As a child I loved to pretend I lived in the mid-1800s, the pioneer days. I’d pretend I lived in a log cabin on the prairie and that I taught in a one-room school house. (Yes, Laura Ingels Wilder’s books were favorites of mine) I spent most of my time wishing I lived “back then”.
Well, in a lot of ways it feels like those childhood dreams of mine came true this month – with a couple fun additions. (Shower heads, electricity, tuk-tuks, and hammocks anyone?)
For starters, my team has taught English to children of all ages, all together in one room.
Teaching kids “one room school house style” has its challenges and its upsides. While it’s nice to have the older kids around to help the younger kids, it’s really hard to teach all the kids at the levels they’re actually at.
Then there’s our living situation. This month my team has had the privilege of living in this house with a wonderful Cambodian family.
photo credit: Kelsay Singleton
Yes! It resembles a tree house! My inner child squealed with delight when I realized that this is where I would get to stay for the month!
My team was given the largest bedroom in the tree house – and it kind of resembles the cabin childhood me wanted to live in.
Even better? The room is perfectly equipped for hanging hammocks. So I’ve spent the month sleeping in my hammock. It actually makes a decently comfortable bed!
Below the “tree house” is the main living area of the home – an open area that acts as living room, dining room, kitchen, and garage.
In this kitchen our hostess prepares delicious meals for us 3 times a day.
photo credit: Kelsay Singleton
She really knows how to cook over hot coals!
Now us Americans? Not so much – it turns out it’s really hard to regulate the temperature of live coals. So, the one time we cooked our own dinner, the french toast got a little burnt!
Out behind the house stands our bathroom – two outhouses.
These outhouses are actually some of the nicest bathrooms we have had on the race! One outhouse even has a real shower head! (Bucket showers are a real thing ya’ll! Running water and a shower head? That’s luxury!)
Yes, they are squatty potties, but they’re clean! And honestly, I actually prefer these squatties to the real toilets lacking toilet seats that I’ve dealt with more than once over the past 9 months. Yep, the bathroom situation on the race can be tricky.
Out beyond the outhouses, there’s another building – a pig barn. While we’ve been here piglets have been born,
And older hogs have been butchered. (a pig head on the table, not what you expect to see first thing in the morning)
All these things added together definitely give you the feeling of having stepped back in time. Then there’s the family – 3 generations enjoying life and working together in one home.
photo credit: Dara Kolar
They have truly been a joy to live with, learn from, and get to know this month.
Yes indeed, my team has been blessed to get to ‘step back in time’ for a month and serve along side these people.
