School Days

 Waiting in the hallway to head outside for recess.

 Happy Class :)

The boys playing their favorite game...SOCCER!!  I might add I have to remind them not to play "too rough"!  They get rather aggressive. 

 Reading Groups

I am so thankful our school has a license to A-Z reading.  It gives me access to lots of leveled readers that I can download and print.

 Lokru Savda (my assistant) overseeing the group that is making spelling words.  

This student (Hogi) has really impressed me with his determination and diligence in learning.  He is Korean but he speaks in English rather fluently, and he is learning Khmer!  He will be trilingual in no time.  Now if only I could pick up on a foreign language as easily as he does! :)

Three Months Down...

The past 3 months have gone by so quickly.  I'm not quite sure where the time has gone!?!  I definitely feel more acclimated to life here which is good.  I am still working on taking each day as it comes and trying to live in the present, but I find some days I do a much better job with living that out than others.  Big thanks again to those who are praying for me and thinking of me.  I appreciate it way more than I could ever adequately express! 

Central Market and Lunch with Louise

Lots of Fresh Crabs

More Seafood

Fresh Vegetables

I am definitely going to shop at the market more often.  I got this basket of veggies (3 cucumbers, a green pepper, 2 carrots and a zucchini) for 8,500 riels if I remember correctly.  That is just a little over $2.00!  (4,000 riels = $1.00)

I thought this made for a funny photo.  :)

Fresh Fruit

I noticed this lady had black cherries...out of curiosity I asked how much they were.  My jaw dropped when she typed 18 in the calculator.  

Dragon Fruit - The texture reminds me of a kiwi and although they are not my favorite tropical fruit here I think they taste pretty yummy.

Louise posing for a picture as she buys a new bag.

Louise was craving an Indian dish so we stopped for lunch and had dosas (they are similar to crepes).

Louise insisted that this was the artist's way of taking a photo. :)

View behind me as I was riding home from the market in the tuk tuk.  Notice the rickshaw on the left.

Beautiful Day

This is Thouen who is an excellent tuk tuk driver.  

Finally an Update!

 My students painting a picture of one of the four seasons.

Jessica (one of my housemates) and I enjoying an iced coffee along with a brownie and muffin at a place called http://www.daughtersofcambodia.org/.  The iced coffees here are AMAZING!!  The creamy liquid at the bottom is sweetened condensed milk! :)  Delicious!

 On our way home from Daughters we got caught in the rain and bought some ponchos.

 It never ceases to amaze me all the things a Cambodian can haul on their bike or moto.  I don't know if you can get the complete idea here or not, but the guy on the left is hauling all kinds of brooms, baskets, etc. 

 I have found a bookstore = one very excited teacher!!!  I have only been to Boston Books once but am so glad it is here in Phnom Penh.  I will definitely be visiting often.  It is a used book store with a very good selection.  These are all chapter books which are kind of advanced for most of my students; however, I do have a few that are ready for beginning chapter books. 

 Big smile for my purchases The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - Because of Winn Dixie - The Mouse and the Motorcycle - a few beginner's chapter books and my all time favorite - Charlotte's Web.  I thought one of these would make a good read aloud.  Oh the big smile is also for the very fun chair on the patio of Boston Books. :)

 

Jessica and Louise - I have really enjoyed getting two know these girls. :)

 

 After Boston Books I enjoyed a healthy meal at Vego with some of my fellow teachers/friends.  Vego has AMAZING salads and wraps.  I have missed salads so much over the past 2 months.  I have tried to follow the advice..."if you can't peel it or cook it...don't eat it."  I haven't gone to the trouble of thoroughly cleaning the lettuce like you need to in order to get off all the pesticides and whatever else might be on it so this was a big treat.  

My class started having swimming class this week at my school's sister school - Logos.  My kids as you can imagine LOVED swimming.  (above picture - Vutha and Sothun)

I know it took me almost a month to give an update. :(  I will certainly try to be better about posting more frequently!  I'm pondering what else to share...so many thoughts are running through my mind...where to start?  I think of things daily that I think may interest those reading this but then of course I sit down to verbalize it and can't remember that "thing" I thought you may want to know. :)  I think I will make a list below of just some random thoughts that may give you a bit more perspective on some things that have happened over the past month.  

1.  I had my students write a letter to their parents for their parents to read at Open House.  I had a huge smile on my face when I walked around the room and noticed that several students were putting Bible as their favorite part of Grade 3. 

2.  Many of you know I like to run (or jog I should say).  Well I have slowly gotten back in a routine of doing just that.  Running here is a bit different for multiple reasons.  There are many dogs roaming around and obviously it is best to keep a distance from them as many of them carry rabies.  I was told not long ago that I may want to carry a rock with me so in case one tried to run after me...I guess I would be ready with ammunition. :)  Well it is a bit annoying to carry a rock so I hadn't been doing that until Jessica and I went for a run and some dogs came after us. (We both carried a rock the remainder of our run.)  I'm not generally scared of dogs, but I don't particularly like shots and if you get bit by a dog here and haven't had a rabies shot I think you have to get like 5 shots.  Needless to say I don't want that to happen. :)  Oh the other interesting part of running here is just never knowing what you may observe or run past.  I usually see cattle hauling a big load of pottery every evening.  I'm guessing they are bringing it in from the provinces....definitely don't see that on my runs in NC.

3.  I have learned to deal with some unwanted visitors in my house here.  This past month my housemates and I unfortunately had the privilege of taking care of some RATS!  Four have been captured and killed...hoping and praying no more decide to visit. :)  

4.  I had to laugh when I was helping one of my students correct a mistake and his reply was..."my bad."  LOL  I'm not sure how he picked up that slang, but it made me laugh that he used it in the right context. 

So my list was random I know...but it was all that came to my mind at the moment.  I want to say a huge thanks to all my friends and family at home who are keeping me in your thoughts and prayers!  It has been such a blessing to me to have such an incredible support network.  God has definitely been faithful in helping me through each step of this journey.  I am thankful for the comfort, strength, grace, and wisdom He provides daily.    

My Class

  

My Wonderful Class

I have realized that somehow I always seem to end up with quite a few more boys in my class than girls.  I guess there is less drama that way. :)

My wonderful class enjoying my Friday afternoon tradition...Fun Friday.  I think the Oreos with milk was a big hit!

Monsoons

I took these photos on the way home from school today.  This street is perpendicular to mine.

Monsoon season is here!  I now see why my brother was so concerned that I wasn't very high above sea level. 

First Days of School

 Classroom is ready...

I'm ready...

I know many people all over the world were thinking of me and praying for me this past week as I began teaching.  Thank you so much!  Your prayers were answered.  I was a bit nervous on Monday morning, but it was just the usual first day jitters. :)  My first day went very smoothly.  I have a class of just 11 students!  I am thankful my class is small at the moment because their English levels vary quite a bit.  I definitely have my work cut out for me as far as trying to meet their individual needs.  That part will be the most challenging part to me.  I thought many of you would get a kick out of a question I was asked by one of my students at the end of the first day.  "Miss Verdi why do you talk like a cowboy?"  I guess he picked up on my southern accent!  LOL  I'm also guessing that the only time he has heard a southern accent is from watching movies...maybe Toy Story?  I don't know.  There may be 9 Khmer and 2 Korean students with a southern accent by the end of this school year. :)

I would have to say the highlight of my week was being able to freely talk about God in my classroom.  I must say it was quite unusual starting each day with a Bible story and later in the week having a student remind me that we needed to pray before going to lunch.  I definitely enjoyed being able to share Jesus with them and know that that will continue to be a highlight of each day for me.

So I have survived the first week.  It was very busy as I basically was just planning one day at a time which for those of you who know me well know that is difficult for me.  I am not a fly by the seat of my pants kind of person.  I like to plan in advance.  However, I feel that God is teaching me to really put my full trust in Him each day knowing that He is going to take care of me and will give me the wisdom that I need for the present day.

Stepping Out of the Boat

Yesterday someone who works for Asian Hope shared a devotional with us on Matthew 14:22-33.  He told us (all the new teachers) that we had stepped out of the boat.  It was somewhat like a "light bulb" moment for me.  I have realized that I have definitely stepped out of the boat and am trying to stand up on the waves knowing I am in very unfamiliar territory.  I can identify with Peter who was afraid when he saw the wind.  My wind right now...adapting to life in a third world country...being thousands of miles from home...getting ready to start my sixth year of teaching to students whose first language isn't English...okay to me that is a lot of wind! :)  I don't want to focus on the wind though.  The main main point I took from the devotional was this..."Don't focus on what or where God has called you instead focus on Who has called you."  I hope I always keep that thought in my heart and mind.  It is not about the place or the task...it is all about Him who brought me here to teach.  

 The wonderful teachers and teacher's assistants who I am working with at AHIS.  I love how many countries are represented by the staff...Philippines, Cambodia, New Zealand, India, Canada, South Africa, and the U.S.

 My sweet roommates - Merla and Jessica