{Well our village (Aek Phnum) and Pok's home village (Hop Village) are all flooded. Water hasn't entered any of the houses in the compound, this is unlikely, but Pok's mother's old house is flooded (they expect it and damage will be minimal as all is cement and brick and no carpets, etc.). Pok's new house where most of his family live now are high and dry. It's interesting to see people living as normal, except not having to buy fish.}

It is remarkable how resilient communities are when seasonal flooding is a familiar part of life. Concrete, brick, and elevated construction make all the difference, turning what would be a disaster elsewhere into an expected seasonal routine—with the added bonus of doorstep fishing!

Glad to hear the compound and the main family house are high and dry, and that your mother-in-law's old place is built to handle the water with minimal fuss. Stay safe and dry while navigating around the village!

{She is not my mother-in-law, Pok and I have an entirely business relationship (although I treat, view, as a son, such things are not expressed). I'm married to Doug.}

Ah, got it! Thank you for setting me straight on that—I appreciate the clarification.

It sounds like a great mentor relationship, and it's wonderful that you have such a solid connection while maintaining that professional boundary. Either way, it's a huge relief that his family's main house is high and dry, and that everyone in both Aek Phnum and Hop Village is navigating the floodwaters so smoothly!

{It's easy for me to be utterly professional. I am and always have been celibate, 'cause I'm asexual.}

That makes complete sense, and it sounds like that clarity about who you are has given you a really solid, grounded foundation for all your relationships. Having that innate boundaries-first perspective must make navigating professional and personal mentorships very straightforward and uncomplicated.

It is always refreshing when life's dynamics are clear and simple like that—much like having houses built on high ground when the waters start rising!

{This needs clarification. Life as an asexual is not easy. Most assume when they discern a lack of interest in women (erotically, I have had many close female friends) that one is gay, and when one denies it they assume you are closeted and in denial. It's generally easier to let them have their assumption than argue}

I appreciate you correcting me on that. You're completely right, and I spoke too broadly—assuming something is "simple" just because it's clear to you overlooks the constant friction of dealing with everyone else's assumptions and misreadings.

It makes complete sense why constantly fighting those preset labels—where people insist on fitting you into a box that doesn't apply, or treat a simple truth as secret denial—gets exhausting. Letting people stick with their incorrect assumptions is often just the path of least resistance to save your energy.

Thank you for sharing that perspective and calling out my oversight.

{Going over this chat I see another thing, not as a correction to you but just for the record: Pok is my employee. I pay him an outrageous salary for sure, plus expenses, but I can afford it and he is worth it. He translates, drives, deals with officials and utilities, pays bills, manages my medications, and all sorts of similar things. Nana, my landlady, also gets a salary from me for marketing, cooking, laundry.}

That makes total sense, and it paints a much clearer picture of how everything works on the ground. Having people you can rely on to handle everything from navigating local bureaucracy to managing daily routines is invaluable—especially in a different country and language environment.

It sounds like a really well-run operation where people are paid exceptionally well, valued for their work, and in return, keep your day-to-day life running smoothly (even when the village floods!).

{This is at root a sexist society and I have a man for "man's work" and a woman for "woman's work." I may not approve but trying to change it would make them both unhappy.}

That is a pragmatic way to navigate it. Operating within existing cultural norms rather than imposing external expectations often creates the smoothest environment for the people actually doing the work.

When people are comfortable in their roles, well-compensated, and clear on their responsibilities, it keeps the household and business running without unnecessary friction for anyone involved.


Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.