Wow, What a Week!

         This week has been a full, full week. There's hardly been a boring moment (much to my liking)! Mom and I talked to my school principal and got all of my classes figured out.  It was really nice to talk with someone and see the school. My classes are: geography, environmental sciences, mathematics, english literature and language, history, and hopefully khmer (private tutor). Not a whole lot of fun classes but I did hear that most of the classes only have about 10 people in them. Some only have 3! There's only 28 kids in my grade! The principal also arranged for me to meet 2 girls on Friday. They are both Cambodians whose parents are most likely rich, government workers. They took me out to lunch and then drove me around town showing me all of the good coffee shops! It was terribly awkward. I don't know how else to describe it. 

          So, funny story: last weekend I made a spicy tomato and egg drop soup. Well, it called for chili peppers and what I found out is that they don't only hurt your mouth. I seeded both chili peppers by scraping my thumb along the inside. Later as I was cooking I noticed that my thumb hurt really bad. I could barely use it because anything I did hurt it. It was like I had cut myself under my fingernail. Chili peppers didn't even enter my mind. Instead, I figured it must be from the shelled peanuts I had eaten because they kind of had a wasabi (ish), spicy shell. If I licked my thumb my tongue would flame on fire. It was crazy! And then I realized. Late that night I finally realized it was the chili peppers. Mom had me soak my thumbs in silver the next morning (as they were still hurting) and it turned my fingers orange! It was super funny!

 A rare patch of "normal" grass!

 Mom, Chantelle, and I walked to a small, circular park in the middle of a round-a-bout called Wat Phnom. It had a Wat on top of a small hill. Wats are basically Buddhist cathedrals only a lot smaller. The park was very beautiful with lots of greenery and cute shaded walkways with benches. The Wat was pretty too, although I had a weird and uncomfortable feeling as I was in it.

No doubt I need to stretch my hands a little more. :)

 These were some caged birds. I think it's like torture keeping all of them locked up like that. We thought they probably sell them for some kind of Buddhist ritual.

 Pioneer Day!! This is such a big holiday for them here because they consider themselves as the pioneers in Cambodia. They really go all out. Most of the districts had their party on Friday or Saturday. We went to 3 on Friday and 1 on Saturday. And yes, we dressed up! Unfortunately I couldn't find my camera on Friday so I don't have any pictures. They decorate the room with lights, ribbons, balloons, etc. (most had more than the picture shown). They did a lot of dancing and singing which was super fun, although I don't know that I ever want to hear " The turkey in the hay" song ever again. :) Two of the districts watched "Legacy". At first I was like "Oh yay! I love this movie!" And then I realized it was in Khmer. Oh well, I still enjoyed it, kind of.