Monkey-B got a little stabby when we received a care package full of surprises from the USA and random things for the @kidsisters.
🚦 Ready, Set, Stab 🔪
I received an SMS notification to let me know an airfreight package for us from the USA arrived this week in Suriname. It wasn't anything we had ordered, just a care package of random surprises from my parents. Monkey-B got a little stabby as soon as she saw the package, but I made her wait to rip into the box until we prepared an area outside to do this.
Why open the box outside? Because the lighting inside our apartment is terrible, and the outdoor setting just makes for better photos and Hive content. With tape cut and lid popped, I let the girls investigate the goods.
Monkey-B's Worst Enemy 😡
It's definitely no secret there is a lack of vegetable variety and quality in our neighborhood, so included in the package was a bag of dried mixed vegetables. Monkey-B checked the ingredients to see that bell peppers were the first ingredient, her worst culinary enemy.
It's Not All Bad 👍
Srey-Yuu got a sketch diary and Monkey-B got a sticker book, both items were big scores that easily offsett the prior capsicum calamity.
Next up was a hand puppet kit, and this just seems like a Hive content goldmine for the @kidsisters. A DIY post detailing the making of the puppets, as well as perhaps a 3Speak hand-puppet play may be coming in the near future.
We also received some card and dice games, neither of which I am familiar with: Qwixx and Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza. Eventually I'll sit down and study the rule book so I can both teach the family and perfect my cheating strategy before we play. Once upon a time in Cambodia, I may or may not have made and sold my own unlicensed Khmer versions of games like these.
On the right above are some squeezable water flavoring things. I'm honestly not sure what they're called, but perhaps they are trendy in 'Merica. We shall soon flavor to understand what this is all about.
We also got some various dried fruits, and that is a nice change from 3 years of bananas with occasional mangos. There is little fruit variety, availability, and affordability here, so even dried jackfruit is a nice treat and break from our boring diet.
My dad sent the girls some cards, or greeting cards, I'm not actually sure what they're called anymore, I've been out of the USA too long. They are similar to get-well cards or birthday cards, but these cards are general purpose anytime cards, and each contained a handwritten message within.
This last shot is me backing off to let my wife do some photography. She beat me with her beatin' stick to let me know to scram, just look in her right hand. I'm just kiddin' of course, well not about the beatin' stick though.
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Looks like grandma made the @kidsisters very happy... I'm surprised to hear about the lack of variety with fruit and vegetables in that neck of the woods... seems the opposite should be the norm? It's weird that prices are so high too!
It's amazing how different a place with basically the same weather and conditions as Cambodia can be. It's the western way of life, as long as people here have gas in their car, some ice cold Coca-Cola, frozen chicken, and a little rice, they're as happy as can be. Any random Cambodian granny veg seller at any random market anywhere in Cambodia is within arm's reach of more variety than all of the markets all across Suriname.
The Haitians have already left Suriname, they were the ones at the Texas border. Unfortunately they were the ones doing the lion's share of the agricultural work here, and the food chain has been broken ever since. My upstairs Cuban neighbor wants to return to her country as well, she says her life was better and more affordable there.
They look thrilled with the sketch books.
If you are unable to visit your Dad and Mom in the USA, perhaps they could visit you and your family once you have settled back in Cambodia (after the pandemic has ended)?
That'd be my dream, but during the 10 years I lived in Cambodia before, I had a standing offer for any friends and family to only pay for their plane tickets, and they could stay and have fun for as long as they want for free. Not one person ever took me up on that offer. I lived in Cambodia for 10 years and never had a visitor, so I guess that is why it feels more like home to me than the USA.
We are so anxious to get back there.
Well don't give up, keep trying to get your family to visit you.
I expect they assumed they'd see you when you visited the States, but now that's not on the cards they may be more open to visiting you.
Maybe, but I'll believe it when I see it, now they are getting too old to travel.
No matter how high the shipping cost is, the happiness of the love ones who gonna receive the parcel is much more important. A surprise for your family. It only means that your family in US do really love your family and the kids. 😊🥰
A sweet surprise indeed! 😊
Yes, that is true. Just the idea alone shows they care, but of course we'd really love for them to meet in person. It's a shame they are too afraid to visit us in Cambodia. There is a lot of propaganda from Vietnam War still in the minds of the older American generation, and many still think it's a dangerous place to visit.
Sweet, sweet, parcel!
Looking forward to the @kidsisters' puppet show soon. And those card games too, they will surely be a great way to have fun with the fam.
Definitely lots of fun to be had from the things in that box, and I'm sure a good chunk of it will end up as Hive content.
Above all that, I'd like to try the dried jackfruit though.
It was interesting, not something that Cambodians typically dry and sell, that fruit is usually mango. I liked the dried jackfruit, but the ladies didn't care for it too much.
I like the unboxing with the nature ☺️
Our house has terrible lighting, not so good for photography, thanks.