Frogger was one of my favorite video games growing up. The object of the game is to move a little frog across a 10 lane highway as slow trucks, fast cars, and speeding motorcycles zoom by. Every time we cross the street here Phnom Penh I feel like I am in a real life interactive game of Frogger; however the real version is not as much fun as the video game. The other day a foreign lady joined our group at a crosswalk as we waited for a break in traffic. She laughed and commented, “”This is kind of like playing Russian roulette isn’t it?”‘
Not only is crossing the street difficult in Phnom Penh, but getting to a specific destination proves tricky too. Usually we hand an address to the driver. He shakes his head yes, ”Yes, I know. I will take you.? We agree to a price and head out on the road. After about 10 minutes of driving and a few U-turns in the middle of the road, the driver stops to ask for directions. We head back the way we came from. After a few more U-turns and maybe another stop for directions we some how eventually end up at our destination. Lesson learned in Phnom Penh: always leave early. Continued prayers for our safety are much appreciated.
In addition to traveling around the city on foot and by tuk tuk, we have continued to teach each night at the college dorm. The same students attend consistently, so we are slowly building some relationships. The students continue to be very attentive, but they enjoy games and laughing too. Often we have no idea what they are laughing about.
Yesterday we visited a coffee shop where Pilot, one of the girls from the dorm works. The shop is very Westerner friendly with air conditioning, good food, and comfy chairs. Pilot was excited to see us, but seemed a little nervous and apologized for any little thing she could. The shop, Jars of Clay, is run by 8 Cambodian women who support their families. Not only do they work hard to earn money for themselves, but they donate a portion of the profits to children in need, single parents, widows, and the disabled. Jars of Clay will definitely be a good hang out spot for us this month.
