Week 1 has ended and what a feat that is! I grow more grateful for each moment.
Cambodian culture is extremely relationship and family-orientated. I experienced a bit of this in the U.S. because of my family history. I am an American Born Chinese, or ABC, with parents who immigrated from China. These values were closely held by my family, but my exposure to it was not as immersed as this Cambodian homestay. That is because most of my Chinese family members reside in China and I never lived in another country other than the U.S.
Oh man, is it different! And wonderful, and undoubtfully unknown. I feel like a toddler again. My family gets excited when I say full sentences in Khmer and grin when I understand them. It’s quite hysterical when you think about it, but in those moments, I am truly proud of myself. I have to learn how to use the squat toilets, chamber pots, how to bargain, and maneuver my way on a bike without running into people.
My family is accommodating and the sweetest! They always feed me more than I can consume and tell me I need to eat more because then I’ll be “healthier.” The kids gather around me like I’m a ice cream truck driver! They put a smile on my face and even though this is cheesy, they have already impacted me even though it’s only been a week.
This is a BIG adjustment, but so rewarding. It’s rewarding because the kindness and openness I receive from the community and my host family fills my heart. They offer me everything and I am a stranger to them. And although my skin, the mosquito bites, and heat are not my friends right now, I know more than ever, that I’m in the right place. And that is an amazing feeling.
amandastravel 