My name​​​​​ in Cambodia カンボジアでの名前

In this summer, I got the new Cambodian name.
ំMy teacher gave this name to me.
So now my friends call me រំចេក.
I am happy to receive the second name.
I know this is the name of the plant.
Do you know Romchek（រំចេក）?

I would like to ask you.
Have you ever seen the flower of Romchek?
I have never seen it.
People said it is rare to see this flower.
I know only that the leaves of this plants are used as " Romchek Mat".
So my image is so poor to the flower of Romchek.
Is it beautiful?
Does this flower smell good?

Even if this plants have not flower,
I want to keep my name. (^^)
Before, my friends gave me some names.
Klavaan and Roath.
However these name already disappeared.
That makes me sad a little bit.
So now I think I want to keep new my Cambodia name for 100 years.
So if you see me, please call me Romchek.
Already more than 10 of my friends in Cambodia call me "ROMCHEK".

And do you have the second name?
Before I heard that all Cambodian have the second name.
However I met people who do not have these names.
It made me surprised.



今年の夏、カンボジア人の先生がわたしにあちらでの呼び名をつけてくれました。
ロムチェークという名前です。
なかなか可愛い響きでしょう？（自画自賛・・・）
植物の名前です。
長い葉っぱを持っており、カンボジアの人々はしばしばこの葉を編んで、敷物として使います。

最初は耳をうたがいました。
え、ロムチェークって、あのロムチェー・マットの？って。
どうせなら、お花の名前がよかったなあって。
（もちろん名前がもらえてうれしかったですよ。）
でもどうやらこのロムチェークにも花が咲くらしいのです。
ただそれは普通はなかなか見ることができないようです。
どなたか見たことはありますか？
いい匂いがするのでしょうか？

ただ、たとえロムチェークに花が咲いていなくても、わたしはこの名前を大切にしたいと思います。
以前、友達がわたしに、名前をつけてくれました。
クラバンやロアトなどいろいろありましたが、定着しないまま、いつのまにかなくなりました。
きっと、名前と本人のイメージが合っていなかったのでしょう。
でも、第二の名前がなくなってしまったことはけっこう悲しいことでした。

今回せっかく新たにいただいた名前ですので、大切にして、１００年間存続させようと思います。
みなさんわたしを見かけたらロムチェークと呼んでくださいね。
幸いなことにカンボジアではすでに１０人以上がわたしのことをロムチェークと呼んでくれています。


あなたはセカンド・ネーム（あだ名）をもっていますか？
わたしは以前、カンボジア人全員が他の名前をもっていると聞いていました。
しかしながら、今年の夏、あだ名をもたない人々にお会いし、驚きました。
全員がもっているわけではないんですね！

The ancient bridge 古代の橋

When we go straight to west on the old road from the Beng Mearia in Siem Reap for 30 minitues , we can see the old bridge in Angkor period.
Through this old bridge, the river flows gushing.
There is still a lot of water, and people come to take shower for a short of time.
I like this view.

シェムリアップにあるベン・メリア遺跡から西の方向へ30分間モトを走らせると、目の前に古代の橋が見えてきます。
この橋は、アンコール時代に建造されたラテライト造りのものです。
橋の間を勢いよく水が流れていきます。
長いときを経た今でも、水は絶えることなく流れています。
近くに住む人々が、水浴びをしにやってきます。
橋は思っていたよりもこじんまりとしていましたが、好きな風景です。

Tao タオ តោ

 I met him in the village near the Sambor Prei Kuk.

 I call him Tao, because he likes sitting on the statue of Tao (it means Lion ).

He looks brave and I love this picture.

He is about 12 years old, but he looks more childish.

He is not good at speaking and hearing, because of his congenital handicap.

His grandmother said before he was a Japanese man who was killed in the Kompong Thom 20 yaers ago.

When I asked him in Japanese, He said " yes" in Khmer.

I don't know whether really there is a former life or not.

He maybe can not understand Japanese.

However maybe I believe this strange story.

Because I love his personality.

Sometimes he spoke with someone whom I can not see.

He often set the family and friends laughing with his jokes.

He like smiling.

My friend gave him 2 or 3 1000 riel for the fee of tour guide.

When I went to the prasart Tao with him,  he offered all his money in his pocket to Buddha.

He was far from greedy.

I offered 2 paper of 100 riel for his money and return his money in his pocket.

(I know this is too little, however I did not have other riel.)

However I feel ashamed of my silly thought.

I think he will be  loved by god and Buddha.

Next time, i would like to meet him again.

I would like to see his growth.

帰国しました I came back to Japan

Hello.

I came back to Japan.

This time, I had stayed  in Cambodia for about 1 month.

I could go to many place that i really wanted to visit.

I talked with some close friends in khmer, English or Japanese. 

It makes me really happy.

Adding to this, fortunately, I could meet Miss. Limei and Mr. Chumnith in Siem reap.

We had the lunch with a lot of smiles.

These experiences let me feel that how important Cambodia is  for me.

If it had been possible, I wanted to stay more.

However, my schedule was full because of my some  jobs in September.

(When I just came to Japan, i caught a cold.

1 week passed, but it is still in me (:<).

Dear Cambodia 我が愛しきカンボジアへ

Dear Cambodia.

I went back to Japan 2 or 3 days ago.

It was really happy to have met many old friends in Siem reap or Phnom Penh.

This trip reminded me of " love".

This time,  I lost something important for me.

However,  I try to know Cambodia more for a while. I don't know why. Even if I can not get or receive it, I still love you, Cambodia.