Lulu's mobile place to play

Lulu is a French woman, fluent in Khmer, travelling around Cambodia in a truck, delivering a mobile place to play called PiTiPi. She offers playful experience, toys, books, lessons and more to children who often might not receive any of those things.

I was first made aware of her existence, by Jack Carpentier, a proud ex-pat French restaurateur making great food at Eco Vegetarian Kampot, who had been listening to my stories of games and sports culture around the world.

"You must meet Lulu, she drives around in her truck bringing games to children all over Cambodia, I'll find her number for you"

The next day Jack delivered on his promise, giving me my first lead for indigenous games in Cambodia.

I had to psyche myself up a bit for having a conversation in French over the phone, it's one thing to speak a foreign language face to face, but over the phone it can be awkward, especially if you haven't really spoken said lingo in over 10 years.

"Je suis dans une quête de jeux autour du monde en moto. J'aimerais vous rencontrer."

Or something along those lines.

We had to finish the conversation via text since the network was breaking up.

A meeting was set in Kep, where Lulu would be setting up her games for children in the local square.

I found her there in the early evening and soon discovered she wasn't one for chitchat, as she busily set about arranging her well orchestrated collection of games on plastic mats.

"Can I help"

I offered.

"The best way you can help me is to take your time, while I set all of this up"

she retorted, in that voice only stressed French ex-pats can deliver.

It can be a bit off-putting to hear that French imperative, when all around us were lax happy-go-lucky Cambodians with no apparent desperate urgency for her truck to unfold. It is however an endearing quality after you have met that cultural schism in so many places, so I tried not to smile too much, motioned my hands downward to indicate a relaxing of tension, and went to look for water.

Of course Lulu, knows her job very well, and had unpacked her wares countless times, knowing that there was little time to spare. Evidently she is an incredibly well-organised person, each of the thousand and one objects contained in her crowdfunded truck, would get pulled out and go back exactly where it needed to be in preparation for the next visit. It's a skill that every good traveller picks up over the course of time and experience. A well honed traveller never shirks putting stuff back where it needs to go, otherwise you'd waste lots of time trying to remember where anything was.

On my return, water bottle in hand, I found more children had arrived with their parents and were already engaged with the various games. Lulu had found a moment to breath in between all her tasks, so we had a few moments to chat, but it wasn't long before the demands of children would rush in and Lulu would be swept back into action to carry on with her duties.

The children immediately set about their business of building blocks, hooking paper fish, hula hoops, surrounding chess "ouh", feather shuttlecock "sei" and many more. Those last two were of more interest to me since they appeared to be something indigenous to Cambodia, but for now I was fully immersed in whatever the children wanted to play.

Lulu would check on each activity intermittently, and when satisfied all was well, move on to her next task. I would show the children how to perform some of the activities, which they appreciated, more so that I was giving them my undivided attention, something which they seldom receive from adults these days. It's a common misgiving of modern parents the world over and not uncommon in Asia, to find a large family at a restaurant all completely devoted to their devices until it's time to leave.

Once all gaming materials were out, Lulu would setup her little shop around the truck, selling at rock bottom prices, clothes, books, and toys. I think Lulu probably makes many gifts of these items too. 

As it grew darker, the ever prepared Lulu, brought out from her trusty truck, a selection of solar powered free-standing table lamps, which had been charging during the day and would now emit their charge as light to the ever busy children spread out across their mats.

The children came and went for a couple of hours and I realised it had been quite a long time since I had spent so much time, completely devoted, with this much concentration on play with children. I found myself transported back to my own childhood's mind and found I was able to communicate with the kids very easily on this level. I would have been completely lost at sea if they had started speaking to me in Khmer.

As the evening came to a close, Lulu found another few moments to chat, such that we could arrange to meet again in Phnom Penh.

As I rode away, I remarked on the tour de force that Lulu has made herself. I don't think she ever stops moving until it's time to sleep.