hello hello!
This ones not as fun but everyone’s been asking that I write a blog about the nitty gritty stuff. Ya know, what my days look like, where I’m staying, what I’m actually doing, all that good stuff. So feel free to skim if you get bored
So I’m staying on a compound in Chhouk district with 13 other girls. Our host, Vuthy, and his wife and son, Connie and Malachi, have been absolute rockstars. They’ve taught me so much about servant leadership, hospitality, and whatnot. Here he’s founded a ministry called ‘University of Nations’ and it’s pretty much a little bit of everything. An English school, teenage and preschool, a soccer team, a coconut factory, and a church.
Schedule
It’s interesting how we know exactly what we’re going to be doing everyday, yet at the same time we have no idea. On Monday – Thursday, we teach 8 English classes a day between the team, I usually just teach one in the evening. Then in the afternoon we’re digging fish ponds, building chicken coops, making coconut milk, ya know, typical afternoon activities. And in the mornings, (sorry I don’t know why I said the schedule backwards), we go on house visits!
Friday is our sabbath. (Which is something I’ve actually learned a lot about, rest. It’s such a gift we take for granted! But that’s a whole other story). This is also the day that I usually take a tuk tuk (picture a dirt bike pulling a mini carriage looking thing, that’s a tuk tuk) to the Internet cafe where I get to call home! Then saturdays are our ‘adventure days.’ It’s still not vacation, more of our host wanting to show us around his country. But still super fun! On Sunday’s, we have church where we lead worship and preach. Then we have kids club, then we do it all over again!
Culture
Ok picture this scenario: So you and your friend are at a baseball game and the person in front of you pulls out this big ol’ hot dog and you say, “Oh what’s that?!” And your friend says, “A hot dog, you want one?” “Well yeah,” you say. And your friend says,”They’re over by the concession stand, you should get one. I’ll save your seat.”
Very realistic scenario in America, right?
Ok now you’re in Cambodia, true story by the way
You’re sitting in a classroom waiting for your English class to start, and this student walks in carrying a foot long sandwhich he got from the food truck outside. It smells like straight heaven, so you ask the local teacher, “What’s that kid eating?” She says, “A sandwich, you want one?” “Yeah it looks so good!” you say. So she leaves in the middle of her class, hops on her moto, weaves through the children and cows for 10 minutes each way, buys the sandwhich with her own money, holds it in one hand as she drives the moto back with the other, then casually walks back into the class and says, “Here ya go”
And that pretty much sums up the culture, ha!
Food
Oh boy, this ones gonna be fun. So far, I’ve tried beetles, octopus, squid looking things, etc. Yet the only time my stomach’s hurt is the day we got American food ha. Other than that, we have waffles every morning and rice all the other time. It’s great. A carb diet, if you will.
(Also, side story. The whole week of training camp, I was craving waffles like nobody’s business. I even went out of my way to find a IHOP before boarding the plane, just to have them close as I was walking up… heartbreaking, I know. Anyways, long story short, now I’m eating waffles every. single. day. The Lord truly does satisfy the desires of your hearts, ladies and gentlemen. Be careful what you pray for, ha. )
Adventure days
These are my favorite! A little time to get off the compound and really see the country. Our first day, we took a boat to rabbit island, which was SO gorgeous. Close your eyes and picture paradise.. yup, that’s rabbit island. The next week, we took a 10 passenger van with 22 people in it (that was fun) to Phenom Penh, the capital. We went to a cafe, museum, pizza place, food court, grocery store, Hard Rock Cafe, night markets… basically just ate our way through the city. It was great. Then we went to Kampot city and I just love that town! Mark my word friends, I’ll be moving here.
Ok yeah I think that’s it. If y’all have any more questions about the logistical stuffs, you can ask in the comments and I’ll try to answer. Thanks, y’all rock
with love, jordan
