My new life: Siem Reap, Cambodia

A person does a lot of thinking when they sit in the same place for 14 hours. They think about the past and how they got to this point; how everything they have worked for has lead to this moment: an airplane seat on a Korean Air flight. I have heard people use the expression "hurry up and wait" before but never truly understood the meaning of it until my travel day. I drove to the airport, said goodbye to my parents (miss you already!) and anxiously walked through security, quickly grabbed some snacks and finally boarded the airplane. Now, it was time to wait.

The flight from John F. Kennedy airport to Seoul, Korean provided me some time to really think about what I was about to do. Until this point, my fellowship had seemed like more of a dream. This flight, however, made it seem like much more of a reality. Besides watching the entire first season of Game of Thrones as well as numerous other movies I attempted to think about what I want to accomplish, what I want to gain from this experience and, most importantly, what I want to give. As I settle in to this country these goals will become more solidified and I look forward to sharing them with all of you in the future.

After arriving at 10:30pm and meeting Chanthy, the program coordinator from The Global Child (TGC), Amanda and I were escorted to our house, which we are now calling "The Cottage." My first impression was great! We walked in to a nice sized living room, two wonderful bedrooms, a kitchen and bathroom. I entered what would be my room and was greeted by a very friendly yet large spider. Amanda was kind enough to give me the bigger room with the larger bed. We unpacked all of our stuff and began to settle in for the night. I was tired and fell asleep for most of the night and was happy to wake up in this new, exciting and wonderful place.

My first day here was an adventure. Chanthy arrived in the morning to give us a quick tour and take us to get bicycles (more on this later). After this we headed in to town to explore the famous pub street area. We stopped at a very nice restaurant called the"Blue Pumpkin" to use some wifi, have a drink and escape the heat for a few minutes. After relaxing for a bit we met up with Chanthy again and he took us to get cell phones. I got a Nokia and for all of you out there who remember the original Nokia cell phones with the snake game on it, I have it...be jealous iphone users. Next, Chanthy took us to Joe-to-go, a cafe in the main part of town that gives all of its profits to The Global Child. Meeting the staff was a pleasure and I look forward to working and collaborating with them. Finally, Amanda and I were taken to The Global Child to get our first introduction to the school. I must say that this place is everything I had imagined and more. The staff welcomed us with open arms and the children greeted us with huge smiles. A quick tour of the school revealed classrooms, work spaces and an energetic vibe. This small taste was enough to get me even more excited for the days ahead...

All and all it was a great first day, topped off by a wonderful evening with Amanda's family friends who were wonderful hosts at a traditional Cambodian BBQ.

Bicycling in Siem Reap: Don't Hesitate

For those of you who know me well you know that bike riding has been a great passion of mine since I was young. Whether it be on a mountain bike blazing through the trails or on my road bike gliding my way along bike paths and local streets, I feel extremely comfortable on a bike; it's natural to me. I was very excited to ride a bike in Siem Reap and for the first time in my life use a bike as a means of transportation and not a tool for recreation. Chanthy took us to a nice little bike shop where I decided to purchase a mountain bike made by a company called National. In this store (and mostly every bike store I have seen) the bike frames don't really go past a certain size, so I had to purchase a bike that was a little smaller then what I need (for those family members out there worried about my safety I cranked the seat post up a little higher to compensate for the smaller frame). I also got myself a sweet helmet and a lock...I was ready to take my first ride! And what a ride it was...

No traffic laws, fast moving moto's (scooters) and cars driven by people who may or may not have there license, and pedestrians = madness. The roads are crazy and the drivers are even more insane. It is really astonishing and impressive that the traffic is able to operate the way it does.

So, there I was, with my new bike, ready to join in on the fun. Some people argue that the best way to learn something is just to dive right in. If you want to teach someone how to swim throw them in a swimming pool. Well, if you want to show someone how to ride their bike in the traffic of Siem Reap, simply throw them in. I learned the rules pretty quickly:

1. Stay far over to the right; that is where bicycles go.

2. Pay attention. This is not a time to enjoy the sites.

3. DON'T HESITATE, if you need to make a turn, or want to get on a road just do it. You can not wait for people to let you go, they won't.

Biking in Siem Reap is like nothing I have experienced before. You have to be very careful while simultaneously not being too cautious. Finding this happy medium is a challenge but I think I am starting to get the hang of it.

Overall first impression: This city is truly incredible. It is a dirty, fast moving and an exciting place that I feel very comfortable in and I look forward to spending more time exploring all that it has to offer.

**Questions, comments, concerns? Just want to say hi?! Leave me some comments and I will be more than happy to reply!**