After we finished our work at the orphanage, we spent the last weekend visiting the Royal Palace and Angkor Wat. The Royal Palace- which we visited on Saturday, is where the king lives. The next day we made the 5 hour journey to Siem Riep, where Angkor Wat and the temples surrounding it are located. Seeing a piece of Cambodian history at the end of our trip was especially awesome. Angkor Wat is huge, and the architecture and carvings are amazing. We woke up at quarter to 5 am on Monday to see the sunrise at the temple- which was beautiful. Going there was a really nice treat after working so hard for the past two weeks.
As I'm writing, I sit in the Incheon Airport in Seoul, Korea. The fact that I'm no longer in Cambodia, no longer a mere drive away from the kids, is a saddening fact. I keep thinking about them- what they're doing, how they're doing, I'm checking my watch to see if they're eating or sleeping or playing. I miss them all so much. The second group gets there soon, though, so hopefully they won't have to miss me as much as I miss them.
I'll be home soon. Back to my own house and my own bed and my normal routine in a country that I see now is truly first-world. It's not undesirable, really, because any one of those kids would have begged to be going where I'm going. It's just something to get used to again. I do miss my family and friends, and I can't wait to see them. But I hate leaving these kids. I want to continue to help them and I want to make sure they're safe and loved. I wish the second group luck in doing exactly this. Ava, Mallory, Bret, Alex, Camryn, Anna, Zoe, Jenna, and Nikko, you're going to have a great time. Work hard. Love with all your heart.
I don't know what to say at the end of my trip except thank you. Thank you Lisa Marie, for bringing me here. Thank you to the kids for allowing me to love them. Thank you to my parents for supporting me and thank you to everyone on this trip with me for being the most amazing people to work with. Thank you for this experience that I am so grateful for. My time here is something I'll never forget. I am proud of the work I've done. I'm happy with how happy I've made those kids and how much work we did to improve their living situation. I'm proud of our work as a team. I may be leaving a piece of my heart in Cambodia, but I'm leaving knowing that I did a good job.
I'm not sure about a lot of things in life. But I am sure that this isn't the last time I'll be in Cambodia. I'm coming back, whether it be with CGA or another organization, if I have to swim across the Pacific and climb over mountains, that's what I will do. I loved this experience too much to be a one-time thing. I want to help everyone there as much as I possibly can. Cambodia, this farewell is only for the time being. I'll see you soon.
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