La Sonya

I thought of something clever and funny to write about for today while I was sitting in the mail truck for 5 hours. However,  I can't remember what it was for the life of me. It was a lovely ride back though, the driver was really good. I've made it through the month of November! I blogged most every day, minus that week in the middle. . . but I bet you are actually glad I didn't blog then because you'd feel guilty for not actually wanting to read it. Ha, don't feel bad, this was just as much for me as it was for you. I am currently sitting across from the fireplace and the Christmas lights are all on. I've got my 100 Christmas Concertos playing in the background and I am ready for the weekend. We observed 19 teachers this week and I've traveled lots. I'll rest this weekend and then it will be time to have fun when the next group/team comes on Monday! It's the other half of my job that I love, sharing Cambodia with new friends and getting to work...

When I was in college I went on a life changing trip, it was the NYC Sociology study tour. I knew I wanted to go on it from the first moment I became a student. I learned about it at registration in the university gym (back in the day before you could register online). It was a trip that taught me so very much about life and how to live life. The trip was a sociology trip to study people and culture in New York City. We’d leave the Saturday night before Thanksgiving (that’s the end of November for those of you not American) and we’d return the following Saturday night. We’d stop off in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Sunday to learn about the Amish culture and then head into the city for the week. During the week we’d visit Harlem, the Lower East Side, China Town, Little Italy, we’d see Broadway plays, off Broadway plays, the Rockettes Christmas program, a synagogue service for Friday night and loads of other things. On Thanksgiving day we’d work with the Salvation Army to feed people a T...

Let’s talk about period cramps. It’s not often talked about by anyone in my mixed circle of friends. Well, I talk about it among female friends but not in a bigger circle. I’ve been struggling these last few years to not feel ashamed of having cramps, pms or my period in general. It’s not like I did something wrong to have it. It’s not like I’m the only one on earth who does. It’s not like it’s unnatural or anything and I think it would be benifitial for others to understand it. So, here we are. Let’s talk. I dislike cramps more than anything on earth. They weren’t always so painful. They got more so once I turned 30. There have been seasons in my life where I have medicated every 6 to 8 hours to avoid crippling pain. I’ve woken up in the middle of the night and not been able to move because it was excruciating and they had already gotten so bad that taking anything for the pain was pointless. I simply had to distract myself and wait it out. I’ve prayed for a meeting to be over...

Today was an early day. I’m up in Siem Reap doing teacher observations in the three schools we are in. The closest school is an hour and 15-30 min our side of Siem Reap city. The best part of getting there is driving past the temples in the early morning light. Gotta love a good temple drive by. We leave the hotel at 6 am to get to the school in time for their first class. Today there were two other Khmer friends working with me, they are from the partnering organization that helps support these schools. We support only with the Teacher Training program. To get all the teachers in we divide the teachers and sat in on at least 30 min of class for each. There are two ‘days’ in each school day. Students don’t go for the full day, they go either in the AM or in the PM. The other half of the day you work or help out at home etc. For today we had 15 teachers to observe between the two halves of the day with a long lunch in the middle. There were several new teachers to this school y...

Let’s talk about toilets. I rode up on the Cambodian Post Van (yes, that’s right the mail truck) to Siem Reap. The ride is always love, smooth, fast and only legit stops—none of this stopping so the driver can buy some meat that is hanging on a hook at the road side meat stand. Anyway, back to the toilets. Toilets in Cambodia come in many shapes and sizes. You have the classic “squat urinal” and the porcelain throne - some with a seat, some without. With all those options you never really know what you will get, but you can almost always guarantee that you will need to bring your own tp (that’s toilet paper for you Aussies). I always travel with a lovely packet of pocket tissues in my backpack—never leave home without them! So the threat of no tissues at a toilet place isn’t to big. My motto with tp is if you see a trash can, use it. I don’t mind “squat urinals”, I call them that because they look like a urinal that is laid facing up and cemented into the ground waiting for you to ...

Happy Thanksgiving. Today we feasted. It's the first time I've been able to host the feast at my place of residence. Before it would be over at Brett's apartment because he has more space but with my new apartment I've got a roof space! It was a small gathering but a lovely group of people who I call family. Without any further ado here is my annual 100 things I'm thankful for : Cambodian Adventures My apartment Khmer language classes Art/creating things Wednesday phone calls with my dad Late night phone calls with my mom  Listening to my brothers podcast: Casual Cinecast  Whatsapp-ing with Xelxi about our favorite tv shows, Chris Pine and ways to torture Chris Clouzet (the good kind of torture. . .)  Drawing pictures with Andrea on my iphone Talking about fall with Rachel People who eat my baking and cooking Friday Night Pasta Night My Khmer work family who share lunch time with me Friendly "Grandma" who says hi to me everyday My reg...

I watched two really great sermons today. They both come from the Kingscliff Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kingscliff, New South Wales, Australia. The first is called The Choice You Don't Have to Make. I love how the pastor helps point out that everything points back to Jesus. He is the center, he is all that matters. He is the Gospel. I love how easily it explained what I believe as a Seventh-day Adventist, he gave me clear steps and thoughts to be able to share with others. Jesus All. Here it is so you can see what I am talking about: What did you think? Was it agreeable? Is it in a way that you can share with others? Do you agree that they all point back to Jesus? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The second one was also incredible. It is how you can connect with people who aren't Christian, he gives great tools to use. The goal is connection, find the common ground, talk in their language, share Jesus' love. The stories are incredible and encouraging. Here it is so you c...

I got back from Mondulkiri yesterday. It was a great Teacher Training and I can see some differences in the classrooms, which is quite encouraging. The best thing about today was the Nativity scene I made today!!! It is incredible. I am so proud of it. Here is a picture. I bought these horrific little people key chains in the market that I feel like I actually rescued from a horrible fate of the rubbish bin in some first world country. I took the key ring off them, cleaned their little faces off and added some Bible wardrobe pieces. I was quite pleased with myself by this point and just getting going too! My next goal was the baby Jesus, I rolled some fabric that I thought would work well but realized it needed a head, the tiny littlest shepherd volunteered his leg for baby Jesus, so he has a sleepy little head now. Then I hunted around for what I could use as a manger and found a little container that I put some lichen from Oakhurst in to act as his straw for the manger. By ...

Whelp, I'm officially bad at this months resolution. My excuse is that while in a normal everyday office routine I can remember and take the energy to write a blog post. However, when I am traveling all normalcy is thrown out. Today is day three of Water Festival here in Cambodia. It means more fireworks! They have been every night for the last three nights. It's the best. I just sit outside on my balcony and watch them for almost an hour! It's a great way to unwind and relax. I would like them every night! It is a bit distracting to type and watch the fireworks at the same time. Oooooo! That as a good one. Focus, Reaves. I had today off as my 'long weekend'. Non Khmer crew at RAW Impact are given a long weekend or our choosing every month, the Khmer staff get the many random government holidays instead. My goal today was to prep as much as I could for the Thanksgiving Feast that will be on Sunday. It's my third one here in Cambodia but the first one I'l...

Today Karen and I are off to Mondulkiri for the last Teacher Training of the year. We've had several since September and they get better each time. I am enjoying my job so much! Our current model is working in three areas: Teacher Training , Modeling/Mentoring and Observation . It will be tweaked at the start of next year as we continue to grow and develop our best practice, learning what we can from others who have gone before us and who are right beside us. We'll go into the school tomorrow (Monday morning) in time for worship and then Karen and I will each teach an English class and have as many teachers as possible observe us. This way they can practice filling in the observation sheet that we use with them, they can get ideas and they can learn that it's okay to make mistakes (because we sure will!). It's part of the modeling step of our program. We will finish the rest of the morning observing them teach and the following morning too. Monday afternoon Karen and I...

Staff Retreat was a blast. We actually went to my very favorite lodge in Kampot, Villa Vedici! It's right on the river, has a great view of the mountains and is just a little ways outside of the main town. Our days were full but there was still time in the mornings to go for a 4 k bike ride into town to a favorite coffee shop and rest in the afternoon between parties. The view from the river, sigh. We reviewed the last year by putting together a timeline with all of our areas big events on it. Educate did quite well with all our major goals being accomplished! It was fun to review all the stories from the last year and laugh at the funny moments and celebrate the victories. Our super cool timeline. My favorite parts were the evening entertainments. The first night the Media people put together a short little blooper clip from the last few months, we are quite good at laughing at ourselves! The second night, Sarah and I put together the first ever Annual Bamboo Awards....

Today Leak amd I told the story of why we celebrate Christmas. This is what we told:  The story of Christmas starts back at the beginning of time, back when the earth was created. In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:1-5) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) He created it in 6 days, on the last day he created people in his own image; God created humans to be like himself (1:27). The first was a man named Adam and using a rib from Adam he created a woman, named Eve. Adam and Eve were the first humans created. God had created a perfect world where there was no evil. No one ever cried, there was no pai...

Christmas Staff Retreat! Unfortunatly the cooling down rain storm came just when Penny amd I were getting ready to head out. It was a glorious rain storm and normally a 6 am downpour would be no problem at all. We gathered our back packs and shlepped them down the 7 floors to wait in the bike  covered bike garage on the forst floor for a passapp tuk tuk, it’s a Cambodian rickshaw. The problem was it was a down pour so no one in their right mind was going any where. We waited another 10 min till the rain was almost gone and we were finally able to get one. When we get those giant downpours the roads can’t get rid of the water fast enough so there were many flooded roads on the way to work. Including a lovely lake rigjt outside our office. This is precisely why I bought shoes that are water friendly because I had to cross the lake many times before we left. I do love a good rain storm! It will be a bot hard for me to wtite these next few days as I am on my tiny phone with my gian...

I am so very tired tonight. I woke up at 12:30 am because my room was so hot. I moved the fan and opened the door to the balcony, unfortunately that also opened up my brain and I couldn't seem to close it again. After a great meeting with the teachers at the Ta Skor Government school this morning, my brain is done in and I'm packing for the trip, eating a bowl of plain instant noodles and going to sleep. Good night.

There was a buzz in the office today. It wasn't even my fault because I didn't drink any coffee today. I blame the buzz on a full office of people and the fact that it's two days until the Christmas Staff Retreat and for me like any good extrovert the extra people jazzed up my energy. * Side Note* In case anyone is wondering it is actually a burden at times being an extrovert. By the time the work day was over I felt as if I had just finished a cup of coffee. I was excited, loud, funny and on top of my wit game--why? Because there were people in the office, I'd gotten a lot done, there is a road trip in two days etc. This kind of energy is exhausting and I am aware that people must be annoyed by the happiness and excitement I gush out. Well, it's not like I can really control it. Thankfully my coworkers seem to enjoy it/embrace it/tolerate it and accept me for it. (( I like you for you !)) * End of Side Note* There is always a lot of talk about our Christmas Staf...

Friday was my day for office worship and I decided it was time for another office read along. I chose My Friend is Sad by my favorite Children's author  Mo Williams . I love his books because they are simple to read, enjoyable as an adult and they have such good lessons. Here's how worship went: You are enough. It's you I want to be friends with, not anyone else. I like you, for you. Proverbs 17:17 says: A friend loves at all times. A true friend loves you for you. We just want to be friends with who you are, you don't have to change or try to be someone else. It's you I like! It's said even better in a great song by Mr. Rogers. It's You I Like Written by Fred Rogers | © 1971, Fred M. Rogers It's you I like, It's not the things you wear, It's not the way you do your hair But it's you I like The way you are right now, The way down deep inside you Not the things that hide you, Not your toys They're just beside y...

This morning I went to the International Christian Association campus in Phnom Penh to a women's conference. It was lovely. I was able to meet some new people and listen to a speaker from Texas, which is always a treat. The highlight was the worship songs. I love singing for worship. There is nothing better than a room full of people breathing as one as you praise God for who he is. It's incredible. While I love my local Adventist church we don't sing many praise songs so today was a treat. I wish we could have sung all morning. A verse that one of the songs reminded me of was Psalms 73:25, 26. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. What I want more than anything is the second line to be true: I desire YOU, God, more than anything on earth. More than traveling home for Christmas, more than my safety, more than a relationshi...

I've just finished putting my green chair back inside my apartment, I've turned the kitchen lights off and it's the end of another wonderful Friday night Pasta Night. Pasta Night is when the other RAW expats gather together in my kitchen, cook a simple dinner and hang out. It was born when I first got here out of a desire to carry on a family tradition of sharing the Friday dinner together and starting the Sabbath (Saturday, the day I go to church) off right. After a long busy week it's nice to slow down, cook a meal with friends and chat about life. It is an always evolving party. At one point when Re-Knee was here we had to make sure we didn't cook with A LOT of different foods that she was allergic to (tomatoes, garlic, gluten, etc) it was a fun challenge and we were all in support of it. That was how we ended up branching away from always cooking actual pasta. Since then we've experimented with recipes, making everything from roasted capsicum (bell peppe...

No two days are the same here. One day I may be heading to Ta Skor village to meet with the principal (Tuesday) another day I may be in Mondulkiri conducting a Teacher Training (last Tuesday) or I may be doing a random afternoon of prep for the staff retreat that is next week (today). I'd say most my days start with me opening my eyes at 5:30 am and getting up at 6 am. Breakfast, quiet worship time and the whole rest of the morning stuff and out the door at 8 am, with a quick stop at Wild Coffee before work with Morning Meeting/Worship starting at 8:30. Then I work on projects, lesson plans, communication etc till lunch at noon. Lunch is normally rice and veggies eaten with my friends in the office but sometimes is an adventure at a new lunch place in town. Then from 1 pm to 5 pm work some more with a recess break somewhere in there so I don't go too crazy (imagine a lot more chair spins then necessary.) I'm back at my apartment by 5:30 pm and I clean, cook, read, wat...

I walk to work on Wednesday. I don't work far from home. Since I've moved it's even closer but I usually take the long way. On Wednesday you can get a $1 coffee from our favorite little café, Lot 369. So I walk to the coffee shop (opposite direction from work), say hello to all my friends there and then walk to work. I call my dad and chat with him as I walk, it's hard being 12 hours time difference to chat. Wednesday's are good for calling, no one is busy on a Tuesday night. As I walk to work I get to see up close the neighborhood. I get to dodge around traffic and tell the tuk tuk drivers I don't need a ride. I really enjoy walking past my regular morning-ride-to-work friends. There's the ladies who sell fruit at the corner, just down from the 5 way intersection. They always have a smile and wave. Then after that next corner I pass "Grandma". When I walk I get to interact more with her. We do a lovely formal greeting, then she says stuff to m...

It's 8:30 at night and I am sitting on my 7th floor balcony (unless you are an Australian or British, then it's the 6th floor) and I can see in the distance the lights of Olympic Stadium, there must be a soccer game tonight. The construction that happens near it must be finished for the day because I don't see the sparks of the welding. To the right is a tall building with a giant letter K on the side facing me. It's top floor lights are on, they are red, green and yellow- I think they are trying to be festive in the workout room? The lights are on most nights. When I go to sleep the lights are still on but when I wake in the middle of the night it is dark, minus the giant K. I like to imagine they are having a lot of disco's up there. Tonight I can hear the planes passing over the city as they go to the left to the airport a few miles outside of the city. They blink softly as they pass. It's a relatively clear night, no stars yet I know they are on the hori...

Growing up my parents spoke Portuguese as a secret code so my brother and I couldn't understand them. I vowed to learn Portuguese so I could know what secrets they talked about. It turns out my high school Spanish worked just as well. I remember the day well, we were all in my dad's small car running errands in Fort Worth. My brother and I were in the back and my parents were in the front talking about something or other when all of the sudden they switched to Portuguese. They said some words I didn't understand but then they said "helado" and I knew enough high school Spanish to pick up that they were talking about ice cream. Foolishly, I said, "Yes! Let's get ice cream" and that was the end of the Portuguese code language with my parents. On my way back from Honduras I was in the airport going through customs and talking with the customs officer and at the end realizing I had been speaking in Spanish. That same summer I remember being in a Targ...

Technology. When I first lived outside of America I still had to use calling cards, a floppy disk to transfer emails from one computer to the next and I had personalized cd mixes from friends. That was in 2004. Fourteen years later I video chatted with Tessa and Lou, two friends--at the same time, one was in Perth, Australia and the other was in Brisbane, Australia. We had a mostly clear conversation for an hour without any interruption. I was on my laptop and they were on theirs. It's crazy! Another video chat with friends in Ohio.  Living here in Phnom Penh I am quite spoiled. I have internet almost everywhere I go, from a coffee cart to my favorite dinner place, they all have wifi. Even if they didn't have wifi I get more than enough weekly data in my plan that costs all of $1. It's incredible! I am easily connected to EVERYONE! I can talk to my dad in Texas with a better connection than when I lived in California! It's incredible. A few months back my p...

In the stories of my Cambodia weather is a central character. Whether he would be the antagonist or protagonist is yet to be known. The weather of Cambodia at it's best. Wind has become my closest friend, I open my apartment windows right when I get home to let him settle into each corner. There are windows on three of the four walls and it conveniently lets Wind in on one side so that it can explore the rooms and leave on the other side. With my new apartment there are no neighbor buildings to block my growing friendship with Wind. In fact I sometimes, because Wind is so strong I have to close windows to keep things staying on my walls. pillow. It is not always playful and cool caresses with wind, there have been times in the middle of the night where something has been brought into my room by wind that smells as if it has been dead awhile or perhaps sitting with death for a few days. There is no way to get the smell out other than to wait for Wind to remove it in whateve...

Oy, these monthly New Year's resolutions are getting hard! The last I talked about them was in April. Here's the latest-- May:  Off book. To be "off book" with Psalms 121. It was a great passage to memorize Psalm 121 I look up to the mountains- does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.  June: On 30 minutes a day of journaling. It went mostly well. I remembered most days and found it to be quite peaceful in the evenings to sit quietly and reflect on the day. July: Off soda. There were a l...

Dear November 1, As per our new arrangement in 2017, you are not allowed to get upset by my actions. I understand you are frustrated because Thanksgiving has not yet come and gone and the pumpkins are still in season. Just think about all the positives, I look forward even more to your arrival, November, you get to remind the other months that you have more to offer than just being thankful. Just think if I waited until you were over I wouldn't get to enjoy the cozy at home atmosphere, the anticipation of family and friends. We both know it is better this way. I'm not saying this will last forever, but while I am living here in Cambodia it needs to be this way. Thank you for your understanding, acceptance, hope and your love, that is what it is all about after all. Remember, you are now the start of something bigger, you are the start of the Christmas Season! Love, Sonya Step 1: Find free boxes. Step 2: Cover with free newspaper. Step 3: Use red and brown ...