Where to start. Here are some myths I would like to set straight after being in Cambodia for almost a year. 1. There is no cold season. Despite what locals say that there is a cold season that comes along with the rain, the temperature does not drop. Occasionally there will be an overcast day and I revel in it. Other than that, the climate is the same yaer round.. hot! I haven't actually seen a temperature gauge since I have been here, but the way I read the degree of hottness is by checking what time in the morning I start sweating. Now we are around 10 am which is pretty good. In the really hot months (April and May)(and June and July and August and September and October) I start sweating around 7 am. So, I have been enjoying the mornings these days. 2. Rice wine does not have poison in it. I have tested this out on the visitors that have come to visit me here. They are not dead. Rice wine is a.o.k. to drink. Unless you are any of my little brothers, then it is just a disaster. Patrick you owe me for life. 3. Fried blood is nutritious. I just can't wrap my head around this morsel of goodness that is plopped into the morning soup. So I don't and let it float on by. I haven't done further research on it, but I can't imagine it being a health booster.. unless you are a vampire. There are so many more cultural enigmas that have been found over this year. I really should write them down.
Recent events: Ran a half marathon in Siem Reap early december. Running through the temples early in the morning giving high fives through the gauntlet of children was amazing. Hopefully next year I'll be able to do it with a camera!!
Family came and visited for xmas and new years. Stayed here in Cambodia for a week and then ventured down to an island off the coast of Thailand. The week here was a show to be seen and a lot of fun. The week in Thailand=== so spoiled. Time went by fast and I enjoyed every second of it. Adjustin back into the village was a bit difficult, but now things are going smoothly and I am charged to finally finish the library project. Looking into putting tile down to make it less dusty and to preserve the books. The world map (in the picture below) is basically done. Had a lot of great help from my students and am looking forward to implementing this room into more of a study center for next year.
Plans: Hoping to see some visitors come through here in the next couple of months. It is always a last minute deal and I totally encourage that, because it won't work otherwise. It is easier not to plan in Cambodia. Spring is looking pretty packed with meetings and what not taking me back and forth to Phnom Penh. Setting up a small NGO a couple k behind my house for me to teach/develop over the summer. Planning is a joke. It is seriously a day by day thing for me. Which could be a good thing or a bad thing. Who knows. Great example of things that deserve planning. A lady working for an ngo outside of town invited me over for spaghetti. Now that is something to plan for... i have been salivating for a better part of a week looking forward to it. The little things in life.