Sorry that I have not updated my blog recently. I must admit that it was due to my own laziness and all but I promise that I will try to continue to list my progress. Actually, I have been updating them offline. I just couldn't find the right pictures to make it more interesting. So for the next week or so, you will be getting a month worth of updates. Yippy right!? RIGHT!? =)
Anyways,
First, here are my boys. There are eight of us living at the boy's dorm. I will go from left to right to tell you a little bit about them and their background.
The one in the green T-shirt is Poeng Iyamato. His name sounds very Japanese but I can assure you that he's all Cambodian blood. He is a very cool and smart guy. He's studying at med school to become a doctor and actually has a chance to win a scholarship ($40,000 - which is A LOT of money for Khmer) to finish his whole 8 years program. In addition, he's gifted in like everything he does, from being my bright English student, to soccer, to musical instrument (piano), to video games. And he's only nineteen years old.... I'm so jealous!
In the back you will see a guy with my motocyle helmet on. He's Phon Buntheoun and he's the dorm's clown. He's the typical bad boy turned Christian because he acts like a good boy with an attitude. He's about twenty years old and studying to become an IT. His dad is a pastor in Cambodian countryside. I consider him a little brother because we're so much alike. We act a like, the way we talk are alike and he probably has the best English out of the group. He's the only one that talks with slang and other English idioms (i.e, let's bounce, wanna grab a bite, etc). It's interesting because we are probably the closer couple in the dorm because he moved into the dorm the same time I did. Him and I always kid with each other and it's nice because I never have a little brother until now. To top it off, we always stay up late and talk about everything (however, just mostly about girls).
Next, you will see a guy in the old black shade. His name is Neth Panith. He is your typical nice quiet guy. I don't see a lot of him around because he goes to school in the morning, and work in the afternoon. After work, he usually eat with his sister in the girl's dorm so I never really see much of him. On top of that, he doesn't speak a lot of English so its hard to communicate with him.
And the one in the cowboy hat is my roomate Cham Phearom. He's the RD for the guy and girl dorm (but mostly for the guy). He was hired by my mentor to become RD and he's also my Khmer teacher (although I prefer Buntheoun to teach me because I like to learn street Khmer instead of 'proper' Khmer). Aside from a few (okay, quite a bit) of issues, he's actually a really friendly guy. He tries hard to be helpful and is quite a dependable guy. When you need him, he always seem to make time for you. However, he is quite the stingy guy and are quite dependent on me for everything that he uses and eats which makes me quite uncomfortable and irritated most times. Apart from that issue, we are quite good friends. He actually make me laugh a lot because everytime he sees a mirror (whether it be an actual mirror or just a reflection of himself on any material) he starts flexing and making a face to check out how 'handsome' he is. Then he smile at me and ask, "handsome eh?" to which I laugh and said, "If only I was a girl."
Then the guy in the very back is Thidy. He's the most senior guy in the dorm because he stayed at the dorm for like 3 years in a row. Even though Thidy is younger than me, I really look up to him. He is studying IT at the University and TEE (Theological Education by Extension) to
Next, you will see the guy in the brown white shirt. His name is Roeun Sot
Last and probably least (at least in my relationship with him) is Heng Sokkun. Sokkun is eighteen years old and is studying IT at the university as well. I actually don't know that much about him because he speak very very little English. On top of that, he's an extremely quite and shy guy. I've never really enter into a direct conversation with him so I couldn't tell you much about him. I guess when my Khmer gets better, I will be able to have more conversations with him but for now, he will remain a mystery to you.... and to me as well. Well that's it for the guy dorm. Now I will move
Here is the girl's dorm. There's actually three more that's missing from this picture (because the three are so evasive and I have to sneakerly take a picture of them sometime in the immediate future). Anywhoo, the furthest one to the left is Channy. He is twenty-two years old and is fourth year English major at Western University. However, she doesn't speak a lot of English which kinda surprises me. But she is a pretty good writer. She has an awesome personality because she is kinda like a tomboy. We always stare each other down and sometimes push each other. She's the little sister I never have but wanted.
Next to her, the girl in the green shirt is Neth Sokkun. Her nick name is Sokkun-nisa (which is a really famous singer in Cambodia). She's quite the smart girl, majoring in IT at the university. She's Panith's older sister and what a sister she is. She goes to school and cooks for him everyday. Even though she's younger than me, I'm always intimidate by her and consider her a bigger sister. She has that bigger sister vibe to her. And to my surprise, her English is very good. She's naturally really smart and learn quite fast. Even though she occasionally shows up to my English class, she's one of the top student.
Next to Chanty in the picture above is also the girl in yellow in the group picture (the furthest one to the right). Her name is Netkru On (nick name, I never really did know her real name). She is quite mysterious really. I don't even know her age. All I know about her is that her father is the guard for the girl's dorm and she goes to all my English class. She seems normal but really surprises me when I throw out random hard stuffs in English and she was able to answer it correctly. She's as mysterious to me as to you so I can't really give you much info on her.
The girl in yellow T-shirt in the middle of the picture is Yos Mariya. She's the girl that celebrated her birthday with me. She is probably the youngest girl in the girl's dorm (ninete
Missing from the picture is Heng Panith. She's twenty one years old and is quite mature. She's one of my best girl student for English class and she have this deep quiet faith about her. She doesn't talk a lot but when she does, wisdom and gentleness flows out in steady streams. She tries really hard to learn English too and she's the first one to attend both of my English class (which means 6 days a week). She constantly give me suggestions on how I can improve my teaching skills (in a gentle way so that I can't really get offended or mad at her). Other than that, she's like the only one that ever invite me to eat with her after class (even though she doesn't have a lot). It really shows that she's hospitable as well.
Next on the MIA list from Ducky's picture is Sok Loth. I manage to snag a picture of her from a wedding that I attend (which you shall h
Last but definitely not least is Melisse. She's an old girl dorm resident but I decided to put her on the list because she's somebody I can relate to. I got a chance to talk to her and know her for about one month when I first came and I felt like we totally click as good friends. Her journey of faith really moves me and reminded me of my own journey as well. She's twenty-four years old and major in English at the university as well. She got one year left but never quite finish it because of her calling. She became a Christian a short while back (I believe it was three to four years ago) and quickly got called in ministry. She is a local missionary (working with another
Okie, that's about conclude our introduction to the dorm people, now for the miscellaneous but just as important people.
The first g
The next group I want to introduce to you is my gym mate. I go to a local gym
On the right is a girl named Aarie. She works there at the gym as a cleaner, manager, guard, etc. Pretty much everything that the gym needs, she has to handle it. On top of that, she's an aerobic instructor. Its quite cool because everyday at around 5:00PM, I see a huge crowd of older Khmer women floods into the gym and Aarie pumps up the music and starts aerobic dance class and all the older women shake their booties. Very entertaining. She's a really nice person but she's the girl that I usually practice my Khmer on. Whenever I work out and she have times, we would always chat it up. She doesn't know English at all so I'm force to either do charade and look like a fool or suck it up and think really hard about what I learn in Khmer class.
That's about all the people I have on pictures that I want to introduce to you guys. There are a bit more but I haven't got a picture of them yet. I'm sure that it would be quite boring if I only gave you a description so I'll refrain and keep them for my next update.
Anyways, sorry about the long long blog but do not fret... more are coming very very soon. =) A quick note. These people are the very reason that I have not really feel homesick. They are all really great people and to be honest, I really do feel at home here with them. They are all like big and small brothers, sisters, and uncle and aunts to me. I guess home is really where God calls you to be and wherever He calls you, He also provides a community for you to be a part of. Overall, I thank God for His faithfulness for provide use a nurtured environment for me to grow, learn, and share my life with these people.
Not with just these people but you guys who are praying for me, reading my blogs, facebooking me. I never felt more at home when I think about all the people that I'm sharing my life with.
1 comment:
Hey Ducky,
I just read your post and that bit about "I guess home is where ever God calls you" really comforted and encouraged me. God bless you my friend, and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Lot's of Love, In Christ always,
-Leah
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