Friday, May 31 Koh Pdao swimming


We are currently on day 4 at Koh Pdao and loving every minute. Today we woke up at 6:00 am and went to breakfast. We did our morning check in and then changed into our swimming gear. We took a 20 minute boat ride to another island with a beach. Due to the intense current of the Mekong River, our guides set up at 10 feet radius in order to ensure our safety. Our group played three flags up, volleyball and built sand castles. Swimming in the Mekong River was refreshing and a relaxing experience for the group. Moreover, the Mekong River offered us a chance to wash off all the grit and grime of the Cambodian climate. After a quick shower, the group enjoyed a delectable lunch. Next, we enjoyed downtime with our families. We (Shailen and Aaron) are living with the village chief and are blessed with the best hammocks on the island and a spray shower. Our family consists of the village chief and all of his adorable grandsons and granddaughters who constantly quiz us on our math abilities. We did our laundry today and the son-in-law and one grandchild helped set up the washing stations. We were washing our clothes when our homestay grandmother came and started to wash our clothes when she sat down. We insisted that she did not help us and that worked for only a little bit. Right when we looked at something else behind us, she took our clothes and starting cleaning and laughing too because she knew we asked her not to help. This small action depicts a common theme of Cambodian culture in that the homestay families are willing to help us, even if it disrupts what they are doing at the moment. Following us washing our clothes, our homestay grandmother helped us hang up the clothes. When they ran out of hangers, she immediately rushed to her room to find more. She came back with more hangers and took the time to hang the other clothes. This kindhearted action displayed by our homestay grandmothers allows us to bond with her and to create a connection that we will cherish forever. In the afternoon, the group had a healthy debate about volunteer tourism. Respectful disagreements were had and everyone learned about the potential harms of volunteering internationally. We went to sleep with rain pellets hitting the roof of our homestays.



-Shailen & Aaron

(P.S. Happy Birthday Noah!!-Aaron)

         

 










































 

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