Home Sweet Home

I just wanted to let you know that I have arrived home - safe & sound (after over 25 hours of traveling). I look forward to seeing you at school on Tuesday and sharing my experiences!  :)

Some thoughs on food!

So,  many of you asked questions about the food here in Cambodia.  Since Seam Reap is a tourist destination because of the temples, there are a lot of western options. I have eaten spagetti, pizza, a hamburger, and fries.  There are a lot of traditional options as well.  For instance, I have eaten a few types of spring rolls, rice dishes, stir fries, local fruits, and snacks. I did not have any eel, snack, or frog, but those are traditional dishes that some of my friends had.

 Included is a picture of some local fruit. The red prickly-looking fruit is one of my favorites and is known as Arambutan.      The other picture was a crazy coincidence. Yesterday, I wore my "Hershey's" t-shirt.  At dinner, there was a picture of choclate pancakes with a Hershey's bottle in the menu.  I felt that I had to get the chocolate pancakes, and they were delicious!!

Tuk Tuk (or Took Took)

This is Mr. Chan - our favorite tuk tuk driver. :)

Good Luck Blessing

This woman is a Buddhist Nun who was sitting at one of the temples we visited.  As we walked by, she offered us yellow & white bracelets.  As she put the bracelet on me, she chanted and bowed several times.  I tried to ask her what the meaning behind the bracelet and ceremony were, but she spoke no English.  I learned today from our translator that the bracelet symbolizes good luck and the chant was a blessing for good luck and safe travels. Very nice! :)  

Cambodian Independance Day

Today, November 9th, is Cambodia's Independance Day!  In 1953, Cambodian became independant from France.  Just like major holidays in the US, schools are closed today, and many people are celebrating.  Happy Indepedance Day, Cambodia!!

Food for Thought

On Saturday morning, my friends and I went to help the school with their "Food for Thought" program.  This program feeds almost 3000 students every day.  At this school,  we served a porridge breakfast to the students before they started classes.  Remember, food is a basic human need - so, by providing this need, the students are able to then focus on learning and not on hunger.

Tourist Visits

We didn't do any research or work today. We went on several temple tours and had a traditional Khmer dinner (I was forced to use chop sticks for the first time!).   We visited three temples:
1) Angkor Wat, which is the largest religious complex in the world and was built in the 12th century.
2) Ta Prohm, which is known for being in the jungle and overcome with trees. It was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. It was also a filming location for the movie Tomb Raider.
3)Bayon, which is known for its massive stone heads and faces.

I'll talk more about these next week.

Pen Pal Letters!

I met your pen pals today!  They were very excited to get your packets and loved seeing your pictures!  Many of them already wrote their replies.  Here is a picture of myself, the students, their teacher (Sophal) and my friend (Mariam).

Also, during lunch today, the waitress asked me what was wrong with my arms. She had never seen freckles before.  So - that was a very interesting experience!

Arrival in Cambodia!

After 19 hours in two different planes, we have arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia.  It is 12:18 AM here on Thursday. Cambodia is 11 hours ahead. The first plane ride was 14 hours, and the second was only 5.  At the airport, there was a driver waiting to take us to our hotel.  We rode in a Tut Tut - it was an open air wagon pulled by a motocycle.  Because it was dark when we arrived in Cambodia, I have no pictures from here yet; however, I took an awesome picture of Northern Siberia as our plane flew over Russia.  That picture should be attached.  :) Don't forget to post questions and comments!

Departure!!

I am packed and ready to leave for the airport with your pen pal letters and donations!  I am so proud of your thoughtfulness and work!   It will take 19 hours to reach Cambodia.  Follow my flight via  http://flightaware.com/

Korean Air
Flight 82
Flight 687