Hello everyone! It's been about a month since I've updated... I really don't know where time goes. It sounds so silly and cliche, but I really lose track of time out here like I never have before. Maybe the routine of a full-time, 7:45-4:30 job makes the time go faster, too.
Anyway, as I sit here thinking about what has happened since my last post, where I went to a Khmer wedding, I realize a lot has happened that I suppose is "blog-worthy."
Trips-wise, I have only done one quick weekend trip to Sihanoukville, the beach-resort-party town a few hours out of Phnom Penh. It is always a blast there. I miss the ocean so much here in the city. The riverfront is just not the same!
The big news is future-related. For the last few months, I've been trying to decide where to go next. My contract with my teaching job ends in September of this year. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go, or if I wanted to stay in Phnom Penh. I knew for sure that I didn't want to teach at my current school, but that was about the only thing I was sure of. Until, all of the sudden, it hit me what I should do. My friend Shae who I live with here in Cambodia is Australian, and she will be returning to Australia in September to study at university, and, now, I will be joining her and moving to Australia! She lives an hour out of Melborne, and has invited me to stay with her. I can easily get a work visa and work a job in the beach town she lives in. I'll probably work at a cafe or restaurant and begin my slow and painful return to the Western world. The minimum wage in Australia is quite good, so the plan is to lie on the beach and save money for a few months. After Christmas 2012, I shall finally finally make my way back to LA. I can officially announce this as more than just scheming because Shae and I booked a one-way ticket for September so I am sure leaving! We'll hit Bangkok and also Bali on our journey to Melborne. I am so beyond excited at the new adventures ahead. And now, with a solid plan and a flight booked, I can bask in the beauty around me here in Cambodia. I've got a lot to do before that September flight.
This weekend has been a blast because I got to visit with an old friend. At my high school we had Japanese exchange students, and, after they studied with us at RHP and then went home, I was able to meet up with 2 of them back in 2007 when I went to Tokyo. This past weekend, one of the girls was backpacking through Southeast Asia. Luckily I saw a post of hers on facebook and we were able to meet up while she was in Phnom Penh! She stayed with me and I got to show her our "expat way of life." I was so happy to share this city with her. For most tourists, Phnom Penh is either really great, or a place they can't wait to leave. I'm always glad to convince another visitor that this is a great, relaxing, crazy, and just altogether amazing city.
I think that's all for now, although that was quite a bit, wasn't it?
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