Pat Roe is in Cambodia working on the CPI rice mill project in Battambang. In this entry she discovers prahok... fermented fish paste... also known as fish cheese.

Well, I finally did it. I finally broke down and looked at the temperature. I had been avoiding it. I figured its really better not to know. At least not yet. Not in March when its only almost the hot season. At the very least, I should wait until April - which is allegedly the hottest month here. So, I started playing a little game with myself, kind of like when you're at the gym, on the treadmill, and you play that game, the one I call, "absolutely, under no circumstances should you look at the time." Because what if, just what if you've been running for what feels like forever, your face is red, you've worked up a sweat, you might pass out, or worse yet, be in danger of having an actual heart attack - and then you glance down at the time and it says you've only been running for a minute and a half? Or maybe this is only a game I play. Anyhow... the same is true with the temperature here. Its hot. That's all I know. Its hot everyday. It was hot in the "cool season" when I arrived two months ago, and it continues to get hotter. My logic is that as long as I don't know the actual temperature, it can't be that bad. So, I avoid it. Except, suddenly people are talking about it all the time. Noting the weather forecasts, commenting on whether it will or won't hit 42 today. So, I did it. I took out the handy little compass/thermometer tucked inside my backpack and checked the temperature. Only 35 degrees! That's nothing. That's... well, I don't know - math isn't my strong suit - maybe 95 degrees Fahrenheit? That's not even over 100 yet! Its practically cool.

to read more see
http://www.expat-advisory.com/cambodia/articles-cambodian-fish-cheese-pa...