Visitors!!

I am getting SO excited for my dad to arrive in Cambodia in TWO WEEKS! I can't believe that he will be here, and I'm counting the days now. It is going to be such a special time for me (and hopefully for him) as he joins me on this leg of the journey. Really, it will be kind of surreal to have him here, as he is usually sitting on the other end of a Skype session. I am happy to have my two worlds connect - for him to meet the people I talk about, to interact with the kids I love so much, and to experience all of the funny things that will happen simply by riding our bikes down the street. I'm really eager to share this part of my life with someone I'm so close to. And it's really important to mention that my dad is straight up hilarious and game for anything - really, one of my best friends - so we're gonna have a good time! The best running commentary ever. His visit couldn't come at a better time - the last couple months have been pretty challenging, but I also know it will be difficult to say goodbye. It will be nice to have some extra support. I don't know how I won the parent lottery, but I'm sure grateful.

The teachers are excited too - Thy, my close friend at the school, asked if he could take my dad fishing, and he also wants us to join his family for dinner in their home, which will be really special. I wanted to plan a trip to one of the villages, so we're going to the homeland of our security guard during a holiday in early December. We'll ride out on motos and eat some form of pig or fish and laugh. It's going to be great.

I'm also excited about another plan - Thanksgiving, Cambodia style! While you are watching football, we are going to be cleaning up after a staff dinner, too! I invited all of the teachers to my house for Thanksgiving since they are my family here. It will be a little different - I'm going to buy chickens from the vendor down the street since there aren't any frozen turkeys and I don't know how to catch a duck. But I will find potatoes and cranberry and do my best to make stuffing and pies and green bean casserole. This is a pretty big endeavor for me, since my role at Thanksgiving is usually manning the spinach dip and dessert table - but I'm going to give it the ol' college try, and either way, the teachers will say nice things. They may not mean them, but they will be kind. It's a safe crowd for my first Thanksgiving. If everything burns up or melts down, I can always make rice, boil some vegetables and call it a night.

Some great things to look forward to in the next month!