Working Abroad

I didn't go to the school outing in Sihanoukville last Saturday. Maau ra pud la ko niadto kay kami ma'y host sa household last Saturday.

I'm still thinking if I'm meant to be here in Cambo. Because I am teaching kindergarten here and I am just at a loss! This is a totally strange territory for me! Anyway, padayon lng ta ani. La pa btaw ko one month. In time I'd know if I'm meant for Cambodia or not. I keep the faith.

Echo

Yesterday, Mam Shirley asked to see me. I thought naa koy sala, iya man diay ko gihatagan ug mga material for Friday sessions (art, games, reading, etc)

I told her maglisud ko sa Science. She said buksan mo lng ang isip mo. Kung ano daw ung ayaw natin, un daw ang binibigay ng Diyos until we learn to like it. Di naman daw tayo dadalhin ng Diyos sa isang lugar kung walang dahilan. Naalala ko si Leeyaj lng talaga. And Ms Arlene Beguerras of WIS-Siem Reap who told me on 1 April 2008 that "where ur heart is, there ur treasure will be"

Jonathan

Today I read Jonathan's YM message that he's back in SG from the WYD in AUS and back to work. I had asked him to come see me here in PP on the last week of August kay bakasyon na man na, both at Western and at CWF. But I also asked him if sila na ba ni Rhea. "Kakatuwa ka talaga, Heide". Mao ra jud na kanunay iyang tubag.

Last Friday, 11 July afternoon I read his offline msg sa YM. Hello kuno from Melbourne. So nadayon jud diay siya attend, morag kuyog pud si Rhea. Last Jan 25 when we met iya man ni gimention.

I am happy he remembered me. Told him to bring me a kangaroo when he gets back :-)

Kalimtan na nako sya oi. Sayang2 lng ko panahon niya. Tua na man gud sa SG iya life. Good luck to us!

Volunteering Update

I am feeling guilty that I will hand over my 630-730 am class to Teresa, my S'porean co-volunteer. Mao ra man ni iya matahan ug sayo. But then she understood my situation man. She said, "U need help right?" Maglisud na man gud ko kay I finish there at 730 then by 8am I have to be in Toulkok na man. Pirmi tawn ko malate. Layo gud nang Toul Tompoung to Toulkok. Last Monday I thought mahulog na ko sa moto, nalipong na man jud ko. Ako lng sya itreat to dinner pohon kung nana ko kwarta Lord, sila ni Abbey. Pls bless them always.

3rd House in PP

Pangatlong bahay na ni Heide, parang ang tagal na nya dito sa PP. Grabe! Totoo, b/c I have alrdy moved to the house of Ate Malyn in St 302 last Sunday, 29 June. Then after that, I got calls for work, one after the other. Cguro swerte na sya nga balay para nako.

I now work in Toulkok, Western Intl School Preschool Campus. Substitute teacher ko for Math and Science, Mam Shirley's current teaching loads. Hehe, there's a trip to Sihanoukville this Saturday. La man na sa plano, I want to rest and paextend pud ko my visa so I didn't sign up. Aba, nareskedyul, next Saturday na daw. I dunno. Only God knows...

The Lascos of Tubigon

Nang Anel told me yesterday that former Mayor Boy Lasco died last week of pancreatic cancer. I messaged his son, Jun, my high school rival for condolences. May you rest in peace po.

I remember him fondly from our high school days, when our families were still in speaking terms. He used to tell Jun daw that dili na lng ko apason kay basin mabuang kuno sya. Hahay life! Of course, things changed when my elder sister, Dete Etel, didn't become valedictorian but only 1st honorable mention. I guess we can heal old wounds now that we're all adults right? Sana nga.

Western Int'l School

My 1st encounter with Western Int'l School was back in April 1, 2008 when I had to go to Siem Reap for a job interview as part-time English teacher. Then later on I learned that Tita Sonia, one of our friends' moms is working there. She recommended me to WIS. On 23 April 2008 I went to WIS De Castle campus for my infamous interview. I was wearing white sandals nga flat then which Tita Sonia called tsinelas. In July 2008 Teacher Shirley Sisante gave me the chance to teach with them. Maths and Science. I'll be forever grateful for the opportunity. From De Castle we moved to K-West then I was at De Castle again for Grade 5 before I decided to go home in October 2010. God bless us all. Amen!

CLP

I am looking forward to my CLP here in PP. It will be this August pa man daw pohon. It is the formal initiation into CFC life. For my part, I will be a participant daw cum service team member. Asa pa ko ana? It is gonna run for 12 Sundays here. We hope naa pud mi madagit nga mga Khmer, try nako from CWF. Hehe, la ta kahibaw..

Time with the Volunteers

Last Monday, Greg talked to me about not being visible and not spending time with the volunteers. I don't come to the volunteer house, and he doesn't see me in school daw so he's starting to wonder if I work at CWF at all. Hehe, pag Friday pa na sya nicomment, 13 June when we went out to Liquid Bar at St 278. Sabot man diay mi mag-istorya about our Level 2 classes kay morag tagduha man amo gihandle ani nga level.

Di man gud ko tigkuyog sa ila mga happening kay naa may bayad, mogasto na man pud ko. La gud ko nikuyog nila to Kratie, morag mao toy pinakadaku na event na wala nako adtoa. Anyway, makatrabaho na man nya ko pohon. Kakwarta na ko aron makahang out w/them. Amen!

Moving Again!

From the looks of it, basin adto na pud ko puyo ila Ate Maline (from Tagbilaran) ig July pohon. Mouli na man ang iyang current housemate nga si Ding, iya ra pud igso. Hahay, ikatulo na tawn ni nako balay diri PP --first, in St 200 then after two months, St 472. Cge lng, basin mao jud cguro ni ako kapalaran kay I insisted on being here man even if I could've gone home or stayed on in SG. Naa gihapoy purpose ang tanan, God will reveal His plans for me soon. I keep the faith!

Change

I am now teaching at the kindergarten level here in PP, at Western Intl School in Toulkork. I started last 1 July as substitute for Ms Shirley Sisante's classes. Math mi Monday-Tuesday, Science Thu-Fri and activity kung Friday.

Lingawon na lng nako ako self didto. Coz I got this job just when I told the Lord 'mag-agwanta ko diri Cambodia Lord coz I dun wanna go back to my life in USC anymore'. Bigay Nya to e.

Incidentally, the previous occupant of the flat I looked at last 18 June at St 480, Nick from Britain is also teaching there. The 1st thing he said to me was "Did u get the flat?"

May dahilan ang lahat. I just keep the faith.

1st Week, Decision

I think I survived my 1st wk at CWF. I'm still unsettled but I think as we go on, I'll relax some more. It's my 1st time kasi to be teaching English and I'm adjusting to the fact that I'm teaching basic levels this time, 2 classes. But I like my level 7 and level 8 huh!

I wanna wish 2 friends all the best. May they have a happy life together. Ug ni Melissa pa lagi before, "Di sya lang ang lalaki sa mundo no?"Yah right, Lis; good luck to us always!

Volunteering in Cambodia

Maybe if I didn't move to St 472, I also wouldn't have found this volunteering job at CWF. I saw their poster at WW Web internet cafe and that's how I thought of volunteering w/ them. I simply walked into the school on 8th May.

Most of the volunteers live at the Volunteer House on St 147, about 10 mins walk to the school. I live quite close by actually.

St 155 is the busiest street in our part of town. Last Monday, 2 June in the morning, I saw Abbey, Chris, and Greg w/ his laptop at Coffee Korner. Then in the afternoon, I saw Amy walking at St 155 again w/ her boyfriend who is visiting.

It is amusing, these volunteers are part of my life now. I realize I have not been interacting w/ a mix of people since ISS days! Coz in NUS most of the students were really from China and India, only the exchange students are the Westerners.

Last Saturday, 31 May we girls went to church --Abbey, Amy, Jane, Teresa and I. The usher at the church even asked us, "Which country are you from?" Then she checked herself and said "Oh, different countries" Heheh..

Yesterday, 7 June only Abbey, Chris, Teresa and I went to church. The others had their own schedule. But hopefully we can have this Saturday schedule alrdy.

Today I saw Greg just outside the school. I was waiting for Teresa. Told him I sent out my CV to schools while they went to the province, Kratie. He said he might also try to look for a job here in Cambodia after our term at the school has ended.

It's all amusing, I keep the faith. God bless our plans!