My first week in Cambodia!!!

So I'm finally writing! It's been a week and because of Annie's encouragement I am finally doing it...though she says I'm her "home ESL student", so I warn you... it's an ESL speaker writing so... ;)

So I'm living in Cambodia!!! (Stealing Annie's favorite phrase, besides "let's go get ice cream"). So Annie is my roommate. She is my only girlfriend now, and I'm her only girlfriend here. Due the fact we had a lot of friends back there :). So far I am getting used to the fact that I'm living in Cambodia. One year ago I barely knew about this place.  Today I am living here, in the other side of the world! Last week, my first week, I didn't even know how did I feel. Before leaving I was excited, but weeks before, more scare than excited. When I got here I think I was kind of shock that I wasn't shocked!!

So my life was pretty busy before coming here. Still being busy but in a different way. So, in the airplane i got a lot of time to "rest", to think and to only be still. Finally sat and thought about the amazing ways of God. I couldn't believe where I was heading to! Alone again, like two years ago when I went to Andrews. But I wasn't scared because I just remembered that "We have nothing to fear of the future, unless we forget how God has led us in the past". And how amazingly He has been leading me! It has been only a week, but many thoughts have been running through my mind. Thoughts about life, purpose and God's plans. Sometimes I wonder about what is God's purpose in leading me here.

So I am not living in a hut nor even teaching in them. The school used to be held in huts, but not anymore. It is pretty nice. I live in the city, actually in the capital city. The most usual things to see here are very beautiful houses (mansions) in front of a very very poor house. The city is not nice, besides some buildings. Pollution is everywhere as well as trash. Families ride in motorcycles and the babies seem like they know how to hold well to their parents. Everyone here rides a motorcycle. Even children. The most common transportation  is motorcycle, bikes or tuk tuks. In our "trips" to the city, tuk tuks are our option. For school I'll ride with Fay (school librarian and misionary here for 15 years) or bicycle. Tuk tuks are my favorite (though ours are always the slower ones) and bicycle rides are an "adventure". Just the thought of crossing the street is a challenge and a nightmare for me. The first time I did it I thought It was going to be my second and last day day in Cambodia, and actually in the whole Earth!!! Bicycles are allowed in the streets, well better said, everything is permitted here. A good thing about crossing the street is that if I don't get to cross all the way, I can stay in the road, and even be riding in the wrong way!! hehe! I learned with Annie, that here they won't hit you. They will swerve you!

Otherwise, my life in school is amazing! Just to hear "Hello tee-cha Olga" and see their excited faces when they see me, gives me all the encourage that I need to survive the tiredness of the hot and humid weather. (I think Michigan took me away the aclimation to the hot weather). Children here are amazing, They are so respectful and adorable. They say hello and thank you with their hands together and they stand up for answering a question. They always smile at you and are very reverent when it's time to pray. It's so rewarding to see them laughing and enjoying music, like any other child! I also enjoy when they try to teach me khmer words, like "shom-rrrriann" (music) (with that specific emphasis).   According to them, I never say it well.  Twelve grade is my everyday group. I enjoy them so much. I laugh with them, specially when I pronounce their names in the wrong way!!! (Now I understand when Americans use to call me "Bo-NEE-ta").

So far I just have realized one more time, that we can be so different, but in the inside, we're all the same. We all laugh and eat; we all struggle in life, we yearn for a better place to live in and we all need a Savior... Also I realized that I may be not know for sure my purpose to be here but I read this last week and I am starting to understand:

    "Look at God's incredible waste of His saints, according to the world's judgement. God seems to plant 
     His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, "God intends me to be here because I am so
     useful to Him". Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God     
     places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging
     where that may be". Oswald Chambers

I am not here to be useful, but to give Him the most glory! That's what I have learned so far!