One year. One whole year. It was one year ago today, September 12, 2016, that I met my host family, that I moved in to my new home. That I said goodbye to my YAGM cohort that I had lived with and come to love over the past three weeks for what would be probably … More One Year
“I’ll do the dishes tonight, I love doing dishes!” I told my new housemate on the first night we stayed together. Earlier that day we had been shown the dishwasher and instructed how to use it since it wasn’t a typical built-in machine. From the moment he said dishwasher, I knew I wouldn’t use it. … More Doing Dishes
I started this list a couple months into the year when I was just blown away with the love that my family continually poured out on me. I went back to think of things from the first few months and then continued to add to the list throughout the year. I read this list often … More 70 Reasons I Know They Love Me
There is a popular children’s book, at least among early education teachers, called The Bucket Fillers or Filling your Bucket, or something along those lines. It talks about how we all have an invisible bucket that is filled when people do and say nice things to us, but is emptied when things … More The Bucket Fillers
It’s difficult for me to say what I do, because my time here isn’t about what I do. It’s about being here with my family and friends and students and community, learning and living and growing together. So, the best way I know to share what I do is to share my schedule. I’ve never … More A Week in the Life
This started as a poem, but it lost it’s rhythm along the way. So it’s mostly just a lot of words and thoughts and stories stacked together. Easter, for me, was always church. Sure there were usually baskets with chocolate like, not really good chocolate, but easter chocolate and those little eggs wrapped in colored … More Easter, for me
6:00AM I wake up, as usual, with the sun coming in the windows, the roosters crowing, and people up and about in the house. I roll over and go back to sleep. 6:30AM I wake up again to many student voices excitedly talking outside. “What are they doing here?” I think, “We are leaving at … More TKCC Youth Outing 2017
Today is Ash Wednesday. For as long as I can remember, on Ash Wednesday I would always go to church and have ashes put on my forehead. As a child I went with my mom, usually right after dinner. As a youth I usually went with friends, often eating dinner at church beforehand. During college, … More Dust
Walk With Me Hanna says, her arm outstretched to take my hand. I have little legs, go my speed. Walk With Me My student says, and for the third time in ten minutes tells me Khnom Oht Yeul. And I know I need to start over. Walk With Me Sokry says, when she gives me … More Walk With Me
About the time December started, Sreyleak begin asking me if I was going to be around for the countdown. At first I didn’t know what she meant, but I soon realized she was talking about New Year’s Eve. “We’re having a party! I want to grill chicken!” She told me. “Yes, I will be here.” … More The Countdown
Called to Cambodia 