Day One: Surreal

If I could describe today in one word it would be surreal. Am I really here? Did this really happen? Am I really meeting these people? Am I really seeing these things? Am I really teaching these children? For some reason everything feels so normal. Almost like I've done this before, except that this is the most amazing thing I have ever done. These are the most amazing people I've ever met. This is the most amazing place I've ever been! And it is only the first day.

The very first thing I thought when I woke up this morning, went CICFO, and then to EYC (empowering youth in Cambodia) is that I am absolutely inadequate for this job. I have no idea how to teach, I can hardly understand anything anyone is saying to me, and I am going to be doing this all alone! I should probably back up.

My flight across the world was incredible. I met 5 people that truly made my life better. The first man was an American. He sat next to me on the plane from SLC to San Fransisco and helped me map out my route to my hotel with his blackberry. He was kind and helpful and helped me feel much better about being in San Fransisco alone. The next person I met was a young girl named Bianca from Taiwan. She helped me find my way on BART (the metro system) to Montgomery street. She was so kind and wonderful, I instantly felt as though I had made a friend. Then, on my flight from San Fran to Korea I met two guys one from Thailand and the other from China. They were both interested in my life and were so kind and patient with me when I did not understand their accents. The Korean airport in Seoul is humongous and so fancy! This is where I met the last lady. I never learned her name but she was from America and was going to Phnom Penh for a temporary job. We laughed with each other and swapped stories like we had been friends for years. It is so refreshing to meet people that are genuinely interested in you as a person. Why don't we all do that with one another?

When I landed in Cambodia I was surprised at how simple it was to get a visa. Then I found Seiha, Botevy, and Botevy's daughter waiting for me with a sign that read 'Katia'. That in itself made me happy. They all gave me a hug and were so kind. I must admit I felt very awkward at first because I had no idea what to say to them, not to mention I could barely understand them. And I couldn't pronounce Botevy's daughter's name. When I got to Botevy's house, where I'm staying, I was taken aback by how nice it is! My room is beautiful. And I have my own bathroom! I also have an ac unit and a refrigerator. And my bed is SO comfortable!

In the morning I got up and ate noodles (which were basically raman noodles) for breakfast, met the two Australian girls that I'd be volunteering with for the next 4 days (who are really great!), and then rode on the back of a motobike (basically just a small motorcycle) to CICFO. I met the kids we would be teaching who are all amazingly ADORABLE!! One little boy, the youngest who is about 3 years old, came and gave us all big hugs and smiled at us with his big brown eyes shining like the sun. I'm telling you that you've never seen cuter kids than these ones. I felt so awkward because I had absolutely no idea what to do. But the kids really are just regular kids, they're just harder to communicate with because they don't speak english very well. But I'm realizing that no one in Cambodia speaks very well English. It's just something I have to be in tune to with, i guess. I'll pick up on their accents eventually I'm sure.

We then went to EYC which is in the slums of Phnom Penh. It was humbling to see that kind of poverty. But honestly, I felt almost at home. It is a peaceful place, even if it is impoverished. Or, at least it is where the school room and yoga room is. Aziza is the name of the school. The kids that go there learn english, some math, computer skills, yoga, and other important things. This is where I truly began to relax. I started interacting better with the kids and even got one of them to start writing after he refused time and time again! He was so cute and if I could remember his name or how to spell it I would. The last class we went to was older, probably young adults. Late teens, early 20's. They are wonderful! We had soo much fun there. One girl is a really good Khmer dancer and showed us some of her skills. We talked about our favorite animals, what makes us happy, how many siblings we have, Utah weather (they didn't really understand what 'cold' meant and when I asked if they had seen snow they all said, on TV! haha), and they were all really interested about my life. I tried to explain to them what it meant to be a Rec Therapist but it didn't make much sense to them. After this class I kind of woke up and started realizing what a special experience this is for me. I don't have to know exactly what I'm doing. I still have things to offer these kids! And learning to give them all they deserve from me is going to be my greatest challenge.

The weather is hot and sticky and I LOOVVVVEE it!!!! I look horribly ugly, but I didn't feel the least bit judged for it.

Miracle for yesterday: That I FLEW across the world in a PLANE in the SKY!!
Miracle for today: The Khmer people's smiles [Google Khmer rouge, or Phnom Penh slums and you'll understand what I'm talking about]

Overall, today has just been the beginning. It's about to get better. With pictures I promise!!

What would you do with one day left?

Well, for me, I'm just a-packin'. I have one day left until the first day of the rest of my life! This blog is finally going to get interesting! I'm going to have amazing experiences with the children in Cambodia, tour historic landmarks, learn so many new things, and change in ways I can't even begin to imagine. Here are my goals for my volunteer experience in Cambodia.

• Show my love for each child in an individual way
• Learn each of their names
• Teach them at least one new game, but I'm sure I'll mostly learn games from them!
• Do my very best at teaching English, and never give up! 
• Try one strange food (crickets?)
• Find one miracle every day (which I'll write here in this blog)
• Become more humble as to better serve those around me

I was scared for a little while, especially about paying for this. But I don't think I'm scared at all anymore. I am 100% excited about this experience! I'm going to make the most out of it and work so hard to deserve this opportunity. I'd say my only fear now about the trip is just that I won't rise to my potential. I won't let that happen. I'm going to be the best I can possibly be. These kids deserve it! Maybe I'll find a way to carry my determination and motivation back with me. Will it fit in my carry on? I'll have to see. = ) 

So, as for my Itinerary, I will be leaving for the airport on Monday at 2:50. Then I'll land in San Fransisco at 6:30pm. I have a hotel for that night and I'll try to tour the city that night and before my flight leaves the next day at 1:10pm. Then I'm flying to Korea where I have a two hour layover. I'll get to Phnom Penh around 11:30pm on the 22nd of June!!! It's funny I won't actually be in Cambodia for another 4 days or so, but I leave in two. Crazy! I won't be writing until I land in Cambodia unless something important happens between now and then. Wish me luck!!! Catch ya'll on the other side of the world!

5 days...

Only Five days until I leave for Cambodia! It's interesting that the closer it gets the more surreal it's becoming. I don't believe I'm really going across the world for an entire month! Here's my checklist before I leave:

1. Pack my bags and store what I'm not bringing with me
2. Buy everything I need: travel supplies, extra shorts, a strap for my bag, etc.
3. Budget exactly what I'm going to spend while I'm there
4. Make a game binder so I have new games to introduce to the kids
5. Clean and fix my car
6. Finish my last final for my Bio class
7. Say goodbye to everyone who cares
8. Make sure I have all passports, visas, immunizations, health insurance, security that I need, etc
9. Make sure my camera has batteries!
10. Write thank you notes
11. Put all the phone numbers and contact information I need in one place so it is easily accessible

All of these things are much more involved than they seem. Packing up all my stuff is going to take a whole day in itself. I'm living with my sister and her husband for the summer and sadly I can't leave my stuff in the room I've been staying in for several reasons. One reason is that my sister wants to set up the baby's room and can't with my stuff crowding everything up. She's going to have the baby in September and it's her first so I understand how excited she is, I'd want to set it up 2 months early as well.

As for Cambodia, I'm getting really pumped. I haven't prepared everything nearly as much as I wanted to but its one of those things that you just have to kind of jump into. You can't really know exactly what to expect so you just have to mentally prepare yourself for anything. I am getting so excited to meet all of those kids!! I've seen a few pictures of them and the orphanage and I just feel all this excitement ready to surge out of me! I can't think about it without smiling or laughing. ME! I'm doing this! It's the biggest, most important and exhilarating thing I've ever done! And I AM DOING IT!! Who would've ever thought Katie Stewart would do something like this? Hahaha, this is incredible! Praise the Lord for life and endless opportunities to grow!

It's not over until I get on that plane!

There seem to be many things that could cause me to not go on this trip, but I refuse to take no for an answer. I'm fighting this until the very last minute. Thankfully, all the drama that just about ruined everything (long story!) is over and now I am creating new safety plans for my stay in Cambodia. My poor father is worried sick about my safety but I made it clear to him and the foundation that I am set on going. It feels good to be so set on something. If this happened a few years ago I would have caved and let everyone decide it for me. Not now! I'm fighting for what I want to do. And it is so fulfilling to fight for what I know is right for me! I'm going to Cambodia come hell or high water!

Funds are due tonight, and thankfully I'm ready to pay it! Thank you to everyone for your wonderful support! I've never been so excited about anything in my life and I owe it all to those of you who donated! I am now in the process of checking everything off of my departure list. I have decided to pack very light and buy extra clothes and such while I'm there. Steve mentioned to me that it is a good idea to buy things while I'm there as to stimulate the economy. Granted, I can't fix the country's economy by buying clothes while I'm there but its a start, right? Besides, clothes are a million times cheaper there than they are here! I am going to buy choco's (let's be honest I don't really know how to spell that) while I'm here though. I've been wanting a pair of those forever and I need some to fit into the recreation major at BYU. Haha.

I've been watching a sad documentary about Khamer Rouge called restitution extortion. Look it up on Youtube, it is so heavy! I'm so glad it is easy to research a place before you go to it. I get more excited to be there with everything I learn about it. I talked to a mentor that just came back from Cambodia a few months ago and everything she told me was so inspiring and exciting!! This is going to be the best experience of my life! Who else is excited??