Freedom

Freedom never smelt...until we cut off my cast. In this country we self-medicate. Need some over-the-counter drugs? No problem. Visit a pharmacy and they will get you what you need. In fact, forget going to a doctor. It's an unnecessary cost. The Pharmacist will probably be able to diagnose you and prescribe you some meds. Need to get your cast off? Ask your dad for help. Don't worry folks, my dad has some experiences with casts. He's made his own plaster casts before.

Three days shy of visiting a doctor to get my cast cut off, my dad pulled out some wire cutters at my prodding (can you blame me? I still had sand in my cast from the beach) and we cut the thing off.

Here are some images of the joyous moment:

Life Here in the Penh

Samedi & friend at Talent Show (she wrote an original song and won!)

Aside from adjusting to living with my parents again and having a 14 year old roommate, the atmosphere in Phnom Penh has changed a lot. There are more high rises than ever, very Western restaurants and cafes (which once inside feels no different from I've stepped back into Seattle), and even movie theaters with English films. Phnom Penh has a lot of expats which means that we can find almost anything at Lucky supermarket and there are a lot of activities going on all the time. Although the large number of foreigners does have its downside. For example a lot of prices are higher and bargaining is a challenge because tourists (and richer expats) don't know any better and are willing to pay the higher price. Even for someone like me who is half Khmer and knows the language, many vendors and taxi drivers often quote me the foreigner price.

Treehouse Bungalows

I have met a lot of really kind people and people with interesting stories. The most reoccurring questions are, "what brings you to Cambodia" and "how long have you been here?" My first month in the country was really slow and relaxing. I spent a lot of time enjoying the cheap delicious food (a good meal averages around $5, including a beverage). I was able to travel to the beach and went to Koh Rong island for the first time (the island is the size of Hong Kong island and many locals don't even know about it). I stayed at Treehouse Bungalows and enjoyed the isolated beach (although the monsoon rains made it difficult to fully enjoy the trip).

I'm volunteering in the afternoon teaching English to 5 students at the Phnom Penh Bible School and in the evenings teaching about 3 hours a week to kids in the neighborhood outreach program at Logos International School which is next door (the school my sisters go to). I started working tutoring two 10th graders and working part time for Asian Hope (my parents organization) writing newsletters and updating the website. Asian Hope has a great ministry and it's made up of an amazing staff. 
So all in all I'm doing great. I did however get into an accident on my bicycle. A motorcycle came too close to me and clipped my handle bar; I lost control of the bike and fell over. We think I tore a ligament in my ankle and was in a cast for three weeks but at least I didn't break any bones! It was a waterproof cast so I event went to the beach with it. When the three weeks were up my dad took some wire cutters and help me cut off my cast. It was a dramatic affair (photos soon to follow). My foot is 98% healed and I'm thankful for everyone's prayers.

My sister Kiri from Seattle comes in less than a week! She'll be visiting for three weeks. I'm starting to feel a little homesick so it will be a joy to see her on this side of the world.