Days 4, 5, 6: Learning Khmer, Child Safe Network, HIV Manual Creation

The weekdays begin with an hour long Khmer language lesson. Sometimes this language is a bit yep (difficult in Khmer). They have pronouncations that don't exist in english and also many of the same words mean different. It is coming to me slowly but surely. Also they leave off endings of words which makes it difficult too. I just need lots of repeatition and i will be ok.
After the language lesson we headed to Child Safe Network to learn about their program. They work with organizations, taxis, tuk tuk drivers, hotels, and individuals to educate on street kids in an effort to keep them safe from child labor, sex trafficking, prostitution, etc. It was just an introduction to the organization, but I learned a lot like there are anywhere from 10,000 to 14,000 street kids in Phnom Penh, over 20,000 throughout Cambodia. Some kids live and work on streets, selling books, flowers, other goods to tourists. Some kids work on the street and then go back home at night. All of the money they make they don't get it to keep. Often it goes back to their parents. We are highly discourgaed from buying anything from these kids as it supports them doing this sort of thing instead of going to school and learning life skills and a trade. If we want to help them the best way is to support and donate to causes that help them, like Child Safe or organizations that have been trained by the organization.
The afternoon was spent creating the HIV/AIDS training manual we will use when we teach. It was cool to be able to use so much from my job and apply it here. We are trying to make it as simple and interactive as possible.
One new thing I learned on Cambodia today is that they really like white skin. It is a sign of upper class as it symbolizes not having to work out in the fields in the sun. Therefore, Westerners are admired for their light skin color. I have seen places that offer skin bleaching here and now it makes sense. It's funny how back home tan skin is admired and sought after and here it is the exact opposite!

Days 5 and 6: Not feeling so good. All the great food has caught up with me and I am now sick. Thankfully I have some Cipro to knock it out! Khmer language lesson in the morning and then we continued our work on the HIV manual. In the later afternoon I walked to the market just down from our apartment and bought some apples on my own! I was very proud of myself. It was a bit scary but everything new always is. As i was buying the apples a beggar woman came up to me. She was so thin and had bloody hands. I couldn't understand her, but I just wondered what happened to her in her life to get her to this point.
My AC in my room went out last night which made it impossible to sleep in a room that is 85*. The electricity went out which I learned happens all the time here. thankfully the power was turned back on but my AC was shot! I was more worried about the stuff in the frig than anything.
My mom called Saturday morning. It was so good to hear her voice. There is just something about your mom that just gets to you and I lost it! I started crying once I heard her voice. Especially with being sick and adjusting to a new place, I guess i just was overwhelmed. It was so good to talk to her! I felt so much better after I got off the phone with her!
I just laid low the rest of the day b/c I still wasn't feeling good. I watched some serious Canada's Next Top Model and Britain's Next Top Model! My sister would be so proud! It was a nice relaxful day!