thoughts from cambodia

we've been in phnom penh for a week already and I'm in no hurry to leave. the city is nice, not too big- we've been able to walk most places- and not too small that we've run out of areas to explore. it's easy to navigate if you don't factor in the extremely chaotic traffic situation. the people are friendly and my very basic attempts at speaking Khmer have made them even more welcoming; it's inspiring to encounter such friendly people especially while knowing what a tumultuous past the country has had. learning about the Khmer rouge genocide while getting to know the country in it's current state has been very interesting and humbling- and the khmer optimism for the future really shows.

our week here has been unlike any travel experience I've had before. we've only done a few things you would find in a guidebook and have been doing more wandering and discovering things on our own. also, because the country is developing, there are numerous NGOs in the area and through a friend of a friend I've been able to explore what people are doing to help and I got to spend a few days working with Khmer children, which I loved. getting to know a city and its people slowly has given me more time to absorb all the new things that I'm seeing and learning. I can tell that I'll leave here with a higher appreciation for where I've been then I have had after previous trips.

on that note, I'm grateful to be traveling with A, who has really forced me out of my comfort zone. although I may not seem happy about it at the time, I know being uncomfortable and trying (really) new things has helped me to see and do things that I never would have otherwise [thanks!].

so, to sum up these very brief thoughts, even though each day is hotter than the hottest day of a Virginia summer, I'm having an amazing time.

what's next, you ask? this weekend we go to kep, a beach on cambodia's southern coast and next week we'll get over to ho chi minh city at some point. after spending some time in vietnam, we'll go to northern thailand to laze along the mekong with A's cousin. then it's back to the states just in time for turkey and stuffing.

x!