July 7, Saturday
I am crushed. In the morning we went to the market to get food for the kids and any additional party supplies. We got to the orphanage at around noon, so the first thing we did when we got there was greet the kids and have lunch. After lunch we spent quite a lot of time just hanging out with the kids, talking, playing volleyball, and just having fun. Next they preformed an amazing show, they had costumes, makeup, the set it was just incredible. Next we had dinner. After dinner we danced for about an hour while it was getting dark. We had a special call, all of us to the office, it was time for the glow sticks, balloons, and party horns!! When we walked out of the office glowing, the kids went CRAZY!!! They were so exited, in about 15 seconds all of our party stuff ended up on the kids!! The part I had been waiting for, for a long time was giving them our present, our frame with all the pictures in it! Now we can hang it up right next to trip 1's. And for the part that I wished would never come, the goodbyes. I did not know what was quite going on, but when Lavin pulled me aside to tell me goodbye.. that is when I lost it. All the joy inside me just came pouring out, he gave me a beautiful bracelet with bells on the end, it meant the word to me. As I walked around the stage all I could here was just kids ages 2- 25 just all crying like babies, Ava, Zoe, Nikko, Camryn, Bret, Alex, and my self I am pretty sure cried harder than we ever had before. We started saying good bye about 30 minutes before we were leaving because we new it would talk a long time. It was so hard to get around to each kid, give them a kiss and tell them that you WILL be back. There groups of kids all around the stage crying together. I had the 18-25 year old boys wipe my tears off my face and tell me to be happy, I promised them I would be back and I would be better at volleyball when I came back. When it was time to really leave I was freaking out. When I was sitting in the tuk-tuk I was holding about 3 kids hands in each one of my hands. When we started pulling away, all the kids chased after us like they always did, I just could not let go of Lavins hand.. I thought my arm was going to rip off. Picture trying to leave one of your brothers and not no when or if you will ever see them again. All Camryn and I could say was "Noooooo, please please turn around go back!!!! Please!" Noooooo! It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do I'm my entire life. CPO is my family that I will never forget, I love you. And I promise to be back, even if I have to walk.
"Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened."
July 8, Sunday
I woke up this morning with a really sore throat and I know exactly why. The first thing we did this morning was a cooking class, we first went to the market to see what ingredient we need, then we went back to our stations. First we made spring rolls, they were very different my in a good way. Then we made fish amok, that was.. umm... well I did not like that very much I don't know why. After the cooking class was over we walked to the Royal Palace. This was amazing. We had a very nice tour guide. The RP was so beautiful, and I learned so much about it. After the RP, we walked around for a little bit, I got some food for the road trip and a scarf at a really neat little shop. After that, Lisa Marie took us for dinner, at a restaurant called Friends. The restaurant is amazing, not just for their food. Friends: a trained restaurant run by former street youth and their teachers. All profits go back to Mith Samlanh/ Friends training center. Many of the graduates go on to work at well known hotels and restaurants in Phnom Penh. They work with an average of 1,800 children and youth per day, some of the children/youth are from the streets. It was a very cool restaurant, thank you Lisa Marie!! I love you. Well that concludes day 11, exited for our trip to Angkor Wat tomorrow :-)
Thanks everyone
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