there is so much to say but I have no idea where to begin.
we have not even started to get close to anyone yet or work in our programs but have already seen and learned so much. it is overwhelming but so good.
it is a completely different world here in every way.
what I have seen:
smiles
street kids
motos everywhere
chaos
smiles
meat sitting out for sale in the market all day in 110 degrees in the sun
kindness
stray dogs and cats
6 people on one little moto
joy
people from every country (least of all America, mostly Australia)
smiles
beautiful faces
so much poverty
hammocks everywhere
kind eyes
very skinny cows everywhere, including on the main roads
smiles
helpfulness from everyone
palm trees
toyota vans completely gutted out but packed to the max with people (sometimes about 25 people) AND tons of food and baskets and even animals
smiles
what i have NOT seen:
anger
toilets in public places with actual toilet paper
fear
hostility
tanning beds
ANY restaurants or retail stores that we have ever heard of, Nope sorry folks no McDonalds here
hate
sadness (even the street kids look happy, what is it about these people?)
racism
grocery stores or supermarkets
any sense of personal space :)
houses (most people live in little shacks or tiny dirty apartment type buildings that are above the little restaurants and shops if you can call them shops) there are some houses out of town just not in the city (at least that I have seen)
a/c anywhere but some hotel rooms and guesthouses
aloe vera
judgment
(everyone seems to care about everyone else, the people that own the restaurants let the people from the streets walk in and try to sell things. Westerners would just think that is annoying and want these kids to get out of their space, these people realize they have NOTHING, it's not like they can go to the union gospel mission and get a free meal and a bed, it's not like they get their monthly check from the govt. they have nothing. I am kind of in awe, I hope I can learn to be more like these Cambodian angels)
