Adventuring.

Cambodia is great.

It really is.

But on Friday I was lagging. It had been a rough week, I was exhausted. I had been sick and missed a day of school. I was just grumpy and irritated. There was some good news that came out of the week. My schedule has been SO crazy I couldn't handle it, so I went to Sharon and asked if there was anything I could do to fix it. The entire grade school schedule was changed so that I could have two free periods a day. It is week five of school and for the past four weeks I have been teaching seven periods a day. Just too much.

An SM from 2004, Jonathan was in town and wanted to do a motorbike trip to the beach. Phil, Olga, Travis and I had been planning on going to Siem Reap for the weekend and the idea of spending four hours each way on the back of a bike did not sound awesome. We went out to eat Thursday night to this little vegetarian restaurant based around mushrooms. Plates were about 75 cents each and SO good. During dinner Jonathan talked us out of Siem Reap and into day trips out of the city.

On Friday after school I was grumpy and wasn't feeling well. The plan was Uodong, the old capital about an hour outside of the city. I wasn't going to go. I needed a nap, some down time. But I argued with myself, really, Annie? You're in Cambodia, don't be a dummy. Go.

So I did. Best decision ever.





I rode on the back of Jonathan's bike and three minutes into the ride I was overjoyed about life. We rode out of the city, and it was so beautiful. There are so many things different about this place, we drove past homes made of sticks and blankets. We drove by ox pulling carts, and truck loads full of Khmers. It's so flat here. The only hill in town has a wat on it. It's a big deal. As we got closer Jonathan pointed out where we were going way in the distance on a hill. I was excited. I need hills! I need views!

This is not an important part of the story, but I was SO sweaty. Just riding the bikes in the sun was bad. Then we climbed the hill. I seriously don't know that I have ever been so gross.

Anyway. The view from the top was AMAZING. There was the temples and everything, but I was in it for the view.

Sabbath was potluck, which is everyone's favorite. So we decided to stay until after lunch and then scoot on over to Silk Island. Not too far from the city it used to be a huge production place for silk. Mostly shut down now, it is just an island. We were going to meet up with some of the teachers, but after being lost for a while we got over there a little late. Driving through the island people noticed we were white and EVERYONE said, Hello! EVERYONE. While we were waiting to be found we stopped at a house. The boys played volleyball with the locals and I was almost killed by a cow. By the time we met up with the other teachers it was starting to get dark and those ominous rain clouds were moving in. So they showed us a few things and we headed home.

Sunday we had to return the bikes at 10am so we woke up early, and went to the Killing Fields. It's so surreal, all of these places I've read about and studied and wrote papers on. They're here. I get to see them and experience them. I still can't believe it.

After The Killing Fields we ate pancakes on the river front and went to the Russian Market. I am in love. Phil was laughing at me, because I was walking through freaking out about everything that I wanted. We bought hammocks. Two for four dollars. JAZZED.

After we got back to the mission I needed to go to the market. Olga and I for some reason never have food. Jonathan and I rode our bikes over and he showed me a few places around Toul Kork (where we live) that I hadn't seen. It was so nice to have someone here who knows things and is wants to go on adventures. We played Settlers that evening and Jonathan taught Phil and I to count in Khmer. My students love it, and it has already come in handy at the market.

Monday Jonathan came to school and helped out in my classroom for a bit. He rallied the sixth graders and got them to try. Which, is no small feat. After school the other SMs went school supply shopping. I didn't need to go, so Jonathan and I rode into town a bit.

It was nice to have a fresh boy face here. Phil is quieter and Travis is... well... Travis. And I really appreciated Jonathan's lively-ness, and energy.






I am in love with Cambodia. And on days when I forget that, Jesus brings old SMs to remind me.

I'm in Cambodia. It's an adventure in itself. But the big lesson I learned this weekend, was sitting on your bum is lame. Get outside. Life is worth living.

Mark Twain said it well--
Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Home-ish.

In Walla Walla I was a regular at pretty much every coffee shop. I could walk into Black Cup and have coffee waiting for me without even having to say anything. It was comfortable, it was familiar, it was home.

There is no Black Cup in Phnom Penh.

We, or at least I, need comfort. I need something that is familiar.

I read an e-mail from a friend this week reminding me about freshman year at Walla Walla when we would go to Safeway for groceries before we would go anywhere else, because Safeway reminded us of home. But as we grew more comfortable we went to Andy's, and Shop Co. and those places slowly became our own.

In my search for something homey Fay told me about The Shop. After school one day she showed Olga and I where it was-- closer to the mission than the school is. I rode my bike over the next day and found what I had been missing since I got here.

It's a wonderful little coffee shop. You walk through the gate off the hot crowded street and onto this little oasis. There is ac and big tables for working on lesson plans. The closest thing I could compare it to is The Patisserie in Walla Walla. Except, that instead of $7 for a dessert type thing, it is $2. It is too expensive for most Khmers here so it is mostly foreigners eating here.

I've started coming here after school sometimes and on Sundays to do lesson plans, and read. I feel comfortable here. I sit in the same spot and I order the same thing. I like being predictable about some things at least. Not anything in my life is predictable at this point, except exhaustion, and heat.

When I walked in today a few of the waitstaff gave me a smile that told me they recognized me. That I wasn't a stranger. And being in a country where pretty much everything is still strange, being recognized is a good feeling.

I'm pretty excited to be a regular again.

My Side of the World

It's hard to put life into words. I think about this blog thing during the day. The moments I would like to share. But to understand moments the big picture has to be understood and I haven't shared that yet. Daily life seems so daily, but I guess if you're not here it is out of the norm. Even for me it is crazy, and I'm living it.

I am looking forward to the day that I don't have remind myself, and the other SMs that we live in Cambodia. But seriously, I LIVE IN CAMBODIA. It's just strange.

I'm starting to form routines and habits here. Which is comforting. m
I wake up around 5:45. Get dressed and turn on the computer. That is 4pm home time and there has been someone on Skype pretty much every day. It's been nice to start my day with a home connection. I ride my bike to school, it is a little more than half a mile. The first few times were terrifying! We have to cross this five way intersection and then a busy two lane rode. And the way people drive here it if often a six lane rode. I get started at, honked at, and sometimes yelled at. It's just another day.

I teach ESL. I am the only teacher that has kids all seven periods during the day. I have 28 students from 2nd to 8th grade. It's like I am a teacher in a one room school. Except they leave my room for math, english, and khmer. So my lesson plans and what I am doing when looks different each day and there is often more than one thing happening at once. The other teachers are assigned to come in and help me when they don't have classes but I am still often shorthanded. But we get by.

The kids LOVE when I ask what a word is in Khmer. [Which you pronounce Kim-ear by the way] And during lunch today they taught me about 30 words. 5 of which I can remember now. The phrase I use the most in class is, we speak english in ESL! And when I use a Khmer word because I know it they say to me-- Cha! We speak English is ESL! I'm still working on learning names. These are not American names and it is taking a little longer, but I am getting there!

There are four SMs at CAS this year. Travis and Phil live at the school and Olga and I live at the mission. Olga and I came from the same social background... You know what I mean? Friends with everyone. And the first couple of days we had a conversation about the only girlfriends we have now are each other. It's been a transition, but having someone that understands what I'm going through is huge. Her first language is Spanish and we tease her about being our own little ESL student.

This last Friday we had vespers at the school. The sun goes down aroud six all year here. As Olga and I rode our bikes onto campus it started pouring. POURING. And it did not stop. It was so loud, overpowering. I don't know how to put it into words. Vespers was outside under the picnic area and as vespers was happening we could see lightning coming down and hitting outside of the school it was pretty amazing. The funniest part though was when the thunder was loud enough to set the car alarm off on Tim and Fay's car a number of times.






Sabbath is probably going to be my favorite day of the week. Church is at 9:30, it is translated but it hasn't been anything special so I usually have just been drifting off and reading my Bible. There is potluck every other week on the mission at someones house. On the off week someone has potluck for just a small group, and I feel like that is mostly to make sure the SMs eat something good at least once a week. haha. This week it was at Tim and Fay's. There was a large number of people there with people from all over the world. It is pretty amazing to hear some of their stories. I feel so blessed to have the chance to meet and know the long term missionaries here. They are some good people. After lunch the other SMs and I went with some of the ADRA people to a house church outside the city. It was AMAZING! To watch these people be drawn in by the story of Jesus was just... It is an experience that can't be measured. I think that is how I will be spending my Sabbath afternoons this year. Looking out the window during church about 15 ox ran by and a boy maybe age eight driving a tuk tuk went by. There is no one adjective that can do this place justice.


Sabbath evening we have english vespers. It is always something different. And I really like closing the Sabbath all together. After vespers is always dinner and games at Tim and Fay's. There is always a big group and always Rook. It reminds me of weekends in Walla Walla and I like it. I get teased a lot because I never know what is happening in Rook, and dumb mistakes have now been coined "pulling an Annie". We laugh a lot. And I feel bonded by these inspiring people who have given up a life of monetary wealth for something that is much more valuable.

There is so much I want to share. I want to talk about my students and specific people on the mission. And I will. There is just a lot to take in. I sit down to write and I realize I am overwhelmed by all that is happening here. How can I even put it into words that can be understood? And as I wander my way into the honeymoon phase and begin to fall in love with this place, I am thankful for the people here that will truly make it home.

The view outside my window is vastly different than it was a month ago. My friend circle is different, my priorities are changing. What I think about when I fall asleep is different.

I struggle with change.

But I have a bruise the size of my fist on my knee, and I fell up the stairs at school today, so I guess not everything has changed.

Bravery.

I live in the steeple of the church. It's pretty rad. I climb three flights of stairs and then a tiny spiral staircase and I am home. The roof of the church is my balcony. There is a cross on the front on the steeple and when you're walking towards the mission the cross is how you know where you're going. I like that.



Yesterday I decided to be brave and venture out on my own. Mostly because the boys weren't showing up and I have no patience... But I digress.



I walked down all the stairs and out the gate. I convod with Jesus on the way out, I am new here and so getting me home was on Him. I walked the way I knew we had walked before and was offered a ride from every tuk tuk and moto driver [I think it's a because I'm white mostly]. No, no, I wanted to walk. I found my way after probably three miles to the tea and coffee place. It's a classy joint. After wandering a bit more I decided to head for home, pretty proud of myself for doing this all alone.

I got in a tuk tuk and pointed the way home, or so I thought. Pretty quickly I realized I had pointed the driver in the wrong direction and I had no idea where I was. Panicking, I started to pray.

I saw a school that Tim and Fay had pointed out as a landmark to get home and I yelled for the tuk tuk driver to turn. A few streets later I saw it out of the corner of my eye, the cross. Home.



This year isn't for me, I'm already reminded of that. I don't feel ready for this. I'm not brave on my own. So I'm living under the cross. And I'm counting on Jesus to bring me home.

School has begun!

I don't know how teachers do it. I found out about twenty minutes before school was starting that I would be teaching seven periods. Seven periods that I had NOTHING for. Thank goodness for Alex. She gave me ideas and cheered me on. Probably would not have made it through the day without her.

I had been hoping to sit down with Principal Sharon on Sunday, but she didn't have time. So I didn't know what to expect or what was expected of me.
Winged it like a champion. Maybe not a champion... But winged it nonetheless. I teach anywhere from 2nd to 8th grade, they come and go depending on the period so doing lesson plans is going to be a hassle. But the kids are so wonderful. I don't know any names. Ok, I know one, Lily. I've nicknamed the rest of them in my head. I can't speak their language, but they are full of smiles and I love it. The call me teacher- they say tee-cha, some students just call me cha. When they ask to go to the bathroom they put their hands together in front of their chests and bow a little, it's a sign of respect and I just want to hug them.

We did puzzles today and every time the second graders put a piece in they would say YAAAY and clap their hands. I can't speak their language and they can't speak mine, but we can laugh together. And at this poin laughter is all I really need.