My introduction to Phnom Penh was a very bumpy, thirty minute tuk-tuk ride to my volunteer house. Our driver spoke little English, but greeted us with a UBELONG sign at the arrivals exit. We waited with him for twenty minutes for the three other volunteers we would presumably be traveling with. As soon as everyone was present and accounted for they split us. Jen and I went with one man to a tuk-tuk while the other three volunteers went in a taxi. Our driver walked us to the side of a street that was as wide as a four lane highway. Although, the traffic along it did not stick to a traditional lane pattern. Traffic was heavy with motorbikes, beat up work trucks and new and shiny SUVs. Our driver told us to wait as he bravely walked across the road to our waiting ride. I assumed he would drive onto the street, travel down a while and then make a u turn to come back and get us. But no! He courageously drove our ride accross all of that speedy chaos. As we drove, the road got smaller and deteriorated into a muddy mess of pot holes. Then as we approached the center of town it turned back into solid pavement. On our bumpy and chaotic ride I saw; at least four men openly urinating on on the side of the road, a naked baby on a heap of recyclables, beer girls with pale made up faces waiting on large pleather looking couches outside bars, food stalls, two men on separate occasions balancing ladders on the back of bikes, a small open market with a women selling freshly cut flowers, a family of four balancing on a tiny bike, rows of shops selling everything from tile to handbags and much more. I was already exhausted from my four hours of sleep and our morning at the market, so after that stimulating ride I was overwhelmed with emotion. Was I really up for this challenge? The obvious answer was that I had to be.
We checked in at the front and were pointed toward our room. It was small but clean and organized. There were four of everything, bed, shelf, lockable bedside table with a drawer and cabinet. The bathroom was tiny and the shower, toilet and sink shared the small space openly. With all of the feelings and reactions I was having, I wasn't really ready to smile and introduce myself to people. I needed to decompress a bit, but more importantly I needed to eat.
We went down for dinner which was buffet style with a large table for all the volunteers to eat together. There were so many people sitting and chatting there already. I mostly sat and ate quietly listening to everyone's experiences so far. Many people were like us in that they had just arrived this weekend and hadn't gotten to work yet. I was too overstimulated, hungry and tired to join their polite conversation. When Jen asked if I was ok I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't want to be the girl who cried at dinner on the first night, I want to be strong. I struggled to hold back my tears, but succeeded. This was all going to be more difficult than I had imagined.
Pictured: my area of the room
our bathroom
Afternoon Total: $0
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