I can feel it in the air! Kids are making snowmen, people are caroling in the streets, Santas are roaming our shopping malls, gift-buying-deal-snagging is upon us. It's the Holidays. And we couldn't be happier!
NOPE. NO WAY! THAT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE! THERE IS NO WAY! IT'S 90 DEGREES OUTSIDE!
Sorry for the outburst. But I'm serious. There are supposed, so-called "SEASONS" in Cambodia but I have yet to be convinced that they really exist. Rainy Season, if that really is it's name, was a straight up joke. Before I left the USofA I was nearly terrified of the "Monsoon" season. I imagined myself biking miles and miles through torrential downpours for hours on end. I imagined all of my belongings being sopping wet upon my arrival to Cambodia. This did not sound appealing to me.
And after living through one Rainy Season in Cambodia, I must say, I am extremely disappointed.
It is so hot here that the rain that comes, when it does come, is like...I don't know...maybe sort of like eating chocolate after giving it up for lent. I don't know if that's exactly what it's like because I've never given up anything for lent (but I did go about a month without eating chocolate last year and it was a waste of my time.) I'm not Catholic (or whatever denomination it is that gives things up for lent) so I don't know if it's at all like this but let's just pretend. Okay?
Other than my disappointing Rainy Season, the weather here in Cambodia has remained fairly consistent. Therefore, myself and many other (sort of winter-loving) volunteers are convinced that it is still the middle of July. Time sort of stopped when we entered the Kingdom of Wonder. And this sensation of time standing still is becoming more apparent and disheartening as we approach the Holidays.
For Example: I had mixed emotions when I heard and saw photos of the big snowfall in Minneapolis last weekend. However, it was really enjoyable for me to see from the outside looking in, how ridiculous Minnesotans' relationship with snow truly is. It began with "Hooray for snow!" Let's take pretty pictures of all the snow and post them on Instagram! And only one day later: "This stop and go traffic is for the birds!!! SO OVER WINTER!!" (This was a direct quote from a friend on FB.)
I definitely get it. I've been there. I've probably said similar things except never had to worry about the stop and go traffic because I ran to work. Yeah, I know. I'm a badass. BUT now, in my situation, I so badly want to stick my face in a big snow mound. I want to lay down in the snow until all the snow is melted beneath me. I want to throw snowballs at the cars passing by. My Cambodia house would be perfect for that! I would just sit on the balcony and throw snowballs at the speeding cars all day long.
Beyond the "Lack of Seasons Affective Disorder" or "LOSAD", I'm also missing my friends and family more than ever. This is pretty normal for PCVs during the holidays but now that I'm actually experiencing it, it's really crummy. Thanksgiving was strange strange strange. First of all, Peace Corps happened to schedule our Counterpart conference for Thanksgiving day...HA. HA. HA. There's nothing I'd rather be doing on my favorite holiday of the year than having awkward conversations with my Health Center Director and counterpart. Peace Corps did make up for this huge blunder by serving all of the K6 volunteers an incredibly delicious Thanksgiving dinner two days later. We ate with chopsticks. It was what we like to call "A Shit Show."
This photo pretty much sums up our PC Thanksgiving
Luckily, I was able to Skype with my lovely Olson family during their Thanksgiving festivities even though it was 5AM for me. And as expected, they rubbed it in that they were eating my mom's pie. Thanks guys. Thanks for your support....
Following the craze of Thanksgiving was my Birthday! It was, again, odd not being with my family but it was spent in Kampot town which is a great place to be for one's birthday. And my host family is so wonderful. They gave me Khmer cake from Phnom Penh that said my name and 26-12-2012 on it when I returned. They were, not surprisingly, confused about how old I was turning and put a 26 candle on top. Khmer people never seem to know how old anyone really is. Just a month before, my host brother celebrated his 21st birthday but said that he was actually 23 years old. Huh? What? I'm confused. As always. Regardless, the fact that my Khmer family gave me a cake kind of made it feel more legit for me.
Host brother Vanna & Host sister Srey Neang. They're so sweet.
And now it's December and my mind is blown. The end of the world is next week! I haven't even figured out what to wear for the Apocalypse.
In conclusion, I'd appreciate it if you all think of me at least once while you're shoveling your sidewalk and cursing the Snow Gods. I freaking love shoveling snow! Perhaps fall into the snow while you're waiting for the bus and make a snow angel. Throw a snowball at an unexpecting car stuck in traffic on Hennepin Ave. And then run away really fast!
I've never even been downhill skiing. Whatevs. I'd totally do it with these cool cats.
And most important, Happy Holidays!
Love,
Laurax
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