I'm in Cambodia!
All I've been thinking for the past two days is how amazing it feels to be back in SE Asia, and how fortunate I am to be here (a HUGE shout out to the folks at TYA/USA!). It's so normal and natural for me to be here, and after 5 months of wanting to come back, I've arrived!
Today I moved in with my homestay family. I'm living with Sina Ouch, the managing director of Sovanna Phum. He and his wife are fluent in English, and their 5 year old son Nichola speaks Khmer (the language of Cambodia) and French! Maybe I'll teach him some English and he can teach me Khmer; I find that the best words to know are the ones spoken by a 5 year old in any language, like when I learned "oishi" means "yummy" from a 4 year old Japanese boy.
The family also includes the grandmother, sister-in-law (who I have yet to meet), and Felix, Sina's son who turns 1 on Sunday. The family has been so warm and gracious, welcoming me into their home; they are excited I will be here for Felix's birthday party, and keep telling me to think of it as my home too.
The home is in a great central part of the city, bordered by local neighborhoods and one of the city's major streets. I'm very close to the Independence Monument, and not too far from the Royal Palace. I can walk to markets, parks, and the Mekong River. Today I walked to the supermarket, a fantastic bookstore, an expat neighborhood, a tourist neighborhood, and kept my poise while avoiding motorbikes coming from every direction.
Tomorrow is my first day of work at Sovanna Phum (Sina tells me I'll be making a puppet!), and tomorrow night I will see their performance of contemporary works.
This weekend will be one of continued exploration, helping me become acquainted with my home for the summer. And I'll try to get some pictures up!
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