Gotta Enjoy the Little Things

After finally touching down in Siem Reap, the most accurate way to describe my current state of mind is overwhelmed. One of The Global Child’s (TGC) teachers, Soben, came to pick us up from the airport with a “Welcome Dan and Sydney” sign in-hand. From the airport, we embarked on one of the most mind-boggling rides of my life back to our apartment. Being someone who has never left the comfort and rule-abiding ways of the United States, the zigging and zagging of the local traffic put a grin on my face from ear to ear. Just seeing all the dainty shops lining the dirt roads was something I had only seen in pictures, and to experience them first-hand was astonishing. I thought for sure we were going to get into an accident as motorcycles squeezed by our taxi with only inches to spare. There aren’t any stop signs which, as you can imagine, results in nobody stopping. Instead, people slowly creep out into the road until they have forced everyone else to go around them. The remarkable part about the traffic is the fluidity and finesse with which every pass and maneuver is executed. What would surely be a nightmare in the states somehow works flawlessly (from what I’ve seen thus far) in Siem Reap.

When we got to our apartment it felt like seeing my freshman dorm for the first time: blank walls and I didn’t know a soul. Unpacking my suitcases released that feeling I’m sure every Minerva Fellow has had at one point or another, ‘What the HELL did I get myself into?!” But after I turned on some Zeppelin and started putting my belongings in their new homes, the apartment started to feel like a place I could call home. The best part about the apartment is that it sits atop a pet store, which has three of the most adorable puppies I have ever seen. The fluffy bunches of joy really helped perk me up and made me realize that the little things in life (literally) can make a big difference.

After getting settled in Soben came back to show us around and get our bicycles. We followed his motorcycle in a Tuk Tuk, a norm to most world travelers but entirely novel to me. Motorcycles rule the road in Cambodia, and our Tuk Tuk driver made sure to show us that. Weaving in and out of every potential automotive catastrophe, our driver got us to the bike shop without a scratch.

For a mere $60 I acquired a bicycle and was ready to take on the Cambodian roadways. 

Unfortunately, Sydney and I still had no bearing on where anything was, so we loaded the bikes back into the Tuk Tuk and headed back to the apartment. By the time we were all said and done the jet lag was hitting me harder than a brick wall. Before getting dinner, I set my alarm for an hour and a half and didn’t wake up for another six. Needless to say, I did not eat dinner that night.

The next morning Soben took us on our first ever visit to TGC, where we would meet the students enrolled in summer school and learn about the place where most of our fellowship would be spent. The bike ride there was just as exciting as I anticipated. Throwing what I knew about road etiquette out the window, I followed other bikes and motorcycles as they weaved around cars and oncoming motorists. It wasn’t too long before I got the hang of it, but I’m sure the bike rides will be quite nerve-wracking for some time!

Once we got to TGC we were greeted by dozens of happy, smiling children. Seeing their enthusiasm for Sydney’s and my arrival made me feel as if I was a celebrity, and during the entire visit I couldn’t stop smiling. Soben let us shadow a few of the classes and it was surprising how well some of the children already speak English, especially the older students. It’s amazing the effect children can have on you, even if you’ve known them for only a few hours. I suppose it’s proof once again that the little things make a big difference. I can already tell that teaching these students is going to be more fun than I ever could have imagined.