Follow the Journey

Hey hey everyone! Indy here. After the hassles we experienced trying to cross the border into Cambodia, I’d say the country has now redeemed itself for me.
After a few days exploring Siem Reap and the magnificent Angkor Wat, we took a what-was-supposed-to-be-a-7-hour-bus-ride-that-I-think-actually-took-nine-because-of-traffic to Phnom Penh, from where we immediately went to New Hope for Cambodian Children, an orphanage and elementary school for kids living with HIV. Unfortunately, as soon as we got there I got a bit sick so I didn’t get to see what the place was all about for a couple days.
But I was so happy when I did. We all split off and did different things during the day, and I got to assistant-teach the fourth grade. The kids were so loving and sweet and loved hugs and piggyback rides and brought me to recess with them. I did tutoring sessions with each of the kids in my class and I tried to teach them the letters A and B, and it was so difficult for a lot of them that I realized how much my ability to read and write was something I’d taken for granted.
Some other highlights of our time there included the big dance party with the entire school, watching Hadlie, Amby, and Cami paint a beautiful mural (of which I wish I could post a picture), and having a close circle of children surrounding me and taking my origami paper as I tried to teach them how to fold a bird. And let’s not forget the day I attended the presentation about the United States that Cole and Dillon put together for some of the classes, from which I learned some very important life lessons, including but not limited to: 1. apple pie is America’s favorite past time, 2. Pennsylvania is definitely the worst city, 3. one out of every persons lives in California, and 4. in NYC, 800 languages are spoke.
After a bittersweet goodbye with hugs and gifts for NHCC, we made our way back to spend some time in Phnom Penh before we go to Kampot tomorrow. We’re staying at the–get this–Okay Guesthouse, and like the name would suggest, I consider it the height of mediocracy.
I’m not sure how I feel about Phnom Penh overall; I find it has the same strange combination of touristy and undeveloped that Siem Reap had. Last night we unexpectedly had the opportunity to go to a wedding, allowing us to use the new phrase (as Topher put it) “sticking out like white people at a Cambodian wedding.” Still, I loved it. Today we had a kinda heavy day as we visited the S-21 and the Killing Fields. I personally still need more time to process it, but overall, I find this weird mix of things fascinating and want to learn more about Cambodia’s recent and ancient histories. I think overall it’s definitely harder to travel here than it is in Thailand but for me that’s appealing.
That’s all I have to say for now!
much love,
-Indy