hello there

It’s raining sheets and buckets and cats and dogs, and now seems to be as good a time as any to start taking notes. The kids in the orphanage next door are screaming like banshees, sliding gleefully around their courtyard and playing soccer. I’ve never heard them make so much noise. We just had a giant crash of thunder on our heads, and across the street the building project goes on, a group of men struggling on the top floor of a new high-rise to put some wires up. Brilliant plan. It’s Friday evening and SO GOOD to be home.

So what have I done since I arrived a few weeks ago? Well, I’ve learned I hate taking photos while new in a place, so that’s out for a few months. I was the first of the batch of 18 or 20 teachers to arrive, and got to experience everything first then be the “expert” for the new new people. That is, the people who arrived a day later. We had loads of fun getting to know each other. The school did an awesome job of welcoming us, feeding us all meals of the day, putting us up in a great hotel, and generally helping us get sorted before school started. It really helped us bond before meeting the old people. Now we are trying to integrate, which is a bit more work.

Almost all the new batch are from the UK or formerly related countries (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa), so my vocab is undergoing revision. Our word of the year so far has been faffing, which means wandering around the house or wherever not doing much of anything useful but still managing to look busy. I spent 10 days trying to remember the American equivalent, but the closest I got was dilly-dallying or putzing. But they don’t quite capture it. (CRASH!!! goes the thunder)

I’m loving the new job, but it is definitely lots of work. I might have been the first to come, but I was the absolute last to get an office. My computer just arrived today, and I’m going to spend the weekend designing my office space. Since it has been so long in coming, I want it to be really flash.

I’ve loads of new friends. I’ve been super busy trying to arrange my house and settle into a rhythm. Here’s how the day goes, so far:


5:00 am cell phone alarm goes off and I press snooze.


5:15 am get up, wander around the house getting ready, then eat breakfast on my balcony watching the street wake up. My balcony has two giant crown of thorns plants, a big flowering bush of yellow flowers, and several other pots of gorgeous things I don’t have to water.

6:15 am walk half a block to the stop for the school van. I sit in front with my ipod cranked up because I don’t like morning chatter. There’s the added bonus that I get the responsibility of handing our money to the toll lady. Robin and Jim (both American and have been at the school a while) are already in the bus. At my stop Gregg (Australian?) and Lynsay (NZ) and I get in, then we stop for Narann (Cambodian), Dan & Ruth (British couple), Arishana (South African), and a three Cambodian girls I don’t know.

7:00 am usually go to the café for a coffee and meet up with Arishana or Peter or whoever.


7:30 am busy at work all day with assessments, small groups, collaborations, lunch, plannings, hanging out in classrooms, okay another coffee with Katie (school counselor; American and new to the whole international school thing)

our school cafe

4:10 pm fight for a seat on the bus and head home. grab supper somewhere cheap with Arishana or Lynsay or Mandy or whoever.

8:00 pm home, settle in and try to get to bed by 9. or at least 9:45.




I had all my artwork and maps and stuff framed and hung on the walls this week. It looks awesome and more like home. When I get around to finding my camera I will take some pictures.

The rain is slowing and the children have gone inside to sing sweet Khmer hymns.