When I started the program in Cambodia, I didn’t know what to expect. But what I didn’t expect was the formation of relationships with my fellow peers as we explore the unknown together, as cheesy as that sounds.

As we packed onto a bus today at 7:30, it struck me how familiar the people I’m with have become to me; even as I’m still learning more about the students I’m with, the voices chatting behind me in the bus have become familiar enough to recognize who’s who. And so, as we stopped for Kror Lanh (sticky rice and beans cooked in a bamboo shoot) and started our day, it’s
become more of an adventure because of the people I’m with.

On our way to Phnom Penh, we stopped at a temple called Prasat Yeay Poan, which is a site with multiple different temples from the Pre-Angkorian period. What struck me was how much the location affected the differences in temples. The temples we saw from the Angkorian Period were made of sandstone, which comes from the mountain. Its nature allows its users to put two blocks so close together (without glue) that they look like the same stone. Comparatively, the temples we saw at Prasat Yeay Poan were made of brick. They had incredible carvings on them (just look at the pictures) but are obviously harder to carve on.

       

Soon after seeing a monkey gobble down a dragon fruit, we were on our way again. After the most epic nap, and an excellent ice cream, the once rural roads turned to city outskirts. For most of the way from Siem Reap, all I could see was fields of rice, bushes, stands of flavored water and soda, and the occasional cow, water buffalo, or chicken. But, as we were approaching Phnom Penh, the occasional billboard ads multiplied, and there were suddenly more cars, almost rivaling the number of motorcycles.

Even for a travel day, this was incredible. I must say, I’m excited to explore Phnom Penh. I still don’t know what to expect, but I know that I will adventure into what will come, gladly.