More from the Kingdom of Wonder..

It's just another day here in Cambodia. The weather has been slightly cooler the past few days and we haven't had too much rain. I do see some stormy clouds on the horizon, so it looks like we may be in for some wet weather later today. I've finished my teaching schedule for the morning. Here in Cambodia, school days are broken up into two sessions. There is a morning session from 7:30-11 am and an afternoon session from 1:30-4:30. Everyone takes a 2 1/2 hour siesta between the break hours which usually includes lunch and a nap. We have lunch with the kids at around 11:30 and then sometimes nap, talk with the kids or run some errands. Then it's back to class where my schedule usually consists of teaching all afternoon. I usually prefer the morning session because the kids behave better. In the afternoon, they are just crazy and would rather be anywhere BUT at school! I havent decided whether I like this version of schooling here versus a school day in America. I like the break, but I always never want to go back in the afternoon.

For my internship, I have to log in about 300 hours of teaching. I have been keeping track for the past few weeks and I have about 105 right now, not including this week. So, I'm about 1/3 of the way there! I'm not worried about not making it because we spend so much time teaching and tutoring that we will probably have close to 500 hours by the time we finish in just over 5 weeks.

It's crazy to think I have been here almost one whole month already. I was looking back through past journal entries from my first few days here and it all seems so long ago! I feel like I have been living here for so long and that this has become a new kind of normalcy for me. I have become used to speaking in a slow and very basic form of English because that's how I talk here. No use for inuendo's or cliche's. I've also become very expressive with the use of my hands here. If you can't understand something through speaking, using your hands to explain works just as well! =)

During the week, we spend much of our days teaching and on breaks spend time with the kids. We spend a lot of time conversing on the trampoline, or swinging..basically anywhere there is shade! The weekends have a more flexible schedule so we can do more activities with the kids.


This past weekend, we celebrated Emily's birthday and took some of the older girls to the beach. We walked to the beach from the orphanage which is about a 20 minute walk, but the part of the beach we went to ended up taking about 45 minutes to get to. I was so excited to see the water though it's not quite as blue as the ocean back home. I threw off my shoes, set down my backpack, eagerly anticipating the refreshing water awaiting me. I wish I could say it was refreshing..however, the water was a bit too warm for my taste.

We had a great time being with the girls. They were so amazed at our swimming abilities for though they were in the water with us, none of them can swim! A few of the girls had gone to the market and bought some fruit and a cake which we all shared in celebration of Em's birthday. It was fun to be out of the orphanage walls for a bit and I know the girls really enjoyed it.

Side not..the music playing over the speakers is Apologize by One Republic in Khmai. Haha..

Yesterday, we took two of the girls (Ravy and Thira) with us to a small western style bakery in town. One look at the familiar brownies and cookies and Em, Amanda and I were set on what we were going to get. The girls with us were precious because they had no idea what to get, but finally decided on cookies. All of us ordered coffee and the girls, also not sure what to get ordered a cappacino and cafe latte. I think they expected the drinks to be much sweeter because their faces after the first sip were priceless! I wish I had brought my camera because it was just hilarious to watch.

Probably one of my favorite things is watching the kids partake in things we take for granted. Like going to the grocery store, or getting some ice cream. We try to take a few of the girls with us on every outing, partly for translation but also to let them experience life outside the orphanage walls. Their eyes just light up whenever we enter a new place and you can tell they are so excited to be out. We always try to get them something whether it is ice cream or a small treat, and though they don't want to accept it, we always make them! They don't get treated out very often, and we really enjoy treating them to things they normally wouldn't.

One thing I am very glad I brought with me is my iPhone. Whenever they see me bring it out, they all crowd around it and beg to play games or listen to music! I have the movie The Proposal on it and a few nights ago about 12 girls sat around my small iPhone watching the movie. I'm sure they didn't understand half of it, but they loved it. They're getting pretty good at being able to work it too!

Another side note..in the 30 minutes I have been sitting here, I have seen an iguana, salamander type of lizard and a rat all run by in front of me! Good thing they are outside, and I am inside.. =)

Life here continues on as normal. I pray the next few weeks do not fly by too quickly. I've been here for so long that I feel so used to living here and with the kids..and I'm not sure what I will do when my time here is up. The kids ask me every day if I will live here and be their mom. They even call me "Mom Say", short for "Sayrah" which is how they pronounce my name. I don't know what the Lord has in store in the future, but for now I am fine with being right where I am. I know this is exactly where I need to be right now and I am enjoying every second that I have here. At times, it does get overwhelming. I have about 15 mosquito bites on just one of my legs..and I'm tired of scratching them all the time. Sometimes, the kids get a bit overstimulated and I have to take a break from all of the chaos. But I wouldn't have it any other way right now. I'm just so beyond blessed to be here..I wish you all could see exactly what I am seeing.

Hopefully soon I will have photo's to upload!!