Goodbye

If you asked me one year ago where I would be today I would not have had the slightest clue.  And if you told me even six months ago I would be in Cambodia I would not believe it.  I may be leaving now, but I loved these past three months.

I came here for these girls.  They are the reason for this whole experience.  Interning in New York I knew I was helping girls somewhere, somehow in the bigger scheme of things.  But I didn't want to be in a cubicle on 33rd Street.  I wanted to be in Cambodia, with the girls, and seeing the change I was making.

Now that my time here is finished I know that I have accomplished that and more.  I came here to see the difference I was making.  I wanted that work you can see instantly - the smiles, the laughter, the improvements in English.

Making these girls smile was an accomplishment in itself.  I didn't come here to be their friend.  I came here to work.  I came here to teach them, work with them, and distract them from the world.  Making them smile is all I could have asked for.  Because even if they wouldn't do their assignment that day, and barely look me in the eye, if I could get a single smile, if even for a second, that is one split second they aren't thinking about anything else.  That is one split second they are happy.

Some days were terrible, most days were wonderful, and every single day with these girls was worth it.  I came here for them, I did everything for them, and I acted like a complete imbecile for them just to laugh.  These girls have changed my life and I can only hope I have made even the slightest impact on theirs.

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?