Safely here!

Well, I'm here safe and sound. I arrived Sunday at 11amish after almost 28hrs of travel.  All connections and flights were fairly uneventful.  Although on the leg from LAX to Taipei I sat in front of a toddler who seemed to get seizers in her legs every couple of hours where she felt she must make contact with the back of my seat.  Other than that it was all smooth. 

Obtaining my visa and getting through customs was ridiculously easy.  The visa cost me $25, and took less than 5 minutes after I smiled sweetly at the guy behind the counter.  No questions asked.  Same with customs.  Although I was warned that all I really needed to do was smile, nod and keep walking through the customs area, as the agents could care less about a blonde round eye.

Bill and Marie-Claire, the directors of Partners In Progress were waiting at the airport as I arrived. We went directly to the PIP house, to meet and greet everyone, but I was informed that my room was not quite ready (there were still people staying in it for one more night) so I would be staying the night at the home of an american couple my age, Troy & Tabitha. They run the nutrition programs for the villages and were really sweet.  

Jet lag hit me hard after that so I pretty much slept off and on for the rest of sunday.  Monday morning TnT (as I nicknamed Troy and Tabby) dropped me off back at the PIP house where I met with Marie-Claire and had my teacher orentation, house and class room tour.  After lunch I officially moved into my room and unpacked.  While unpacking I thought I would lay down for a bit and rest. I woke up 9 hours later. Oops.  So I just went back to bed and slept until morning.

Today, Tuesday, I had my first students.  They all amazed me with their level of comprehension.  Each one challenged me in different ways to explain the many difficult definitions of words that have double meaning in the English  language.  Ex: The farmer produced produce. I am humbled as I still cannot even properly say hello in Khmi.

As I write this I'm sitting at the Java cafe sipping on a Vanilla  Soyachino paying a $1 an hour for internet and listening to a little Tom Petty play on the radio. Its a strange city.  So desperate to catch up with the other large asian countries but still so ravaged by its history.  I cannot wait to get out and explore more of Phnom Penh.  I met another great couple from the states who teach at the actual Phnom Penh university and they offered to take me out Saturday and go to all the markets and see all the tourist sites.  I can't wait.  I was also invited to travel to Ho Ci Min City next weekend and overnight trip.  

Sorry to ramble and be a bit vague, I'm still a bit foggy from trying to adjust to the time difference.  

I'll try to post some pictures soon!

:)