Why I love Cambodia

Today I was walking down the street and passed a little boy playing by himself on the side of the road.  He was holding a toy.  It was an empty plastic water bottle with two toothpicks stuck into each side, and on the end of the toothpicks there were plastic water bottle caps poked through.  He had a toy car.  He was just playing on the side of Sothearos Boulevard having a ball.  Things like this are why I love Cambodia.

Life

Life.  What is life?  I often find myself asking this question.  I asked myself this just last week as I watched shooting stars while floating in the South China Sea.  I asked myself this as I was walking with an elephant through the jungle, and driving a moto bike through the countryside, and swimming in the Phnom Kulen waterfall, and even just day to day.  

Being here, in this glorious country, I have asked myself this question so many times.  Not only when doing things I never imagined, seeing things I never imagined, and experiencing things I never imagined, but also doing my day to day work.  Being with these girls, having conversations with these girls, just hanging out with these girls.  I love that I am here and I love what I am doing. 

So what is life?  It's this crazy, messy, exciting, heartbreaking, joyous, and downright lovely thing.  No one knows what's next.  People may think they know, but do they?  I had no idea that one day I would be living in Cambodia doing this work.  And currently I have no idea what comes after.  

Life is just awesome, I guess that's really all I can say.  

(Pictured: Hoi An, Vietnam)

Vietnam

Spending six days in Vietnam was not enough, but it was something.  I saw beautiful landscapes and even more beautiful people.  People who you have no idea what they are saying but can have a full conversation through hand gestures and smiles.  People who you spend 16 hours with on a train, sharing a sleeping car, and bond with.  Who you hug when you leave each other yet you don't even know each other's names.  People who ask if you're American so they can clarify that they used to not like Americans, but now they think they're okay.  People who will hold your hand as you walk pass them in an alley way.  You don't know what is going on, but you enjoy every second of it.  These beautiful people can share so much with you when you are just passing by.  They open up their hearts to you and I thank them for everything I saw throughout those six days, everything I experienced and will never forget.  

Umm...

Umm...you would think with photos like these there would be so much to say.  The thing is, there is plenty to say, I just don't even know how to go about that.  I love this place.  Love it.  Does that suffice?