So health makes a big difference...

So it turns out that being healthy makes a big difference in how everything in life works out. Since getting back to site (after my long absence due to various illnesses) things have begun to pick up a lot. I am finally legitimately teaching (not just observing) and have actually been enjoying it quite a lot. I am still such a novelty that it is not difficult to get my students to pay attention, and fresh rediculousness abounds daily. My favorite was probably when, on my first or second day of teaching, the school's "crazy lady" came into the room and started yelling (I presume about politics) at the class while I was going over pronounciation of new vocab.

There have been several occasions of note in the last couple of weeks:

1) I discovered recently that I am turning into my mother. I have always mocked the woman for her obsession with holiday decorations, and the other day I found myself sitting in a hamock outside making individual thanksgiving table name cards for all of the volunteers I will be sharing the holiday with. The next day I made a trip to the market where I managed to purchase red and green fabric with the intention of sewing stockings for Christmas (since Jayne is coming to see me for the holiday!). I had a great time trying to explain to the group that gathered around my why I wanted to purchase this fabric. I ended up exaplaining that there was an important American holiday next month and that I wanted to make stockings (which I drew a picture of with a little present and an arrow going into the stocking). The tailor proceeded to measure from my heel to my knee. It would seem that the concept of stocking was relayed, but the concept of a stocking for decoration was lost in translation.

2) I found a tutor. She is the younger sister of one of my co-teachers and also tutored the K1 that was at my site before me. I am very excited about this. My Khmer needs help.

3)The other day we did not have school because it was Cambodia's independence day. One of my co-teachers invited me over to his house to meet his family and eat lunch. This turned out to be a big holiday lunch celebration complete with tons of food, lots of other teachers, and beer. My favorite part of this event was probably watching my co-teacher's wife killing a bag full of recently caught fish. She literally had to chase their wriggling bodies through the yard while wacking them with the back side of a large knife. It was an experience.

4) Random observation. The other day I was on the way to school on my bike, and was faced with an all too common brush with almost certain catastrophe. I had a huge semi rushing by me on one side and a team of slow going bikes on my other side. Then out of no-where I got cut off by a horse drawn cart. This is just a beautiful example of the odd contrast between modern and old-school so prevalent here.

5) I will begin teaching english at the health center next week. I have no idea how I am going to go about doing this but am sure I will figure it out before Wed. On that note. While at the health center last week one of my students showed up with his friend to install a tv so that patients could watch Khmer music videos (always epic) while waiting. They proceded to sit down and try and translate the songs for me. IT was hillarious. By the end of this session this boy stood up and said "Cher, I like you a lot. Do you like me?" I could not help giggling a little. BTW "Cher" is what comes out when Khmer students say teacher, in case that was not clear. Things like that remind me why I am here.

6) Awkward class moment. My co-teacher comes in and says to the class "you all look very nice and ready to learn today since you are wearing your name tags" not sure why they all had name tags but they did. He followed this up by saying "And students, look at sister Meghan, she looks very pretty today doesnt she?" There was resounding confirmation and I have rarely felt so uncomfortable. This was probably because I was looking especially Khmer that day. Complete with a collared shirt with large fake diamond buttons.

7) Best text message I have recieved to date: "Hi. MEG GEN. How a u to day, about your fell this time? U eat rice yet? What food? I can eat with you te? U remember i te? I'm _____. I hope u well health na but i not well te. Please u pray for i. GOD in u 4ever na. Bye"

I am sure I will have pleanty more updates soon!