It's March 7, 2012. I've been in this lovely country for exactly 6 months and 6 days, and I'll be leaving in exactly 3 months and 8 days. I know, I can't believe it either. This has definitely been a whirlwind experience, but I feel like I haven't blogged enough/ blogged, just to blog. What I mean, is that I only write when I've done something super cool, or been somewhere super neat. So, this time, I'm just going to share from my heart, the things I've been learning and seeing on a day to day basis, no waterfalls or elephants involved, I promise.
Anywhere I go, I inevitably attract the stares of just about everyone around me. One, because I'm about half a foot taller than everyone. And two, because I have curly, blonde hair(basically every Cambodian's dream). To foreigners, I'm just another girl. Cambodians most likely see me as any other tourist, just traveling through on my journey through southeast Asia...but obviously, thats not the case. When I see foreigners, depending on what part of town it is(most tourists hang out on the riverside with the western restaurants) I can't help but wonder what they're doing here, so alot of the time, I'll just ask. Then a discussion of our respective projects pans out. I'd say the overwhelming majority of foreigners/white faces, work with some NGO...alot of them working with trafficking and prostitution...some work with the prevention of HIV/Aids, and others with a church, working to spread the gospel here. When people ask me what I do, they're almost shocked when I say "school teacher." They're interested in hearing about the school, what I teach, whether or not I volunteer, so I thought the everyone back home may be asking themselves the same questions.
Well, as most of you already know, I'm teaching at the Cambodian branch of my alma mater, Abundant Life International School. I get to school about 7:30 every morning, our day begins at 8:00, and we don't finish until 4:30. I have the great privilege of being the first grade homeroom teacher as well as their English teacher, teaching: reading,writing,spelling, and language arts. I also teach third grade...language, spelling, writing, science, and history.
So the next question, do I enjoy it? Yes, I really do. The kids are great. I'm seriously their hero(and that's not an egotistical comment) They just really love me, and I love them right back. They're absolutely adorable, I mean, have you ever seen an Asian baby? Yeah, they get cuter with age. But I have to be honest, its not all roses and lilies. They're kids, so I obviously have to be a disciplinarian, and sometimes, it just kills me.... Their little faces just crumble when I have to take a monkey money( our reward system) but I know its for their own good. Thankfully, though, its not very often that I have to really crack down.Most of the time I can just look up and one of my students, You Yu( pronounced You We) will just smile at me, and the world is turned right.
Our school has really strived to offer a well rounded education, including three languages, English, Khmer, and Chinese, as well as extracurricular activities, such as dance, art and basketball. The parents and kids love it, and that makes teaching it all the more worthwhile.
On a day to day basis, I ride my bike to school for my 5 minute commute-never underestimate the power of leaving near to your work place- I teach all day, come home and right away turn on the air con(its hot as Hades due to the entrance of the "hot season") watch some tv, mostly American Idol, grade papers, make dinner, brown rice and something, facebook, have bible study, go to bed. Repeat.
I know, it sounds similar to your life,right? Thats because it is. Most people have the preconceived notion that I'd be living in a shack with no power, eating canned food(actually more expensive than fresh, here) calling home from some shady internet cafe. I'll admit, I was one of those people, but really its not extremely different than America. Yes, there are things that would only happen here- 4 people riding on one moto- but my life here is very comfortable. God has provided more than what I need, and blessed my efforts. I'm beyond thankful for this experience because while I live comfortably, most people don't have that luxury. I see lack and want in the lives of alot of people, and its taught me to be thankful, whatever the circumstance. Americans are so confined to our borders. If something goes wrong with our internet, we about have a cow until its turned back on and they've refunded the last month's payment. Here the internet may turn off for three days and you have no choice but to wait it out, because you can't speak the language, which means, you can't call and yell at them or demand that they turn it back on. This equates to carefree living...going with the flow....being content. I've learned to just let things happen... its been so liberating to my Type-A, control type, American way of living.
Completely off subject, but lately I've recognized how fickle time really is. When I was younger, all I could do was look forward to being older. When I go here, all I could do was look forward to going home(not because I didn't enjoy it, but because of missing my family/ America etc.,). I guess what I'm also realizing how fickle the human brain is. We look forward to something, only for it to get here, to then experience it, to then be upset that it came and went so fast. As I look back on the past 6 months, I can tell you that I barely remember it. It seems like a memory of a long ago happening. Everything is vague and unclear. I can't articulate most happenings, each one has run into the next. That's exactly what I mean. The moment is better than the memory...obviously, since my brain is failing to remember a lot of what I've done. My point is, I've learned that looking forward to something is fun, and exciting, but if I gain nothing in my experience, accept a temporary high that fades as soon as I've gotten what I was looking forward to, then everything I go through in life will be utterly pointless. I'll never gain anything from anything because I'll be looking forward to something.
"Live in the moment,
not in the memory."
Thats all I've got for now:] Stop back in for more updates, you never know what I'll write. next!
<3yours truly
