I am living in Cambodia right now.
That is a sentence I never thought I would say. It just goes to show that God has bigger plans for us than we could ever plan for ourselves. With less than four months left on my World Race, I realize that these eleven months are not an endpoint but rather a catalyst for all to come. Along the way, I have picked up some life lessons thanks to some unique experiences here on this side of the world.
Here are my rules for life, Cambodian style:
- You can’t play volleyball with monks
Story: Buddhist monks cannot accept anything directly handed to them by a woman. A couple teammates and I were walking around a Buddhist temple, and the younger monks were playing volleyball. We wanted to join until we realized that the monks would not be able to receive any of our passes. “Sounds like we would win, then…”
Application: Respect people where they are at, and put them first. Although volleyball did not happen that day, we stumbled upon a volleyball game another day with men that we could volley with.
- Take advantage of bathroom breaks
Story: Travel days have been renamed “dehydration days” due to buses that don’t want to stop or lack of travel in an area with open public bathrooms (which charge money anyway). Bathrooms can get sketchy with different views on hygiene. A bathroom could be a hole in the ground or an outhouse being knocked over by pigs. Not to mention the lack of toilet paper.
Application: Always leave home with an empty bladder, and never refuse a bathroom break. It will save money and prevent uncomfortable situations.
- Don’t get caught showering after dark
Story: Cambodia is a different world at night. Huge rats, lizards, and cockroaches come out. With the limited lighting, bravery is a good trait to have when using the squatty potty in the dark.
Application: Plan for what you can, and laugh through the rest.
- The chicken might be dog
Story: Our contact makes our meals for us, and we told him we wanted to experience some authentic dishes. A soup came out one day, and he was smiling, “Chicken. Chicken.” More like “tastes like chicken”.
Application: The best adventures are unplanned. Go with it.
- Never eat food off the table
Story: Cambodian children tend to run around with no clothes on. A baby was sitting on the table one morning and pooped on it right before we showed up for lunch.
Application: E. coli is not a joke, and you just never know.
Cambodia has offered a chance for us to teach English and share bible stories with the Cambodian children in the nearby villages. We pet cows, feed monkeys, cross rickety rope bridges, and sleep in mosquito nets.
