omg, yesterday was one of the coldest days in cambodia history. it felt like a chilly north wind day in hawaii but for cambodia, it was freezing. i’m sitting on my bed in my mosquito net now at 4am freezing cold. i didn’t bring any warm clothes because it’s supposed be really hot and humid here. it was so cold that i didn’t even want to take a shower. there is only cold water showers so i skipped mine. when Kathy told me they lock the dorm up at 8:30pm, i was thinking what i was going to do? i fell asleep at 7:30pm last night. haha. eating 3 healthy meals a day with no alcohol is going to make me even more healthier. i feel so fresh already.

followed Davis to his 1st grade class yesterday. gosh, his kids are so cute!

and like any 1st graders anywhere in the world, these kids are so energetic and so pure.

Davis teaches them english, which is a necessity in cambodia.

kids here are so eager to learn. they were so cute i couldn’t stop laughing.

then there is a playground in the middle of the orphanage. once you walk out, the kids just jump on you. they are so clingy and lovable. none of them have parents and all of them have their own story on how they got here. most very heartbreaking.

Davis went into the city the other day and bought a karaoke machine. he teaches an evening music class and the kids really enjoyed singing karaoke. they were singing songs like “You Are Not Alone” and “I Believe I Can Fly.” never in my life have the lyrics of these 2 songs hit my heart so hard.

Davis and one of the founders Kathy always talking on how to improve things here.

now i know why my brother came here last year and decided to stay. these kids are the cutest. they are like any other normal kid and you would never know they have HIV. it’s only my first day here and i can feel their love. and i can even feel my love for them growing. i hope i don’t get too attached to these kids or i might end up staying here forever.
a life changing experience continues…

4am World surf report.
Hawaii:
…HIGH SURF WARNING FOR NORTH AND WEST FACING SHORES…Buoy 1 is 31′ at 17 seconds! OMG, that is solid Hawaiian scale 25′! Or 50′ faces!
Biggest Wednesday!
BUT, junk winds so junky surf. No Eddie.
East side best.
Cambodia Surf Report: Flat.
Have a wonderful day!

well, i finally got to my final destination. Davis picked me up late last night from the airport, we rode the tuktuk to our hotel, got some sleep, and headed to the orphanage early this morning. OMG, so much for me to learn about kids, orphans, HIV, and Aids. pulling in and seeing the kids in school amazed me. i’ll be spending my whole trip here so i’ll be learning hands on everyday.

the NHHC is located about 1.5 hours off the city of Phnom Penh. kind of hard to find but once you do, you won’t want to leave.

i was glad to leave the city and drive into the country. this is where you see the real lifestyle. Cambodia is kind of an interesting country. a mix between Indonesia and Laos is what i would compare it to.

Kathy took me for a tour around the orphanage. i stepped into every class and was amazed on how organized it was. the kids learning with big smiles.

had lunch with the other teachers and they are all so nice. big hearts and big smiles. there is a dormitory here for the teachers and volunteers. rules are absolutely no alcohol and doors will be locked at 8:30pm. cool! i’m going to detox for the next week and focus on what i came here for.

i came to see the kids smiles with my own eyes. receiving emails and photos from my brother is one thing, but coming here and experiencing it is another. i’ve only been here for 2 hours so far and i’m loving it. class starts at 2pm so i’ll make my rounds and take photos. dinner is at 5pm, and we shall all be sleeping by 8:30pm. all the 200 plus kids have to line up at 6am sharp to take their HIV medicine. i will be there too.
by the way, it is so cold! Cambodia is supposed to be really hot now but it’s actually cold for me. the owner Kathy told me it’s the coldest she’s ever experienced here. i guess cold is better than hot. better get going. have a wonderful day!