Jam Packed with Fun, Work, and The Unexpected

The last few days have been hectic. Here are some highlights by category:

Fun

We went to a wildlife sanctuary where Mr. Sok helps as a game warden. It was extremely remote and only accessible via long boat. Tourists don’t normally get this opportunity. It was also amazing to see Mr. Sok doing yet another activity to help his people and country. That man is everywhere!

We gave our extra snacks to the game wardens who were starting their 3 day / 3 night shift. They were quite surprised!

Last night we watched traditional Khmer dancing at a buffet restaurant that caters to tourists. They have been putting on the daily show for years. It’s definitely fun to see for a first time visitor and doesn’t get old for those of us who have been before.

Work

Class started on Monday! I’m teaching 2 hours in the morning every day at the teacher training college. The students are rotating through so it’s a new group every day. I ask them what they would like to learn and normally hear PowerPoint and Excel as the requests. So, we build a PowerPoint deck that shows what Ethan is going to teach! He then gives his lesson and amazes the crowd.

Today we plan on buying solar panel equipment to upgrade a poor villager that Mr. Sok identified in need. You can see my plan and shopping list here.

The Unexpected

Our driver Barang told us on Monday that his father passed away after being ill for some time. Barang’s family has been a big part of the work we do here as many members of the family coordinate work, are employed as teachers, and generally help us. We will see about participating in the funeral march this weekend as a sign of respect.