ants and mice and kittens, oh my

Every day I learn something new, hear something that makes me smile, see another thing that breaks my heart, and feel so amazed to live in such a wonderful place.

But I’m not gonna lie…then there are the other days.

And lately they have just been piling up.

It’s my own fault that I am attempting to attend school full time and choose to live in a country with incredibly sketchy internet service.  Some days it’s fine.  Lately I have been struggling with it for about two weeks.  Remember those days of dial up and super large, super slow computers.  Think of that.  Then times that by ten.   That is how slow it is.  But the thing is, once you have experienced the better, quicker, and much more ‘efficient and modern’ hi speed wifi, that slow, slow internet just feels like swimming against the tide while carrying Chris Farley on your back.  That has been going on for a couple weeks now, watching my online lectures or basically any photos or videos are nearly impossible.   Somebody is forcing upon me an extra large dose of PATIENCE.  I don’t really asking for it, but I’m thankful all the same. 

So no, you haven’t seen me on skype.  I am trying to find time to keep up on emails but since I am a bit of a perfectionist that typically comes after school and scouring the house to try to get rid of ants. 

Oh and that brings me to the next fun thing!!! 

Ants are not enough anymore.  Now there are mice.  Ok, A mouse.  But after spending about ten hours trying to catch the little jerk and being OUTSMARTED multiple times (somebody’s brain is a bit evolved I’m thinking) I considered it to be an army of mice.  I am not cool with sleeping with a mouse crawling around my head.  Not cool at all.  I am already an extremely light sleeper and if you have ever been in Cambodia, you know some of the joys that come with living here.   NO QUIET.  EVER.   PERIOD.  So sleep is already a constant challenge Haha.  {People talk loud, laugh loud (you see a child fall down, it’s mother picks it up and appears to “yell.”  This is not a mean mother.  This is NOT terrible parenting.  This is how she is soothing her child.  This is how she talks!  Heard of karaoke?  Well you have NOT experienced it until Cambodia.  Do not plan on having a conversation while ‘karaoking’ by the way, the louder the better.  Oh and any celebration is surrounded with noise.  Loud music and loud singing and loud chanting, no conversation necessary.  Phnom Penh is very multi-cultural, so every holiday you celebrate in the U.S. and Europe… yup celebrated here to some extent.  Every holiday celebrated in China…celebrated here.  And I could go on.  Not to mention weddings, funerals, and ghosts birthdays (the anniversary of a funeral).}  But enough about the noise.

After spending a day, driving all over the city, trying to figure out how to take ocare of this, making homemade trips (nope, not for sale at your local ‘wal-mart’ haha), trying to borrow the neighbors dog, getting a kitten (not for the mouse but for ‘future security’).

Oh and that brings me to my next point. – the kitten. 

I have had two cats.  Both of which chose our family as adult felines.  I know what kittens and puppies are like don’t get me wrong.   But this cat has not stopped yowling since we got it.  It cries and cries and cries.  It has food, it has water, it even has a litter box.  That is a heck of a lot more than 98% of cats in this city!!!  It cries while being held, it cries constantly.  So, two nights now of a this cat.  I have no idea what to do with it.  I do know that I cannot handle many more nights of very little sleep.  If I wanted a child to keep me awake at night I would have one  J   I named him Oscar by the way, after my friend Austin’s fish.

No ending yet to this part of the story.

The army of mice, on the other hand, G O N E.

Triumph.

The moto is wonderful.  I love driving it, love the traffic here, love saving money on transportation.  Still working on a few glitches such as getting the sticker for the moto (annual payment for road upkeep).  The owner was supposed to give it to me but so far I have not been able to get it.  Gotten one fine so far – Two USD.  Because I turned right on a red light.  Ya, this isn’t the States baby.  Different rules.  Oh the irony of the things you get pulled over for and the things you don’t!!!  At least I have a Cambodian Driver’s License.

Sorry about the length. 

This is life, as of late!

More soon.