Our First Month In Cambodia

It is hard to believe we have already been away a month. While the time has gone quickly we have managed to see quite a lot and have really enjoyed our time away as a family. And to think we have another two months away is a great feeling... sorry for those reading this at work! We know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity so really are trying to enjoy it day by day.

Clarissa's class - they love the camera!

We have established a good routine with teaching at Anjali House from Monday to Friday. I usually get up early and go for a 30-40min run (almost a local now as the dogs have stopped chasing me!) and then me and Jazz, occasionally Ben when he isn't playing Angry Birds, go for a swim in the pool before breaky. Then we either head over to buffet breakfast or have baguettes in our room. 

Our pool!

Baguette breaky on the balcony

We started riding to school this week and will do this for the remaining 2-3 weeks at Anjali. After school we hit the pool again for 30mins or so, then head out for dinner. Have a few favourites now which we go to each week (Pizza Tues, Tapas Wed and Soria Moria rooftop Sat) otherwise try a new place the other nights. Unfortunately I am still losing my battle with the 50c/$1 beers but at least the running is keeping me in balance, as is the soccer at lunchtime with the kids!

Sunset from Soria Moria rooftop

We are all enjoying the school though it does have it's moments for the kids. Having to repeat the lessons we have taught in the morning for the afternoon kids is a bit tedious, especially for Jazz and Ben. In saying that they have both been a great help in class, especially Jazz who has loved helping with the English lessons and they have been able to make some good friends at the school.

No surprises for guessing that Ben is always on the footy field and loving it, though as he is the youngest kid playing he can get a little frustrated at times as they don't go easy on him (even the 15 year olds who are pretty good!). Jazz has really made a good friend in Sovann the kindy teacher. Sovann has been great, last weekend she took us all roller blading where the local kids go and her and Jazz went roller blading again this afternoon which Jazz loved. Sovann also took us to the local fair where the locals go for dinner and entertainment. They had the usual games you get at all fairs as well as some basic rides and was a great experience for us all. 

Rolling blading with the local kids last weekend - if you look in the middle you can see Ben about to go down!

The local fair and Ben throwing the darts

It will be sad to say goodbye when we leave as the kids we teach are great kids. They really are keen to learn English and when you read to them they hang on every word. As they are not use to being read any stories (as most books were destroyed during the Khmer Rouge reign) hopefully more books will find there way into the life of Cambodian kids. 

Kindy kids with Clarissa

Hopefully our relationship with Anjali will continue once we leave here and I have a feeling we will stay in contact with Sovann through Jazz. 

Sovann, Jazz and Clarissa

On the weekends we head off to the temples and also watch the Anjali kids play soccer on a Sunday morning. We have also now had 5 days at the temples and last weekend was perhaps our favourite day so far. I know we have said it before but the photo's don't do the temples justice. We went to Ta Prohm which was amazing and we will return here on our last day. It had a great feel to it with trees growing out of some of the ruins - hopefully you can see from the photo's below how good it looks...

Ta Prohm - this part had fallen down and has been restored over 3 years

Tree roots taking over...

Still loving the tuk tuk rides and will miss them once we get home. Clarissa's Mum (Jenny) has made a last minute decision to head over and will arrive in Siem Reap next Friday, so will be good to have her over for 10 days or so (might even give us a night out on the town!). Will show her our favourite temples next Saturday as well as our favourite places to eat.

Jazz in our tuk tuk

Anyway, that's all for now and our next instalment will come from Ben...