Real Life

I’ve finally settled into some kind of routine and am learning what the daily grind will look like here. This experience is unlike any other – I’m a more permanent fixture. I’m still just a passerby in the grand scheme of things, but I love that I will get to see the heart of Phnom Penh - not just landmarks and popular attractions, but the men and women who will live and die here. So real life has begun; the commute, long hours of work, working out, and establishing relationships at home, work and church.
Days are pretty long, but time moves quickly. I wake up to roosters, a cup of coffee, a shot of Pepto, and my Bible. It is the only way to maintain harmony in mind, stomach and spirit. The commute to school is pretty painless – we drive along the canal, past sidewalk noodle shops, and through the morning rush of motos. People stand in the streets between traffic lanes (which are not at all defined) selling newspapers and bread. It is the only time I am cool during the day, so I love it. The return trip takes twice as long, and I inhale five times as much exhaust. My first class starts at 7:30, and the last one ends at 5:00, but we still manage to get a good game of volleyball going on the concrete after the bell rings. I absolutely love the kids. They are very humble, pure-hearted, and eager to learn. Teaching EFL is an exercise in patience on both ends, but we definitely laugh a lot during class. I admire their ability to focus in the heat, adolescent stench, and noise that exists. Today there were some geckos racing on the walls of the classroom and I was the only one phased by it. At nights I find a way to work out. There aren’t any lights on the track, and it still gets dark pretty early , so I’ve been doing Billy’s Boot Camp and yoga dvd’s on the roof of the villa. I don’t have weights, so I use two bricks for dumbbells. Pretty funny. And do have to say, it’s a whole lot cooler doing yoga on a rooftop in Cambodia than in a living room in Sacramento. I heard that there are some open gym times at a school near our neighborhood, so I’m excited to check that out.
I’ve definitely been enjoying the time with colleagues and my new church family. Conversations can be a lot of work, but it is fun to learn how to communicate. Any attempt I make at Khmer is appreciated, even if it sounds ridiculous. I love interacting with the other teachers at school - they like to practice their English, and I just like to talk. Church services are beautiful to me, but any message, announcement or lesson requires more time for translation. I was asked to teach a lesson last weekend, and I discovered that speaking with a translator is a true talent… that I have not cultivated. It is pretty humbling – I start laughing at myself, then have to wait and see if anyone else thinks I’m funny. It seems they have a different sense of humor.  I feel very welcome, however. The second Sunday I was here, a woman invited me to her home for lunch. She prepared everything and wouldn’t let me lift a finger. A man at the school is the same way – he serves me (a lot of) lunch every day. I realized that communication has so many layers – I want to express gratitude for his heart to take care of me and appreciation for the food, but tell him that I don’t want him to work so hard on my behalf and that I’m not accustomed to eating an army’s supply of rice at one sitting. Through these interactions I’m learning different languages of love, and it’s refreshing. I’m eager to hear the stories of their lives, which I know will unfold over time.

Rooftop Reflections

Everything has been new for me here – new food, new modes of transportation, a new school with hundreds of new smiles – but the thing I’ve been thinking about lately are the new people I’ve met over the last couple weeks. There have been both brief encounters with random people and introductions to individuals with whom I hope to build deep friendships. The people of this country are wonderful, and I will spend more time talking about their love and certainly their resilience, but right now I’m really blown away by the number of foreigners who are woven into the fabric of Phnom Penh; some tourists, but so many who are living and working here long term with schools, businesses or NGOs. This truly is an international city, and I suppose my surprise that I’m not the only six foot white woman is only a sign of my ignorance. It’s a funny shift of perspective – I thought I was taking such a huge leap of faith in coming here, but I have quickly learned that I’m one of thousands. I sit on the roof of our villa at night and can’t believe that I’m here... but when I seek common excitement from people at the market, it’s like they respond with this nonchalant shrug that says, ‘What’s the big deal? So there are three monks and eighteen tons of sugarcane balanced on a motorcycle and a woman walking through traffic with a huge silver bowl of dried fish on her head. We're in Cambodia. Get over it.' But it’s still fascinating to me – how did everyone end up here?
Every person I meet has a story unique to his or her life. My roommate is one of the most inspiring people I’ve met. She is originally from Switzerland and has lived here for ten years, serving the Sihanouk Center of HOPE as a surgeon. She works tirelessly, making house calls at night and waking up early to tend to patients on her days off. So selfless – I have much to learn from her about service, perseverance, and especially faith. The family I live with uprooted in April and will be here for the next three years. I also have a new friend who is such a strong woman – she was born in a province in the Philippines, was raised in Russia, worked in the medical field for a year in Afghanistan, and has been at the hospital here for four years. Just today I met a man from Camaroon who is here studying and working for a couple years. In fact, he was playing soccer on a team with representatives from every continent. It was very cool to watch – it was like one of those Nike commercials … “Sports transcend language and culture, uniting the world. Just do it.” I guess there’s simply a calling, dream, vision, escape, wild hair – whatever you label it. It helps me feel closer to God in a lot of ways – it reminds me that He is orchestrating this master plan that is much bigger than me.
I don’t know who I’ll meet tomorrow or what events will take place, but I get excited about the possibilities. I hope to pull lessons from the lives of these people and enjoy sharing in the journey.

Extreme Eating, Extreme Jogging

Extreme Eating / Extreme Jogging

Being new to the city and culture, both special celebrations and common activities are fascinating to me. I was able to attend a Cambodian wedding this weekend, which was a suprise as my longest standing relationship here had been established for the duration of one week. It was a Christian wedding, so it didn't follow all of the traditions, but it was a new experience for me nonetheless. The woman was from the US and the man was from Cambodia - so moving to see them meld two cultures, two completely different lives. All of the guests were dressed in their finest attire, especially the women, who wore intricately beaded tops in vibrant colors. I was told more than once that black and white were only worn to funerals - never weddings - so I suppose I will need to get a new dress at some point. They do overlook the mistakes of foreigners - again, very gracious and forgiving. A woman took me under her wing and taught me the dances, most of which were done as a large group. It was beautiful to watch thirty people move as one body. And then there was me, ever so graceful! I tried to control my long ol' limbs as I imitated a swimming fish and the motion of plucking flower petals, but I will be quite content never seeing the footage. The spread was incredible - fish loaves wrapped in banana leaves, fish balls, ground pork with many spices, curry, and an entire river swimmer dropped in the middle of the table. I haven't said no to a single dish, and I wasn't about to pass up these delicacies ... which had it's own set of consequences. Extreme consequences.

I’m also sure jogging, with such a moderate level of intensity, has never been named extreme – but I imagine that’s because it is typically done in quiet neighborhoods, along winding country roads, or on treadmills. I went for a run Saturday morning – which, of course for me has never really been an actual run – and it was a lot like being in a video game. Dodge the moto, jump the pothole, run around the tuk tuk, step over the burning pile of trash and swerve through the market. I made my way to a small track behind a government school, and avoided eye contact with the guards. I think I’m supposed to have an id card, but my housemate said I’m white enough to get through. I hate birds, but I decided that I must make my peace with the chickens so I can continue to share their space. The children here attend school on Saturdays, so the area was still very busy. There were some men lining the grass for soccer boundaries – they were taking great care with a paint roller. I’m enjoying simple experiences like these the most… just watching daily life happen as I try to fit into it somehow.

A Warm Welcome

I made it to Phnom Penh - what a wild ride! I was first greeted by midnight temperatures of 80 degrees, then two hundred smiling faces. In less than a week I have fallen in love with the people of Cambodia. They are gentle, kind, and very forgiving - I'm grateful for that, as it's clear that I'm going to be confused for a long time. I butcher names, forget every word I'm taught, and fumble for the correct amount of change at the market... but they smile, repeat, repeat, and wait.

I visited the school for the first time last Saturday. The kids were gathered in the schoolyard with four or five handcrafted signs - they were jumping and smiling, and they immediately threw their arms around me. I've been there a week now, and every morning I'm greeted the same way. Big hearts. I have a hard time communicating with the primary students, so they run around me in swarms, giggling and asking questions that I can't answer. The older students are a lot of fun - I play basketball and volleyball with the guys during breaks, and the ninth grade girls want to talk about boys from America and Korea. The staff is wonderful - they are so giving and do everything they can to make me feel comfortable. One woman bought me a HUGE coffee mug - she said it fits me. Hilarious. I'm learning how to communicate with the Khmer teachers - right now we smile a lot. I think I was part of a staff meeting the other day, but it was hard to tell. The language barrier is a problem at times, but it actually simplifies communication - it's very clear when someone is talking to me, and they fill me in when I need to know something. Easy. Extra details aren't necessary. I went on a field trip today - no idea where we went, but they said get on the bus and I did.

The teachers work extremely hard - most teach at the government school for part of the day as well, making around thirty dollars a month. It certainly makes me appreciate what I have. I started teaching on Wednesday - it is clear that this is going to be a big job.
The school itself is a house - the main entrance is open for staff, students,and a coffee pot, and the classes take place in rooms the size of bedrooms. In the English classroom I have two fans, 25 students every hour, and an ample supply of bug spray. It will be a legitimate sauna when the temperatures increase... I'm a little nervous for March. I didn't know what to expect, but the building serves its purpose for now. I imagine we will have to find a new building as the school continues to expand.
My commute to school is crazy; Phnom Penh is not a big city, but there's a lot going on. So far, I have to rely on a tuk tuk. My driver is loyal and absolutely fearless. He faces oncoming traffic, dodges melon carts and keeps up with the other motos. The wise financial decision for transportation is to buy a moto, or moped, and sell it for the same price in the end... but at this point I'm convinced that would be certain death. It appears there is no system with traffic, but it's just hidden in chaos. There is a system, and I need to learn.

There is a lot to learn here. I'm hoping to simply be a student for a while - a student of the school, the people and the culture.