I've almost been in Cambodia for a whole month! Wow, time sure does fly. But it's a good thing, you know? It means I'm enjoying my time here and keeping busy. Every day there's something new, even if it's something small.
This past weekend was really awesome. On Saturday night, I started out by joining a group of new friends at a bar. After a couple hours there, we went and joined a bunch of people from the dodgeball group at another place and the rest of the night went from there. It was a lot of fun getting to know people from all over the world. That night was also the first time I experienced the night life here in Phnom Penh. Most of the popular places are packed with tourists and backpackers which is a very different feel when you have been living here.
On Sunday, I went with a couple friends to watch a Khmai dance performance. I thought it was pretty cool and different. It's not like most other dances we see. It's slow and repetitive which can put some people off, but it's very traditional and elaborate. My favorite part is the detailed movement of the dancers. When they move, they move with focus on every inch of their body; from the top of their head to their toes and I think it's very impressive.
So today was a nationally-recognized holiday here in Cambodia and that means, for many including myself, no work. Fun fact, supposedly (from what I've been told) there are about 30 annual national holidays in Cambodia. There are only 11 in the U.S. In other words, there’s A LOT. There's one this week (today), one next Thursday, one the following Wednesday, and then Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday the week after that! I'm thinking we need a few more National Holidays in the States... Anyways, with no work today I met up with a couple people for lunch and then I joined them and got my first pedicure here. It was just $10 for an hour and that included a foot massage. The place we went to was really great too because the employees are women from very rural, poor backgrounds who have been helped and supported by the business.
Independence Monument
Some of the wonderful people I have met so far
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