So it begins

I have been in Cambodia a month now to the day, and I decided to start this blog in response to people who wanted to see pictures and know about what I am doing. It’s pretty difficult to describe in words or pictures, but hopefully this can give a little bit of an idea.
It’s been quite the whirlwind adventure so far. In terms of work I have been making lots of progress. I have been pretty much just been setting things up in the last month to get a more permanent routine going. But the more time I spend here, the more I realize there is just no such thing as that. nothing happens at the time or in the way that you think it is going to. even when you begin to think you have an idea of the system, it eludes you. That’s the chaos and beauty of this place.
Phnom Penh is a really incredible city, and it keeps me on my toes. The traffic, weather, climate, language, food, and smells are going to take some time to adjust to, yet around every corner there's something to remind you about how magical it is.

One morning a week I teach art at an elementary school. It’s wonderful but the language barrier makes it difficult...they are learning english, I am learning Khmer, but there’s still a gap. they are wonderful kids though and so eager to create.
This little girl is the daughter of the principal of the school, who was adopted 3 days after I was in Cambodia last year. Her name is Rachel; I found out when I cam here that she was named after me. It was something that really touched me because I don’t think anyone ever named someone because of me.













Lucky, the puppy. he was named that because apparently all pets that live in this house die...anyway, no one wants him to die, but no one really wants to take care of him either. I’m the only person that will even pick him up, and everyone thinks I am crazy because he probably has all kinds of sicknesses. Obviously, standards of taking care of animals are very different than in the US.