Day 8- First Day at COCD

What a difference three days can make!

Since day 5 I have met so many people I can't keep track! It's just a domino effect. I meet one person, they introduce me to their friends, who introduces me to their friends, ect.. After just a few minutes of meeting one person I was invited to see a movie! We went and saw "The Maze Runner"(interesting, but not the best) in 4D (weird experience). For those who are not familiar with 4D, it's more of a ride. The chairs move, air is blowing in your face, lights flash, and there's smells! It was definitely not something I expected to do here in Cambodia, but I have already started to learn that expectations on this trip rarely sync with reality.  

I also started my internship with COCD today! My first day was very low key and began with meeting most of the staff. I brought some Oregon taffy with me as an ice breaker and I hope it did the trick. I mean, who doesn't like some good salt water taffy?

For the lunch break I joined a couple of the Cambodian staff members... and do you remember me mentioning the Russian Market and how there is a maze of stores inside that I had yet to venture into? Well, for lunch today, we went straight into the heart of that maze! In the middle there appeared to be dozens of food stalls, so we sat down at one and I had a fried noodle dish with my new colleagues! I'm going to disappoint you but...I didn't take any pictures. I was just overwhelmed! But do not fear, I will be back and I will make sure to take lots next time! 

So I have some exciting plans this week, especially tomorrow and possibly this weekend, but I don't want to throw out any hints so you will just have to wait and see what happens next! 

Day 5- Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

Oh my goodness, such a great change has happened! It may not seem huge but my spirits are raised and I am feeling more confident and excited to be on this adventure. It's just a simple thing but it has set off something great that will only continue to grow as the days and weeks pass. I think if you are open-minded enough, it's almost always the little things that begin something great.

For my first few days in Cambodia I've been pretty much stuck on my own in my apartment, only walking as far as a half mile or so to get a better sense of what's around me. But again, since there's a holiday, almost everything has been closed. However, just the other day, a Cambodian staff member from my internship site came by and took me around a bit. We went to the store so I could buy food (I kinda haven't eaten much since I've been here... oops) and we did a drive by of some of the big attractions here in Phnom Penh. I sadly forgot my camera on this trip but now I know where these places are and I don't doubt I'll be back soon. 

After a couple days I was feeling restless and I needed a nudge of some sort to give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone. My biggest problem here that I've discovered is ordering food at a restaurant. I know, sounds pretty lame, but ordering food in another country where people speak a COMPLETELY different language is a lot harder than you think. Plus it's really nerve racking cause you don't know what's good or if you will make a mistake. Well, today another staff member of COCD, an expat or a person temporarily living in a country outside of their country of origin (I'm an expat too!) from Australia, and the Cambodian staff member from my first trip came by and this time they took me on a drive by tour of restaurants and shops. That was my kicker, knowing that it's okay to just try a place. It's almost like I needed permission. Well, after that trip today, I strolled out of my apartment this evening, on my own, walked around a bit, spotted a place, and just walked in. I did it. I ordered some food. And it was fantastic! Oh, the silly things that we worry about.

So all I needed was a little thing, like someone touring me around restaurants. But I think it has changed everything and I feel ready for whatever comes next on this adventure. 

I finally have internet in my apartment so here's some photos :) (my camera is not doing so hot so some of the pictures are a bit blurry, I might need to get a new camera)

Do you like my cell phone? Because I do.

Here's the view from the balcony of my apartment. I'm on the 2nd floor so it's not the best view but it's a small, beautiful window into the big city. 

So this isn't Cambodian I know, but it was on TV and I've never seen sumo wrestling on TV before!  

Don't worry, they hugged it out :P

I hopped on a tuk tuk all by myself for the first time here in Cambodia!  

RESTAURANT #1: So this was the first restaurant I went to and it was perfect. Funny story, when I walked in, there were two red-heads sitting at a table. A waitress looked at me a little confused, and kept looking back at me and at them. I think she wasn't sure if I was with them or not! I pointed to an empty table and she seemed to relax while she walked me over to it. All of us red-heads must know each other :P

Here was my first meal at the restaurant! The drink was sparkling water with lime and mint (virgin mojito). The glass came with the lime juice and mint leaves in it and I was given the can of soda water and small cup of sugar water on the side for me to pour as I please. It seemed really fancy and I certainly wasn't expecting that when I ordered it. It was just one of the cheapest things on the menu! :P For Dinner I had sweet Khmer noodles with coconut cucumber sauce, and pan-fried pork. The flavors were delicious with the sweet and salty and I think it looked pretty easy to make. Yum!

Just down the street from where I live is the Russian Market or Phsar Tuol Tom Pong. It's called the Russian Market because it was popular among a large Russian population 30 years ago. Really, it's just a Cambodian market to buy lots of stuff like food, clothes, souvenirs, household goods, ect. These are just pictures from a side street but there's a confusing maze inside the market that I have yet to venture into.  

Day 3

I’ve only been here 3 days but boy does jet lag got a hold on me. I’m overseas in a place that’s 14 hours ahead of my body and I am definitely struggling on catching up. Yesterday I ate an early dinner around 4PM and it felt like I was eating a really late dinner at midnight! Walking around the city for a few hours each day in the sweltering heat has been wearing me out and I bet it's not helping the adjustment all that well. Sadly my internship start date has been pushed back to the 29th now, but on the bright side I bet I’ll be right on ‘schedule!' *nudge nudge* Sleep-wise that is.

So there's actually an error in my 'Day 1' blog. I was about to delete the mistake I posted when I realized something. I think my mistake proves an important point that I should keep in mind; that this trip isn't going to be easy and there's going to be lots of difficulties throughout the next 90 days. You can't just hop into an unfamiliar country and culture and expect to ease in comfortably!

There is a national holiday here in Cambodia this week BUT it is not the water festival. I started reading into information about this festival and it sounded very popular. What I read mentioned a huge boat race right here in the capital, Phnom Penh. Well, I started thinking, 'Why would everyone be gone for the holiday if the main events take place right here?' So after some further research I discovered that this week is NOT the water festival but a different holiday called Pchum Ben Day. During this holiday, people travel back to their homes to pray and give offerings to their dead relatives and ancestors. The water festival, also called Bon Om Touk, will take place in late October, early November.

Silly me and miscommunication. However this small misunderstanding helps remind me that there is going to be a lot of that during this trip and I can't wave it off. I can't just delete misunderstanding like I can delete a mistake from a blog post. But I can learn something new and I can move forward. I know, sounds a little kindergarten cheesy, but if that's true then I think the 5 year-olds are on the right track. 

Day 1- I have arrived!

I made it! After 4 flights and a total of 17 hours waiting in 5 airports I have made it to Phnom Penh, Cambodia! My supervisor at COCD and her husband kindly picked me up from the airport around 5:30 last night (ICT time). They showed me around a bit, we got some food, and then went to my apartment. I had been awake since 6 AM Thursday morning and didn't sleep much during the 41 hours of travel, so of course I passed out almost immediately after settling in. 

For the next couple days there is a water festival here in Cambodia so the city is relatively quite and lots of shops are closed. But come Wednesday, my first day as an intern with COCD, I'm sure it will be hoppin'. Most of the staff at COCD have gone to other provinces for the holiday, so at least for today I'll be doing some exploring on my own. I've walked around the city streets quite a bit but at midday it's now 93 degrees at 50% humidity. In other words...it's HOT.

I'll post some pictures soon but at the moment I sadly don't have wifi in my apartment just yet. Until then I'll be going to internet cafes.Even though it's only day 1 here in Cambodia, my anxiousness about this experience has gone down and I am feeling surprisingly comfortable. I think my exchange trip to Thailand back in 2009 probably plays a huge role in easing my transition from Oregon. But again, it's only my first day so the possibilities for what the next few days, weeks, months could hold are endless.

Flying Out!

Today's the day! I am at the airport ready to hop on a plane and fly out. But what's an adventure without some bumps in the road? Already starting out with one...my first flight was cancelled. Nonetheless, everything has been cleared up and with just a slight delay I am back on track.

I don't have the best idea yet about what kind of work I will be doing as an intern, but here's what I do know so far about my trip to Cambodia. Starting September 24th (my internship start date used to be the 22nd but changed) I will be interning with the Cambodian Organization for Children and Development (COCD) in Phnom Penh! COCD is a non-profit, non-government affiliated agency that provides resources and care to children and families in poverty, helping people thrive and live more sustainable and self-supporting lives. They have a website at the following link if you'd like to check that out too:

http://cocd-cambodia.org/

This internship will give me the opportunity to expand my experience in the field of human services, to work with children and families in poverty, and to experience a whole new country and culture!

I'm still scared, excited, anxious, nervous, thrilled, ect. ect., but I can't wait to get there!