Decision Time: Phnom Penh or....?

It's that time of contract where we are having to decide: Do we stay in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, or do we move on? There are several things to consider:

Eating at an outside restaurant covered with arbors.

If we stay we have more stability for the kids, less moving expenses, and continuity of friendships we have taken the time to build this year.

If we go, there are more options for Ben's doctoral thesis topic, healthier places to raise the children, and "easier" places to live culturally.

Phnom Penh fountain from a tuktuk at night.

Since educators have to turn in a decision towards the beginning of their last school year  our time has come around. This divides things mentally: we either have about 8 and a half more months left, or, an indeterminate amount based on the contract that would be signed. This is the part of the cycle of international teaching that's a bit bittersweet, but also exciting. Do we stay in this place, or move on?

Outside of Phnom Penh city.

Of course, as a mom, I think about how Phnom Penh has impacted my children.

 

This will always be where Zoe was born.

Where Talia learned to fish in a muddy river

And experience Mondulkiri.

It is where Elias graduated from Kindergarten.

And Ezra frequented the hospital (thank God for $10 appointments) with bronchial trouble due to pollution.

And fell in love with his teacher "Mena".

It's where we've discovered tons of new-to-us fruit.

And Ben has had a wonderful opportunity to be a principal in a great school.

But is it a place we would want to stay in for longer?



That is the decision.

 

Double Digits! An Interview with a Nomadic Child

I can't believe the not-even-2-year-old we took with us as an only child has now transitioned into double digits and many more countries and siblings. In honor of her birthday, I interviewed her on her favorite and least favorite things about being a nomadic child and each country she has lived in.

 Do you remember anything about Guatemala? That's where you were 2-3 years old.

• I remember playing with sidewalk chalk and one time watching the ashes from a volcano explosion. I remember playing in a kid blow up pool. I remember Blanca; I miss her.

• I did not like that in the rainy season it rained so much our food or clothes got moldy easily.

 


 What are your memories from Ruwais and Abu Dhabi?

• I loved Abu Dhabi! There were lots of nice parks, the streets were really clean and the people were nice and the houses were big and clean. It was easy to make friends there. My friends Jaden, Tasneem and Elias live there.

 

• I sort of enjoyed the heat, but I didn't like the call to prayer. It was long and mournful and it felt creepy.

Do you remember visiting Spain and Portugal?

• YES! I liked the greenery and the farms, fruits and vegetables! And there was a mouse that ran up the wall of our cabin, in Portugal. I sort of liked him! 
• In Spain it was hard for us to get food at our normal supper time. 

How about San José del Cabo, Mexico?

• I liked Cabo because I met the best friend I've ever had there, Melissa. It had a nice climate and we could go to the beach!! There were several beaches close to where we lived. I liked the food, too! We never rode a horse on the beach, but we saw them several times and if we go back there I would like to ride one. I liked that they spoke Spanish, and I could communicate easily.

• There wasn't very much grass and it was really rocky in our yard, so we had to be careful when we ran and played.

What do you think about our current country of residence, Cambodia?

 

• People are really nice here and I like all of the new fruits. Things are cheaper here compared to other parts of the world.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

• There is a lot of air pollution and trash everywhere. And they dry rotten/fermented fish outside and it smells really bad! 

 

 

  What are some benefits to traveling around the world?

• We get to learn lots of new things and see new places instead of staying in one place our whole lives like a toad on a log. We get to learn new languages and try new foods and make new friends.

What is something you don't like about traveling?

• As soon as I make friends, somebody moves away. I miss my family in my home country.

Which countries are you interested in visiting again/next?

• I would really like to visit Sweden! They have lingonberries, fikka, foraging and snow! 
• I would like to go back to Portugal. I like all of the natural parks and hiking trails and animals. 

 

 

The Next Chapter: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

As you may have noticed, the beginning of a new year is also usually when many schools begin their hiring process for the next school year. This means, usually around March or April, we know where we have been contracted to move next.

This time we have something we have never done before: Asia! It is a land where the local people went through horrific war where the educated, fair and even those who wore glasses were targeted and killed. To survive many people had to learn to eat insects and find non-traditional nutrition options. Even today you can find snake-on-a-stick, deep fried tarantula, crickets (like Mexico) and other insects for sale in the markets.

We will be going to the capital city of Cambodia: Phnom Penh. We are excited that Benjamin will get a chance as secondary principal and I will be teaching 5th grade again. Our children will attend the school there, like they do here. I am excited to be working with many Filipinos again, like in Abu Dhabi, and just being closer to the lovely friends I have in the Philippines again.

Of course, the hardest part of this move is leaving so much of our hearts behind. Mexico is a beautiful place. It's so nice to speak the language! The people we've met here have impacted us on a deep level. It's the kind of place to which I hope to one day return.

But there is also excitement in a new adventure. Asia is completely new to us and the pictures are beautiful. Khmer (pronounced kuh-m.eye) is another new alphabet to learn. Come along with us and see the pictures as it unfolds!

Abu Dhabi to Qatar to Dallas: (Too Much Flying)

Our trip began by driving to Abu Dhabi to finish some paperwork before flying out. We picked nap time, apparently, because not long on the road, all three kids were like this:

On flying day we got up at 2 AM, well, Ben, Talia the baby and I got up, but poor Elias was in a daze. We had a one hour flight to Qatar and then a 16 hour flight to Dallas.

People ask how I can fly with two kids and a baby, and, let me tell you now, I'm no super mom. We took it one moment at a time. Talia was an amazing helper and the friendly airline staff were all incredible. Especially when tired Elias got scared of the escalator as I was going down with the baby and a bag and Talia with bags and he stood on the top and wailed. An airport guy picked him up and brought him down. I was thankful for so many blessings on flight day: The boys had gotten over the fevers that had popped up just two days before traveling, a friend had helped us figure out the luggage transportation issue (three kids, small car, 12 pieces of different kinds of luggage...), many of the people I wanted to say bye to were able to arrange a meeting, the flight went through Qatar (known for spacious and nice flying accommodations), everything was checked including the stroller smoothly and with not much of a wait, the kids behaved very well on the plane and even slept much of the time, we were surrounded with nice people who had children or didn't mind them... so many, many things went beautifully.

 Still, a 16 hour flight is no picnic. I always break it up mentally into 6 hour increments... I'm not sure that it helps, because it usually goes like this:

First 6 hours: WE DID IT! We got through 6 hours without kids melting down or the plane crashing, or a million other scenarios that lurk in the back of my mind when flying.... but then I realize that we have TEN MORE HOURS TO GO!

Second 6 hours: The baby slept for THREE CONSECUTIVE HOURS! On a normal flight that would be almost the whole flight, or at least half! I can't believe we have 4 more hours: My shoulders hurt from holding little people, my backside feels glued to the aircraft seat and my eyes hurt from the screens everywhere and crazy hours and, "did we really get up at 2AM? Why is it impossible to sleep?"

Third 6 hours: So, it's not really 6 hours, right, I just do that to make me feel better when I remember that it's less than the first. Unless you count the time in the airport and the hour driving home? "ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE... I'm starting to feel like I'm suffocating."

Regardless, we made it alive. We are now enjoying the (sneeze) flowers and green things everywhere. Everything is greeeeen! We played in the rain! We harvested things from a garden! We went to an easily accessible church! We have family close! And, maybe best of all...

THAT PLANE RIDE IS FINISHED!!!!