An Exciting Day in the Life of a Peace Corps Volunteer

People I talk to from back home often say to me, “I don’t have anything to talk about because my life is boring.” 

I try to explain to them that all in all, my life is not that thrilling.  Sure, the first six months were really exciting because everything was new and different, but at this point, I'm in just as much of a routine as I was in the States.  Just to prove how unexciting my life is, I kept track of all the things I did today and recorded them here.  Enjoy. 

5:25am: Wake up to the sound of my host dad throwing rocks inside of a wheelbarrow.  Over and over and over again.  But screw this because today is my day off and there is no way I’m waking up this early.  I shove my earplugs in a little farther and drift back to sleep.

7:20am: This time I actually wake up.  But like I said, it’s my day off so by golly I’m going to sit in bed and watch an episode of Friends, because I can. 

7:45am: I decide to actually get out of bed and head off to the market to get some breakfast. 

8:20am: After a nice 15 minute bike-ride, I’m at the market and ready to enjoy my favorite dish, bon-chaio with fried noodles.  It’s basically a thin crispy omelet with baby shrimps and veggies…and no cheese, with fried noodles on the top, topped with fish sauce.  It's good, I swear. 

Mhhhmmm, yummy

8:40am: After conversing for a while with my bon-chaio lady I head over to my coffee lady to drink a coffee and hang out for a while because, hey I got time. 

9:10am: After hanging out for a while, mostly just with myself, I find out that the daughter of the coffee shop lady is not going to Phnom Penh to go to University, as previously planned.  I’m not quite sure what is going on with that, but I didn’t feel like it was my place to pry, so I hung around a bit more and then biked home. 

9:40am: I’m home early enough to do some laundry…but I just did some yesterday…and I don’t like it so I decide to write some emails and “play Facebook” (spoken like a true Cambodian), instead.

11:00am: IT’S TIME TO EAT LUNCH!  Today I had a stir-fry with pork and pineapple, some beef in a sauce thing that is super delicious, and a mango.  Oh, and rice.  Lots of rice. 

11:30am: Time to watch more Friends pretend to work on a Graduate Assistant application

1:30pm: Start reading The Things They Carried.

2:00pm: I’m horrible at reading war novels for long period of time, so I decide to watch a movie, instead.

4:00pm: Think about going outside…but it’s pretty hot and I’m pretty comfortable in front of my fan. I could go get a coffee but I don’t really want one.  I could go buy a money card for my phone, but I don’t really have any money.  I could go visit one of the teachers from my school but they are either in Phnom Penh studying or busy taking care of their children.  Sooo I decide to journal a little and then call a fellow volunteer to chat for a bit. 

6:00pm: IT’S TIME TO EAT, AGAIN!  I got some chicken and some noodles with curry.  It was delightful.  Oh, and I got a mango, too. 

6:20pm: After talking to my host mom for a few minutes I head up to my room because one of her friends is over and they are busy speaking in rapid Khmer.  Then I started writing this blog.

Things I have planned for the rest of this Saturday night:

-Do a Jillian Michaels' workout

-Take a bucket shower

-Post this blog

WOW.  I’m so bored just from writing that.  I’m sorry you had to read the whole thing.  But anyway, this just goes to show, that yeah, some days are really exciting, and most days are at least a little more exciting than this (for example, I’m attempting to help teach an art class for 2 hours tomorrow, so we’ll see how that goes!), but Peace Corps Volunteers have boring days too.  So next time you think your life is so much less exciting than mine, just remember this blog.  But you probably won't, because chances are you've probably already fallen asleep.  Don't worry, if you're as lucky as me, someone will be there to wake you up soon, preferably with the sound of hundreds of rocks hitting the inside of a wheelbarrow.  

P.S. Sorry this doesn't have more pictures, but i dropped my camera in a lake a couple weeks ago during one of the more exciting days in my Peace Corps service.  

How the Peace Corps Prepared me for Pregnancy

 I know what you’re thinking.  

“Awwww heck, Kelly done got herself pregnant in the Peace Corps.  Ha!”

Well, sorry to disappoint (or provide with a great sense of relief, Mom and Dad), but I am definitely not pregnant.  However, if I ever were to get pregnant, I totally have that whole thing on lock down. 

Nine months with no caffeine or alcohol?  Nice try, pregnancy.  I already went two years without a steady source of Mountain Dew.  If my body could handle the chemical sludge withdrawal before, I’m sure it’ll be even easier the next time around.  And as far as alcohol goes, a proper lady never drinks in her village.  And I’m high class.

Overly sensitive to odors?  I’ve walked down an alley filled with trash, feces and urine in Cambodia, and totally held it together.  I think I can handle it. 

People always commenting on how big you are and trying to rub your stomach?  People do that to me all the time…and I’m not even pregnant.

None of your clothes will fit well?  Done.  I’ve looked like a bag lady for about the last year.  Turns out, hand-washing your clothes does not help them maintain their shape.  That and the constant weight gain (Darn you, rice!)/weight loss (I bike 50k on the reg) saga that is my Peace Corps life.  I haven’t worn anything that didn’t contain an elastic waistband since leaving America (Wow…that’s actually horrifying).

Morning sickness?  Try “first six months of service” sickness.

Hormones making you feel like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster?  Yesterday I laughed for about 5 minutes at this:

I was discovered yelling “TOP HAT, WHY ARE YOU TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ME?!?!?!?” at my computer during a very heated game of computer monopoly, and I started to tear up when I was talking to someone about how hard my students were studying for the upcoming spelling bee.  I don’t even think I have a hormonal imbalance.  This is all just coming to me naturally. 

Nine months seem like a long time to carry a child?  That’s less than half of a Peace Corps service. BAM. 

You have to poop and pee in front of people when you’re in labor?  I’d rather not get into it, but let’s just say that it happens to everyone in the Peace Corps at least once. 

After it’s all done, you have a whole new person for whom you are responsible for the rest of your life? 

Oh right…I have no idea what that’s like.  

But other than that, you can see how the two situations are quite similar.  I really think the recruiting office should start working this angle more. 

*Disclaimer: this blog is meant, in no way, to belittle the efforts of the pregnant people of this world.  I may be in the Peace Corps, but being pregnant is way too intense for me.  Please don’t kill me in a hormonal rage. 

I Have Friends!

This is Shelley:

She’s awesome and she came to visit me in Cambodia last week.  Shelley’s been teaching English in China since last fall, and for her Lunar New Year vacation, she decided to swing by the Kingdom of Wonder and pay me a visit. 

This was wonderful for a number of reasons. 

1)   We got to hit up some tourist sites that I kept saying, “I’ll get to that one of these days…”

Exploring the ruins at Phnom Chiso.  We're only awkwardly spaced to try and get some background in there...

Inside one of the ruins at Phnom Chiso

2)   We got to reminisce about the good ol’ days and talk about things other than Peace Corps

Chilling out in Phnom Penh with some ice cream

3)   We got to speak English to each other for almost a whole week!

4)   I had someone else to back me up on how AMAZING Iowa is

Shelley and I on a tourie, getting ready to head to my site!
Please note the Iowa shirt.

5)   Shelley reminded me that Cambodia is a pretty awesome place

Riding on a cart full of durian to go and get our hair and make-up done for a wedding!

Make-up!

As far as Peace Corps countries go, Cambodia is pretty great.  There’s a lot to be done, and although it’s not always an easy path, it keeps me busy and keeps me on my toes.  Cambodia is also gorgeous, and I constantly forget that I should probably be taking in the rice paddies, mountains, and temples while I can (although I gotta say rice paddies still got nothin’ on corn fields).  Basically, it was great to remember how amazing all of this is, and how it’s slipping away faster than I can even imagine. 

Shelley perfected Khmer dancing

Speaking of which, it’s February.  WHAT?  I’m still not sure what my official leave date is but it’s between July 3^rd and August 7th^th.  Either way, that is so soon (or at least seems soon in Peace Corps time).  People have been asking me how I feel about coming home in five or six months, and to be honest, I’m not completely sure.  I’m so thrilled to be closer to my friends and family, sad that I won’t be able to teach my favorite students next year or be a bike ride away from some of my PCV friends, and scared of starting what everyone likes to call “real life”.  I also tend to think that readjusting to American life will be a cinch, but in the words of my recent visitor after spending a few days at my house, “Kelly, readjustment might be a little difficult for you…this place is pretty different.”

It is mind-blowing to realize that in a few months my life will be drastically different (yet again).  But hey, if that difference means I could be doing my laundry in a machine right now instead of just staring at my overflowing laundry basket, dreading the hour and a half of scrubbing and wringing out my over-worn wardrobe, then bring it on.