A heavy heart but a happy soul

Cambodia! 

I'll be honest, I wasn't very excited to come to Cambodia. Even in conversation I kept saying "oh, I'm going to Thailand." Never mentioned Cambodia. 

Wow! I should've been more excited. It's amazing. 

We got to the hotel where we would settle in for the next 6 days. It would be nice not to have to pack up again. Not to mention it had a pool! 

 

 

It's hot and humid and nice and sticky! We wake up at 3:30 am to head to Angkor Wat to see the sunrise. There are so many people. 

I had a rough morning, slept through my alarm but thank goodness I laid out my outfit already. (Long dress to cover my knees and ankles and a scarf to wrap around my shoulders. I'm well prepared. 

I run into the lobby to meet everyone get told my outfit scarf covering wasn't enough. Wtf! I go to go change into something different only to realize I had given ALL of my laundry to the hotel the night before to wash. Now what? I can't imagine going naked is an option. Thankfully one of the girls lent me some conservative clothes lol 

Off we go, but pleeeeeeeeease can I get a coffee? Perfect. Got a cappuccino, it was awful. Of course, why would my day want to start playing nice now? 

Next coffee, I decided americano! Can't go wrong. Ohhhhhhh but they did. 

Where's this damn Temple? 

 

 

Waiting for the sunrise, peacefully....with 5,000 other people lol 

 

 Perfect....aaaand the perfect place for my headstand. 

Oh shit, this is a temple isn't it? This was highly frowned upon...it's a good thing I didn't wear that dress! Lol 

We spend the next hours discovering all of the temples as quickly as possible because it was miserably hot! 

Here's a few pictures: 

 

Then we get blessed by a monk. Pray. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It was a great day in a great place! So amazing. 

 

The next day was teaching day! I was so excited. I sat there at the "school" and listened to orientation. My mind starting just realizing where I was, what I was doing and looking around at the kids. I cried. 

I've had a very heavy heart these past few days...but this was where I was meant to be right now in my life. 

I got to share a classroom with Jay, her and I are the closest since our trip. 

 

 

Over the course of the day we teach 4 different groups of kids. Some learning the letter i and some learning the parts of the tree. Lots of vocabulary work.

I definitely realize I need to trash on my toes because their is a lack of structure in the classroom as to what we are teaching each day. 

I notice all the faces, the personalities and the clothes or lack of. These kids had taken over my heart on the very first moment. We sing, dance and beat box the ABC's. 

They have a very hard time with the combination of "sh" and "ch" so they call me Shay so they can practice! 

Their resources are so limited as to teaching the kids and when they go home their is no one to help them with English homework so they don't get it often the teacher tells me. He proceeds to tell me they have no time because the parents require them to work as soon as they leave school. Selling something in the streets usually. 

 

 

 

These are the class clowns that like to mock me while I try to chase them for duck duck goose. Both are very very smart and personalities to die for.

 

This is Kalin, I so very much want to take him home. To give him as much as I can but I realize that's not life. Life isnt about having so much...it's about being happy. He's a happy but shy boy. 

My heart has been heavy and I want to find a way to do even more. As a group we are donating toothbrush and toothpaste and teaching them how to do it properly on Thursday. 

But I've noticed that these kids are bringing plastic bags, old dirty plastic bags that they carry their books in. I want to give them backpacks each. The US dollar is the most common currency here in Cambodia. It also goes a long way...for example, i got a 30 min massage for $4 I've definitely been utilizing this resource! 

So if you want, I'd like to ask for any help you'd want to give in helping me supply them each a backpack by the end of the week. Even $1 will be helping them. 

I'll be taking all and any help I can get. My heart is heavy, I want to shower them with as much love and help I can give in such a short time!