Happy Halloween!

It is now November 1st, and our first major holiday has come to a close: Halloween. While it was a bummer to not be at home, we did enjoy ourselves here in PP.

With 20,000+ ex-pats living in PP, holidays--thankfully--are not overlooked. About a week ago, I heard about a tuk-tuk Halloween that was happening, where multiple families around BKK (fancy, smancy part of PP where many wealthy, paid ex-pats live) would be decorating their homes and inviting trick-or-treaters to partake in some fun.

Families just needed to hire their own tuk-tuk and have the driver take them around. We have a very friendly guy we often call for family outings, and we first met him when he was driving around town with his kids in the tuk-tuk. He asked if we needed a ride (we did) and if we minded that his kids were in the tuk-tuk, too (we didn't). Sila took to the kids very quickly, and we enjoy the father as well. He is one of the few drivers who speaks really great English.

Anyway, we called him up, invited his kids to come, and went around BKK for some Halloween fun! All the kids had fun, and the driver's kids got to experience their first Halloween. We were happy we could offer this opportunity to them.

Some homes handed out candy, while other homes decorated extensively, complete with mazes for the kids and beer for the parents! We visited around 20 homes in total and finished the night exhausted but pleased with our Halloween festivities.

As I close, I offer my hopes that your Halloween was just as enjoyable and unique in its own way. Big hugs from afar!

Normalcy

Life in Phnom Penh has been...well...normal. No longer is it strange that we are the foreigners in our neighborhood. Everyone knows us, and usually we receive a nod or smile as we walk Sila to school, head to the local market, or as Conan rides his bike with Sila holding onto his back.

Riding motos, too, has become a regular part of my day. Conan bikes to work, but I hop on the back of some motorbikes and vroom to school in no time. I have some regular guys from around the neighborhood who know where I work and how much I will pay and whom I am no longer scared of. I have also released my death grip as I ride, and I am usually riding with my hands resting on my thighs! Progress.

I am still very much aware, though, of the dangers of motos, so I am always ready to jump off or brace myself for the worst. I hope it never occurs.

Another thing that has added some normalcy is getting local, organic produce delivered to our home. Last Friday was our first week, and it was a delight: a papaya, a watermelon, 3 passion fruits, cherry/regular tomatoes, green beans, squash, carrots, lettuce, arugula, cucumbers, and more that I cannot remember! It is all ch'neng na (delicious!).

Not much else going on here. We're casually looking for a bit of work, but haven't really hit the pavement yet in our efforts. More so, we're enjoying our freedoms that this year affords us: yoga everyday, Conan writing a book, playgrounds, reading. Life is good. Hopefully life is good for you, too!

Where's the Dinosaurs?

This has been my big question recently. As soon as I get up, I ask mom "Where's the dinosaurs?" Mom tells me that a big rock hit the earth and that all the dinosaurs died, but I don't quite understand. Oh well. Dad looked up a cool documentary for me to watch about dinosaurs, and I loved it!

I thought I would write because although mom and dad have been including some tidbits about me, I thought my faithful fans would want an update from me, so here goes:

School
My school is one street over from my apartment, and mom and I walk to school everyday around 7:30 a.m. We usually stop to say hello to this one money exchange lady; then we round the corner, I give mom a kiss, and I am whisked into school. My teacher, Teacher Beth, speaks English...but I might be a bit better at English than she. Regardless, I have been learning the alphabet, swimming, blocks, and the list goes on. I have a few friends--Nika and HunkHunk (which my mom always laughs when I say his? name), and I am pretty happy to be learning and spending time with kids my own age. They're all Cambodian, but I don't mind. Mom and dad say it's good for me and that I will learn to be really comfortable with myself as a result. I just like kids and fun.

Holiday in Siem Reap
My dad, mom, all our friends (mom and dad's teacher friends), and I all went on a school bus to Siem Reap! It was so much fun! My two favorite friends are Charlie and Minda, and when I'm not trying to be like daddy, I'm looking to see what Charlie is doing. In Siem Reap, I went horseback riding with mommy, elephant watching with daddy, and saw Angkor Wat with both mom and dad. I had a great time and was a very good boy.

Weekends
There is a lot to do in Phnom Penh, and this morning we went to the swimming pool at dad's gym! I have been practicing swimming at school, so I am getting pretty good at kicking and floating on my raft. I am looking forward, though, to swimming with my really good friends--the Busbees--when I get back to the States so that I can show them all my moves. Sadie is my best friend.

Other than that, I go bike riding with my dad (he has taught me to straddle the shelf behind his seat and hold onto him as he bikes slowly down the road!). A little scary, but I'm riding like a true Cambodian. I think I'm going to a puppet show tonight, which I am excited for but don't really know what to expect.

So that's it, folks. Life is good here. The yogurt is good here, as are the snacks they feed me at school: when mom asks what I eat, I say chocolate ice cream. Mom doesn't believe me, and she says I hope I'm lying. Only I know the truth... Love you, all!

Work, Rainy Days, The Killing Fields, and Angkor Wat

Time is passing quickly now, as most of our time is consumed by volunteering. Classes are going well, and Conan and I are enjoying teaching Cambodians. They are beautiful people: gracious, timid, and have huge hearts.

On one rainy Saturday when Conan took Sila somewhere, I had the opportunity to visit the Killing Fields (Choeung Ek), a place where the Khmer Rouge systematically eliminated over a million Cambodians. The fields, ironically, are one of the most beautiful spots in Cambodia that I have seen: massive trees (one which guards used to swing babies against--by their feet--to kill), a beautiful pond, and rolling landscape. What one quickly discovers, however, is that the "rolling landscape" are mass graves. There is an estimated twenty thousand of these. Appropriately, there was a slight drizzle as I visited, and it served as a reminder that beauty sometimes isn't what it appears to be.

There has been a lot of rain recently, which I quite enjoy. It reminds me of Florida, and when there is rain, clouds, winds, it feels as if everything is alive. Moving. Changing. I don't know if it's just because I love the warmth so much and that Cambodia's landscape reminds me a lot of Florida, but I really do love it here. It's so beautiful.

Lastly, we just went on holiday (been spending a lot of time with Brits and Kiwis), and we all decided to head to Siem Reap to visit the ever-famous Angkor Wat and the multiple surrounding temples. So okay folks, here is what I have to say about this area: AMAZING. Honestly. I was blown away with each temple that I visited. I have been a lot of places, but this, by far, blows everything out of the water. It's really hard to describe why it's so awesome, but it is. I've seen Machu Picchu, the Amazon, Patagonia, the Louvre, etc. Angkor Wat is by far the most awesome. So if you're thinking about visiting, you must. Come see us in Phnom Penh, then we'll all travel to Siem Reap to do some more temple watching (as my Brit friend, Charlie, calls it). My pictures really don't serve this place justice, but here goes:

I am homesick for...

food that won't make me sick; a bathroom that has a separate shower from the toilet; a dry bathroom floor and toilet seat; Swiffers (the floor mop); good friends; good beer; the beach; good friends, good beer, and the beach together; my Honda; earthy, crunchy granola; raw milk; fresh veggies; drip coffee; Sushi Thai; my comfortable couch; non-sweetened yogurt; my Seychelles water pitcher; my juicer; central a/c; a dryer; having no cable; a full-size refrigerator; friends; family.

Since I have been sick, the desire for all that is warm and good at home has hit strong. I figured writing about it might make it better.

The other option is to splurge when we go to Siem Reap (where Angkor Wat is--see Tomb Raider), which should be fabulous! A boutique hotel, four days, and $135 total! Hopefully it is as good as it looks online.

I'll post again once that trip happens, but until then, I will just leave everyone with some great pictures of good times from the states. And remember to love the life you're living!

  Vermont, 2012

FM Beach

New York with the Phipps-Millers

A little KrisBob Adventure

Watching Gramps play the bagpipes in KC, MO

Playing harmonica with Gramps

Having a dance party in Gotche, our camper

The bubble dude at Wanee

Easter in the Florida Keys

Ferris Wheel at Venice Beach

Uncle Sila and Morgan surfing: Fort Walton Beach

Serious talks with Captain Ron

A** and Mouth Explosions

Well hello, friends. I know it's been awhile since I've written, but we've been busy teaching everyday and settling in to our life here.The biggest thing on my mind is ass and mouth explosions. Yup. Sorry about the vulgarity, but that's what my last twenty-four hours have been like.

Saturday was a wonderful day: a picnic at Kean Svay (http://phnompenhday.blogspot.com/2013/08/kien-svay-resort-for-all.html) and dinner at the Russian Market back in Phnom Penh. I even found the best street food I've ever had at the market: a large, very thin, egg omelet with bean sprouts and lightly sauteed herbs and pork. It also came with a beautiful salad plate--herbs, flowers, lettuce--that you wrapped chunks of the omelet with and dipped in an amazing sauce. Yummy.

But then it happened: the slight rumbling of the stomach, the cramps, the explosiveness. First it was just a few times, but then the pace quickened. Then came the vomit. Lots of it. Then the chills, then the fever. By 9:00 p.m. last night, I was a hot mess. Literally.

Because we had Sila sleeping soundly in his bedroom (thank GOD he wasn't really keen to eating at the Market that night and didn't eat the salad), we had to call a doctor to come and diagnose me. Apparently, it was the food.

The dreaded event finally arrived. Anyone who has ever traveled to less-than-Western-standards countries, knows what I'm talking about: the moment when you're doubled over in bed and exploding from both ends. Yuck. I haven't felt this bad since the pasta event in Peru....or the deep sea fishing trip in Hawaii (remember that one, Kathy and Ron?).

Thankfully I am feeling a bit better and the explosions have stopped. The doctor has given me a lot of drugs (yes, Ma, I am taking antibiotics), and I am on the uphill trek.

So there you go--probably a lot more than you wanted to know about me right now, but there it is. Big hugs.

Do You Want to Send the Griffins Something?

I know your desire may be strong to send little trinkets, food, good beer, sheets that don't rip, fun toys, beach sand, a little Florida sunshine, pictures, memorabilia, or any other super-cool American thing, so if this applies to you, the best place to send something is the following:

Julianna and Conan Griffin
c/o Conversations with Foreigners
#247c, Street 271
Sangkat Toul Tom Poung II
Khan Chamcarmon
Phnom Penh, Cambodia