I'm finishing up my second work week here in Siem Reap, and I finally feel like I've hit my stride...kinda. ;)
On Monday I took over teaching an English class in the morning. Wednesday, we started a new English class and already have 15 new students. For the first three days of teaching I was able to have a translator. The last two days, not so much. But I mean come on, who really needs a translator while trying to explain the English language right?
The 9am class I teach is much more advanced in English since it has been in session for three months now. So, I walked into class on Thursday armed with a Khmer/ English dictionary and with their help I knew we would be fine. We spent the next hour teaching each other. They were learning the verb "to be" and I was learning how pronounce all the words in Khmer needed to explain the verb "to be". And on the whole, I would say it was a successful session. In the second class at 10am, they learned the names of the letters and the sounds that they make. I learned how to say "vowel", "consonant", and "sound". Again, pretty successful.
But today...whoa dang, it was awesome! I was teaching the tenses in the first class and learned how to say them all in Khmer AND they understood me!!! But in the second class, that's where you know God stepped in and was like "I got this." One of my students, Malai asked why the vowels sometimes say their name and sometimes say their sounds. Now, she asked this in Khmer mind you, and there was no translator, but I understood EVERY word she said!! Granted, I did have to have her repeat it, but I understood, and I was able to explain why IN KHMER!!!!!! (broken Khmer, with really bad grammar, but we're not going to focus on that). I was so very excited. (Content sigh)...
Today at the end of class, one of my students announced with a big smile that I teach them and they teach the teacher. Yes, yes they do.
While my mornings have been full with teaching English, in the afternoon, my main job is still to focus on the beauty salon and its outreach to the local karaoke girls. So, Jayme (who also works at Rahab's House) and I went for a ride with fliers to pass out a karaoke club near by. Now, we don't speak the language, so of course we needed translators. Jayme hopped on her bike with Bella on the back and I got on my bike with Senet on the back of mine. Riding a bike, or driving a moto, in Cambodia is kind of like a never ending game of chicken. No one has to stay on their side of the road, and as long as you honk your horn to let people know where you are, it really doesn't matter how you drive.
So there we are, two white Americans riding single file down the road. Each carrying a Cambodian girl on the back of our bike. I couldn't help but laugh. All I could think of was "and they came to the ark two by two". The on lookers must have found the humor in the situation as well since many of them couldn't help but laugh.
In spite of our silly arrival, the karaoke girls must have liked us because the salon is really taking off and the English class specific to karaoke girls is almost full!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Siem Reap
So I've been in my new home now for five days and I am loving it! It is so beautiful here and the traffic is so much better than in Phnom Phen.
I spent the weekend trying to get used to the new city and getting settled with the things that I still needed, but Monday I hit the ground running. I spent Monday and Tuesday out in the city with the girls who work in the beauty salon, Sony and Srey Oun and out translator Savry trying to find materials for the salon.
When I was told I needed to find a long list of items, including a school to send girls to to learn hair, I was more overwhelmed than excited about the adventure. But it turned out to be such a blessing! Since I don't know the language or city, and can't use the internet to find supplies, I had to rely heavily on Savry to take us to the right spot and negotiate good prices. Spending the day with Sony and Srey Oun really helped establish a relationship between the three of us, and although we're not best friends or anything, there is joy in seeing each other-which is a huge blessing since I am overseeing them for the foreseeable future.
We've gone out twice trying to canvas the neighborhood and invite karaoke girls to come to our shop at Rahab's House. The first night we weren't allowed in any of the housing complexes and only were able to talk to a handful of women. As a result we only had three women come into the salon. Today, we went out canvasing again. We finally found out that many of the girls we were trying to reach out to were actually already at the karaoke bars. We talked to the community and the few girls that weren't at work yet and headed back to Rahab's House. When we got there, the salon was jammed packed with women! I can't even tell you how stoked I was to see that sight!
We got the green light to actually go into the karaoke bar right by us to pass out fliers while the girls are working later on this evening. So right now we're just regrouping before we head out again! I'm excited to see how God is going to use this time and pray that things go well tonight!
I spent the weekend trying to get used to the new city and getting settled with the things that I still needed, but Monday I hit the ground running. I spent Monday and Tuesday out in the city with the girls who work in the beauty salon, Sony and Srey Oun and out translator Savry trying to find materials for the salon.
When I was told I needed to find a long list of items, including a school to send girls to to learn hair, I was more overwhelmed than excited about the adventure. But it turned out to be such a blessing! Since I don't know the language or city, and can't use the internet to find supplies, I had to rely heavily on Savry to take us to the right spot and negotiate good prices. Spending the day with Sony and Srey Oun really helped establish a relationship between the three of us, and although we're not best friends or anything, there is joy in seeing each other-which is a huge blessing since I am overseeing them for the foreseeable future.
We've gone out twice trying to canvas the neighborhood and invite karaoke girls to come to our shop at Rahab's House. The first night we weren't allowed in any of the housing complexes and only were able to talk to a handful of women. As a result we only had three women come into the salon. Today, we went out canvasing again. We finally found out that many of the girls we were trying to reach out to were actually already at the karaoke bars. We talked to the community and the few girls that weren't at work yet and headed back to Rahab's House. When we got there, the salon was jammed packed with women! I can't even tell you how stoked I was to see that sight!
We got the green light to actually go into the karaoke bar right by us to pass out fliers while the girls are working later on this evening. So right now we're just regrouping before we head out again! I'm excited to see how God is going to use this time and pray that things go well tonight!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Ultimate Coverage
For the past two days I have been helping Isaac get his new office painted. Now, I don't want to brag, but I've painted a wall or two in my day and done a pretty much awesome job-just sayin. So when Isaac said that I could help him paint, I thought "Sweet! We'll have this room finished in 2, 3 hours max!"Ahhhh, so idealistic of me....
Since acts of service happens to be one my love languages, I decided to try and help Isaac by starting the project. I got the roller full of paint, and started to roll. Only one little problem...the roller (usually of the curricular persuasion in America) was mostly round, with one flatter side, making it more of a square roller than a curricular one. As one might imagine, paint went everywhere when I tried to apply said paint to wall.
Since using a drop cloth was not part of the plan for this painting expedition, and no rags were anywhere to be found, I decided to be resourceful and used my hands to mop up the paint so that the floor wouldn't be paint covered. (The brilliance of this plan is overwhelming is it not?)
Well having managed to clean up the floor so Isaac wouldn't see, I now had to wipe off my hands. Again being resourceful and without a rag, I used the wall. It's going to be painted anyway right? This way no one would realize my ridiculousness. And had my hands not been dirty, this plan would have worked. But alas, the dirty hand smudge marks spoke for themselves. Needless to say, I lost roller privileges and was asked to simply cut in.
Now, the electricity here can be a little sketchy, so after painting in a dark, poorly ventilated room with no air flow, one needs to find ways to make the time a little more enjoyable. While Isaac painted with the square roller and whistling Jack Johnson, I cut in the corners. We had worked for about an hour when Isaac finally looked at the wall he had started on, looked at the roller and then in a very frustrated voice declared, "It's fake paint!" After about two coats, that paint only had a whitewashed looked, which was unfortunate since we were painting over yellow to make solid white...
To make a long story short; after a solid six hours, at least 6 coats of paint, almost an entire bucket gone (not a gallon, but a big bucket), and lots of time praying and laughing, the room was finally finished. And let me tell you, the cutting in around the walls look FABULOUS!Thank you very much!
Ironically enough, the brand of paint Isaac bought was called "The Ultimate Coverage". I hope this isn't an indicator of the quality of goods for the next two years ;)
Since acts of service happens to be one my love languages, I decided to try and help Isaac by starting the project. I got the roller full of paint, and started to roll. Only one little problem...the roller (usually of the curricular persuasion in America) was mostly round, with one flatter side, making it more of a square roller than a curricular one. As one might imagine, paint went everywhere when I tried to apply said paint to wall.
Since using a drop cloth was not part of the plan for this painting expedition, and no rags were anywhere to be found, I decided to be resourceful and used my hands to mop up the paint so that the floor wouldn't be paint covered. (The brilliance of this plan is overwhelming is it not?)
Well having managed to clean up the floor so Isaac wouldn't see, I now had to wipe off my hands. Again being resourceful and without a rag, I used the wall. It's going to be painted anyway right? This way no one would realize my ridiculousness. And had my hands not been dirty, this plan would have worked. But alas, the dirty hand smudge marks spoke for themselves. Needless to say, I lost roller privileges and was asked to simply cut in.
Now, the electricity here can be a little sketchy, so after painting in a dark, poorly ventilated room with no air flow, one needs to find ways to make the time a little more enjoyable. While Isaac painted with the square roller and whistling Jack Johnson, I cut in the corners. We had worked for about an hour when Isaac finally looked at the wall he had started on, looked at the roller and then in a very frustrated voice declared, "It's fake paint!" After about two coats, that paint only had a whitewashed looked, which was unfortunate since we were painting over yellow to make solid white...
To make a long story short; after a solid six hours, at least 6 coats of paint, almost an entire bucket gone (not a gallon, but a big bucket), and lots of time praying and laughing, the room was finally finished. And let me tell you, the cutting in around the walls look FABULOUS!Thank you very much!
Ironically enough, the brand of paint Isaac bought was called "The Ultimate Coverage". I hope this isn't an indicator of the quality of goods for the next two years ;)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Motos, Motos,and more Motos
So, I've been in Cambodia for four days now, and although I am pretty sure I've lost close to 5lbs in sweat, I am SO loving it! God has been so good and blessed me with such a great group of people that have been so thoughtful and welcoming. I'm staying in the capital city of Phnom Penh until Friday when I will be moving up to Siem Reap and living there for the next two years.
Right now Don (the director of Agape) wants me to feel comfortable before I jump into things so right now I'm just acclimating to the time and hot humid weather, but don't worry, I'm not bored. ;)
Right now Don (the director of Agape) wants me to feel comfortable before I jump into things so right now I'm just acclimating to the time and hot humid weather, but don't worry, I'm not bored. ;)
So far I have learned to not only ride on a moto, but ride on a moto sidesaddle in a skirt! AND even more importantly, I learned how to drive one! Now, if you ask my friend Isaac who taught me, he would say he was scared the whole time riding on the back while I drove, but I'm just saying....I was awesome! Otherwise, there is no way he would have let me drive 20 minutes from home to work.
Today was the first day getting to see people that I have been with when I came last summer, and what a joy! It was such a blessing to not only have the people on staff remember me, but all the kids. After the Kid's Club ended, the kids were so excited and wanted to give me high fives. I gave so many high fives my hand literally turned red and hurt for a solid 5 minutes. It was wonderful!
God has really blessed me so far! He's blessed me with new friends, a warm welcome and lots of laughter. I'm really excited to see what's going to happen next.
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