Highlights

Hello! I am currently sitting at my kitchen table doing this blog, as Barb is highlighting my hair! What a great roommate.
Here are some pictures of stuff that we've done since we returned from Cambodia.



My relative from Poland, Lukas, and his girlfriend came for a visit! They are traveling Southeast Asia for 6 months. The last time I saw him was when he came to Canada for a visit 8 years ago.

 

Jesse with his bag of Coke.
Street vendors often sell pop in a bag with a plastic straw. Easy for motorcycle drivers to hang on their handlebars and enjoy. 

Our last meal with Dean and Jesse. The restaurant at our place sells awesome food.
The five of us enjoyed some amazing meals together over the past month. We even ate crocodile and snake in Cambodia!! (They both tasted like chicken to me. I like the crocodile more. It wasn't as chewy as the snake).

A, the name of the lady who was the security lady at our pool, moved on to a new job. We miss her already. She gave us Thai lessons on a daily basis!

Andy, Barb and I went to the flower market on Saturday night. The place continues to amaze me. So much beauty!

The place is always SO busy with people running everywhere, setting up stands and carting around gigantic loads of fresh flowers. Barb took this awesome photo.

The market also has an area where they sell vegetables. Pretty cool.

Cruising in a tuk tuk, going to Khao San Road to eat supper.

Some of the 50+ roses Barb bought me at the market.

The roses Andy bought me for my desk at school.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

I have been neglecting my blog this year. Not because I don't want to do it...just haven't found the time!
Andy's little brother and dad left back to Saskatchewan Monday morning. His mom, Barb, is still hanging out here with us. Since Cambodia, we have been stationed in Bangkok. I started school again last Wednesday, and Andy is right back into the swing of things with his teaching.

Life is good.

Arriving in Cambodia.
SUCH a beautiful country. I can't wait to go back there. I have nothing but great things to say about the place.

Dean and Barb cruising behind us. On our way to our guesthouse.

Orange look-a-likes. Don't know what they are.

Our guesthouse in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Strolling in our neighbourhood.



A hardcore biker gang.

Came across this amazing place right by our guesthouse. It is a place you can tour, where people with different disabilities (that make it hard for them to find jobs elsewhere) create all kinds of art including stone carving, painting, silk weaving and silver plating. I was able to test my sign language skills on a couple of ladies who worked there. We all bought some beautiful stuff, all for a great cause. 

Amok. A yummy traditional Cambodian dish.



Delicious sticky rice and mangos for dessert after lunch on New Year's Eve, Barb's birthday!



The birthday girl.

New Year's Eve! Celebrating with a few thousand others on the street.

The biggest party animals of all! Barb and Dean! They were a huge hit, dancing with a whole bunch of kids.

Taking a break from dancing. Getting our feet nibbled on by little fish. (Apparently eating the dead skin...gross?)
Felt good.

In front of our guesthouse.




We spent a day at the famous Angkor Wat temples.

Had no idea we were going to see monkeys again!

Poor little guy.





Spot Dean and Barb.
Spot the piggies.



On to our last full day in Cambodia.
Going for a cruise in the countryside.



Chain slip.



Andy's handlebars, Jesse and I ripping.



This place looked awesome, so we decided to stop by and get some photos.
And we are so happy we did.
We were welcomed inside by a monk.
Turned out to be a newly built temple, surrounded by some of the friendliest people I have ever met.

 

Andy learning from the guy who invited us in.



Gorgeous.



While Andy and Jesse were chatting with the monk, I met a teacher who teaches english in this tiny classroom at the temple. When I told him I was a teacher too, he told me to "come inside and teach!"
(I thought I have written on some pretty bad whiteboards...)



A big education foundation started the school years ago, and decided to stop funding them about 4 months ago. The monks took over, and are currently running the school out of pure love. Over 300 students in total attend.
This is one of the tiny classrooms, where we were able to chat with the students who were there to learn english after spending a long day at their regular school. Most of the students attend school 6 or 7 days a week.



Jesse being asked if he was Justin Bieber.
The guy standing on the right is the teacher. He has been teaching for about 4 years. He is 19 years old.



The students were so shy and adorable.
I am already dying to go back there.