Foreign rubbish

I am a foreigner - a barang. This is an unchangeable reality. One of the spinoffs of this came from an unexpected quarter - the rubbish, as in garbage.

Tacked to the bottom of the monthly electricity account is the rubbish collection fee - $1. We bless the rubbish collection. It has not been happening in Phnom Penh for long and rubbish fires caused a smoky haze all over this city until about five years ago.

A couple of months ago I observed a price adjustment to the bottom line. Rubbish collection - $20. 'Hait ai?' (why) I ask. 'You are a foreigner' says the nice lady at Waste Headquarters - an exceedingly flash corporate structure. I cannot deny - I am a foreigner. But $20??

A work in progress - reason number 343 why you get less done in a day than planned!

I offer $5. Paperwork is duly filled out and sent wherever to be considered. A month passes. The new bill arrives - $20. I'm getting in serious rubbish debt now as the first bill had been kindly backdated. There is $60 now owing for our last 12 or so plastic shopping bags of rubbish. It is time to return to the Waterfall Palace.

'You are a foreigner' she says. I forgot to tell you that the sweet office lady is also very sharp. But we have meaningful progress. An official price sheet is brought to the table. No, I am neither a kareoke bar nor an embassy. Nope, not a business nor a school. I am a foreigner. There - not in a villa ($20) but a flat ($10). My monthly price is $10. My neighbour pays $1.

Sue and I have been talking about maybe getting a vehicle next year for us and the Healing Home. I'm now a little more nervous. If they introduce 'foreigner price' at the petrol pump we will be up for $500 per tank of petrol!