June 2nd (2020)

 

June 2nd
79days here

I am awake at 6am

I breakfast on bread, Kerrygold butter, blackberry jam and 'Red'.

8.42am
I am tired. I had intended to steal a march on the day and start work while it is still cool. But I will now, instead, take a rest.

I am awake at 10.30am.

Today, the Cambodianess website has mentioned.

"Following Prime Minister Hun Sen's decision to bar entry to a flight from Malaysia on April 7, 150 Cambodians have been stranded and now find no flights to bring them home. Sin Chansereyvutha, spokesperson of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said that Cambodia and Malaysia may not resume flights until July 2020."

Further to this, it is noted that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), on its list of opening airports, mentions both Cambodia and Malaysia as potentially opening on 1st of July.

Of course, opening airports is not enough. Those countries need to open for tourists for me to be able return to my adopted country.

On a more positive note, yesterday's Art History class went well with the Khmer young adults. We all know that a good understanding of colour is essential for an artist, and because of a request from Lem So Leong, I played several short videos about different aspects of colour - "Color Harmony", "Understanding Color", "Color Science Pixar in a Box" and "BBC A history of 4 Colours- Blue". The last was narrated by Dr. James Fox.

In fact we overran the usual 2 hours, still watching the marvellous BBC documentary on the colour blue. We saw the importance of Lapis Lazuli on the impact of blue in the West, particularly on the artist Giotto. We will continue next week.

After watching that last film, I did a little research about Lapis Lazuli and discovered   like so many other things, that China had already been aware of that awesome blue stone, and had called it the "Stone of Heaven". A great many beautiful Chinese objects have been carved from that stone since its discovery in Afghanistan's Northern Badakhshan region.

11am
Time to shower.

I've said nothing about the situation in the USA just now. That's mainly because I am not in America, though I do have friends who are, and sympathise with them.

The disaster of yet another innocent black person dying at the hand of law enforcement is a monumental crime against humanity. It is unforgivable. Those who are charged to protect and serve are only protecting themselves and serving themselves. They are a byproduct of a racist system which is encouraged by the President and his far right staff who seem to understand little about leadership, and care more for money than people.

I had a moment of levity last night when I saw a video of yet another black male being harassed by yet more white officers of an American police department. Why and when did I laugh? When having been arrested under protest,  one officer went through the victim's pockets and extracted a wallet. In that wallet was the victim's ID and his FBI badge. It's called racial profiling.

At 4.43pm I was left this message….

"Papa! I leave the food on the table for you"

The tray comprises yellow rice, sweet chili sauce, cut green aubergine, cut cucumber, cut tomato and sweet grilled chicken. Beside this is a bowl of deseeded  jackfruit.

These people are so very thoughtful and kind.

I didn’t leave Colors of Cambodia today.

No spend.