Adding to My Repertoire of Transportation Modes

So in the last two weeks I have also made it from point A to point B via:

BOAT

This is not necessarily a common way of getting around---unless you live in one of the floating village at Siem Reap which is where this was taken.

BICYCLE

I've taken to exploring the city and running errands by bike as it is free, requires no Khmer (unless you have to apologize to the security guard when he blows his whistle at you for apparently pedaling where you shouldn't be...), and is always guaranteed to be an adventure. However, if you've ever had the unfortunate experience of witnessing me darting around the streets of Amherst or State College, you know what a ridiculous sight it is. Now envision that in a setting where I truly stand out; cars, buses, tuk tuks, motodops, and wagons coming at me from every direction; and me, backpack slung across my front instead of my back to deter thieves, trying to navigate the unfamiliar streets while simultaneously trying to take in everything around me (sometimes camera in hand...). The sight is nothing short of hilarity and it's a miracle there have not yet been any casualties.

and MOTODOP, but this time as the DRIVER

I learned to drive while out in the province and while I won't be braving the streets of Phnom Penh on it anytime soon, I feel perfectly comfortable jetting from school to school when in the village. Perhaps a class M license is calling my name upon returning to the states...? :)

I still have yet to mount an elephant, or any animal for that matter, but hopefully in time

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On different note, one of my student/friends and I went out after class to grab dinner from a vendor outside the market. During the day this place is bustling inside and out as you can find nearly anything you desire here--meat, vegetables, small appliances, paper supplies, tools, clothing, houseware items, souvenirs, etc. But at night the inside closes and the outside comes alive as small tables spring up and stands emerge selling all types of rice, noodles, soups, fried chicken feet, unidentifiable Khmer dessert, fruit shakes, and so much more---I just don't know what it is. All of this pandemonium became white noise though as she and I spent nearly two hours just talking, trying to come up with the right English words for things, laughing, and praying together. I loved getting to know her more as we talked about work, our families, hopes for the future, and so on. She is the youngest of ten children and shared some of the difficulties of not only supporting that many people but also the challenge of being the only Christian there. In fact, her Buddhist father told her that if she was going to choose to follow Christ, she had to get out and leave their home and her parents both also initially forbade her from being baptized. However, her continued joyful presence seems to slowly be softening them. She is such an encouragement to me and though I'm looking forward to coming home, I am definitely going to miss the people here.