Rainy Days and Mondays

Chump Reap Sua (wuzzup wuzzup homies!!!!!)

Hey, guess what? I'm still in Cambodia. I've been here for....hold on let me get my calendar out....82 days. Wait. Seriously?! That can't be right. I counted the days in my calendar (actually several different calendars, just in case) about 10 times and I still don't feel like that's right.

That's a really long time! That's close to 100! And I'm trying to figure out what I have to show for it. There are some days here in which I feel as if no progress is being made. "My language skills are plummeting! I don't understand anything! How am I going to initiate any projects! I can't even take a successful trip to the bank!"...is often running through my head. Especially in the past couple of weeks.

I'm going to give myself some credit. I think I'm underestimating myself. I can't help but compare my "first month at site" experience to everyone else's. My comparisons are based off of very little evidence, as in 2 sentence Facebook status updates worth of evidence. But some days I still read another K6 volunteer's status and think "OH MY GOD!! I'M A FAILURE! Why am I not teaching English to monks yet??" or "Why haven't I measured a pregnant woman's belly yet?!!!!"

This is where reality checks are important but the banks in Cambodia will charge you 3 dolla for those and they won't process them on Saturdays so you have to go back to the bank on Monday.

I needed to (and still need to) remind myself that every volunteer has their strengths and weaknesses. And that I need to use my STRENGTHS to compensate for my WEAKNESSES. How do I use my strengths to compensate for my weaknesses, particularly in Cambodia where I don't speak the language very well and seem to terrify children? Thanks to my previous job at TBI Metro Services (shout out to my homies at TBI! wut wut!), I know how to answer that question very well if it ever comes up in a future job interview.

I spent many hours at the health center "observing" and "taking notes" until I decided I understood that in this room we talk to ladies mien-p'tay-bpooah (preggers) and in this room we talk to people with chu-g'bal (headaches) and chu-bpooahs (stomachaches.) Now, how do I fit in?

Oh, duh. I can draw.

And then you're all like "Wait, Laurax, I don't get it. Where's drawing going to get you in a health center?"
And then I'm all like "Whatever, dude. BE CREATIVE! I love little children and I need to some how lure them into my trap and make them love me back."
And then you're all like "Wait, Laurax...I still don't get it. You make no sense, yo. You can draw and that's great and all but that won't get you anywhere in a health center."
And then I'm all like "Whatever, dude. I ain't no gruu-bpait (doctor) and please remind everyone in my village of this because they keep approaching me with their ailments. I'm a Community Health Education Volunteer! Yay! So I'm gonna educate me some k'mayng-k'mayng (children) that be chillin' at the HC with some coloring pages that have secret HEALTH MESSAGES! Wash your hands you silly billy! Eat yr veggies or else!"
And then you're all like "Huuzzahhhhh!!!! Now I get it!"

END OF DIALOGUE.

Insert relevant photo here:

Learng dai before you eats and after you poops!


And this one:


Eat more than just rice, for serious.


And now I'm working on my "Exercise" drawing which entails bears doing different physical activities. Will people actually consider said physical activities? Now, that's another story. We'll not get into that right now. Nonetheless, I enjoy doing stuff like this.
The first day I brought the coloring pages to the health center, the HC didn't seem to understand the point. Some of the staff started coloring and eventually one of the staff members took the drawings and markers out of the lobby. "Ummmm...no...those aren't for you. Those are for the kids...and don't put it away...noooo....please? Okay. Whatever."
But then I brought them back out the next day and had little children scribbling all over them, front and back. I think these coloring pages are more of an introduction to coloring than to my secret health messages. Either way, I will carry on.
Even if the HC staff still don't really completely understand me, at least they find me entertaining when I draw. And now they're commissioning me to draw rabbits, tigers, etc.



And now, to completely change the subject!
Today is my father's birthday. He is super duper old. And since I'm on the other side of the world from him, I was unsure what to get him for his birthday. The other week I was talking to my mom and she mentioned trying to get my dad to start a Facebook account. I knew my dad wouldn't do it himself so I took it upon myself to get him going on the Facebook.

Go ahead and be his friend if you're not already. The more the merrier! He's a really cool dude. He enjoys The Carpenters and anything related to motor oil...or Bob's Oil Blog...or something like that.

Speaking of, here's a photo of my seriously cool dad:

Here's my cool dad being a cool dad! ohmigawd there are cookies on the table!


Oh yeah, and photo courtesy of my lovely aunt, Barbara Olson.

And did I mention that I have a really cool dad that I miss and love a lot? Hi dad. I love you. Please accept that e-mail from Facebook, now.

Okay, bye.


Much love,


Daughter Laura