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.