Transitioning back to life in the United States after spending five months in South East Asia presented some challenges. While no longer sweating every second of the day and being able to understand conversations around me was nice, some other aspects shocked me. People talk a lot about culture shock in terms of going to … Continue reading Reverse Culture Shock… Again
Tag: travel
Five “Weird” Things I do in Cambodia
Before I came to Cambodia, I read countless blogs from other travelers to learn as much as I could about the country, what to pack, and how to do things once I arrived. The same things seemed to come up every time: save as much money as possible before coming, haggle on prices, pack light; I … Continue reading Five “Weird” Things I do in Cambodia
What Happened in April?
The emotional roller coaster that has been April presented me with some of the most conflicted and complicated emotions I have had since coming to Cambodia. I felt calm and stressed, exhilarated and defeated, grateful and yet desperate to leave. A lot of enjoyable things took place in April, but I also found myself feeling … Continue reading What Happened in April?
Cambodia Weekly Rewind 7 & 8
Two months, eight weeks, 62 days... When I first arrived, I wondered how I would make it through the first two days, and now after two months, I find it hard to comprehend leaving Cambodia. While at times I long for the comforts of home, and more than anything a hug from my mom, the … Continue reading Cambodia Weekly Rewind 7 & 8
Dear America, I’m Still Hungry
Dear America, About a year and a half ago, I confessed my love for your food. After months of stuffing my face with Scottish pastries, my stomach began to long for the sweet treats of home. I yearned for the processed, sugary goodness of hazelnut coffee creamer and other delicacies, promising that if I could … Continue reading Dear America, I’m Still Hungry
Cambodia Weekly Rewind 5 & 6
The past two weeks came and went so quickly that, despite all my good intentions, I failed to post about their events in a timely manner. I would apologize, but as I continually mention when moments such as these happen; I would rather live and experience everything going on around me, than pause to write … Continue reading Cambodia Weekly Rewind 5 & 6
The Elephant in the Room
My heart pounded so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest. I could feel my palms growing cold with sweat, and my feet suddenly refused to move and remained anchored to the jungle floor. A wave of shock and disbelief washed over me, and I tried desperately to grasp hold of some remnant of … Continue reading The Elephant in the Room
A Letter to my Students
Dear Students, Though our time together came to close, the four weeks you gave me will always be unforgettable. From the moment I first met you, all eighty of you, running towards me on that fateful February day, I knew that this would be an incredible experience. Excited but intimidated, I waved and smiled and said … Continue reading A Letter to my Students
Temple Hopping in Siem Reap
If I did not see anything else in Cambodia, one thing I knew I needed to check off my list was Angkor Wat and visiting the other temples of Siem Reap. As I mentioned in my previous weekly rewind, this past weekend I went on a temple hopping adventure. I explored not only the world’s … Continue reading Temple Hopping in Siem Reap
Cambodia Weekly Rewind 3
Another week, another blog post. I can hardly believe that I have been in the Kingdom of Wonder for three weeks now. Considering how rocky this adventure began, I am proud, in a slightly arrogant way, of my transformed perspective. Not only do I now have the emotional strength to handle Phnom Penh's bustling lifestyle, but I am also starting … Continue reading Cambodia Weekly Rewind 3
The Traveling Smith 