Was enriching. On the way from the airport to Prey Veng, we encountered these street-paddlers who knocked on the windows of our vehicle as we tried to get across some river. When the door opened and the bus uncle alighted to get the tickets, I thought it would be a mad rush for them to board our bus to sell us what they had to offer - crickets, baguettes, sunnies, berries, etc, but they would just knock on the windows. Rejection and indifference from the passengers seemed to be routine. I wondered how much they earned from selling what little they had to offer. Was it enough for sustenance? Are they considered businessmen, in Cambodia's context?

Was thought-provoking. Living in a community - where instead of your family you have friends, buddies and pals. They sleep in the same dormitory, use the same cubicles, brush teeth together at the sink, play the same games every afternoon, use the same rackets and pingpong balls and shuttlecocks which have that little feather left and they learn how to appreciate each other. One moment they were fighting, the next moment they were posing for pictures together. Singaporeans do the same, except our "moments" last for days, whereas theirs last for minutes, maybe even seconds. :)

Was full of surprises. We (the girls) spotted a rainbow on the second day we were at Hope Village. The guys and the photographers were hard at work, drilling well in the village. Did they spot something this beautiful as well?

Was heartwrenching. Soap distribution brought us to a village where there were many children, poorly clothed and dressed, some of the younger boys even naked. Many of them ran about without shoes, and some of the huts seemed dilapidated. Were the kids getting educated? Do the kids have enough to eat? I think I know the answers, just by observing. But they were all curious little ones, following us everywhere we went. I think we looked weird to them. Or maybe they were just thankful for our presence.

Was a hygiene class in disguise. We were in the market one day and it happened that it had just rained moments ago. The flies, the rubbish dumps, the meat sellers... I think the entire Singapore deserves an A+++++ for hygiene. Thereafter I subconsciously refused to eat meat during meals.

Was about communicating. With our own project mates, with the kids at Hope Village. It was also about immersing in their culture, the one dish meals, the hand games they played (which sounded like our ping pong chet in Singapore), the signs they do when they pose for pictures, the Khmer they spoke, the Khmer we learnt, the English we taught them (thinks Foggy! :D :D :D ). I learnt a lot about communicating.

Was laid-back, and beautiful in every sense. My first trip to a rural area, and finally understanding that "rural" on books isn't quite like "rural" when you experience it for yourself. The cows, pigs, (humongous) lizards, spiders, snakes, evil mosquitoes and sandflies. This is the real rural. We didn't manage to catch the sunrise, but the sunset caught while sitting on the swing was gorgeous. (:

Was wonder-ful. Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom... The many pictures taken, the memories we had together. The long tables at meals which fitted all 23 of us, the taking care of each other, the htht sessions, the sharing and reflection sessions, the pity when the first well didn't pump out clean water, the heartache felt when the guys had to go back for well-drilling for the 3rd day, the sharing of food brought over from Singapore, the bus rides, the taking of unglamourous sleeping shots, the indian poker, the hotel rooms, the bananas, the constant use of Dodgeeee and Fog-geeeey, the Heal the World, the English Lessons, the asking of "Have you ****ted today?", the frogs, the washing of clothes, the children at Hope Village, the R&R, the baguette, the coconut icecream, the markets and bargaining. Only at Project Prey Veng. (:

(This is anti-climax, but I love my buddies! :D Jagabee party YAY. )