This morning, I woke up at 4:30am looking like I’d been hit by a truck in the face because this weekend trip has been anything but restful. It was still pitch black when we left the hostel, but after a hold up with our tuk tuk’s and predicted cloud cover I was worried we’d miss the sunrise entirely. Tickets purchased (along side some obnoxious Britt’s who wreeked of vodka, hadn’t made their way to bed yet after a night on “pub street” and were insanely rude to the local workers- evidently I have no patience or tolerance in the mornings) we arrived just in time to see the whirlwind of colours transform in front of us surrounded by a sea of tourists. It was such a strange feeling, with prays being chanted over a loud speaker from a temple in the distance, it was wonderfully peaceful and still, yet not at all from the crowds. The 4:30 start was instantly not regretted.

The walk to ‘work’

Our kids came all the way and found our house today because they were waiting for up so come and brought us drawings they’d done whiles we were away. They doubled up and rode bikes and some walked along side. We gave them our glasses and changed their names to ours and they thought it was hilarious. When we got to the orphanage we told them that they were the teachers now…

Emina teaching and the kids on the first day hanging on to our tuk tuk to try to come home with us.

I bought a bike for 47 dollars yesterday, it’s a purple cruiser and I’m donating it to the orphanage at the end of my stay. Today I rode into town and I feel likes celebrity here, every person calls out “hello” because I think the 6 of us are the only tourists in this town.

Pursat streets verse Phenom Penh street traffic from a tuk tuk.

Pursat’s literal street markets

I am working along side two other girls; Emma and Emina (a little confusing for the kids). Yesterday was an introductory day, we exhausted ourselves of games, opposites, countries and started some work on sentence construction. Surprisingly the kids are extremely well behaved, switched on and for most of them fairly neat. They can spell and chant words exceptionally and love to have a giggle at the three of us.