22nd Birthday in Cambodia!!

On March 20, 2018 By damihianimascaeteratolleLeave a comment

I celebrated my 22nd birthday on March 14th in Phnom Penh, Cambodia! It was definitely a birthday to remember. The Sisters prayed for me during all their prayers and Fr. Vincent gave me a birthday shout-out in his homily during Mass. I had a special birthday chair with flowers and birthday signs. During lunch time, my students surprised me with a birthday cake and many home-made cards wishing me good health, more money, and more beauty. At night, Sister Blanchi made me Indian food, which was AMAZING! The Sisters also gave me a chocolate cake and fun, little presents, such as two mini jars of peanut butter.

Special birthday chair!

Mango tart!

Present hanging from my door!

My students surprised me with a cake!

Somehow ended up with frosting on my nose

With my students, the FTHS teachers, and Sr. Dory!

Cutting the cake!

Birthday chapati!

Mini peanut butter jars present!

My cake melted a little

Sr. Rosemary opening a confetti popper on me

Cutting the cake round 2

Staff Outing to Ratanakiri and Kratie Provinces

On March 20, 2018 By damihianimascaeteratolleLeave a comment

From March 8th to 10th, the entire teaching and non-teaching staff went on their annual staff outing. This year, the staff chose to visit Ratanakiri and Kratie provinces in Northern Cambodia. The bus ride there was quite long… 13 hours… but we had fun! We listened to A LOT of Khmer karaoke, watched Karate Kid, and ate lots of food. In Ratanakiri and Kratie, we visited several lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. My favorite was a big waterfall that lies on the boarder between Laos and Cambodia. Overall, the trip was a lot of fun with the teachers, staff, Sisters, and other volunteers!

Staff Outing to Ratanakiri Province!

Lake views

With teacher Theary!

The Sisters 🙂

Peace sign pictures always!

Neat tree!

Making some rice

Another lake!

Noodles from a street market

With baby Maria!!

A very stable bridge

With Lena!

With Bella and Lena!

Khmer fingers pose!

Obligatory solo shot of me with the waterfall

Another photo of the bridge

Huts to relax in

Hello Laos!

Waterfall on the boarder of Laos and Cambodia!

With Lena!

Our guest house!

In Kratie Province

Rent a hammock!

Catching fish!

Gratitude Day 2018

On March 13, 2018 By damihianimascaeteratolleLeave a comment

On March 2nd, the Teuk Thla community celebrated Gratitude Day, a Salesian Feast Day started by Don Bosco! The community spent one month preparing for this Feast Day by learning and practicing dances, songs, and plays. Each student, teacher, staff member, and Sister had a heart envelop into which others could put thank you notes. I celebrated Gratitude Day two times — once with the whole community and once with just the Sisters. All five of us volunteers performed a dance sequence for Gratitude Day. Each of us taught the group a dance that is characteristic or representative of our country in some way. Here is what we danced:

The Tango taught by Sonia from Argentina

The Vienna Waltz taught by Lena from Austria

The Cotton Eye Joe taught by me

Schuhplattler (a traditional Austrian folk dance) taught by Bella from Austria

A combination of Malay, Chinese, and Hindi dances taught by Sophia from Singapore