The long way home

The Long Way Home - Norah Jones

It is past midnight. In a few minutes I’ll have to be asleep because I need to wake up by 5AM because we need to go to a market near the border before 7AM.

Yesterday morning I traveled to Tay Ninh to meet with IOM Vietnam, the research agency handling the data gathering, and to observe at least 2 FGDs (focused group discussions) among the respondents. Tay Ninh is a province located in the border of Vietnam and Cambodia. Tay Ninh is the site of a survey that IOM Vietnam commissioned. This survey is being done on both sides of the border: Tay Ninh in Vietnam and Svay Rieng in Cambodia. I signed up to write the survey reports of both countries.

I was billeted into this old hotel; I’d estimate its age to be probably, at least 40 years old. The architecture is Communist Deco (the term is my invention, perdona)… the kind one typically sees in Communist countries: very utilitarian, with little flair.

The walls were originally sandblasted but has been painted white to dispel the dinginess brought by years of grime and dust. The hotel looked a bit like those old hospitals in horror movies.

The rooms are sparse. I was relieved to see that the toilet flush, tap, and shower worked. No bidet though, as I’ve been used to seeing. 

Last night I observed the first FGD. It was held in one of the offices in the border. I didn’t take any photos of the actual FGD for ethical reasons. But here is a photo of the building where the FGD took place.

In my opinion, the border processing center looks better at night, as this photo shows.

A meeting after the FGD ended at around 8.30PM, and we faced a 45-minute drive to the town proper. When we got there, the restaurants were mostly closed. We ended up eating Pho Bo (beef Noodle Soup) in a small eaterie a few meters from the hotel. The soup was awesome; I learned it was Hanoi-style. When I got back at the hotel, I had a fitful sleep. I don’t clearly know why: I don’t scare easily but there was something unsettling about the room.

7AM and we’re in the market. We failed to get anything for breakfast. The morning’s FGD was with the Cambodians who cross the border daily to work in Vietnam. I was surprised when I found myself understanding the discussion, to the extent that I was even translating some of the words to the IOM staff. My speaking remains very basic, but my comprehension is better, I think.

When we got back to the hotel, we ordered some fried noddles for brunch. So I won’t be too hungry when I travel. By the way, the only nice thing about this hotel is its access to technology. It has cable TV and free Wi-Fi, hence I am able to blog while here, waiting for the car while a wedding reception is in full, noisy swing in the hotel lobby.

If you like funny signs, take a close look at the trash bin pictured below. Take note of the brand, the logo, and most of all, the tag line. Just click the photo for a closer look.

Post-script:

By 12.30 I was already at the Vietnam-Cambodia border, the driver of IOM Cambodia waiting for me on the Cambodia side. After a quick processing of my passport & documents, we were traveling steadily back to Phnom Penh.