A Thanksgiving in Cambodia

As I’m typing, it is just pouring outside. It is the end of the rainy season, but yet the rain still continues, which is fine because it has been so hot lately. Maggie and I had our Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday night, which was awesome! Who knew you could get such a good burger in Cambodia? Of course, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in Cambodia, but it doesn’t mean Maggie and I can’t celebrate, our Thanksgiving will just look a little different. Instead of turkey and dressing, we had liver and rice and some really yummy rice pudding thing for desser! Not exactly the same, but still pretty yummy. I’ve been thinking a lot of all the things I’m thankful for, and have even made it part of my girls’ monthly exam: Tell me what you are thankful for. The word thankful did take a couple of rounds of explaining, but we got it. I think. I’ll find out this weekend when I’m grading papers.

Our Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Dinner. Mike's Burger House did not disappoint!

Our actual dinner on Thanksgiving! That peanut thing in the middle was pretty awesome!

The rice pudding with black eyed peas dessert thing was also really good!

To be honest though, the last few weeks have been a little stressful. While I’m very excited that we’ve gained 30 new students, it’s been a little difficult adding people in the middle of the semester. Students have gone from my English class to Maggie’s class and from Maggie’s to mine and I have an all new Speech class. I’m trying to figure out how much English these girls already know, as well as their names. I’m still trying to figure out what Maggie’s class has or hasn’t covered compared to my class. This whole process has made lesson planning a little difficult. As much as I love my girls, things have gotten really hectic in a very short amount of time. We’ve been working on a dance for the Christmas Bazaar that isn’t completely finished, and today we started talking about what we’re going to sell.  Even other things that have nothing to do with teaching are starting to work my nerves. The other day I left my clothes to dry and went to get them in the morning, only to find that they were still wet. The post office box wouldn’t open. I scraped my foot on the foot of a chair the other day. Maggie got sick and had to go to the doctor. It’s still hot. 

Planning what to sell for the Christmas Bazaar

It would be easy to whine about what is or isn’t going my way, but that’s not the point. I’m not here to make Cambodia adjust to me, I’m having to adjust to Cambodia. Sometimes what I think is logical or makes sense, doesn’t make sense to others, and I have to stop and reword or rewrite what I’m trying to say. This can get frustrating because we come from a very now culture. I need something now, I want things to work now. For example, when Maggie was at the doctor, I took her class and they watched Finding Nemo, but 20 minutes of class was taken up by running up and down flights of stairs frantically trying to find a laptop, trying to connect the projector to said laptop, and trying to find decent speakers. In America, I could have that done in probably under a minute, but this is not the case in Cambodia. I have to have patient. I have to realize that I’m not in control of everything, and I have to be okay with that. These are just little reminders, and I’m honestly thankful for them. They keep me grounded. Sometimes I just have to remind myself to breathe through my nose and when things get tough you’ve got to “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming! What do we do? We swim, swim.” Did I just put a finding Nemo quote in my blog? Yes, yes I did. On that note, can I change the title of my blog from Feet on Earth, Heart in Heaven to Calm Down and Learn to be Patient, Love Cambodia? 

But now let me list some people/ things I’ve been super thankful for lately:

My parents, for being the best, most amazing parents anyone could ask for. They are the most beautiful example of love I know. They are supportive of everything I do, from moving to Austin for school, to moving to Cambodia for a year to teach, they’ve never told me no, you can’t.They have always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. Thank you for being my parents. I love you so very much.

My brother, sister-in-law, and handsome faced nephew. I miss you. Christopher, thank you for all that you’re doing. I miss being around you. Come home quickly and safely please! Chelsey, thank you for sending me random texts to make me feel better, and for keeping me updated on Liam and all the cool things he’s learning to do. I love y'all! 

My friends for always being there. From sending me to Cambodia with cards to read every month that I’m gone or to simply FaceTiming me when you get the chance, I love you all. I miss you dearly. Thank you for being there. Thank you for being my friends.

To my professors and all the teachers in my life. This is by far not as easy as it looks. Thank you for being good teachers. Thank you for caring.

To Maggie, who puts up with me on the daily. Although, the more we’re around each other, the more we learn how alike we are, so in that case, thank you Adam for sending me to Cambodia with myself. Really though, thank you for processing as much as I do, for laughing with me, and for sharing this experience with me. 

Finally, I’m thankful to God for this beautiful experience. Even when I don’t understand it. Even when I cry. Even when I get frustrated, thank you for letting me get frustrated.Thank you for being ever present and giving me some kind of reassurance by the end of the day, even if it’s just a moment of silence. Thank you for letting me be a small part in these girls’ lives. I love them so much. I’m so proud of them already.

My dance group. I haven't figured out yet how to get them to this end pose, but I'm working on it!

So that’s been my Thanksgiving in Cambodia! Hope you’ve had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Eat some leftovers for me!