Home Sweet Home

It feels so good to finally unpack. During training, we were only allowed to take one of our bags to site so I felt like I was in “limbo” for the past two months. That, and knowing my host family in Tuk Phos was temporary made it difficult to really settle down. The two days at Hub Site before swear-in were full of the usual debauchery, but we all cleaned up nicely for the big day. The girls looked like cupcakes in our party shirts, and seeing the boys in ties was like seeing an endangered animal in the wild. The press, our country director, the ambassador and minister of education were all there to wish us well and send us off. I actually got chills during the minister’s speech when he suddenly stopped speaking Khmai, turned to us and began speaking to us in English without the use of his translator. He expressed his heart-felt appreciation for our organization and shared details from his personal life that really drove home why we are here. After the ceremony, about nine of us packed up and headed to Battambang for one night of celebration and American food before we went home.

It’s surreal, but nice, to finally be able to say I’m “home.” When I got to Pursat, I couldn’t find a took took (moto-drawn taxi-carriage), so I had to call my co-teacher and hopelessly ask him to come help me. Sure enough, within 10 minutes, he was zooming to the rescue on his moto – took took in toe. As he pulled up, I was in the process of buying giant grapefruits for my host family and almost dropped them in excitement when I saw him. For as anxious as I was about returning to site, I was surprised how excited I was to see my co-teacher and my host family. When my host mother came home I actually ran up to her and threw my arms around her. And I really do feel like I’m home. My room is a mess, but I can almost see a glimmer of what it will be once I unpack and finish taping up photos of family and friends. This morning I had milk and cereal for breakfast (I bought them in Battambang knowing we had a refrigerator here), took a real shower and sat down at my desk to write this blog entry. I could be anywhere. I do feel like I’m “cheating” on the whole Peace Corps experience a little bit with how Western everything is here, but let’s not kid ourselves – I’m not complaining.

I also really love my host family. They are gentle and caring, but laid back and willing to give me as much space as I want or need. I immediately felt like I was part of their family … of course, nothing makes you feel like part of the family like getting disgustingly ill like I did during my site visit, but never mind that. Last night my host father, brother and I all joked around over pork spare-ribs, mushroom soup and rice. It wasn’t as chaotic as the Kimmel house, but it was fun.

I don’t actually start teaching school until the 9th, so I have a lot of free time on my hands for the next few days, which is good because I feel like I have so. much. stuff. to. do. I need to try to finish unpacking, get a few things for my room and set up a P.O. Box so you guys can send me mail without a month of lag time while it goes through Peace Corps office in Phnom Penh. I also want to head back to the Australian NGO I found last time and see if there are any foreigners lurking about who can show me around. I also want to do a little research on a community project I have in mind. I am hoping to organize a summer girls’ empowerment camp to encourage female leadership and self-esteem. The project will take a ton of work, so I don’t think it would hurt to start generating ideas now.

Everything feels like it’s falling into place so nicely that I only have two rants of the week to share: 1.) I dropped my iPod into the toilet and broke it. In fairness, it was a legitimate accident (I forgot it was in my back pocket), but no less devastating. As I always say, I have the bad touch with electronics. It wouldn’t be a trip out of the country if I didn’t break at least one major electronic device. At least it isn’t my computer this time. 2.) There is a bug that flies around and sprays you with acid that causes your skin to develop an angry blister-like rash. My friend Tiffany and I were discussing how much it would suck to get sprayed – I mean, we’re talking deal-breaker suck here – and sure enough we both got sprayed at the Hub site. Mine was on the inside of my right arm but poor Tiffany’s was on the back of her thighs. That’s karma for you. Good thing I’m not a Buddhist or I could have had it all over our neck like one of our teachers.

Other than that – I couldn’t be happier. I have consistent internet access here so I’ll be much better about writing to you all too. In the meantime, enjoy those fall leaves for me and feel free to send me pictures!! My desktop background photo is the closest thing I have to fall here, so I fully expect documentation of pumpkin carving, farmers’ markets and the changing leaves so I can pretend I’m cruising down I-95 with the Alleghany Mountains on either side of me.

(p.s. – new photos are up from our pool party at the Ambassador’s house, swear-in and other random fun)