Friendship

April 18
Friday

For the past week we had a holiday, Khmer New Year. I was talking to my dad the other day and he asked me a question that I didn’t thing about. Is it 2008 or 2009 here? I still think that its 2008. They don’t celebrate our New Years time, but change the year when we do. I don’t understand, but whatever; HAPPY KHMER NEW YEAR! To celebrate this holiday they throw water or power on you. It doesn’t matter if they know you or not you’re going to be a walking target. I got drenched by the Lao boys one morning. They tricked me into thinking that Brennda was calling me outside. For those of you who don’t know Brennda she’s the one that is getting “married”. She is from California and has two kids. One of which she had here and the other is at home with the boyfriend. She is so much fun and I’m going to miss her when she leaves at the end of the month. She has made my time here fly by. I kind of hope that the babies passport doesn’t go through for a little while longer so that she doesn’t have to leave. I really will miss her.
Anyway, all I have been doing this holiday is hanging out with the Lao boys and Ben and Kim. It has been a really relaxing week. I’m really glad I didn’t go anywhere because quite frankly I’m tired of traveling. I just want to take a break and rest. Sorry, have to say that there is this older man who will not stop staring at me. Every time I look at him he just smiles; creepy. Whatever.
I got to see Yeema (old assistant) this week. She came by yesterday and we went to the Russian market then to Soya. However, I got separated from here at Soya and I just ended up going home from there alone. I’m going to call her today and say goodbye. This was the last time we were going to see each other too. I really love Yeema. She is a good friend.
Earlier this week I took all the Lao boys to the pool. It was really fun. Prom and me raced and man can he hold his breath. By the way Prom is starting to talk to me more now. I’m happy for that because before I had to almost twist his arm. I’m still the closest to Nova. He is a really good guy and really fun. Now that the whole Liz and Lao boys business has finally been dealt with I can actually hang out with them in peace. Although I’m sure some people are still not happy, but whatever. I can’t make everyone happy and I finally shut them up. I only wish that I did this earlier, how much trouble I would have saved myself and others.
I’m really going to miss them and Ben and Kim. I’m planning on coming back here to visit Ben and Kim next year. We will see though. If I work really hard this next year and watch my money I’m sure I can do it. I promised Ben and Kim that I would help them out if they needed it when the baby comes. Kim doesn’t want to take my money, but you know what I’m more than happy to help if it for a good cause. I love giving rather than receiving. That goes for all my friends. No matter the time whether I can’t afford it, I will make it happen some how. I’m always there for my friends. And I’m so sorry if I have ever made anymore feel dispensable. That was never my intension. I really value my friends, I’m nothing with out them ALL.
During this time of my time here, I’m really homesick for my friends and family. I have realized that without friends a person is nothing. Being lonely is not worth it. I have found that holding grudges is not worth it. Holding grudges is a horrible thing. Don’t do it. It only destroys friendships. Ben said that as you get older you realize how important friendship is and holding a grudge is not worth it. I’m going to try my hardest to stop doing this. This is one of my weaknesses. I have always done this. What I mean is that I don’t hold a grudge forever, but I will hold one until the person(s) and I talk it out. I have a hard time forgiving someone for something they did to me. But the Bible says that if you don’t forgive though who persecute you, you will not be forgiven. Pray that I can get better at not holding grudges.

ADRA

April 14
Monday

For the first time being here I felt like I was doing something for the good. Volunteering in Cambodia is pleasant, but I feel like I’m not doing anything. On all the mission trips I have been on I felt like I was doing something for the good. Why, am I here? What did God bring me here for? Was it to strength my relationship with him? Was it to be comfortable with myself and know that I can be on my own? Was it to bring out the faults in myself to realize and fix them? WHY!?
Just last week seven hundred houses or so burnt down. It was really sad to see all the families live on the streets. Cambodia doesn’t need that! I was discussing the topic with Silvia on Sabbath and I asked if they figured out how it started. She said that people suspect the government. I looked at here perplexed and she explained to me that the government will do what it wants to do at any costs. Because money controls everything here! Its sad and sickening to think that your own government will burn down your house just to build fancier houses or an organization that will bring in more money for the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer! I was really disturbed by the fact of this and decided that I wanted to help out the people whom lost everything they had.
ADRA is an organization here in Cambodia that helps the people live healthier lives and answers to major disaster calls; seven hundred houses burning down falls under the category of major disaster. So, on Saturday afternoon instead of sleeping I decided to work with ADRA to package the food to give out the next day. The bags consisted on 5 kilo’s of rice, noodles, soy sauce, cooking oil, and some kind seasoning. My job was to scoop the rice out of the bags into littler ones for the people. By the end of the day my hand was so sore, but I still helped out. Around 5ish Porm and Dream came to help out, Prom put the noodles and other stuff into the bags while Dream helped me. It was nice to see them help out.
On Sunday morning I woke up at 5:30 to go to Anna’s house (meeting area) to leave. We had three little trucks filled with the bags and one big hull truck; all of which were filled to the max. Arriving there was pretty over whelming, lots of people going every which way to set up the area. The government decided to just make rows to put the food. ADRA was not the only organization that helped out; Red Cross and Zaman International School. Red Cross provided mats, eating utensils and bowls, tarp, and sarongs. Zaman provided two 50 kilo bags. It was nice to help out. God really had mercy on all of us because just that morning around 4 it rained, which resulted in a cloudy and windy morning; I was thanking God. I would have died if I had to work in the sun. But because of the rain it was really muddy, so one of our trucks got stuck in the mud. Kham Phia, Nova and I tried our hardest to get it out of the mud. LOL!
Also I got to go into a temple. It was kind of cool. There were painting on the walls that told a story. I didn’t understand, but it was nice to see. The monks there were trying to get me to take lots of pictures of them. I was getting annoyed and just pretended to take pictures of them towards the end because I didn’t want to waste my battery.
We unloaded all the trucks by making a line to pass the bags. Towards the end my arms started feeling like jello. I almost fell over on top of Sharon. In the end it felt good to help others. This is what I miss feeling when I help. Maybe because my work is not finished I don’t have that satisfactory feeling. I will just have to wait for it.

Request

I have a huge request. My school here, Cambodia Adventist School, is trying to finish our new school that we have been building for some years now. We would have been moved inside by now, but we have lots of run in with the government and money. Right now we (our school) is trying to raise $40 thousand dollars to put the final touches on the school: windows and white boards. The windows are so much money. Sharon told me once and my jaw dropped but i can't remember the price, none the less windows are really nice with the rainy season comes around.
you maybe asking what are we doing to raise this $4o thousand dollars. well we just recently started $1 dollar a day for 100 days and so far we have had some success. the students are so excited that they would sell anything from copied pictures to washing car/moto's. it was so cute to see the littler kids sell copied pictures which costs them 500rel and sell them for 500rel. they wouldn't make any profit, but were still trying. i had to explain to my class that if you want to get money you have to sell it for more than you buy it for. i am collecting all the recyclable stuff on our compound. there is not much money in this, but its worth a shot and its not coming out of my own pocket. we are going to start to sell stuff on Monday when i get enough money to buy the stuff.
So, yes we have been trying really hard to encourage the kids and keep them motivated. what i'm asking is if you feel pressed to help out an Adventist school in Cambodia and know that it will be going to a good cause then please let me know. i would be very happy to help you get the money here. we really want to except as many students as possible, but right in our situation we are having to send people home with frowns because we just don't have the room for them. as a matter of fact we have two kindergartens because we didn't want to turn down to many people.
you can contact me at ittobits_6@hotmail.com if you want to know more information. thanks.

What i love

The other day i woke up with stomach pains because i had a dream that i was packing to leave. why is it that i always get so attached to the people around me? my dad once said to me that where ever i go i will leave an impression on people, but the truth is that i think they leave an impression on me. i came to cambodia because i wanted to serve God, but i also wanted a break from my life at home. America is so fast paced. An American is always on the run. Why is it that we are so fast paced? What are we trying to keep up with or stay ahead of?
I love my life here in Cambodia. Even though its heck-it at times, with the people and culture i still love being here. i don't feel rushed in life. what i love about Cambodia is how people are so relaxed, sometimes to much. they will just sit outside their house and do nothing all day but watch people drive by on there moto's. Also, how you will see 30 some moto's parked outside a shop. i love that i choose to come here and serve God. Yes, at times it's hard, but when is it easy in life. Life is full of choices and which road you decided to take leads you to your destination.

Khmer Engagement Party

March 2
Sunday

On Friday Katrina and I got invited to an engagement party. We know the family of the grooms because they live right next to the Lao boys house. We don't talk to much, but acknowledge each other. Sometimes they will give us rides to town if they are going too. So, the party was taking place in front of their house. Which all the parties take place in front of the hostess place. What they do is set up huge canopies and decorates them with bright colors such as orange, red, yellow, and some brown. These kind of remind me of circus tents. At the party we were suppose to bring some kind of gift, but when I asked what I should bring they insisted I didn't need to bring anything. So, me being the missionary whom lives on a stipend didn't. That morning I went to play volleyball at the school from 6:30 to 7:30 and rush home to get ready for the party. Being an Indian I don't have such a thing called time. So, I actually left the school at 7:45. I rushed home and got ready really fast. To my surprise Katrina was not up either and we were both running late. But unlike me Katrina doesn't take long to get ready. She is always waiting on me; sad but true.
The party was pretty cool. I have always seen this kind of thing going on around town and wondered what happens, so today i got to see. First off they line everyone up with the gift in hand, which can be anything from candy to fruit and present it to the bride and groom one by one. Originally they have guests walk from the grooms house to the brides house (where the party is), but this particularly bride is from America. So, that would be one long walk/swim. Once this process is done they all sit down under the canopy. You are served food and drinks. This part of the party you just sit and talk about whatever with your table buddies. Lucky me I sat with some of the teacher from our school. It was pretty fun. The food was interesting. They served us rice with sea food in it. It had squid, octopus, and shrimp. My first couple of bites I didn't pay to much attention, but then quickly wondered. I know that rise is not chewy. Come to find out that i just ate an octopus. It didn't taste bad, but really chewy.
After eating we decided to see what everyone was doing in the house. Turns out the bride and groom have a photo shoot in their living room, but it's all decked out with bright colors, just like the canopy. The bride would hold anything from flowers to fruit. She had lots and lots of makeup on and her hair was as stiff as could be. Beautiful, but to much for me. I hope I don't look like that when i get married. The most surprising part was the shoes. They were elf looking; curled up, and were golden. I don't know if you can see them well in the picture, but if only i got one.
I was only planning on watching them take the pictures, but ended up being forced to join in the picture. I was not sure about this because no one else was doing it (Khmer people and I usually try and not do anything they don't do). But they kept insisting, kind of fun to be in the picture though.
One more thing, this wedding was fake from the beginning. The groom paid for the bride to come to Cambodia and marry him. But turns out that they fell in love with each other. Pretty cool, ha?

Riverside

March 1
Saturday

Today Katrina and I went to the riverside. Usually we don’t do to much on Saturday because to many eyes to judge us; I feel. None the less we decided to do it. One, because we need to get pictures of Phnom Penh, so we can remember what it was like, and two, we needed an excuse to get out of the house.

Getting to the riverside costs one dollar (four thousand rel) which I thought was a reasonable price. All we did was walk around acting like tourist; taking pictures of everyday life of Khmer people. After walking away from the riverside we started for the stores and such. But I saw these kids playing in the street that I wanted to take pictures of. I love taking pictures of people more than landscape. My favorite is fact shots. So, while taking the pictures this man came up to us and I was worried he was mad because we were taking pictures of the kids, but it turned out he want to talk to us about WWF, and get a picture with us. I didn’t mind to much, but was a little worried he would take off with our stuff. He didn’t, but was really touchy when taking the picture. He grabbed us (took one at a time) by the waist and pulled towards him.

After that we walked around a little more and then headed home to watch a movie at the school. Some Saturday nights they will show a movie. In the past they would show things like Babe and Pig, and I wouldn’t go, but tonight they played, Open Season. It was pretty funny. I sat next to Prom and we had fun. One part of the movie Katrina and I were the only ones laughing because it was more talking than action and one character said something really funny.

A Bugs Life

February 27
Wednesday

I just want to say that I’m really sorry for not keeping on top of my blogspot. I have been preoccupied in so many ways. Some of you know what I’m talking about. Today is a good day. I get to show my kids a movie after lunch, A Bugs Life. I really think this movie is so cute. Kim’s class watched it yesterday. She said her kids were pretty restless. I’m hoping my kids are not like that. All day yesterday I was so tired and lazy. I’m not going to lie I didn’t teach them any new information yesterday. The last period we just wrote our spelling words five times and then I just let them have free time. I actually played this one game with the girls. You have rubber bands intertwined together making a rope. The objective is to jump over rubber bands. I have been watching them play this game for some time and wanted to try it and yesterday I finally did it. It’s pretty fun. The kids were excited to see that I could do it. I want to play with them again today.
I brought my computer to school today because of the movie. The school has a T.V., but it’s pretty heavy to carry down the stairs, and I don’t want to bother other people to carry it down. I sure hope my kids like the movie. I’m going to try and show more movies before the year ends. They would love that and I would love the break.