sometimes to consider it as normal, or part of the daily life. Which explains why you don't think that it needs to be described on your blog anymore...

This time, we will write this blog with four hands, and keep our eyes wide open!

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Ok, ceux qui me connaissent savent aussi que je ne suis pas le plus rigoureux en matière de mise à jour de blogs. Pour plusieurs raisons d'ailleurs : La première, c'est évidement par manque de temps. Ou d'organisation... De plus, après avoir passé quelques temps dans un pays, même dans une culture différente, on commence à regarder autour de soi avec un oeil différent, à s'habituer, et même parfois à considérer que tout est "normal", que cela fait partie du quotidien. Ce qui explique pourquoi on ne pense plus qu'une situation nécessite un billet dans un blog.

Cette fois, nous écrirons ce blog à 4 mains, et tâcherons de garder les yeux bien ouverts !