My Enjoyable (So Far) Dilemma

     I was a very busy person on Sunday.  I woke up before 4am to help the seniors bake banana bread for their fundraiser that started at 730am.  They did really well by the way, some of them were up all night getting ready.  They set up carnival games and sold some food.  They sold some sandwiches that had some crab meat in them, which is not good for an Adventist school, the principle was pretty angry when she found out.  They should have known better, but that's another story.

    So once we were all ready I bolted over to the girls' house because our internet was out at my place.  It was my mom's birthday on the 21st and this was my only time to try to call her.  At 715am I knocked on their door, normally I wouldn't bother anyone at home so early on a sunday morning but this was an emergency and I knew that they always get up early.    Annie was nice enough to let me use their internet, but my mom wasn't on skype.  So I tried my brother's cell phone because I don't even know my mom's number.  He was surprised to receive a call from a weird number but he right away told my mom to get on skype.  When we finally got connected I not only saw my mom but the whole party at our house.

     It was nice to see everyone and say hi to my mom on her birthday but I had to get back to the fundraiser, I had a job to do.  I was chosen by the seniors to be the official DJ, christian music only.  It was the best job available as far as I was concerned.  I played Toby Mac, Audio Adrenaline, Thousand Foot Krutch and lots of others.  I even played some 180 (my mom's old band) in honor of my mom's birthday.  The party was over by 11am and I was exhausted.  But I had to get some laundry done (minor underwear emergency was occuring) so I brought a load over to the girls' place because they have a washer.

     As some of you may know it's rainy season here in Cambodia.  It's been a relatively dry rainy season so far but that changed yesterday.  It rained and rained and rained some more, in short, it's Monday evening and my clothes are still in the washer.  No use in hanging them up when it rains all the time.  So while waiting for the laundry situation to develop, we decided we needed to ride our bike's to a market.  Best. bike. ride. ever.  I was peddling thru puddles and each time I pushed down, my foot was in it's own world of wetness.  So while my laundry dilemma continues, I had an amazing time playing in the rain. 

Minor update since my internet wasn't working when I first wrote this.  It's Tuesday night now and I just got back and my clothes are still wet!  I brought home some essentials...  but it would be nice to get some clean clothes back over here sometime.

My Life

The end of week 2 is almost here so I'm kind of getting into a groove in life.  Unlike most other schools here in Cambodia, we only have classes Monday thru Friday we all  need that day of rest on Saturday.  The teachers all have worship at 7am, then the students join the teachers in their home room for worship.  Classes actually start at 745.  I teach 3 or 4 classes a day out of the 7 periods then I teach an after school class for some kids who failed last year.  After all of that it's around 4 o'clock and usually I have a goal to accomplish not involving school.  I need to get off campus at least once a day or else I feel like I'm not getting the most out of this adventure. 

My trips off campus always seem to start with going over to the mission, that's where the church is and where the girls live.  Even more importantly, that's where the washing maching is located.  We were given pedal bikes to use while we are here so it only takes us about 5 minutes to get there.  Even though its a short trip we still see some interesting things.  I am just as likely to see a lexus drive by me as I am to see a cart pulled by a couple of oxen.  There are some mansions in a lot right next to lots with nothing but trash and a few kids playing volleyball. The disparity between the haves and the have nots is shown on the same block and it is surprisingly very large.

Once we are at the mission we go to the girls' house and then we all find a tuk tuk to take us someplace into town.  Whether we are looking for groceries or music or electronics or just exploring the last stop of the day is always at an ice cream place.  It's become our thing to have ice cream almost everyday.  I don't know why exactly.  Obviously it tastes good, maybe it reminds us of home or maybe its just nice to have something cold when we've been sweating all day.  Either way it's something we do and we enjoy, although some more than others...Annie....

I appreciate weekends way more than I used to.  The weekend, to me anyways, is a time off from school work but it has become much more than that.  It's a time where I can relax a little eat good food (instead of the stuff I make) and fellowship.  But if I'm being completely honest, the best part is that I don't have to be up at 6 in the morning.  But tomorrow I do, so I better get going...    Juab khnia thngay kraoy 

Here I Am

So, it's August 8, Sunday night, and I'm finally starting this thing.  After a summer tour around the western hemisphere, I took 3 bags and a backpack to Southeast Asia.  Cambodia wasn't ever a country I dreamed of travelling to, and trust me there were a lot of countries i did dream of, but now that I've been here for 2 weeks I can't imagine a better place for me.  I mean God sent me here, so there is no other place for me to be. 

The first week I was able to relax a little bit and get used to my surroundings, the second week was a whole new experience though.   I try not to guess why God has done things the way He has, I just keep the faith that everything He does leads me down the best possible path for success, however that might be defined.  So it just so happens that my very first time teaching was this past Monday in front of 20 or so 10th graders more or less eager to learn Biology.  See I last took  or even just thought about a Biology class in 2002 when I took it in high school freshman year.  So far I feel like I'm learning just as much, if not more (according to the kids' test grades) than my students. 

I've met some great people here in Phnom Penh, I'm sure if anyone will continue to read this blog youwill get  to know all of them in time.  But for my first post I have to mention Tim and Fay Scott.  Tim is the man I kept in contact with before leaving the states for good.  Upon arrival here they let me stay at their place with my new roomate Travis.  They fed us and showed us around town, don't know what I would've done without them.  They're like the den parents to all of us and there's nothing they don't have a good answer for. 

Well, how much do people usually write in one post? I feel like I could go on and on and on and on about my experience so far and what I hope to do in my time here and the amazing people that work so hard doing everything I've been doing multiplied by a few billion for a dozen years.  Then there's my amazing family and church family that have made this whole thing possible.  But, it's late Sunday night, a new week is starting with another Biology class in the morning...