Thursday, May23 - Chambok

We woke up at 5am, played poker and enjoyed the Chambok morning. We started with a Sok Sabai-a form of daily wellness check in. We used an Iron Cow (see below), a common mode of transportation, to get to breakfast. First, we filled our stomachs with eggs, fried rice and toast. Then, we had our 2 hour long orientation in which set some ground rules and learned about Cambodian culture. Following the orientation, we had Pum class (a vocabulary lesson by one of our guides) in which we learned common Khmer phrases such as Hello, Bye, What’s your name? My name is__, Good morning, and Good Night. For lunch, we had soup, vegetables and rice. We had the chance to listen to Mr. Cham-our local guide-who told us his experience with growing up in a struggling Cambodian country.  His stories were violent and gory, but still they were necessary to capture the true essence of Cambodian history. We walked to the local temple and participated in a water blessing with a monk. We learned about a monk’s way of life and in return we donated some soft drinks to show our appreciation. It was definitely hot, yet we decided to continue and trek through a traditional Cambodia village in Chambok. We saw the Chambok version of the Grand Canyon which was created by the Dragonsnake, a common Cambodian tale. We returned on our Iron Cows and felt a slight drizzle. We had some free time in which we played cards to build meaningful relationships. Later, we reflected on the day and our first impressions on Cambodia. Some of common thoughts were that it was a shift in daily life compared to home, a hot and humid environment and being mindful of our surroundings. Mindfulness was our theme of the day because our guides wanted us to be present, grateful and curious in order for us to gain the most out of the trip. We wrapped up by having another tasty meal and casual conversation to lighten the mood.

- Shailen & Isaiah