6 Things

As the halfway mark of 2013 approaches I am thinking about the year so far..a year that has been a whirlwind of activity.

A lot has happened this year. We've hosted over 30 people in our house, 20 in April alone, we  took part in an initiative called "Little Kitchen - Cooking for Change" organised, cooked for and hosted a South African themed dinner to raise funds for an NGO here, there's been lots of work demands from both jobs, I've applied for 6 visas and we've been planning our Summer holidays, I made some new friends, my dear friend Bear visited, good friends got married, other good friends left Cambodia, I lost some money, I had 2 moto accidents, people I love got sick, and an old friend died, I finished up 2 contracts at my respective jobs and now face an uncertain future, a wide open chasm of possibility that is simultaneously energising and stupefying.  

1. On Saturday this begins: 3 and a half weeks. 3 countries.  Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, places I've dreamt of visiting for years. 

2. I'm packing up and moving out of the house I've lived in since arriving in Cambodia. 2 nights left and despite the empty house forcing reality in my face, I am in full on denial.  It's a wonder I haven't invited friends over for dinner next week. "Paper plates? That's what we always eat on."

3. I have one day left with my class before the dreaded farewell.  The fierce love I have for these children makes me think being a parent must be the most heart ravaging and heart restoring thing in the world. I can't imagine feeling more protective and proud of a kid than I do currently.

4. I applied for a visa to visit Australia and they denied me.  After some tears of bitterness (I will probably never watch The Incredible Burt Wonderstone without being reminded of the death knell email), I mustered all my resolve and psyched myself up to take on the man a la Erin Brockovich.  Don't think about that analogy, it makes no sense. "The man" is an anonymous man/woman who looked at my admittedly weak application through the filter of a whole bunch of clauses and sub clauses and decided I was just the sort of person who would sneakily hide out in their country for years/apply for refugee status/generally drain the natural resources and goodwill of the land, and bring the country down.

5. I took my school's class photos this year and the owner of the school wants me to take photos of the clothing shops he has!  Is this how it feels to get  a gig/shoot/anything else creative and scary?

6.Mr Socheat, who deserves a post of his own

how to process

these ppl i love and will prob never see again?

thats the worst, the kids and some khmer ppl eg guard at home