One Year Anniversary!

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my moving to Cambodia. To celebrate, I took the day off any and all work. I decided I would like to get a massage, go on a riverboat tour, and finish the night off on a sky bar overlooking the city. My roommate came with me for a lovely massage and as we were in our Tuk Tuk driving to the riverside for the boat tour, the rain began to come down. Now I'm talking Cambodia-style rain, full on flooding and winds and chaos. This meant no river tour as planned. My roommate and I ducked from the Tuk Tuk into a restaurant to avoid being completely drenched. 

And as we sat in this restaurant and talked about the experiences of the past year, there was not even a hint of sadness or anger for the changed plans. Because that is the beauty I have come to find in Cambodia, it is that nothing is ever set in stone. In this country, you could plan your little heart out, and still there is no way of knowing what the actual outcome will be. Any plan you have is turned completely upside down, and instead you are left with something even better. 

I had so many fears and expectations when I came here. And honestly, most of them haven't come to fruition. I say that in complete joy, because I have gotten so much more than I ever could have expected. More friendship, more growth, more love than I anticipated. 

This has been a year of discovery, about myself and others. When I left everything I had ever known, I was only left with myself. For the first time, I was able to take a good, hard look at myself and recognize my desires and capabilities. I was able to see people without my usual biases and expectations, to see friendship and relationship in new ways. I could go on for ages, each month here has brought on new lessons to be learned and love to be experienced. 

But it all boils down to this; In Cambodia I have learned to love. As cheesy as it sounds, this is the place where I have found myself. And I am so terribly excited for all that is still to come in this amazing country.