Found in Cambodia

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So it's been about a month since i have typed in this blog space, a simple recap.....found out i was off school on Dec. 18, bought a ticket on dec. 19, flew home on dec. 21, celebrated the ahrens' family christmas on dec. 22 (also know as watching meredith open presents!) did nothing but watch american's next top model marathons from dec. 24- jan. 4 (with a quick new year's eve stop with my brother and his daddy and me club members, who successful balance quieting a crying child in one hand while making a black russian with the other.....simply amazing) a quick jump up to chicago for good food, friends and a stop over at my former school on jan.5- jan.8. then it was 3 day trip back to China.....2 days in china before a flight to bangkok. Which was quickly followed by a 14 hours of travel from bangkok to siem reap in Cambodia. And that's where you find me now.......


There is so much to say about Cambodia....this first week, I have traveled here by myself as i wait for some friends to meet up with me, instead of just wandering around aimlessly and looking for any easy excuse to fit in, i joined a volunteer group, globalteer, for one week. It has only been 3 days, but already I have seen, heard, and felt more about this one part of this one town in this one country than i know what to do with. I have meet some amazing people trying their hardest to help others do just the basices: eat, drink, and be educated.

It is too hot in this internet cafe to write more, but I hope you enjoy some of the pictures.....I'm hoping if i stay long enough in cambodia angelina and brad might want to adopt me, too......stay tuned (mom, you might need to fess up and say that you DID hit me with the wooden spoon)

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Photos

Love cards
Teachers in Cambodia don't get paid enough to live and support their family, so they have to charge their students a daily fee. Here the students are making postcards which will be sent to the guesthouses in Siem Reap and hopefully reap some extra funds to supplement the teacher's pathetic salary.

the road to cambodia
is long, bumpy and unpaved. it is believed that a certain airline owns this road and resfuses to pave it so that people fly instead of drive. IT was the worst road i have ever driven on.

killing fields memorial
remains from a killing field nearby siem reap.....some still believe it is appropriate to pose with the dead....to each his own, i guess?

fresh water?
When i asked a group of students I was teaching what they would need to survive on a island, they said "fresh water." Would anyone in america even distigushed that there was a differenc? The Trailblazer orgazination is bring fresh water to hundrends with these simple, inexpensive water filters

Oh, dusty road!!
On the way to deliver water filters, a a road less traveled and in the dry season, very dusty

reason to smile
one of the many stops.....in delivering the ability for people to ensure their own fresh water source

Brad and angelina??
No...just a few americans, one austrialian, 2 from the uk and 1 from spain, but still they were pretty interested.

"everyone love an sexy girl"
please add your own comments :)

entertainment
everyone spent about an hour taking the children's picture and then showing it to them....it never got old, for everyone involved.

watch out tara
american's next top model.

Playtime
the one of the left was so much fun and was not shy at all.

putting the smack down....
he was full of smiles after i showed him his pictures

Comments

[Mom]

pictures
Glad to see the pictures. The children all have a smile on their face....who could ask for more?! Maybe the know how famous you are?! And if you want to be adopted, you will have to do better than the phantom "wooden spoon".

[Aunt Diana]

Happy New Year
Here you are off an running full steam ahead. And to think it is only 17 days into 2007. Pace yourself there is still 348 days left. Love ya